Lakemba, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Lakemba NSW is 17,092 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Lakemba is $521 per week ($27,092 per year). Median rent in Lakemba is $350 per week ($1,517 per month). Lakemba has a median age of 32 years, younger than the national median of 38. Lakemba has a population density of 7,817 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Lakemba is Bangladesh. The most common religion is Islam (61.2% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Bengali. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lakemba is $1,712.

There were 170 recorded offences in Lakemba in 2025-26, a rate of 10 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (64 offences).

Population
17,092
Census 2021
Median income
$521/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$350/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
32years
Census 2021

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

Lakemba vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Lakemba is $521 a week, 32% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,982nd of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $350 a week, $35 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 28.5% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 32, 11 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.
MeasureLakembaTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$521/wk$765/wk −32%$766/wk
Household income$1,227/wk$1,704/wk −28%$1,637/wk
Rent$350/wk$385/wk −9%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,712/mo$1,965/mo −13%$1,733/mo
Median age3243 −11 yrs42
Rent share of household income28.5%22.6% +5.9 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 Lakemba, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Lakemba Population

17,092 residents at the 2021 Census.

Lakemba Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$521/wk
$27,092 per year
Ranked 7,997 of 14,663
Median Rent
$350/wk
$1,517 per month
Ranked 3,104 of 14,663
Median Age
32years
6 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,712/mo
Avg household size: 3.1 · 1.4 per bedroom

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

Lakemba Rent Prices & Affordability

29% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,227/wk
Median rent $350/wk
Rent to income 28.5%

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

Median rent in Lakemba against your income

About $5,317 a month
Median rent $350/wk
Left after rent $877/wk
Rent share 28.5%

Lakemba Schools

51
schools nearby
27
government
1018
avg ICSEA score
26,188
total students
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 439 students
1113
ICSEA
Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 637 students
1100
ICSEA
St Ursula's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,110 students
1095
ICSEA
Greenacre Christian College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 322 students
1087
ICSEA
Al Noori Muslim School Independent
Primary · K-12 · 2,407 students
1086
ICSEA
Strathfield South Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 423 students
1084
ICSEA
St Anne's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 101 students
1084
ICSEA
All Saints Grammar Independent
Secondary · K-12 · 646 students
1077
ICSEA
Australian International Academy, Sydney, Strathfield Campus Independent
Combined · K-12 · 493 students
1074
ICSEA
Malek Fahd Islamic School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 3,352 students
1063
ICSEA
Enfield Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 199 students
1062
ICSEA
St Charbel's College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,198 students
1054
ICSEA
Al Hikma College Independent
Primary · K-6 · 399 students
1049
ICSEA
Mount Lewis Infants School Government
Primary · K-2 · 173 students
1047
ICSEA
Rissalah College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 946 students
1041
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 51 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 Lakemba, with a map

Lakemba Map

Lakemba, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Lakemba

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 54.7% (9,350) Female 45.3% (7,736)

Population Density

7,817
people per km²
17,092 people · 2.2 km²

Households

3.1
Avg household size
1.4
Persons per bedroom
$1,285
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

Bangladesh
15.0%
India
8.8%
Pakistan
5.3%
Myanmar
4.3%
Lebanon
3.4%
Vietnam
3.2%
Indonesia
2.5%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Bengali
18.5%
Urdu
13.2%
Arabic
10.5%
Vietnamese
3.8%
Indonesian
3.0%
Greek
2.6%
Cantonese
2.3%

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

Ancestry

Indian
10.7%
Australian
8.3%
English
6.8%
Lebanese
6.4%
Chinese
4.9%
Vietnamese
3.6%
Greek
2.9%
Filipino
1.2%
Irish
1.1%
Italian
1.1%
Korean
0.7%

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

Islam
61.2%
Not stated
10.2%
Catholic
8.8%
No religion
6.7%
Eastern Orthodox
3.4%
Buddhism
2.5%
Hinduism
2.0%
Anglican
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.3%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
55.1% 7,090
Separated
3.3% 421
Divorced
6.6% 843
Widowed
3.9% 499
Never married
31.2% 4,014

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
60.4%
Couple: no children under 15
14.6%
Couple: no children
13.3%
One parent: no children under 15
5.9%
One parent: children under 15
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
19.5%
2 persons
22.7%
3 persons
18.0%
4 persons
19.8%
5 persons
11.4%
6+ persons
8.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Lakemba

Housing Tenure

Of the 4,950 occupied private dwellings in Lakemba at the 2021 Census, 58.1% were rented, 20.1% owned outright and 18.5% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.1% 52 dwellings
Owned outright
20.1% 994 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
18.5% 918 dwellings
Rented
58.1% 2,875 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.2% 108 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
86.5%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
10.8%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
5.8%
2 bedrooms
65.0%
3 bedrooms
19.0%
4 bedrooms
6.4%
5 bedrooms
2.6%
6+ bedrooms
1.2%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.2%
$300-$449/mo
2.3%
$450-$599/mo
1.5%
$600-$799/mo
3.4%
$800-$999/mo
5.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
18.5%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
19.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
22.1%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
10.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
11.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
15.9%
1 vehicle
51.5%
2 vehicles
22.8%
3 vehicles
5.8%
4+ vehicles
3.9%

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

Work, income and education in Lakemba

Employment

Employed full-time
19.4% 2,048 people
Employed part-time
16.6% 1,760 people
Unemployed
7.2% 764 people
Not in labour force
56.8% 6,008 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
26.0%
Community & Personal Service
15.2%
Clerical & Administrative
11.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
10.6%
Sales Workers
10.3%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
10.3%
Labourers
8.5%
Managers
7.6%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
3.1%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
2.1%
$300-$399/wk
2.9%
$400-$499/wk
6.1%
$500-$649/wk
5.5%
$650-$799/wk
9.1%
$800-$999/wk
10.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
11.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.7%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.1%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.9%
$4,000+/wk
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
22.1%
$1-$149/wk
3.0%
$150-$299/wk
8.4%
$300-$399/wk
6.0%
$400-$499/wk
5.5%
$500-$649/wk
6.2%
$650-$799/wk
10.5%
$800-$999/wk
11.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
3.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
2.3%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.4%
$3,500+/wk
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
54.7%
Did not go to work
21.7%
Train
9.9%
Car (passenger)
4.4%
Walked only
4.1%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.5%
Other
1.5%
Bus
0.9%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.6%
Truck
0.5%
Bicycle
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
81.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
11.5%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.1%

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
41.4%
Postgraduate Degree
24.1%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.4%
Certificate III/IV
14.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.3%
Certificate I/II
1.8%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
31.3%
Information Technology
13.9%
Engineering
13.9%
Society & Culture
12.0%
Health
9.0%
Education
5.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.7%
Creative Arts
2.7%
Architecture & Building
2.1%
Agriculture & Environment
0.7%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.8%
Secondary: Government
16.6%
Vocational Education
16.2%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
14.6%
Pre-school
9.1%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
7.1%
Primary: Catholic
3.5%
Secondary: Catholic
3.1%

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
84.8%
Has need for assistance
5.4%
Need for assistance not stated
9.8%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
685
Diabetes
538
Asthma
351
Heart disease
286
Arthritis
272
Lung condition
147
Kidney disease
143
Stroke
100
Cancer
89
Dementia
52

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
10.6% 1,199
Did not provide
89.4% 10,115

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
7.7% 878
Not a volunteer
92.3% 10,541

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 6
Previously served
0.3% 37
Never served
99.6% 11,479

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
32.7%
1 child
17.2%
2 children
24.9%
3 children
15.3%
4 children
6.9%
5+ children
3.1%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
13
1951: 1960
102
1961: 1970
363
1971: 1980
517
1981: 1990
862
1991: 2000
1,082
2001: 2010
2,252
2011: 2015
2,045
2016
430
2017
554
2018
662
2019
667
2020
210
2021
103

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

Population Mobility

17.4%
moved in the last year
46.6%
moved in the last 5 years
13.9%
unemployment rate (Census)
42.8%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
12,595
Moved: same area (SA2)
1,137
Moved from NSW
1,126
Moved from overseas
258
Moved from VIC
38
Moved from QLD
23
Moved from ACT
11
Moved from NT
9
Moved from WA
6
Moved from SA
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
14.8%
5: 14 hours
17.8%
15: 29 hours
8.6%
30+ hours
10.7%
Did not do domestic work
48.1%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
93.0%
Step family: no other children
4.1%
Intact family: other children present
1.6%
Blended family: no other children
1.2%
Step family: other children present
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Lakemba Crime Statistics

170 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
64
Assault
39
Other Against Person
20
Other Against Property
19
Property Damage
11
Sexual Offences
6
Weapons
6
Drug Offences
4
Traffic
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Lakemba

The closest suburb to Lakemba is Wiley Park, 0.9 km away.

Wiley Park
0.9 km away · income $551/wk · rent $350/wk
Belmore
1.1 km away · income $640/wk · rent $380/wk
Roselands
1.7 km away · income $666/wk · rent $410/wk
Belfield
1.8 km away · income $672/wk · rent $460/wk
Mount Lewis
2.3 km away · income $596/wk · rent $400/wk
Strathfield South
2.4 km away · income $870/wk · rent $460/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Lakemba

What is the population of Lakemba NSW?

The population of Lakemba NSW is 17,092 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 7,817 people per km². Lakemba is ranked #210 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Lakemba?

The median personal income in Lakemba NSW is $521 per week, or $27,092 per year. The median household income is $1,227 per week. Family income is $1,285 per week. Lakemba is ranked #7,997 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Lakemba?

Median rent in Lakemba NSW is $350 per week ($1,517 per month). Rent represents 28.5% of household income, which is considered moderate. Lakemba ranks #3,104 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Lakemba?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lakemba NSW is $1,712. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Lakemba?

The median age in Lakemba NSW is 32 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Lakemba a good suburb to live in?

Lakemba is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 17,092. The median income is $521/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (28.5% 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: 12266. All dollar figures in AUD.