East Lismore, NSW: suburb profile

The population of East Lismore NSW is 4,980 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in East Lismore is $670 per week ($34,840 per year). Median rent in East Lismore is $310 per week ($1,343 per month). East Lismore has a median age of 39 years, older than the national median of 38. East Lismore has a population density of 761 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in East Lismore is England. The most common religion is No religion (42.1% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is German. The median monthly mortgage repayment in East Lismore is $1,430.

There were 98 recorded offences in East Lismore in 2025-26, a rate of 20 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (35 offences).

Population
4,980
Census 2021
Median income
$670/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$310/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.

East Lismore vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in East Lismore is $670 a week, 12% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,481st of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $310 a week, $75 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 25.1% 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.
MeasureEast LismoreTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$670/wk$765/wk −12%$766/wk
Household income$1,236/wk$1,704/wk −27%$1,637/wk
Rent$310/wk$385/wk −19%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,430/mo$1,965/mo −27%$1,733/mo
Median age3943 −4 yrs42
Rent share of household income25.1%22.6% +2.5 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 East Lismore, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

East Lismore Population

4,980 residents at the 2021 Census.

East Lismore Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$670/wk
$34,840 per year
Ranked 5,982 of 14,663
Median Rent
$310/wk
$1,343 per month
Ranked 4,328 of 14,663
Median Age
39years
1 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,430/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

East Lismore Rent Prices & Affordability

25% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,236/wk
Median rent $310/wk
Rent to income 25.1%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in East Lismore against your income

About $5,356 a month
Median rent $310/wk
Left after rent $926/wk
Rent share 25.1%

East Lismore Schools

15
schools nearby
8
government
965
avg ICSEA score
3,853
total students
St Carthage's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 580 students
1064
ICSEA
Trinity Catholic College Lismore Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 816 students
1055
ICSEA
Living School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 313 students
1037
ICSEA
Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 189 students
1001
ICSEA
Lismore Heights Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 203 students
973
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
Wyrallah Road Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 350 students
947
ICSEA
The Rivers Secondary College, Lismore High Campus Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 438 students
934
ICSEA
Wilson Park School Government
Combined · U · 83 students
902
ICSEA
Lismore South Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 106 students
898
ICSEA
Lismore Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 179 students
871
ICSEA
Trinity Catholic College Lismore, St Joseph's Campus Independent
Secondary
Living School - Southern Cross University Campus Independent
Combined
Living Academy - Southern Cross University - Z Block Independent
Secondary

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

All schools near East Lismore, with a map

East Lismore Map

East Lismore, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

East Lismore, New South Wales: 28.8234°S, 153.2861°E

East Lismore Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (15)

People in East Lismore

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.6% (2,370) Female 52.4% (2,608)

Population Density

761
people per km²
4,980 people · 6.5 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,717
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

England
1.9%
New Zealand
0.8%
India
0.7%
Philippines
0.6%
Germany
0.4%
Netherlands
0.4%
Scotland
0.3%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

German
0.6%
Punjabi
0.5%
Italian
0.4%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.3%
Mandarin
0.3%
French
0.2%
Indonesian
0.2%

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

Ancestry

English
40.5%
Australian
39.4%
Irish
14.8%
Scottish
12.3%
Australian Aboriginal
7.0%
German
4.5%
Italian
4.1%
Dutch
1.1%
Filipino
0.8%
French
0.7%
Chinese
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
42.1%
Catholic
19.7%
Anglican
11.2%
Not stated
9.7%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.8%
Uniting Church
3.6%
Christian (other)
2.3%
Buddhism
1.4%

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
31.6% 1,309
Separated
3.9% 161
Divorced
12.5% 518
Widowed
6.3% 261
Never married
45.7% 1,891

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
37.9%
Couple: no children
26.8%
One parent: children under 15
12.6%
Couple: no children under 15
11.4%
One parent: no children under 15
11.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
34.5%
2 persons
32.3%
3 persons
14.7%
4 persons
10.7%
5 persons
5.1%
6+ persons
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in East Lismore

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,953 occupied private dwellings in East Lismore at the 2021 Census, 38.2% were rented, 31.6% owned outright and 28.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.3% 26 dwellings
Owned outright
31.6% 617 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
28.3% 552 dwellings
Rented
38.2% 746 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 20 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
83.8%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
12.1%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
5.4%
2 bedrooms
23.0%
3 bedrooms
47.2%
4 bedrooms
20.0%
5 bedrooms
3.3%
6+ bedrooms
1.1%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
3.8%
$300-$449/mo
1.2%
$450-$599/mo
3.0%
$600-$799/mo
6.4%
$800-$999/mo
7.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
26.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
27.6%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
20.9%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
2.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
7.4%
1 vehicle
43.2%
2 vehicles
35.0%
3 vehicles
9.3%
4+ vehicles
5.1%

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

Work, income and education in East Lismore

Employment

Employed full-time
32.4% 1,180 people
Employed part-time
24.0% 874 people
Unemployed
3.7% 133 people
Not in labour force
39.9% 1,452 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
29.2%
Community & Personal Service
18.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
14.6%
Clerical & Administrative
12.1%
Labourers
9.0%
Managers
7.7%
Sales Workers
5.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.5%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
0.9%
$1-$149/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
1.9%
$300-$399/wk
3.3%
$400-$499/wk
8.6%
$500-$649/wk
8.8%
$650-$799/wk
8.0%
$800-$999/wk
8.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.4%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.2%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.5%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.2%
$4,000+/wk
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.3%
$1-$149/wk
4.2%
$150-$299/wk
7.9%
$300-$399/wk
5.8%
$400-$499/wk
6.0%
$500-$649/wk
5.1%
$650-$799/wk
12.1%
$800-$999/wk
13.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
13.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.1%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
4.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.8%
$3,500+/wk
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
69.5%
Did not go to work
16.4%
Car (passenger)
7.0%
Walked only
3.9%
Bicycle
0.7%
Bus
0.6%
Truck
0.6%
Other
0.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.5%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
54.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
31.6%
Year 9 or equivalent
7.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
6.8%

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
41.2%
Bachelor Degree
27.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.5%
Postgraduate Degree
8.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.3%
Certificate I/II
3.0%

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

Field of Study

Society & Culture
17.6%
Management & Commerce
17.2%
Health
15.3%
Education
12.5%
Engineering
11.4%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.8%
Architecture & Building
5.7%
Agriculture & Environment
5.1%
Creative Arts
4.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.9%
Information Technology
1.6%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.3%
Secondary: Government
19.1%
Vocational Education
16.6%
Secondary: Catholic
10.4%
Pre-school
10.2%
Primary: Catholic
6.9%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.9%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.6%

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
84.3%
Has need for assistance
7.9%
Need for assistance not stated
7.8%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
669
Asthma
204
Arthritis
178
Diabetes
145
Heart disease
135
Lung condition
124
Cancer
93
Kidney disease
67
Stroke
57
Dementia
11

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.8% 559
Did not provide
85.2% 3,220

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
17.0% 643
Not a volunteer
83.0% 3,148

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 5
Previously served
2.5% 93
Never served
97.4% 3,697

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
34.1%
1 child
12.8%
2 children
25.7%
3 children
17.8%
4 children
7.4%
5+ children
2.2%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
7
1951: 1960
38
1961: 1970
60
1971: 1980
51
1981: 1990
59
1991: 2000
36
2001: 2010
95
2011: 2015
54
2016
12
2017
14
2018
9
2019
32
2020
3

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

Population Mobility

16.9%
moved in the last year
43.9%
moved in the last 5 years
5.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
56.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,771
Moved from NSW
429
Moved: same area (SA2)
217
Moved from QLD
54
Moved from VIC
23
Moved from overseas
18
Moved from TAS
9
Moved from ACT
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
21.3%
5: 14 hours
31.7%
15: 29 hours
12.8%
30+ hours
9.0%
Did not do domestic work
25.3%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
80.5%
Step family: no other children
12.3%
Blended family: no other children
5.0%
Other couple: children only
1.5%
Intact family: other children present
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

East Lismore Crime Statistics

98 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
35
Assault
18
Other Against Property
14
Other Against Person
10
Property Damage
10
Weapons
5
Sexual Offences
3
Drug Offences
3

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Condobolin
Income: $668/wk Rent: $200/wk $110/wk less rent
Narromine
Income: $710/wk Rent: $250/wk $60/wk less rent
Junee
Income: $729/wk Rent: $260/wk $50/wk less rent
Wallerawang
Income: $666/wk Rent: $275/wk $35/wk less rent
Scone
Income: $802/wk Rent: $290/wk $20/wk less rent
South Lismore
Income: $638/wk Rent: $300/wk $10/wk less rent
Lake Cargelligo
Income: $641/wk Rent: $170/wk $140/wk less rent
Coonamble
Income: $641/wk Rent: $190/wk $120/wk less rent

Suburbs near East Lismore

The closest suburb to East Lismore is Girards Hill, 1.0 km away.

Girards Hill
1.0 km away · income $677/wk · rent $290/wk
Lismore (NSW)
1.9 km away · income $598/wk · rent $280/wk
Lismore Heights
2.5 km away · income $742/wk · rent $338/wk
South Lismore
3.2 km away · income $638/wk · rent $300/wk
Goonellabah
4.7 km away · income $705/wk · rent $320/wk
Wollongbar
11.9 km away · income $792/wk · rent $420/wk

Compare East Lismore

Frequently Asked Questions About East Lismore

What is the population of East Lismore NSW?

The population of East Lismore NSW is 4,980 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 761 people per km². East Lismore is ranked #1,571 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in East Lismore?

The median personal income in East Lismore NSW is $670 per week, or $34,840 per year. The median household income is $1,236 per week. Family income is $1,717 per week. East Lismore is ranked #5,982 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in East Lismore?

Median rent in East Lismore NSW is $310 per week ($1,343 per month). Rent represents 25.1% of household income, which is considered moderate. East Lismore ranks #4,328 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in East Lismore?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in East Lismore NSW is $1,430. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in East Lismore?

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

Is East Lismore a good suburb to live in?

East Lismore is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 4,980. The median income is $670/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (25.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11361. All dollar figures in AUD.