Young
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Young reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Young's population, as of Aug 2025, is approximately 10,998 people. This figure represents a decrease from the 2021 Census count of 11,004 people, indicating a reduction of six individuals (a 0.1% decline). The population estimate for June 2024 was 10,972 according to ABS records, with an additional 25 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this change. This results in a population density ratio of 21 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth, accounting for approximately 98.7% of overall gains.

AreaSearch utilises ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on current demographic trends and the latest population numbers, Young is expected to grow by approximately 552 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of about 4.8% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Young according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Young has seen around 32 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 160 homes. So far in FY-26, 15 approvals have been recorded. With population decline in recent years, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas, benefiting buyers while new properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $528,000. This financial year, $39.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

Compared to the rest of NSW, Young records about three-quarters the building activity per person and places among the 55th percentile of areas assessed nationally, though construction activity has intensified recently. This level is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 83.0% detached dwellings and 17.0% attached dwellings, preserving Young's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 285 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

Population forecasts indicate Young will gain 525 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Young has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 12 projects that could impact the region. Notable ones are Burrangong Creek Bridge Duplication, Hill Street Subdivision Young, Thornhill Street Pavement Upgrades, and Young Stormwater Infrastructure Upgrades. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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The labour market performance in Young lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Young has a balanced workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 5.3% as of June 2025. There are 4,841 residents in work, with the unemployment rate being 1.6% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is lower at 54.1%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 14.5% compared to Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 3.6% and employment decreased by 4.8%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Young's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.8% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Young had a median income among taxpayers of $46,662 and an average level of $56,303. This is below the national average. In comparison, Rest of NSW had levels of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $52,546 (median) and $63,403 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Young all fall between the 11th and 21st percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows 27.1% of the population (2,980 individuals) fall within the $800 - 1,499 income range, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. After housing, 85.9% of income remains, ranking at only the 14th percentile nationally.

Young is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Young's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.9% houses and 12.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 93.2% houses and 6.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Young was at 39.9%, similar to Non-Metro NSW, with the rest being mortgaged (30.0%) or rented (30.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Young was $1,300, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,699 and Australia's national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Young was $250, lower than Non-Metro NSW's $270 and the national figure of $375.

Young features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 66.5% of all households, including 25.1% couples with children, 27.6% couples without children, and 12.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 33.5%, consisting of 31.0% lone person households and 2.4% group households. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Young faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 14.1%, substantially lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 38.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (29.5%). Educational participation is high at 28.9%, with 11.7% in primary, 9.0% in secondary, and 1.6% in tertiary education.

Six schools operate in Young, educating approximately 2,082 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 954) and balanced educational opportunities. The schools include three primary, two secondary, and one K-12. The area functions as an education hub with 18.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 12.5, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Transport analysis in Young shows 370 active public transport stops. These include a mix of train and bus services. The city has 30 individual routes operating, providing a total of 324 weekly passenger trips.

Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 178 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 46 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Young is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Young, with high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 48% (~5,279 people) have private health cover, lower than Rest of NSW's 53.6% and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.0%) and asthma (9.4%).

Around 62.5% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Rest of NSW's 63.6%. Young has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.7% (~2,497 people) compared to Rest of NSW's 21.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are challenging, broadly similar to the general population's health profile.

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

Young's population was found to be predominantly culturally homogeneous, with 90.1% being citizens, 91.2% born in Australia, and 92.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Young, accounting for 65.4% of its population, compared to 61.3% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.2%), English (30.4%), and Irish (9.9%).

Notably, Lebanese, Australian Aboriginal, and Serbian ethnicities had higher representations in Young than regionally: Lebanese at 1.9% vs 0.7%, Australian Aboriginal at 3.9% vs 2.9%, and Serbian at 0.3% vs 0.2%.

Young hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Young's median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of NSW's average of 43 but considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The age profile shows that 5-14 year-olds are particularly prominent at 13.8%, while the 25-34 group is smaller at 10.6% compared to Rest of NSW. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 11.2% to 11.9%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort has declined from 12.1% to 11.4%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are forecast for Young. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 26%, adding 231 residents to reach 1,117. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts.