Lara

Lara lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Lara's population was around 24,448 as of February 2026. This reflected an increase of 3,631 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,817. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,972 in June 2024 and an additional 1,868 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 41 persons per square kilometer. Lara's growth of 17.4% since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of Vic.'s (8.1%) and the SA3 area's growth, marking it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 54.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, with natural growth and overseas migration also being positive factors. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period, with the area expected to increase by 11,293 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 40.1% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Lara was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Lara has seen approximately 428 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 2,143 homes were approved, with another 305 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 1.2 new residents have arrived per year for each new home over these five years, indicating a balanced supply and demand market that supports stable conditions.

The average construction cost of new homes has been around $275,000. This financial year, Lara has recorded approximately $1.009 billion in commercial development approvals, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Lara has 92% more development activity per person, providing buyers with ample choice and indicating robust developer interest in the area. Recent construction comprises mainly standalone homes at 96%, with medium and high-density housing making up the remaining 4%. This maintains Lara's traditional low-density character, focusing on family homes that appeal to those seeking space.

With around 54 people per dwelling approval, Lara exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Lara is projected to add approximately 9,817 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet housing demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Lara has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 61 projects that may impact the area. Key projects include Lara Lakes Estate, Parkview Lara Estate, Austin Lara Master Planned Community, and Prospect Hill Energy from Waste Facility. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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While Lara retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.5%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Lara's workforce is skilled with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of September 2025. This rate is 0.3% lower than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation stood at 65.1%, slightly higher than Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%. According to Census responses, 20.7% of residents worked from home. Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Transport, postal & warehousing had notably high employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employed only 2.0% of local workers, below Rest of Vic.'s 7.5%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Lara's labour force increased by 0.1%, while employment decreased by 0.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic. saw an employment decline of 0.7% and a labour force decline of 0.6%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lara's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, although these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Lara SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $58,655. The average income level stood at $69,401. This was slightly above the national average and compared to levels of $50,954 and $62,728 across Rest of Vic., respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $63,494 (median) and $75,127 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Lara cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 37.1% of residents (9,070 people). After housing costs, 86.5% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Lara is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Lara's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.4% houses and 9.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Vic.'s figures of 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lara stood at 32.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.4% and rented ones at 21.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,755, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,430. Median weekly rent in Lara was recorded as $370, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Lara's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,755 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $370 compared to the national figure of $375.

Lara features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 77.2% of all households, including 37.7% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.8%, with lone person households at 20.6% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of Vic average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Lara aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 19.6%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.5%) and certificates (26.0%). Educational participation is high, with 32.7% currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.1% in primary, 9.0% in secondary, and 4.1% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.1% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Lara has 74 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 7 routes, collectively facilitating 1,459 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is limited, with residents typically located 709 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Lara's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 92%, with an average of 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 20.7% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 208 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 19 weekly trips per stop.

Lara's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Lara's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions among the general population are somewhat typical but higher than the nation's average among older cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population (~13,177 people), leading that of the average SA2 area, compared to 50.5% across Rest of Vic.. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 9.3 and 9.2% of residents respectively. 66.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Rest of Vic.. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 13.7% of residents aged 65 and over (3,359 people), which is lower than the 23.9% in Rest of Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Lara records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Lara's population was found to align with the broader regional average in terms of cultural diversity, with 85.4% being citizens, 82.2% born in Australia, and 88.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in Lara, comprising 47.7% of its population. Notably, the 'Other' religious category was overrepresented in Lara, making up 1.6% compared to the regional average of 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups in Lara were English at 28.0%, Australian at 27.9%, and Irish at 8.4%. Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Dutch were overrepresented at 2.2% (regional average: 1.7%), Croatian at 1.2% (regional average: 0.4%), and Serbian at 0.6% (regional average: 0.2%).

Lara's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Lara is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 16.2% of Lara's population, higher than Rest of Vic., while the 65-74 cohort makes up 7.6%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35 to 44 age group grew from 14.9% to 16.8%, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 13.5% to 11.8%, and the 65 to 74 group decreased from 9.1% to 7.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Lara, with the 25 to 34 age group expected to grow by 56% (2,229 people), reaching a total of 6,180 from its current figure of 3,950.