Living in Lyall Bay: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 1,415 live property titles in Lyall Bay, Wellington City are mostly freehold (68%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 166 (11.7%), above the national share of 8.7%.
- Cross-lease titles
- 166
- Share of live titles
- 11.7%
- Live titles in total
- 1,415
- Wellington City share
- 5.6%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Wellington City
- 6 of 32
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 282 of 644
Lyall Bay at a glance
Where Lyall Bay differs most from suburbs across New Zealand: homes with a heat pump (lower than 91% of NZ suburbs).
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Lyall Bay is listed under Wellington City.
- 1,415 live titles are recorded here, including 166 cross-lease titles (11.7%).
- The page includes 2023 Census context for the statistical area that represents this suburb.
- The page includes MBIE new-tenancy rent figures for April–June 2026.
Contextual observations
- Cross-lease titles make up 11.7% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 15.9% of recorded titles, so title structure can vary within the suburb.
- Public-transport figures describe how recorded titles sit near mapped stops. They do not describe a service from a particular property.
- Coast distance is a suburb-level map measure, not a flood or hazard assessment.
Questions worth investigating
- For any cross-lease property you consider, do the current title, flats plan and lease match what is built today?
- What do the LIM, council property file and a suitable inspection add for the specific address?
No data held for this suburb
- The core title, Census, rent, transport and coast measures used by this page are available.
Title mix in Lyall Bay
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 957 | 67.6% |
| Cross lease | 166 | 11.7% |
| Unit title | 225 | 15.9% |
| Leasehold | 32 | 2.3% |
| Other record types | 35 | 2.5% |
| Total | 1,415 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Lyall Bay compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Lyall Bay is higher than the national share (8.7%).
Across Wellington City as a whole, the share is 5.6%; Lyall Bay is about 2.1 times the overall Wellington City share (5.6%).
Its cross-lease share is in the highest quarter of 32 in Wellington City (among suburbs with an indexed page on this site).
How cross-leases in Lyall Bay are set up
More schemes have four or more flats on one section (42%, against 11% nationally), up to 13.
Carports appear in fewer leases (4% of schemes, against 13% nationally).
Separate exclusive-use areas are more common (10% of schemes, against 5% nationally).
| Scheme structure | Lyall Bay | Wellington City | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 50 | 2,130 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 52.0% | 82.4% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 6.0% | 6.7% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 42.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 737 m² | 759 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 302 m² | 350 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 18.0% | 18.0% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 4.0% | 8.1% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 10.0% | 4.3% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 18.0% | 22.5% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 14 | 991 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Lyall Bay
Unit titles are 16% of Lyall Bay's titles, well below Wellington City (25%) and well above New Zealand (8%). They belong to 33 developments, each run by a body corporate; half have 4 units or fewer.
The unit-title share is in the highest quarter of 32 in Wellington City.
32 titles (2.3%) are leasehold, well above the national share (1.2%).
Most stated terms have more than 50 years to run.
Stated lease terms, as at 30 September 2026:
| Stated lease term | Titles |
|---|---|
| Stated term has ended | 0 |
| Under 10 years left | 0 |
| 10 to 50 years left | 0 |
| More than 50 years left | 32 |
| Term mentions renewal (including perpetually renewable) | 0 |
| Term not stated or not readable | 0 |
New titles in Lyall Bay since 2020
113 of Lyall Bay's current titles (8%) were first issued since 2020, close to Wellington City's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (8%) and well below New Zealand (12%).
That rate is in the highest quarter of 31 in Wellington City.
38% are unit titles, in 3 developments; most of the rest are freehold.
Most came recently: 93 since 2023.
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 63 | 44 |
| Unit title | 43 | 43 |
| Cross-lease | 4 | 3 |
| Leasehold | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 3 |
New titles include cross-leases converted to freehold and titles re-issued; they are not a count of new homes. Sources and limits
The lie of the land in Lyall Bay
The typical building in Lyall Bay stands on ground sloping 1.7° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated), joint 2nd flattest of 32 in Wellington City.
Much of the land is low-lying: the median elevation is 6 m, and parts are below sea level.
Little of the sloping land faces north: 8%, where about a quarter would if slopes faced every way equally.
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Lyall Bay
34% of Lyall Bay's titles are within 200 m of the sea or harbour edge, 83% within 500 m and 100% within 1 km. The typical title is 300 m away.
Measured in a straight line from the centre of each title's land to the coastline on LINZ's 1:50k topographic map, which follows harbours and estuaries as well as the open coast; lakes and rivers are not included. Distance says nothing about beach access, views or exposure to coastal hazards; council hazard maps and the LIM describe those.
Who lives around Lyall Bay: 2023 Census
About 78% of Lyall Bay's titles are in the census area Lyall Bay (a Stats NZ statistical area), so these figures describe that area, not Lyall Bay exactly.
Fewer workers walk or cycle to work in Lyall Bay than across Wellington City: 13.1% against 19.8%.
Fewer households have no car in Lyall Bay than across Wellington City: 11.0% against 15.2%.
Fewer residents were born overseas in Lyall Bay than across Wellington City: 28.5% against 34.6%.
| Measure | Lyall Bay | Houghton Bay | Wellington City whole council |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 2,598 | 1,596 | 202,689 |
| Change since 2018 | −2.8% | −4.8% | −0.0% |
| Change since 2013 | +0.1% | +2.9% | +6.1% |
| Median age | 36.6 | 37.8 | 34.9 |
| Households | 1,029 | 624 | 77,004 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 60.1% | 71.6% | 58.6% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 40.2% | 28.4% | 41.4% |
| Median household income | $122,700 | $146,100 | $134,500 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $525 | $550 | $560 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 6.2% | 8.9% | 7.8% |
| Ages | |||
| Under 15 | 16.2% | 18.0% | 14.4% |
| 15 to 29 | 21.7% | 19.4% | 27.2% |
| 30 to 64 | 50.5% | 52.4% | 46.8% |
| 65 and over | 11.7% | 10.2% | 11.7% |
| Where people came from | |||
| Born overseas | 28.5% | 29.5% | 34.6% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 18.4% | 16.7% | 23.2% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 39.5% | 35.4% | 44.2% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 4.5% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 20.2% | 18.3% | 24.0% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | |||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 45.8% | 51.5% | 48.6% |
| Employed full-time | 61.3% | 61.0% | 59.0% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 2.6% | 2.3% | 3.0% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 56.2% | 62.9% | 59.5% |
| Median personal income | $56,100 | $62,400 | $55,500 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | |||
| Work from home | 18.5% | 22.8% | 18.7% |
| Car, truck or van | 42.5% | 45.3% | 39.0% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 23.7% | 16.1% | 20.0% |
| Walk or cycle | 13.1% | 12.5% | 19.8% |
| Households and families | |||
| One-person households | 26.7% | 23.2% | 24.1% |
| Average people per household | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 11.0% | 5.2% | 15.2% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 6.0% | 4.5% | 5.0% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 41.7% | 47.2% | 43.0% |
| Couples without children | 41.7% | 40.8% | 44.8% |
| One-parent families | 16.7% | 12.7% | 12.2% |
| Homes | |||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 60.3% | 73.9% | 59.7% |
| Average bedrooms | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 53.7% | 53.3% | 53.6% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 23.0% | 24.2% | 22.9% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 14.8% | 16.6% | 16.1% |
Rents around Lyall Bay
New tenancies in Lyall Bay in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $680 a week (up 4.6% on a year earlier). That is slightly above the typical suburb in Wellington City ($625), and slightly above the national median ($600).
| April–June 2026 | Lyall Bay | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $680 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $570–$770 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | +4.6% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 27 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Lyall Bay
One school site lies inside Lyall Bay: Lyall Bay School (Contributing).
- Lyall Bay School (Contributing)
- Nearest school: Houghton Valley School (0.3 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Rongotai College (1.5 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Wellington Hospital (2.9 km)
School enrolment zones in Lyall Bay: a guide
Four secondary schools have a home zone covering most of Lyall Bay's titles, among them Hutt International Boys School, St Oran's College and Wellington East Girls' College.
- Lyall Bay School (primary, Years 1–6): all or nearly all titles
- Houghton Valley School (primary, Years 1–6): about 15% of titles
- Evans Bay Intermediate (intermediate, Years 7–8): all or nearly all titles
- Hutt International Boys School (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- St Oran's College (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- Wellington East Girls' College (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- Wellington High School & Com Ed Centre (secondary): all or nearly all titles
A guide only: check the school's own zone map for any address. Zones as at 14 July 2026. Sources and limits
Public transport in Lyall Bay
100% of Lyall Bay's titles are within 400 m of a stop with a scheduled weekday service, close to Wellington City as a whole (96%).
99% are that close to a frequent stop (60 or more departures that day), above the council (69%); in the highest quarter of 32 in Wellington City.
The typical title is 137 m in a straight line from its nearest stop.
Timetable of Wednesday 30 September 2026, Metlink (Greater Wellington Regional Council). Sources and limits
Places of worship near Lyall Bay
OpenStreetMap maps 2 places of worship inside Lyall Bay (2 Christian).
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: St Jude's Anglican Church / St Jude's Lyall Bay, under 1 km away
- Buddhist: Wat Buddhacheymahaneat Theravada Buddhist Monastery, 2.4 km away
- Muslim: Wellington Islamic Centre, 1.6 km away
- Jewish: Wellington Progressive Jewish Congregation, 5.0 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Other suburbs in Wellington City with many cross-leases
- Johnsonville: 616 cross-lease titles (13.1%)
- Karori: 469 cross-lease titles (7.9%)
- Tawa: 380 cross-lease titles (6.8%)
- Miramar: 335 cross-lease titles (8.8%)
- Newlands: 328 cross-lease titles (10.5%)
- Churton Park: 271 cross-lease titles (9.2%)
- Khandallah: 230 cross-lease titles (6.6%)
- Woodridge: 186 cross-lease titles (25.4%)
All suburbs in Wellington City
Suburbs like Lyall Bay
The closest match on the measures on this site is Alicetown in Lower Hutt City, nearest on population change, distance to a hospital, elevation. Closeness is arithmetic, not a rating. Sources and limits
| Suburb | Council | Cross-lease share of titles | Median weekly rent, new tenancies | Median age | Closest on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alicetown | Lower Hutt City | 10.3% | $530 | 36.9 | population change, distance to a hospital, elevation |
| Miramar | Wellington City | 8.8% | $720 | 38.9 | near a stop, distance to the coast, elevation |
| Boulcott | Lower Hutt City | 14.6% | $635 | 41.1 | near a frequent stop, household income, recent movers within NZ |
| Epuni | Lower Hutt City | 12.5% | No data | 38.9 | schools, near a stop, elevation |
| Waiwhetū | Lower Hutt City | 20.3% | $600 | 36.6 | median age, elevation, distance to a hospital |
Questions
What is the rent in Lyall Bay?
New tenancies in the Lyall Bay rent area had a median rent of $680 a week in the April–June 2026 quarter (MBIE bond data, all dwelling types). These are rents agreed for new tenancies, not asking rents. The middle half of those rents ran from $570 to $770.
What schools are in Lyall Bay?
LINZ maps 1 school site inside Lyall Bay: Lyall Bay School. The nearest secondary school to its centre is Rongotai College (1.5 km in a straight line). Secondary-school home zones covering most of its titles include Hutt International Boys School, St Oran's College and Wellington East Girls' College; check the school's own zone map for any address.