Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach
Statistical Area - sa2

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach's population is 6,321 as of Aug '25. This reflects a 3.1% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,133. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 6,317 in Jun '24 and 76 new addresses since the Census date. Population density stands at 301 persons per sq km. Recent growth was primarily driven by overseas migration (75.2% of gains).

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience projections for SA2 areas, released in '24 with a base year of '22. For uncovered areas post-'32, Queensland's state projections are used, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections ('23 data). Population is projected to increase by 540 persons to 2041, an 8.5% rise over 17 years, below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach has seen approximately 21 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 106 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 15 so far in FY-26. On average, over these five years, there have been 0.6 new residents per year per dwelling constructed. This suggests that new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth.

The average value of new properties being constructed is $506,000, aligning with broader regional development trends. Commercial approvals this financial year have totalled $323,000, indicating minimal commercial development activity. When compared to the rest of Queensland, Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach shows substantially reduced construction, 53.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 26.0% standalone homes and 74.0% townhouses or apartments. This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns, which are currently 55.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The estimated count of 1076 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Looking ahead, Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach is expected to grow by 536 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects likely impacting the area, with key ones being Navigation Drive Road Link, Half Moon Bay Residential Development, Northern Beaches Water Network Upgrade, and Half Moon Bay Estate. The following details those considered most relevant.

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

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.3%, Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.3% in June 2025.

There were 3,584 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 0.6% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was similar to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food. Health care & social assistance has particularly notable concentration at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 1.1% compared to the regional average of 4.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census working population vs resident population data. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.6%, and employment decreased by 2.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.8 percentage points. This compares to Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.8% and labour force expanded by 2.0%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows QLD employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs) with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, comparing favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach. Five-year projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% and ten-year projections estimate 13.7%. Applying these industry-specific projections to the local employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8%% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, noting that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach had a median taxpayer income of $51,900 and an average income of $62,535. These figures are slightly lower than the national averages of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively for Rest of Qld. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $57,977 (median) and $69,858 (average). According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 47th percentile with a weekly income of $791, while household income sits at the 22nd percentile. Income analysis reveals that 30.9% of the population, comprising 1,953 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, mirroring the regional trend where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 22nd percentile.

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach, as per the latest Census, consisted of 54.6% houses and 45.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's figures of 80.8% houses and 19.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach was at 27.9%, with the rest being mortgaged (31.3%) or rented (40.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,408, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,733. Weekly rent figures were recorded at $310, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $390. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,408 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 57.3% of all households, including 16.3% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 42.7%, with lone person households at 37.4% and group households comprising 5.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Educational qualifications in Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach show 24.8% of residents aged 15+ have university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 42.5%, with advanced diplomas at 12.8% and certificates at 29.7%. Current educational participation is high, with 28.1% enrolled; this includes 8.9% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 4.9% in tertiary education.

Yorkeys Knob State School and Machans Beach State School serve 474 students combined, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 966). Both schools focus on primary education; secondary options are available nearby. There are 7.5 school places per 100 residents, below the regional average of 14.5, suggesting some students attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach has 25 active public transport stops. These are served by buses on four different routes, offering a total of 464 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically living 221 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 66 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 18 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach has below-average health outcomes, with common conditions slightly more prevalent than average across all age groups.

Private health cover is held by approximately 51% of the total population (~3,230 people), which is lower than the SA2 area average. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 8.9% and 8.6% of residents respectively. Around 68.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 73.1% in Rest of Qld. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.1%, or 1,398 people, compared to 16.7% in Rest of Qld. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Yorkeys Knob-Machans Beach, surveyed in 2016, had a cultural diversity above average with 9.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 24.7% born overseas. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 39.7%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.2% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups were English (29.2%), Australian (22.2%), and Irish (10.1%). French (0.9%) and Scottish (9.1%) were notably overrepresented, while German was slightly higher at 4.5%.

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach has a median age of 46 years, which is significantly higher than Rest of Qld's 41 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld, Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (14.2%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.7%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 75 to 84 has increased from 4.9% to 6.5%, while the 15 to 24 age group has risen from 8.6% to 9.8%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 16.4% to 14.7%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 10.3% to 8.7%. By 2041, Yorkeys Knob - Machans Beach is projected to experience significant changes in its age composition. The 25 to 34 age group is expected to grow by 27%, reaching 959 from 754. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 age groups are anticipated to see population declines.