Lalor
VICLalor is a stable suburb in VIC with 23,219 residents.
- SAL code
- 21452
- SA2
- 209041530
- Population
- 23,219
- LGA
- Whittlesea
Lalor, VIC had 23,219 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area roughly steady over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 37. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,775 a month. Around 69.5% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned outright at 39.1%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 88.9% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 48 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Lalor, VIC at a glance
Lalor sits ~17 km north of Melbourne CBD in the City of Whittlesea, named for Eureka Stockade leader Peter Lalor. It's a multicultural, established middle-ring suburb laid out as a 1950s garden suburb on co-operative principles, with single-storey post-war and 1970s brick homes on standard lots and clear redevelopment momentum. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle, and council context they don't.
For homebuyers
Lalor reads as practical and well-settled rather than glossy. Most homes are 1960s-70s brick on standard blocks, with newer townhouse infill on the larger lots and a strong multicultural street life inherited from the post-war Peter Lalor Co-operative scheme. Lalor Plaza on McKimmies Road and Lalor Hub on Kingsway Drive cover everyday shopping, with Pacific Epping (~5 min drive) for the bigger run. Lalor station on the Mernda line drops you in the city in about 30 minutes; the Hume and M80 are both close. Schools include Peter Lalor Secondary College (Years 7-12, ~1,140 enrolments) and Lalor Secondary College, plus four primary schools dating to the 1950s. Whittlesea Public Gardens (now with a skate park, climbing wall and rebuilt playground) and VR Michael Reserve are the recreation anchors. In short: an established, working-family suburb where you trade postcode prestige for train access, big-block bones, and walkable everyday amenity.
For investors
Lalor is a steady, train-line yield play. Median house sale ~$760,000 with median rent ~$525/week gives a ~3.6-4.0% gross yield; units at ~$543,500 medians come in slightly higher (Your Investment Property / htag.com.au, May 2026). 12-month house growth runs ~5-9% across sources; quarterly is moderate. ~314-344 house sales and ~66 unit sales in the past 12 months keep the market liquid. Days-on-market sits around 29 (houses) per YIP. Vacancy is tight at ~1.15%.
Strengths
- Mernda-line station inside the suburb — the rare middle-ring train asset under $800k median (propertyvalue.com.au, May 2026).
- Liquid market: 314-344 house sales in 12 months means resale and refinance valuations are well-supported.
- Tight rental market — vacancy ~1.15% with median rent $518-525/week underpins reliable cashflow.
- Council redevelopment of Whittlesea Public Gardens + VR Michael Reserve adds amenity without rezoning risk.
Trade-offs
- Yields are modest — ~3.4-4.0% gross for houses; not a high-cashflow corridor.
- Capital growth is mid-pack vs Melbourne's outer growth fronts (~5-9% 12-month house, depending on source).
- Older 1960s-70s housing stock — expect higher maintenance capex than a new-estate suburb.
- Townhouse infill across the City of Whittlesea continues to add unit supply that may cap unit-side rent growth into 2027.
What's coming
City of Whittlesea adopted a $117M capital works program for 2025/26 with another $115M proposed for 2026/27. Lalor-specific projects include the staged Whittlesea Public Gardens redevelopment (skate park, basketball courts, climbing wall now open), the VR Michael Reserve master plan (lighting, carpark, new play space), and streetscape upgrades to the Tramoo Street and High Street shop strips.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a settled, multicultural, train-served suburb where your dollar buys established bones, not new finishes. For investors: a tight-vacancy, liquid yield play — steady rent and modest growth, not a momentum trade.
Population
?23,219
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+0.2%
3yr: +2.2% · 10yr: +8.6%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,348/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
37
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?2/10
SA2 · more disadvantaged
Unemployment
?8.5%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
7
4 primary, 2 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?14
3 long day, 7 OSHC
Parks & green space
?48
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?146
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?234
Whittlesea · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Lalor - West (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Lalor suburb alone is ~23,219 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 10,695 to 13,925 over 24 years, averaging 1.1% per year.
Schools
8 in suburbSector
6 public · 2 private
Type
5 primary · 2 secondary · 1 special
Total enrolment
3,343
Avg per school
418
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for VIC.
Source when available: Victorian Department of Education / Vicmap School Zones.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 1.0%Almost entirely detached houses (88.9%), mixed tenure (69.5% own or mortgage), built for families (62% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: VIC DTP Designated Bushfire Prone Area
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Overlay (flood codes)
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
17 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRZ5 | General Residential Zone Schedule 5Residential | 36.5% | 2.82 km² |
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 12.5% | 0.97 km² |
| GRZ4 | General Residential Zone Schedule 4Residential | 9.9% | 0.76 km² |
| HCTZ2 | HCTZ2Other | 9.6% | 0.74 km² |
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 7.2% | 0.56 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 6.0% | 0.46 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 4.3% | 0.33 km² |
| HCTZ1 | HCTZ1Other | 3.4% | 0.26 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 2.7% | 0.21 km² |
| RGZ1 | Residential Growth Zone Schedule 1Residential | 2.2% | 0.17 km² |
| PUZ6 | Public Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 1.7% | 0.13 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 1.4% | 0.11 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 0.9% | 0.07 km² |
| PUZ1 | Public Use Zone Schedule 1Special use | 0.6% | 0.05 km² |
| UFZ | Urban Floodway ZoneWaterway | 0.5% | 0.04 km² |
| MUZ1 | Mixed Use Zone Schedule 1Residential | 0.3% | 0.03 km² |
| ACZ1 | Activity Centre Zone Schedule 1Business | 0.2% | 0.02 km² |
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Zones (ZONE_VIC/2026-04-29/08783d2926383881) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.