Lithgow NSW 2790
Lithgow sits 146 km from Sydney CBD in New South Wales, around 2 hours 10 minutes by car. Census data records 4,956 residents with a median age of 49 and a median household income of $52,520 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Population fell 4.7% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $280 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,326. The area shows high bushfire risk and high crime risk. 4 schools sit within the suburb boundary, and walkability is high.
Is Lithgow a good suburb?
Lithgow scores a D (24/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and prices, weaker on schools, safety, and community.
Below the state average
4 schools · Bottom 24% in NSW
Very walkable
Walkability 87/100 · 146 km · 130 min drive to Sydney
Below the state median
Median $540K · Cheaper than 83% of NSW
High bushfire risk
Fire 97/100 · Crime 91/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 1/10 · median age 49 · 4,956 residents
Liveability Rating
24 / 100 · Ranked #1396 in NSWEach bar is Lithgow's rank among NSW suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
No flood data is published for New South Wales — a blank here means we hold no data, not that there is no risk.
How do you rate the liveability in Lithgow?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
24 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataLithgow's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $540,000, about 5% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$540,000
In line with its 3 neighbours (median $540,000)
Based on 197 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 36 days — median across 110 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 56 sales $446K
- 3 bed 107 sales $560K
- 4 bed 26 sales $650K
Units
$492,500
Based on only 5 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Typically sold in 136 days — median across 4 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Lithgow are currently listed at around $575,000 on average. Based on 79 houses listed in the past six months.
$575K
79 houses listed in the last 6 months.
81 of the suburb's 2,266 dwellings (3.6%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Lithgow rent for around $470 a week on average, based on 37 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$470/wk
37 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$302/wk
4 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
41 rentals advertised against an estimated 813 rented homes (5.0%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $465/wk
- 56 bonds
- +31% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2790 (NSW publishes bonds by postcode, which can cover several suburbs). Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025134 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 22% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2790.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$470/week ($24,000 a year) on a $575,000 median
Not enough unit sales and rentals in the window to calculate a yield.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Lithgow safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Lithgow sits in the high band, with 724 incidents recorded in 2025 — down about 2% on the prior year.
724 offences
1.6% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202515 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 3 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Council Flood Studies
Lithgow City Council has published 1 flood study on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
Schools
Four schools serve Lithgow, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 1,523 students across 4 schools (avg 381)
- • Sectors: 3 Government, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 906-993, median 918 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Lithgow High School (654 students)
Primary
Secondary
Walkability
Lithgow is very walkable on foot — at 87/100, most daily errands can be done on foot. Within the suburb there are 1 supermarket, 14 parks and 19 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Lithgow.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 108.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 50.8 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 14.8 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 24.8 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 330 min wait
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Lithgow.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 54%
- Premises covered
- 3,279
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Lithgow: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 13 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the suburb closely.
Lithgow is home to about 5,000 residents, with a median age of 49, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $53,000 a year, with unemployment at 6.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
4,956
Median Age
49
Median Household Income
$52,520/yr
Census Median Rent
$280/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,326/mo
Avg Household Size
2.0
Median Personal Income
$31,304/yr
Unemployment Rate
6.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
12.9%
Total Dwellings
2,266
Owner-Occupier Rate
64.1%
Houses
81.7%
Rental Stress
27.7%
Mortgage Stress
30.3%
Work From Home
12.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
88 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 22 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 784 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 79.9%
- English Spoken at Home
- 87.2%
- Employment Rate
- 44.3%
- Completed Year 12
- 29.8%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
63 residents (1.3%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
9.5% of residents (451) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Sydney (406).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 4,759 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
2% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (31 of 1,874).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,150 a year through Lithgow based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 46%
- Environmental 28%
- Parks and recreation 12%
- Industrial 7%
- Infrastructure and transport 4%
- Commercial 2%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Lithgow
In the year to August 2026, 55 new dwellings were approved across Lithgow. That mix is 47 houses and 8 units.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Local Aboriginal Land Councils are statutory bodies under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, responsible for land claims and land management for their members. Their boundaries are administrative and are not a statement of whose Country this is. NSW does not publish a register of Aboriginal parties by area — they are registered for each project.
Climate & Setting
from Mount Boyce AWS, 18.6 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 933 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Annual rainfall
- 1,147 mm
- 112 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 23.8°C
- 1 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 3.2°C
- 12 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
4 facilities within 5 km- 1.7 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Ammonia (total) · Total Phosphorus
- 1.7 kmConfectionery ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 2.1 kmWaste Treatment and Disposal ServicesTop reported: Zinc and compounds · Lead & compounds · Chromium (III) compounds
- 4.1 km
EV adoption
In postcode 2790, 59 of 13,047 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.4% (316 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.9%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2790, 2,794 rooftop-solar systems totalling 19.6 MW have been installed since 2001, against 7,661 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 203 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $600,000.
Off-the-plan or contracted-build value cap is $750,000 (vs $600,000 for completed new homes). Stamp duty concessions are a separate scheme (First Home Buyers Assistance).
Mortgage repayments
1 mortgage broker is registered in this suburb.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Revenue NSW
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $600,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Revenue NSW.
At $540,000 this is under the $600,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Revenue NSW.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Andrew Gee Independent
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Andrew Gee | 37.7% | 62.3% | +3.2 |
| 2022 | Andrew Gee | 34.5% | 65.5% | +2.2 |
| 2019 | Andrew Gee | 36.7% | 63.3% | +1.5 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Paul Toole The Nationals
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Paul Toole NP | 73.6% |
| 2019 | Paul Toole NP | 67.9% |
| 2015 | Paul Toole NP | 65.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Lithgow?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 4,956 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Bowenfels NSW 2790
Marrangaroo NSW 2790
Littleton NSW 2790
Morts Estate NSW 2790
Hartley NSW 2790
Vale Of Clwydd NSW 2790
Compare Lithgow to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other NSW suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Lithgow
Is Lithgow a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Lithgow is high (91/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Lithgow?
Lithgow has a high recorded bushfire history (97/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Lithgow a good place to live?
Lithgow has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (24/100), ranked against other NSW suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Lithgow?
Lithgow, NSW had a population of 4,956 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Lithgow, NSW?
The postcode for Lithgow, NSW is 2790.
How far is Lithgow from Sydney?
Lithgow is 146 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 130 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Lithgow?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Lithgow was $52,520 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Lithgow?
The median advertised rent in Lithgow is $470 a week for houses (37 listings) and $302 a week for units (4 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Lithgow?
The median age of residents in Lithgow was 49 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Lithgow at risk of bushfire?
Lithgow has a high recorded bushfire history (97/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Lithgow?
There are 4 schools inside the Lithgow boundary: 3 at and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Lithgow walkable?
Lithgow scores 87/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Lithgow?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Lithgow, Mount Boyce AWS (18.6 km away), summer days average 23.8°C, winter nights 3.2°C, 1,147 mm of rain a year over 112 rainy days, and 1 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Lithgow?
First-home buyers in NSW may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $600,000. The grant is administered by Revenue NSW; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Lithgow belong to?
Lithgow sits within the Lithgow local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Lithgow?
The average residential rates bill through Lithgow is $1,150 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Lithgow?
Across Lithgow, 55 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Lithgow in?
Lithgow sits within the federal Division of Calare, currently held by Andrew Gee (Independent).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2023
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.