Yatala

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Yatala's population is estimated at around 1,921 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 516 people (36.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,405 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,914 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 96 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 137 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Yatala's 36.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of Qld (9.1%), along with the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 43.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including overseas migration and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Anticipating future population dynamics, an above median population growth of national regional areas is projected, with the suburb expected to expand by 229 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a reduction of 10.0% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Yatala when compared nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Yatala has seen around 22 new homes approved per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 111 homes. So far in FY-26, six approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.1 new residents arrive per year for each new home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $371,000.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals have reached $982,000, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Yatala shows 63.0% higher building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice despite recent slowdowns. This activity is significantly above the national average, indicating robust developer interest in the area. New building activity consists of 95.0% detached dwellings and 5.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Yatala's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. With around 115 people per dwelling approval, Yatala exhibits growth area characteristics.

Population is expected to remain stable or decline, potentially reducing housing pressure and creating opportunities for buyers.

Yatala has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 25 projects that could impact the area. Notable ones include Kinross Road Residential Estate by AVJennings, Sequana Logan Reserve, Queensland Train Manufacturing Program, and Mount Cotton Village Masterplan (Proposed Expansion). 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Yatala performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Yatala has a skilled workforce with notable representation in the construction sector. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.1% over the past year. This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025895 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 1.9% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in Yatala was 57.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. According to Census responses, 15.9% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries among residents included construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Construction had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, health care & social assistance showed lower representation at 11.0% versus the regional average of 16.1%. There were 3.4 workers for every resident as at the Census, indicating that Yatala functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 2.1% while labour force increased by 2.0%, leaving unemployment broadly flat in Yatala. This compares to Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.7%, labour force expanded by 2.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Yatala. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Yatala's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Yatala has a lower median income compared to national averages according to AreaSearch data from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for the financial year 2023. The median income in Yatala is $47,926, while the average income stands at $56,212. In comparison, Rest of Qld's median and average incomes are $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on a 9.91% increase in wages since FY 2023, estimated median and average incomes for Yatala as of September 2025 would be approximately $52,675 and $61,783. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes rank at the 90th percentile ($2,506 weekly), but personal income ranks lower at the 46th percentile. Income distribution shows that 31.8% of Yatala residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (610 individuals), similar to the broader area's pattern. A significant portion, 39.9%, earns over $3,000 weekly, indicating affluence that supports premium retail and services. After housing costs, residents retain 87.0% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Yatala's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 99.2% houses and 0.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Yatala stood at 35.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 55.6% and rented ones at 8.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,200, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent in Yatala was recorded at $495, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. Nationally, Yatala's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 89.7% of all households, consisting of 50.1% couples with children, 34.5% couples without children, and 6.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 10.3%, with lone person households at 6.8% and group households comprising 1.3% of the total. The median household size is 3.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Yatala performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's university qualification rate is 18.2%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 29.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (11.6%), primary education (10.2%), and tertiary education (4.3%).

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

Yatala has nine active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by two routes that combined offer 188 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is limited, with residents typically living 1701 meters away from the nearest one. As a primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode of transport at 94%. On average, there are 2.6 vehicles per dwelling in Yatala, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 15.9% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 26 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Yatala is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Yatala demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts show low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population, around 950 people, compared to 52.5% across Rest of Qld and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.4 and 6.2% of residents respectively. Around 72.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 14.5% of residents aged 65 and over, around 278 people, which is lower than the 20.4% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Yatala ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Yatala's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 80.3% of its population born in Australia, 89.1% being citizens, and 94.3% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Yatala is Christianity, comprising 47.8% of the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Yatala, making up 0.3% compared to 0.1% across the rest of Queensland.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (30.7%), Australian (27.6%), and Scottish (7.5%). There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Maori is overrepresented at 2.4% (vs regional 0.8%), New Zealand at 1.4% (vs 0.9%), and Hungarian at 0.5% (vs 0.2%).

Yatala hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Yatala's median age is 43 years, which is higher than the Rest of Qld average of 41 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 45-54 age group constitutes 16.7% of Yatala's population compared to the Rest of Qld, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 8.3%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 15.2% to 16.2%, the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 14.2% to 12.4%, and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 17.9% to 16.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Yatala's age profile will change significantly. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow by 9%, adding 13 residents to reach 173. Conversely, population declines are forecasted for the 75 to 84 and 0 to 4 cohorts.