South Lismore, NSW: suburb profile

The population of South Lismore NSW is 1,775 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in South Lismore is $638 per week ($33,176 per year). Median rent in South Lismore is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). South Lismore has a median age of 39 years, older than the national median of 38. South Lismore has a population density of 242 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in South Lismore is New Zealand. The most common religion is No religion (48.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in South Lismore is $1,300.

There were 72 recorded offences in South Lismore in 2025-26, a rate of 41 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (37 offences).

Population
1,775
Census 2021
Median income
$638/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$300/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
39years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

South Lismore vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in South Lismore is $638 a week, 17% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,605th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $300 a week, $85 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 24.0% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 39, 4 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureSouth LismoreTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$638/wk$765/wk −17%$766/wk
Household income$1,252/wk$1,704/wk −27%$1,637/wk
Rent$300/wk$385/wk −22%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,300/mo$1,965/mo −34%$1,733/mo
Median age3943 −4 yrs42
Rent share of household income24.0%22.6% +1.4 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in South Lismore, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

South Lismore Population

1,775 residents at the 2021 Census.

South Lismore Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$638/wk
$33,176 per year
Ranked 6,466 of 14,663
Median Rent
$300/wk
$1,300 per month
Ranked 4,529 of 14,663
Median Age
39years
1 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,300/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

South Lismore Rent Prices & Affordability

24% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,252/wk
Median rent $300/wk
Rent to income 24.0%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in South Lismore against your income

About $5,425 a month
Median rent $300/wk
Left after rent $952/wk
Rent share 24.0%

South Lismore Schools

6
schools nearby
4
government
976
avg ICSEA score
1,624
total students
St Carthage's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 580 students
1064
ICSEA
Living School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 313 students
1037
ICSEA
Caniaba Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 29 students
955
ICSEA
Albert Park Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 102 students
950
ICSEA
The Rivers Secondary College, Richmond River High Campus Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 494 students
950
ICSEA
Lismore South Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 106 students
898
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near South Lismore, with a map

South Lismore Map

South Lismore, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in South Lismore

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 51.1% (911) Female 48.9% (871)

Population Density

242
people per km²
1,775 people · 7.3 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,522
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

New Zealand
1.4%
England
1.4%
Philippines
0.4%
Scotland
0.3%
Canada
0.3%
Germany
0.2%
Japan
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Italian
0.5%
Japanese
0.3%
Afrikaans
0.3%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.3%
German
0.3%
French
0.2%
Tagalog
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
42.8%
English
40.6%
Irish
13.9%
Scottish
12.3%
Australian Aboriginal
6.5%
German
5.9%
Italian
4.1%
Dutch
1.0%
Welsh
0.7%
French
0.7%
Maltese
0.6%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
48.6%
Catholic
18.9%
Anglican
11.4%
Not stated
7.9%
Uniting Church
2.9%
Christian (other)
2.9%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.5%
Buddhism
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

7.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
24.4% 353
Separated
3.7% 54
Divorced
13.4% 193
Widowed
5.3% 77
Never married
53.1% 768

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
31.8%
Couple: no children
20.3%
One parent: children under 15
19.6%
Couple: no children under 15
14.4%
One parent: no children under 15
14.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
31.9%
2 persons
30.7%
3 persons
15.1%
4 persons
14.1%
5 persons
5.7%
6+ persons
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in South Lismore

Housing Tenure

Of the 681 occupied private dwellings in South Lismore at the 2021 Census, 31.6% were rented, 28.8% owned outright and 37.4% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 8 dwellings
Owned outright
28.8% 196 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
37.4% 255 dwellings
Rented
31.6% 215 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 8 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
97.6%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.5%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.6%
2 bedrooms
26.8%
3 bedrooms
51.0%
4 bedrooms
13.2%
5 bedrooms
3.0%
6+ bedrooms
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
7.4%
$300-$449/mo
1.7%
$450-$599/mo
3.5%
$600-$799/mo
6.1%
$800-$999/mo
14.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
26.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
21.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
13.4%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
2.6%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
6.6%
1 vehicle
41.8%
2 vehicles
29.9%
3 vehicles
14.1%
4+ vehicles
7.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in South Lismore

Employment

Employed full-time
30.9% 403 people
Employed part-time
28.0% 365 people
Unemployed
4.1% 54 people
Not in labour force
36.9% 481 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Community & Personal Service
24.6%
Professionals
19.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
18.6%
Labourers
9.9%
Clerical & Administrative
9.9%
Managers
8.0%
Sales Workers
6.0%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
2.0%
$300-$399/wk
4.5%
$400-$499/wk
9.1%
$500-$649/wk
7.0%
$650-$799/wk
8.3%
$800-$999/wk
9.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
10.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
12.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.9%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
0.9%
$4,000+/wk
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.7%
$1-$149/wk
3.3%
$150-$299/wk
9.4%
$300-$399/wk
6.3%
$400-$499/wk
7.4%
$500-$649/wk
5.9%
$650-$799/wk
13.6%
$800-$999/wk
14.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
16.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
1.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
1.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.5%
$3,500+/wk
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
68.8%
Did not go to work
17.0%
Car (passenger)
5.8%
Walked only
4.6%
Bicycle
1.4%
Truck
1.0%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.7%
Other
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
44.1%
Year 10 or equivalent
37.4%
Year 11 or equivalent
9.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
8.7%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
50.8%
Bachelor Degree
20.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.1%
Certificate I/II
3.9%
Postgraduate Degree
3.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Society & Culture
20.9%
Engineering
15.5%
Management & Commerce
12.5%
Health
12.3%
Education
8.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
8.0%
Architecture & Building
7.5%
Creative Arts
7.3%
Agriculture & Environment
3.2%
Information Technology
2.4%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
35.6%
Secondary: Government
25.5%
Vocational Education
14.8%
Pre-school
7.6%
Secondary: Catholic
6.4%
Primary: Catholic
5.0%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
85.8%
Has need for assistance
7.8%
Need for assistance not stated
6.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
287
Asthma
106
Arthritis
63
Heart disease
49
Diabetes
43
Lung condition
40
Kidney disease
28
Cancer
25
Stroke
25

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
16.1% 217
Did not provide
83.9% 1,128

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
14.6% 196
Not a volunteer
85.4% 1,151

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
2.2% 30
Never served
97.8% 1,316

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
35.2%
1 child
14.1%
2 children
23.7%
3 children
18.5%
4 children
6.6%
5+ children
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

1951: 1960
3
1961: 1970
14
1971: 1980
18
1981: 1990
17
1991: 2000
16
2001: 2010
13
2011: 2015
14
2017
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

15.3%
moved in the last year
40.4%
moved in the last 5 years
6.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
60.5%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,400
Moved from NSW
118
Moved: same area (SA2)
100
Moved from overseas
9
Moved from QLD
7
Moved from VIC
6

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.1%
5: 14 hours
30.9%
15: 29 hours
11.0%
30+ hours
8.4%
Did not do domestic work
29.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
76.2%
Step family: no other children
12.6%
Blended family: no other children
7.9%
Other couple: children only
3.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

South Lismore Crime Statistics

72 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
37
Other Against Property
8
Other Against Person
7
Property Damage
6
Drug Offences
5
Assault
3
Sexual Offences
3
Weapons
3

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near South Lismore

The closest suburb to South Lismore is Girards Hill, 2.4 km away.

Girards Hill
2.4 km away · income $677/wk · rent $290/wk
East Lismore
3.2 km away · income $670/wk · rent $310/wk
Lismore (NSW)
3.3 km away · income $598/wk · rent $280/wk
Lismore Heights
4.5 km away · income $742/wk · rent $338/wk
Goonellabah
7.9 km away · income $705/wk · rent $320/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About South Lismore

What is the population of South Lismore NSW?

The population of South Lismore NSW is 1,775 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 242 people per km². South Lismore is ranked #3,194 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in South Lismore?

The median personal income in South Lismore NSW is $638 per week, or $33,176 per year. The median household income is $1,252 per week. Family income is $1,522 per week. South Lismore is ranked #6,466 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in South Lismore?

Median rent in South Lismore NSW is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Rent represents 24.0% of household income, which is considered affordable. South Lismore ranks #4,529 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in South Lismore?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in South Lismore NSW is $1,300. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in South Lismore?

The median age in South Lismore NSW is 39 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is South Lismore a good suburb to live in?

South Lismore is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 1,775. The median income is $638/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (24.0% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 13605. All dollar figures in AUD.