Yarra Glen

Yarra Glen has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

The population of the Yarra Glen statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 3,093 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase from the reported population of 3,012 in the 2021 Census, marking a growth of 81 people or approximately 2.7%. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 3,068 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), along with an additional 14 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 87 persons per square kilometer. The Yarra Glen's growth rate of 2.7% since the census is within 1.2 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 3.9%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was primarily responsible for population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 adjusted to SA2 levels for areas not covered by the first dataset. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future demographic trends suggest lower quartile growth, with the area expected to expand by 101 persons to reach a total population of approximately 3,194 by 2041, reflecting an increase of around 0.7% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Yarra Glen is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Yarra Glen has seen approximately seven new homes approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 39 homes were approved, with four more approved in FY-26 so far. Despite a declining population, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average value of new dwellings is $634,000, indicating a focus on the premium market and high-end developments. This year, $2.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Yarra Glen records about 65% of building activity per person and ranks among the 28th percentile nationally, leading to relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. Recent construction comprises 83.0% detached dwellings and 17.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 605 people. Future projections show Yarra Glen adding 21 residents by 2041 at current development rates, suggesting new housing supply should comfortably meet demand and provide good conditions for buyers.

Yarra Glen has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 0 projects likely to affect this area. Notable projects include Yarra Valley Railway Heritage Line Restoration, North East Link - Connections, North East Link - Tolling Services Package, and North East Link - Early Works. The following list details those most relevant.

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Employment performance in Yarra Glen exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Yarra Glen has a skilled workforce with notable representation in the construction sector. Its unemployment rate is 3.1%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.7%.

In the past year, employment grew by an estimated 1.2%. As of September 2025, 1,624 residents are employed, with a local unemployment rate of 1.6% below Greater Melbourne's. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's at 64.1%. Key industries include construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance.

Construction employment levels are particularly high, at 1.9 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 5.3% compared to the regional average of 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 1.2%, labour force grew by 0.8%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% with a slight rise in unemployment to 5.0%. State-level data from November 2025 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, slightly higher than the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Yarra Glen's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.3% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Income data from AreaSearch for financial year 2023 shows that Yarra Glen's median income is $55,211 and average income is $70,368. These figures are higher than Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $59,766 (median) and $76,173 (average), based on an 8.25% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, Yarra Glen's income distribution places it at the 55th percentile nationally. The earnings band of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 35.6% of Yarra Glen residents (1,101 individuals), similar to Melbourne's 32.8%. After housing costs, 85.1% of income remains for other expenses. Yarra Glen's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Yarra Glen is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Yarra Glen's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.5% houses and 7.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 93.8% houses and 6.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Yarra Glen stood at 39.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 48.4% and rented ones at 12.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, above Melbourne metro's average of $1,950. Median weekly rent in Yarra Glen was $380, matching Melbourne metro's figure but higher than the national average of $375. Nationally, Yarra Glen's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863.

Yarra Glen features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 79.5% of all households, including 37.7% couples with children, 31.4% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.5%, with lone person households at 18.9% and group households comprising 1.4%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which matches the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational attainment in Yarra Glen aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 19.6%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (29.7%). Educational participation is high, with 27.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.0% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Yarra Glen has four active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. There are two different bus routes operating in the area, together offering 174 passenger trips per week. The accessibility of these services is rated as moderate, with residents living an average of 446 meters away from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 24 trips daily across all routes, which amounts to about 43 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Yarra Glen are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Yarra Glen's health indicators show below-average results, with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively high at approximately 55% of the total population, which consists of around 1,690 people. The most frequent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, affecting 8.8 and 8.5% of residents respectively. A higher proportion, 67.3%, reported being completely free from medical ailments compared to Greater Melbourne's 66.9%. Yarra Glen has a larger senior population, with 23.5% aged 65 and over (726 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 19.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Yarra Glen are above average and even better than the general population in terms of health metrics.

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

Yarra Glen's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.3% of its population born in Australia, 92.6% being citizens, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Yarra Glen, comprising 41.0% of people. Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 0.2% versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (35.0%), Australian (29.7%), and Irish (9.0%). Dutch, Scottish, and Italian ethnicities showed notable divergences in representation compared to regional averages: Dutch at 2.9% (vs 3.2%), Scottish at 8.9% (vs 8.0%), and Italian at 3.0% (vs 3.4%).

Yarra Glen's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Yarra Glen is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes 13.7% of the population in Yarra Glen, compared to a lower percentage in Greater Melbourne. Conversely, the 25-34 age group makes up 9.8% of the population in Yarra Glen, which is less than that of Greater Melbourne. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.1% to 8.0% of the population in Yarra Glen. The 35 to 44 age group has also seen an increase, from 11.4% to 12.6%. However, the 25 to 34 age group has decreased from 11.6% to 9.8%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 13.7% to 12.6%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Yarra Glen. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 39%, adding 95 people, reaching a total of 343 from 247. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 85% of the total population growth in Yarra Glen, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 25 to 34 and 15 to 24 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.