Yarralumla

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Yarralumla is around 3,230. This figure represents an increase of 110 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,120. The latest resident population estimate by AreaSearch, based on ERP data released by the ABS in June 2025 and validated new addresses, is 3,154. This results in a population density ratio of 391 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration has been the primary driver of population growth in recent periods for Yarralumla.

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 and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, also with a base year of 2022. According to these projections, Yarralumla is expected to experience population growth just below the median for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. By 2041, the suburb is projected to expand by 304 persons, reflecting a gain of 7.1% over the 16-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Yarralumla averaged around 11 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25), an estimated 55 homes were approved, with another two approved so far in FY-26. On average, 0.2 new residents per year per dwelling constructed have been recorded over these years.

This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more housing options and potentially enabling population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $666,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $31.4 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. However, compared to the Australian Capital Territory and national averages, Yarralumla has significantly less development activity (60.0% below regional average per person). This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, although construction activity has intensified recently.

New construction in Yarralumla has been entirely comprised of standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature. This focus on detached housing attracts space-seeking buyers. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (65.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With around 207 people per approval, Yarralumla reflects a low-density area. Population forecasts indicate Yarralumla will gain 228 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects potentially impacting the region. Key projects include Yarralumla Apartments, 2 Schlich Street Public Housing, Canberra Brickworks Precinct, and Forestry Place. The following list details those likely to be 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.

The labour market in Yarralumla shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Yarralumla has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.4% as of December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4% over the past year. This is based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of that date, 1,570 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.5 percentage points lower than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Yarralumla lagged significantly at 58.5%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 70.5%. According to Census responses, 18.9% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries among residents were public administration & safety, professional & technical, and health care & social assistance.

Yarralumla showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level. However, public administration & safety had lower representation at 27.0% compared to the regional average of 30.4%. While local employment opportunities exist, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparing working population to local population. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 1.4% and labour force increased by 1.1%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory's employment growth of 0.9%, labour force growth of 1.2%, and an increase in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Yarralumla. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, indicate national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Yarralumla's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Yarralumla suburb's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Its median income among taxpayers is $86,986 and average income stands at $132,955, compared to ACT's figures of $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $96,067 (median) and $146,836 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Yarralumla, between the 98th and 98th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 43.3% of population falls within $4000+ range, differing from metropolitan region where $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 34.3%. High proportion of high earners (55.6% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity in suburb. After housing costs, residents retain 89.6% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and area's SEIFA income ranking places it in 10th decile.

Yarralumla displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Yarralumla, as per the latest Census, consisted of 65.2% houses and 34.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares with Australian Capital Territory's 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Yarralumla was at 49.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.8% and rented ones at 23.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,425, higher than Australian Capital Territory's average of $2,080. Median weekly rent in Yarralumla was $547, compared to Australian Capital Territory's $450. Nationally, Yarralumla's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Yarralumla has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 71.5% of all households, including 29.7% couples with children, 34.9% couples without children, and 5.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.5%, with lone person households at 26.4% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

Yarralumla shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Yarralumla's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 62.4% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (22.9%) and graduate diplomas (6.4%). Vocational pathways account for 15.9% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 6.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.5% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% in primary, 8.3% in secondary, and 7.4% in tertiary education.

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

Yarralumla has 20 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 71 different routes that together facilitate 4,395 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically located 215 metres from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most inhabitants travel outward for work or other purposes. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 86% of residents, while cycling accounts for 5%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 18.9% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 627 trips per day, equating to approximately 219 weekly trips per individual stop.

Yarralumla's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Yarralumla's health outcomes show remarkable results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 80% of Yarralumla's total population (2,574 people) have private health cover, significantly higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 62.4%, and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 8.8% and 8.4% of residents respectively. Notably, 67.0% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% in the Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents exhibit low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 30.9%, or 998 people, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 14.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with national rankings for the general population.

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

Yarralumla's population showed higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 17.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 29.5% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 47.2%. Judaism, however, had a notable overrepresentation of 0.6%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's average of 0.2%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.8%), Australian (20.6%), and Irish (11.5%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Welsh was 0.9% in Yarralumla, higher than the regional average of 0.6%, Croatian was 1.1% compared to 0.9%, and Russian was 0.5% versus 0.3%.

Yarralumla ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Yarralumla's median age is 50 years, which is significantly higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 are particularly prominent, making up 13.7% of the population, while those aged 25-34 make up only 6.5%. This concentration of those aged 75-84 is well above the national average of 6.1%. Between 2021 and the present, the percentage of the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 8.6% to 13.7%, while the percentage of those aged 15 to 24 has increased from 10.4% to 12.1%. Conversely, the percentage of those aged 65 to 74 has declined from 17.0% to 13.7%, and the percentage of those aged 35 to 44 has dropped from 11.0% to 9.6%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Yarralumla. The cohort of those aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 77%, adding 86 residents to reach a total of 200. Senior residents (aged 65 and above) will drive 51% of population growth, highlighting the trend of demographic aging. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0-4 and 25-34.