Lara
Statistical Area - sa2

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 24,188 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase of 3,371 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,817. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,982 from the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 1,668 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 41 persons per square kilometer. Lara's growth of 16.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area (5.5%) and the SA3 area. The population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 54.6% of overall population gains.

However, all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were 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 weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics predict exceptional growth, placing Lara in the top 10 percent of national regional areas. By 2041, based on latest numbers, the area is expected to increase by 11,293 persons, recording a gain of 41.7% 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 received an average of 241 dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 1,208 homes approved over the past five years from FY-20 to FY-25. As of FY-26, there have been 110 approvals. On average, 1.2 new residents arrive per new home built annually between FY-20 and FY-25, suggesting balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions.

The average construction value for new properties is $376,000, below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY-26, there have been $1,009.5 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Lara records 97.0% more development activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers and attracting robust developer interest. Recent construction comprises 96.0% standalone homes and 4.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining Lara's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes. With around 54 people per dwelling approval, Lara shows characteristics of a growth area, with population forecasts indicating an increase of 10,077 residents by 2041.

Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Lara has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 62 projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones include Parkview Lara Estate, Austin Lara Master Planned Community, Lara Lakes Estate, and Ingenia Lifestyle Lakeside Lara. The following list highlights those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Lara remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Lara has an unemployment rate of 3.7% as of June 2025, with estimated employment growth of 1.9% over the past year. The city's workforce participation rate is 61.7%, slightly higher than Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%.

Key sectors for Lara residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Notably, transport, postal & warehousing employs at 1.8 times the regional average. However, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 2.0% of local workers, below Rest of Vic.'s 7.5%. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.9%, while labour force increased by 2.3%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points.

In contrast, Rest of Vic. saw an employment decline of 0.9%. By Sep-25 2025, VIC's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%, outpacing the national average growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 12.9% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lara's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.2%% over five years and 12.9% over ten years.

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 2022, Lara had a median income among taxpayers of $56,326. The average income level was $66,823, which is slightly above the national average. This compares to levels of $48,741 and $60,693 across Rest of Vic. respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Lara would be approximately $62,021 (median) and $73,579 (average) as of March 2025. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Lara cluster around the 59th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 37.1% of residents (8,973 people). After housing, 86.5% of income remains for other expenses and 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

As evaluated in the latest Census, Lara's dwelling structures comprised 90.4% houses and 9.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Vic.'s dwelling structures were 84.6% houses and 15.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lara was at 32.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (46.4%) or rented (21.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lara was $1,755, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,712. The median weekly rent figure in Lara was recorded at $370, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $335. Nationally, Lara's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for 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, which is 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 has university qualification rates of 19.6%, significantly lower than the VIC average of 33.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 37.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.5%) and certificates (26.0%).

Educational participation is high at 32.7%, including primary education (12.1%), secondary education (9.0%), and tertiary education (4.1%). Lara has a network of 7 schools educating approximately 2,410 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1002) and balanced educational opportunities. The schools include 4 primary, 1 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average at 9.9, indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Lara has 70 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 9 different routes, which together facilitate 2,285 weekly passenger trips. Transport access in Lara is rated as limited; residents on average live 709 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 326 daily trips across all routes, equating to about 32 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Lara is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

Lara faces significant health challenges with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, particularly among older age cohorts to a slightly higher degree.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~12,674 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.3 and 9.2% of residents respectively. Conversely, 66.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.9% across Rest of Vic. The area has 14.0% of residents aged 65 and over (3,383 people), which is lower than the 16.8% in Rest of Vic. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than 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 cultural diversity aligns with its regional average, with 85.4% citizens, 82.2% born in Australia, and 88.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the dominant religion, practiced by 47.7%. The category 'Other' is slightly overrepresented at 1.6%, compared to the regional average of 1.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are English (28.0%), Australian (27.9%), and Irish (8.4%). Notably, Dutch (2.2%) Croatian (1.2%) and Maltese (1.3%) populations are higher than their regional counterparts (Dutch: 2.0%, Croatian: 1.5%, Maltese: 0.5%).

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 and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 15.8% of Lara's population, higher than Rest of Vic., while the 65-74 cohort makes up 7.8%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 35 to 44 age group grew from 14.9% to 16.3%, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 13.5% to 12.2%, and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 9.1% to 7.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Lara, with the 25 to 34 age group expected to grow by 62%, reaching 6,180 people from its current total of 3,826.