Franchise opportunities in Lismore Surrounds, NSW

Lismore Surrounds’s 15,772 residents give it a franchise opportunity score of 59/100. The strongest fit is Bakery & Dessert (59/100), followed by Retail and Quick-Service Food.

Geography: this report covers the Lismore Surrounds area (ABS SA2). Demographics from the ABS Census 2021.

15,772Population (ABS 2021)
+2.3%5-year growth
$76,900Median household income
263Franchises recruiting in NSW
Opportunity score59/100
How this opportunity score works

The score is a weighted 0–100 research signal, not a site-selection decision. It combines, per category:

  • Demand (category fit for the population) — 30%
  • Competition gap (trade-area model, more room scores higher) — 25%
  • Demographic fit (income vs the category) — 20%
  • 5-year population growth (percentile) — 15%
  • Franchise availability (systems recruiting here) — 10%

Inputs: ABS Census 2021 (population, income, growth) and a trade-area competition model using OpenStreetMap / ABS business data where available. It doesn’t model rent, site specifics or local trading conditions, treat it as a starting point for research, then confirm on the ground and with the franchisor. See our methodology.

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For sale & open territories in Lismore Surrounds

263 franchise systems are recruiting new territories that cover Lismore Surrounds:

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Lismore Surrounds on the map

Where Lismore Surrounds sits and the real local businesses around its centre, the operators a new franchise would compete with. Tap a pin for the business name and type.

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Top 3 franchise categories by opportunity score

1. Bakery & Dessert

59
Strong Median $350,000–$625,000 · 16 recruiting
Bakery & Dessert franchises

2. Retail

59
Strong Median $200,000–$511,000 · 17 recruiting
Retail franchises

3. Quick-Service Food

58
Strong Median $337,000–$675,000 · 35 recruiting
Quick-Service Food franchises

What it costs to start in Lismore Surrounds

Franchise fees don’t change by suburb, but the categories that fit Lismore Surrounds best sit in these all-in investment ranges (Q3 2026 Fee Index, national medians).

CategoryTotal investmentInitial feeRoyaltyLismore Surrounds fit
Bakery & Dessert$350,000–$625,000$50,000Not enough data59
Retail$200,000–$511,000Not enough dataNot enough data59
Quick-Service Food$337,000–$675,000$45,0006.0%58
Beauty & Health$150,000–$494,000Not enough dataNot enough data57
Coffee & Café$300,000–$700,000$35,0006.0%56
Lawn & Garden$18,000–$49,000Not enough dataNot enough data56

Fees: Q3 2026 Fee Index (“Not enough data” means fewer than five systems publish that figure). The fit score blends Lismore Surrounds’s demand, competition, demographics and growth, see methodology.

Lismore Surrounds snapshot

Lismore Surrounds vs a typical comparable New South Wales area (median)
MetricLismore SurroundsTypical NSW areaDifference
Population15,77214,643+8%
Median household income$76,900$99,300-23%
5-year population growth2.3%2.0%+0.3 pts

Community & demographics

Who lives in Lismore Surrounds, and what it means for a franchise. Every figure below is a real ABS Census 2021 median for this area, not an estimate.

Lismore Surrounds community profile (ABS Census 2021)
MeasureLismore SurroundsWhat it signals for franchising
Median age47 yearsOlder market, skews to health, home and aged-support services
Average household size2.5 peopleSmaller households, favours convenience and single-serve formats
Median household income$1,478/wkOverall spending power of the local market
Median family income$1,824/wkDiscretionary spend of family households
Median personal income$705/wkIndividual earnings, a labour-cost and spend signal
Median rent$334/wkCost of living and a proxy for commercial rents
Median mortgage$1,733/moHomeowner cost base in the area
People per bedroom0.8More space per resident, established housing

Source: ABS Census 2021 (G02/G35/G36/G37/G46) + ERP 2016→2021 · SA2 Lismore Surrounds (112021249). Incomes are median weekly (household income is also shown annualised in the headline stats).

Housing, tenure & households

How Lismore Surrounds lives, works and is housed, and what each signal means for siting a franchise here. All figures are real ABS Census 2021 counts for this area.

Lismore Surrounds housing & workforce (ABS Census 2021)
MeasureLismore SurroundsWhat it signals for franchising
Renting14.2%Owner-heavy, settled households with steadier local spend
Owned with a mortgage34.6%Working homeowners, family services and home categories
Owned outright46.5%Older, established, lower-debt households
Separate houses96.5%Suburban, car-based, drive-to trade area
Flats & apartments1.4%Low density, destination retail and services
Family households73.2%Family-led demand, education, food and household services
Lone-person households22.7%Fewer single-person homes
Unemployment rate4.1%Around the national average

Source: ABS Census 2021, Lismore Surrounds, tenure (G37), dwelling structure (G36), household composition (G35) and labour force (G46).

Survival & viability analysis

Bakery & Dessert viability: High

The bakery & dessert opportunity in Lismore Surrounds scores 59 out of 100. With a population of 15,772, the catchment is smaller, so demand may support only one well-sited bakery & dessert outlet. At about 1 existing bakery & dessert operator, competition sits below typical metro density, an opening for a well-run entrant. Median household income ($76,900) sits below the typical comparable area in the state ($99,300), which can favour value-led formats. Population is growing at 2.3% over five years, ahead of the typical comparable area in the state (2.0%), so new demand is still arriving.

Nearby competition by category

Trade-area model, estimated operators and market status
CategoryEst. operatorsCompetitionStatus
Bakery & Dessert1LowGap
Retail1LowGap
Beauty & Health1LowGap
Lawn & Garden1LowGap
Massage & Wellness1LowGap
Mortgage & Finance1LowGap

Operator counts are a trade-area model derived from ABS population, not a live business census. Richer POI data (OpenStreetMap / Google Places) is ingested per methodology.

How Lismore Surrounds compares to nearby areas

LocationPopulationMedian income5-yr growthTop categoryScore
Lismore Surrounds15,772$76,9002.3%Bakery & Dessert59
Prestons15,752$120,100-0.8%Bakery & Dessert67
Fairfield - East15,794$61,700-1.6%Bakery & Dessert51
Kempsey15,816$56,2004.6%Bakery & Dessert56
North Ryde - East Ryde15,675$126,80022.9%Bakery & Dessert78
Glenwood15,876$159,500-4.8%Bakery & Dessert68
Bexley - South15,879$93,500-9.1%Bakery & Dessert57

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Frequently asked questions

What franchise is best for Lismore Surrounds?

Based on population, income, growth and competition data, Bakery & Dessert scores highest for Lismore Surrounds at 59/100, competition sits below typical metro density. The next best are Retail and Quick-Service Food.

How much does a franchise cost in Lismore Surrounds?

Fees don't vary by suburb. Across the Bakery & Dessert systems that publish their costs, the Q3 2026 Fee Index shows a median all-in cost of $350,000–$625,000 (41 systems) and a $50,000 median initial fee (5 systems) nationally. See the Fee Index for every category.

Is Lismore Surrounds good for a coffee franchise?

It's promising: a coffee & café franchise scores 56/100 in Lismore Surrounds, with about 2 existing operators in the trade area (Strong suitability).

Demographics: ABS Census 2021 & Regional Population. Category scores combine ABS demographics with a trade-area competition model and live franchise availability, see methodology. Fees: Q3 2026 Fee Index.