Lake Gardens, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Lake Gardens VIC is 1,801 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Lake Gardens is $763 per week ($39,676 per year). Median rent in Lake Gardens is $360 per week ($1,560 per month). Lake Gardens has a median age of 51 years, older than the national median of 38. Lake Gardens has a population density of 1,504 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Lake Gardens is China. The most common religion is No religion (36.8% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lake Gardens is $1,733.

There were 199 recorded offences in Lake Gardens in 2025-25, a rate of 110 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (108 offences).

Population
1,801
Census 2021
Median income
$763/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$360/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
51years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au), 2025-25.

Lake Gardens vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Lake Gardens is $763 a week, in line with the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 643rd of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $360 a week, $44 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 23.5% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 51, 8 years older than in the typical VIC suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureLake GardensTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$763/wk$767/wk −1%$766/wk
Household income$1,534/wk$1,687/wk −9%$1,637/wk
Rent$360/wk$316/wk +14%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,733/mo$1,723/mo +1%$1,733/mo
Median age5143 +8 yrs42
Rent share of household income23.5%19.1% +4.4 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 Lake Gardens, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Lake Gardens Population

1,801 residents at the 2021 Census.

Lake Gardens Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$763/wk
$39,676 per year
Ranked 4,258 of 14,663
Median Rent
$360/wk
$1,560 per month
Ranked 2,908 of 14,663
Median Age
51years
13 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Lake Gardens Rent Prices & Affordability

23% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,534/wk
Median rent $360/wk
Rent to income 23.5%

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

Median rent in Lake Gardens against your income

About $6,647 a month
Median rent $360/wk
Left after rent $1,174/wk
Rent share 23.5%

Lake Gardens Schools

19
schools nearby
12
government
1014
avg ICSEA score
10,936
total students
Ballarat Clarendon College Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,896 students
1172
ICSEA
Ballarat Grammar Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,989 students
1120
ICSEA
Pleasant Street Primary School (Ballarat) Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 350 students
1095
ICSEA
St Thomas More School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 431 students
1087
ICSEA
Loreto College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 948 students
1073
ICSEA
St Patrick's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,267 students
1055
ICSEA
Our Lady Help of Christians School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 101 students
1017
ICSEA
Ballarat High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,461 students
1016
ICSEA
Alfredton Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 527 students
1009
ICSEA
Newington Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 278 students
1007
ICSEA
Ballarat Specialist School Government
Combined · U · 453 students
950
ICSEA
Mount Rowan Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 678 students
938
ICSEA
Forest Street Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 232 students
919
ICSEA
Wendouree Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 116 students
917
ICSEA
Yuille Park Community College Government
Combined · Prep-12 · 209 students
840
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 19 schools.

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

All schools near Lake Gardens, with a map

Lake Gardens Map

Lake Gardens, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Lake Gardens, Victoria: 37.5476°S, 143.8158°E

Lake Gardens Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (19)

People in Lake Gardens

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 45.4% (817) Female 54.6% (981)

Population Density

1,504
people per km²
1,801 people · 1.2 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$2,064
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

China
4.0%
England
3.2%
India
1.7%
South Africa
0.7%
Germany
0.6%
New Zealand
0.6%
Brazil
0.5%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
5.1%
Cantonese
0.8%
German
0.7%
Sinhalese
0.7%
Hindi
0.6%
Punjabi
0.5%
Japanese
0.5%

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

Ancestry

English
39.5%
Australian
33.1%
Irish
17.3%
Scottish
15.4%
Chinese
7.0%
German
4.3%
Indian
2.4%
Dutch
2.3%
Italian
2.2%
Welsh
1.2%
Filipino
0.8%

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
36.8%
Catholic
23.7%
Anglican
12.5%
Uniting Church
8.1%
Not stated
4.8%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.9%
Hinduism
1.8%
Buddhism
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
54.9% 855
Separated
2.6% 40
Divorced
7.4% 115
Widowed
7.7% 120
Never married
27.4% 426

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
34.8%
Couple: children under 15
34.6%
Couple: no children under 15
17.5%
One parent: no children under 15
6.7%
One parent: children under 15
6.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
29.3%
2 persons
38.1%
3 persons
14.8%
4 persons
12.6%
5 persons
4.3%
6+ persons
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Lake Gardens

Housing Tenure

Of the 748 occupied private dwellings in Lake Gardens at the 2021 Census, 28.6% were rented, 49.2% owned outright and 21.0% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 7 dwellings
Owned outright
49.2% 368 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
21.0% 157 dwellings
Rented
28.6% 214 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.3% 10 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
92.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
5.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.4%
2 bedrooms
3.1%
3 bedrooms
47.6%
4 bedrooms
39.9%
5 bedrooms
5.0%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
7.2%
$300-$449/mo
2.2%
$450-$599/mo
3.6%
$600-$799/mo
5.8%
$800-$999/mo
5.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
10.8%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
22.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
28.1%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
10.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
5.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
3.9%
1 vehicle
41.3%
2 vehicles
38.0%
3 vehicles
12.6%
4+ vehicles
4.2%

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

Work, income and education in Lake Gardens

Employment

Employed full-time
32.2% 471 people
Employed part-time
19.3% 283 people
Unemployed
2.6% 38 people
Not in labour force
45.9% 673 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
38.6%
Managers
17.4%
Clerical & Administrative
13.0%
Community & Personal Service
10.6%
Technicians & Trade Workers
9.6%
Sales Workers
4.6%
Labourers
3.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.0%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.4%
$150-$299/wk
1.7%
$300-$399/wk
2.3%
$400-$499/wk
8.4%
$500-$649/wk
5.8%
$650-$799/wk
7.0%
$800-$999/wk
7.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.5%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.1%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.0%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.1%
$4,000+/wk
13.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
11.8%
$1-$149/wk
5.9%
$150-$299/wk
7.0%
$300-$399/wk
3.6%
$400-$499/wk
2.6%
$500-$649/wk
2.6%
$650-$799/wk
10.1%
$800-$999/wk
9.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.5%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
8.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.1%
$3,500+/wk
4.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
74.0%
Did not go to work
14.8%
Car (passenger)
7.4%
Walked only
2.3%
Bicycle
1.1%
Bus
0.5%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
64.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
16.1%
Year 10 or equivalent
15.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
4.9%

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

Bachelor Degree
34.0%
Certificate III/IV
20.7%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
20.1%
Postgraduate Degree
15.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
8.7%
Certificate I/II
1.1%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
25.2%
Health
17.4%
Society & Culture
13.5%
Engineering
12.2%
Education
10.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.3%
Architecture & Building
4.1%
Information Technology
3.7%
Creative Arts
3.5%
Agriculture & Environment
2.7%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.7%

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

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Other Non-Govt
21.1%
Secondary: Government
17.0%
Secondary: Catholic
16.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
12.1%
Primary: Government
10.8%
Vocational Education
10.5%
Primary: Catholic
8.0%
Pre-school
4.3%

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
91.1%
Has need for assistance
5.8%
Need for assistance not stated
2.9%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
160
Arthritis
79
Asthma
76
Heart disease
62
Diabetes
47
Cancer
44
Lung condition
40
Kidney disease
22
Stroke
15

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
16.4% 248
Did not provide
83.6% 1,260

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
22.1% 333
Not a volunteer
77.9% 1,175

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.3% 4
Previously served
3.6% 55
Never served
96.1% 1,457

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
24.9%
1 child
13.9%
2 children
34.2%
3 children
17.6%
4 children
7.3%
5+ children
2.0%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
10
1951: 1960
31
1961: 1970
36
1971: 1980
25
1981: 1990
19
1991: 2000
33
2001: 2010
100
2011: 2015
38
2016
6
2017
3
2018
18
2020
8

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

Population Mobility

13.8%
moved in the last year
45.0%
moved in the last 5 years
4.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
54.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,491
Moved from VIC
165
Moved: same area (SA2)
46
Moved from ACT
7
Moved from overseas
6
Moved from SA
3
Moved from QLD
3
Moved from NSW
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
23.0%
5: 14 hours
29.6%
15: 29 hours
17.0%
30+ hours
9.6%
Did not do domestic work
20.7%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.7%
Step family: no other children
5.2%
Blended family: no other children
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Lake Gardens Crime Statistics

199 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
108
Justice Procedures
31
Assault
16
Property Damage
16
Break & Enter
13
Drug Offences
6
Fraud
3
Weapons
3
Public Order
3

Total offences by year

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

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Income: $631/wk Rent: $220/wk $140/wk less rent
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Income: $629/wk Rent: $240/wk $120/wk less rent
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Income: $628/wk Rent: $240/wk $120/wk less rent
Nagambie
Income: $675/wk Rent: $295/wk $65/wk less rent
Ouyen
Income: $614/wk Rent: $165/wk $195/wk less rent
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Income: $637/wk Rent: $180/wk $180/wk less rent
Myrtleford
Income: $653/wk Rent: $250/wk $110/wk less rent
Chiltern
Income: $682/wk Rent: $260/wk $100/wk less rent

Suburbs near Lake Gardens

The closest suburb to Lake Gardens is Alfredton, 1.6 km away.

Alfredton
1.6 km away · income $841/wk · rent $365/wk
Lake Wendouree
1.6 km away · income $1,010/wk · rent $321/wk
Newington (Vic.)
2.0 km away · income $802/wk · rent $315/wk
Wendouree
2.1 km away · income $571/wk · rent $250/wk
Ballarat Central
3.4 km away · income $821/wk · rent $300/wk
Soldiers Hill (Vic.)
3.8 km away · income $842/wk · rent $300/wk

Compare Lake Gardens

Frequently Asked Questions About Lake Gardens

What is the population of Lake Gardens VIC?

The population of Lake Gardens VIC is 1,801 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,504 people per km². Lake Gardens is ranked #3,176 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Lake Gardens?

The median personal income in Lake Gardens VIC is $763 per week, or $39,676 per year. The median household income is $1,534 per week. Family income is $2,064 per week. Lake Gardens is ranked #4,258 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Lake Gardens?

Median rent in Lake Gardens VIC is $360 per week ($1,560 per month). Rent represents 23.5% of household income, which is considered affordable. Lake Gardens ranks #2,908 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Lake Gardens?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lake Gardens VIC is $1,733. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Lake Gardens?

The median age in Lake Gardens VIC is 51 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Lake Gardens a good suburb to live in?

Lake Gardens is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 1,801. The median income is $763/wk, which is below the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (23.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Melbourne Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 21435. All dollar figures in AUD.