Yass Surrounds

Population growth drivers in Yass Surrounds are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Yass Surrounds' population was around 13,356 as of May 2026. This reflected an increase of 643 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,713. The change was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 13,346 in June 2025 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 2.4 persons per square kilometer. Yass Surrounds' growth rate of 5.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both its SA3 area's (2.5%) and SA4 region's growth rates, indicating it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 39.5% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on latest annual ERP population numbers, the area is projected to increase by 2,147 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 16.0% over the 16-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Yass Surrounds among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Yass Surrounds has received approximately 78 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 394 homes. As of FY26, 57 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling has accommodated 2.4 new residents annually between FY21 and FY25, indicating strong demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value for new homes is $563,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year, $6.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited focus on commercial development compared to residential. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Yass Surrounds has 50.0% more construction activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. The area predominantly builds standalone homes (99.0%) with a small percentage of townhouses or apartments (1.0%), maintaining its traditional low-density character that appeals to families seeking space. With approximately 159 people per dwelling approval, Yass Surrounds is considered a low-density market.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the location is expected to grow by 2,137 residents by 2041. Based on current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Yass Surrounds has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 364 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones include North Murrumbateman Masterplan, Murrumbateman All-Abilities Playground, Murrumbateman Public School, and Murrumbateman Sewage Treatment Plant - Irrigation Reuse. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment conditions in Yass Surrounds rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Yass Surrounds has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 0.8% as of December 2025. There are 7,622 residents employed, with the unemployment rate at 3.1%, below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation is high at 70.9%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. Census data shows 21.4% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and construction. Public administration & safety has notably high employment levels at 2.7 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance has lower representation at 8.3%, compared to Regional NSW's 16.9%. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.3% and employment declined by 4.1%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional NSW where employment contracted by 1.2%, labour force fell by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Yass Surrounds' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Yass Surrounds SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $63,779 and an average of $81,321. This places it among the highest in Australia, compared to Regional NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. By March 2026, based on a 10.32% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, estimated incomes would be approximately $70,361 (median) and $89,713 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Yass Surrounds rank highly nationally, between the 87th and 92nd percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 28.6% of residents (3,819 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income bracket, aligning with regional levels where this cohort represents 29.9%. Notably, 43.4% of residents earn more than $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 88.0% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Yass Surrounds is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Yass Surrounds, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.2% houses and 0.8% other dwellings. This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Yass Surrounds was at 38.6%, similar to Regional NSW. Mortgaged dwellings made up 51.2%, with rented properties being 10.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,275, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Yass Surrounds was $400, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Yass Surrounds' mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Yass Surrounds features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 82.3% of all households, including 40.8% couples with children, 33.7% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for 17.7%, comprising 16.2% lone person households and 1.5% group households. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Yass Surrounds exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Yass Surrounds has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 33.6% holding university qualifications compared to the broader benchmarks of 21.3% in Rest of NSW and 22.7% in SA3 area. The most common university qualification is Bachelor degrees at 20.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 34.3% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (22.4%). Educational participation is high in the area, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (11.6%), secondary education (9.5%), and tertiary education (4.1%).

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis indicates 483 active transport stops operating within Yass Surrounds, consisting of a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 78 individual routes, collectively facilitating 909 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 290 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward, with car being the dominant mode of transportation at 93%, while 4% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 2.3 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, some 21.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 129 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Yass Surrounds's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Yass Surrounds. AreaSearch's assessment found low prevalence of common health conditions across both young and old age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (8,000 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW. The most common medical conditions were arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.2 and 8.1% of residents respectively. A total of 67.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age residents showed above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 17.7% of residents aged 65 and over (2,366 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors were above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Yass Surrounds is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Yass Surrounds has a lower-than-average cultural diversity, with 88.1% of its population born in Australia, 92.4% being citizens, and 95.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 52.6% of people in Yass Surrounds, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (31.1%), English (31.0%), and Irish (10.0%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 9.1%, compared to 8.0% regionally, while Croatian is at 0.8% versus 0.3%, and Dutch at 1.5% versus 1.0%.

Yass Surrounds's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Yass Surrounds is 43 years, matching Regional NSW's figure and exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile indicates that individuals aged 45-54 years are notably prevalent at 15.0%, while those aged 25-34 years constitute a smaller proportion at 8.5% compared to Regional NSW. Between the 2021 Census and present, the population of individuals aged 15-24 years has increased from 11.0% to 13.0%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 17.0% to 15.0%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 14.6% to 13.5%. By 2041, demographic projections suggest significant shifts in Yass Surrounds' age structure. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 34%, adding 386 people and reaching a total of 1,522 from its current figure of 1,135. In contrast, the 15-24 age group shows minimal growth of just 4%, with an increase of 74 people.