Lithgow, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Lithgow NSW is 4,956 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Lithgow is $602 per week ($31,304 per year). Median rent in Lithgow is $280 per week ($1,213 per month). Lithgow has a median age of 49 years, older than the national median of 38. Lithgow has a population density of 829 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Lithgow is England. The most common religion is No religion (36.1% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Tagalog. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lithgow is $1,326.

There were 184 recorded offences in Lithgow in 2025-26, a rate of 37 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (44 offences).

Population
4,956
Census 2021
Median income
$602/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$280/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
49years
Census 2021

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

Lithgow vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Lithgow is $602 a week, 21% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,738th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $280 a week, $105 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 27.7% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 49, 6 years older 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.
MeasureLithgowTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$602/wk$765/wk −21%$766/wk
Household income$1,010/wk$1,704/wk −41%$1,637/wk
Rent$280/wk$385/wk −27%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,326/mo$1,965/mo −33%$1,733/mo
Median age4943 +6 yrs42
Rent share of household income27.7%22.6% +5.1 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 Lithgow, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Lithgow Population

4,956 residents at the 2021 Census.

Lithgow Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$602/wk
$31,304 per year
Ranked 7,049 of 14,663
Median Rent
$280/wk
$1,213 per month
Ranked 5,374 of 14,663
Median Age
49years
11 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,326/mo
Avg household size: 2 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Lithgow Rent Prices & Affordability

28% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,010/wk
Median rent $280/wk
Rent to income 27.7%

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

Median rent in Lithgow against your income

About $4,377 a month
Median rent $280/wk
Left after rent $730/wk
Rent share 27.7%

Lithgow Schools

6
schools nearby
4
government
942
avg ICSEA score
1,873
total students
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Lithgow Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 287 students
993
ICSEA
La Salle Academy Lithgow Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 230 students
980
ICSEA
Zig Zag Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 120 students
934
ICSEA
Lithgow Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 324 students
919
ICSEA
Lithgow High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 654 students
918
ICSEA
Cooerwull Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 258 students
906
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 Lithgow, with a map

Lithgow Map

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

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.2% (2,385) Female 51.8% (2,566)

Population Density

829
people per km²
4,956 people · 6.0 km²

Households

2
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,422
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
2.3%
New Zealand
1.2%
India
0.9%
Philippines
0.9%
China
0.7%
Scotland
0.4%
Netherlands
0.4%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Tagalog
0.4%
Mandarin
0.4%
Cantonese
0.4%
Vietnamese
0.3%
Thai
0.3%
Punjabi
0.3%
Italian
0.3%

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

Ancestry

English
41.5%
Australian
40.8%
Irish
12.1%
Scottish
11.1%
Australian Aboriginal
6.3%
German
3.5%
Italian
1.7%
Chinese
1.6%
Filipino
1.4%
Welsh
1.4%
Indian
1.1%

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
36.1%
Catholic
20.2%
Anglican
16.7%
Not stated
8.4%
Uniting Church
5.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.0%
Baptist
1.7%
Christian (other)
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

7.3%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
36.4% 1,543
Separated
4.6% 194
Divorced
14.0% 592
Widowed
9.2% 391
Never married
35.8% 1,519

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
34.3%
Couple: children under 15
29.1%
One parent: children under 15
13.9%
Couple: no children under 15
12.1%
One parent: no children under 15
10.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
43.6%
2 persons
33.0%
3 persons
10.4%
4 persons
8.8%
5 persons
2.3%
6+ persons
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Lithgow

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,266 occupied private dwellings in Lithgow at the 2021 Census, 34.6% were rented, 39.1% owned outright and 22.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.8% 17 dwellings
Owned outright
39.1% 887 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
22.6% 511 dwellings
Rented
34.6% 784 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
3.0% 68 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
86.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
11.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.4%
2 bedrooms
27.4%
3 bedrooms
51.1%
4 bedrooms
14.3%
5 bedrooms
2.1%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.6%
$300-$449/mo
3.1%
$450-$599/mo
2.1%
$600-$799/mo
6.1%
$800-$999/mo
7.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
28.6%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
24.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
14.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
4.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
4.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
15.2%
1 vehicle
45.6%
2 vehicles
27.0%
3 vehicles
7.7%
4+ vehicles
4.5%

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

Work, income and education in Lithgow

Employment

Employed full-time
28.4% 1,075 people
Employed part-time
17.0% 643 people
Unemployed
3.2% 121 people
Not in labour force
51.3% 1,941 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
21.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
20.5%
Community & Personal Service
16.0%
Clerical & Administrative
12.3%
Managers
9.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
8.8%
Labourers
6.9%
Sales Workers
5.0%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.9%
$1-$149/wk
1.4%
$150-$299/wk
2.1%
$300-$399/wk
4.9%
$400-$499/wk
15.2%
$500-$649/wk
7.1%
$650-$799/wk
8.9%
$800-$999/wk
8.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
8.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.7%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.8%
$4,000+/wk
4.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.1%
$1-$149/wk
4.0%
$150-$299/wk
7.8%
$300-$399/wk
6.9%
$400-$499/wk
7.0%
$500-$649/wk
5.7%
$650-$799/wk
10.9%
$800-$999/wk
11.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
6.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.9%
$3,500+/wk
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
68.5%
Did not go to work
14.3%
Walked only
9.4%
Car (passenger)
5.3%
Bicycle
0.7%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.5%
Train
0.4%
Truck
0.4%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%
Other
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
41.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
38.6%
Year 9 or equivalent
11.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.4%

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
49.2%
Bachelor Degree
21.1%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.8%
Postgraduate Degree
4.8%
Certificate I/II
3.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.2%

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

Field of Study

Engineering
22.4%
Management & Commerce
16.2%
Health
13.9%
Society & Culture
12.5%
Education
9.9%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
9.7%
Architecture & Building
5.1%
Information Technology
2.7%
Creative Arts
2.7%
Agriculture & Environment
2.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.4%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
34.9%
Secondary: Government
23.3%
Vocational Education
16.3%
Pre-school
9.5%
Primary: Catholic
7.0%
Secondary: Catholic
6.0%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
2.0%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
0.9%

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
84.6%
Has need for assistance
8.9%
Need for assistance not stated
6.6%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
686
Arthritis
306
Asthma
234
Diabetes
204
Lung condition
180
Heart disease
179
Cancer
87
Stroke
86
Kidney disease
56
Dementia
35

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.9% 543
Did not provide
86.1% 3,376

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
13.6% 534
Not a volunteer
86.4% 3,395

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
3.4% 134
Never served
96.6% 3,830

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
28.7%
1 child
13.0%
2 children
29.9%
3 children
18.1%
4 children
7.6%
5+ children
2.7%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
21
1951: 1960
41
1961: 1970
93
1971: 1980
106
1981: 1990
93
1991: 2000
58
2001: 2010
66
2011: 2015
55
2016
6
2017
12
2018
24
2019
18
2021
3

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

Population Mobility

14.1%
moved in the last year
36.7%
moved in the last 5 years
6.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
47.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,908
Moved from NSW
295
Moved: same area (SA2)
277
Moved from QLD
27
Moved from overseas
14
Moved from ACT
5
Moved from VIC
4
Moved from SA
3
Moved from WA
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
18.1%
5: 14 hours
27.1%
15: 29 hours
13.4%
30+ hours
10.9%
Did not do domestic work
30.5%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
77.7%
Step family: no other children
14.2%
Blended family: no other children
4.9%
Blended family: other children present
1.2%
Other couple: children only
1.2%
Intact family: other children present
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Lithgow Crime Statistics

184 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
44
Other Against Property
43
Other Against Person
23
Drug Offences
23
Assault
22
Property Damage
19
Sexual Offences
6
Weapons
4

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Lithgow

The closest suburb to Lithgow is Bowenfels, 4.4 km away.

Bowenfels
4.4 km away · income $497/wk · rent $185/wk
Hartley (NSW)
5.9 km away · income $751/wk · rent $283/wk
South Bowenfels
6.3 km away · income $727/wk · rent $370/wk
Wallerawang
11.9 km away · income $666/wk · rent $275/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Lithgow

What is the population of Lithgow NSW?

The population of Lithgow NSW is 4,956 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 829 people per km². Lithgow is ranked #1,580 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Lithgow?

The median personal income in Lithgow NSW is $602 per week, or $31,304 per year. The median household income is $1,010 per week. Family income is $1,422 per week. Lithgow is ranked #7,049 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Lithgow?

Median rent in Lithgow NSW is $280 per week ($1,213 per month). Rent represents 27.7% of household income, which is considered moderate. Lithgow ranks #5,374 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Lithgow?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lithgow NSW is $1,326. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Lithgow?

The median age in Lithgow NSW is 49 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Lithgow a good suburb to live in?

Lithgow is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 4,956. The median income is $602/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (27.7% 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: 12356. All dollar figures in AUD.