Young

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

The estimated population of the suburb of Young is around 10,629 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 19 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,610. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 10,582 in June 2024, following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, along with an additional 37 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 29 persons per square kilometer. The primary driver of population growth was overseas migration, contributing approximately 99.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Young is anticipated to grow by 535 persons to reach a total population of 11,164 by 2041. This reflects an increase of 4.6% 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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Young has had around 31 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 157 homes. As of FY-26 so far, 28 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $528,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year, $39.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Rest of NSW and nationally, Young records about three-quarters the building activity per person, placing it around the 55th percentile of assessed areas. Recent construction comprises 83.0% detached houses and 17.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's low density nature. There are approximately 286 people per dwelling approval in Young, indicating a low density market.

Population forecasts estimate Young will gain 488 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Young has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects expected to influence the region. Notable initiatives include Young Stormwater Infrastructure Upgrades, Apollo Fabrication Group Expansion, Burrangong Creek Bridge Duplication, and Hill Street Subdivision Young. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

Young shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Young's workforce comprises diverse sectors with a balanced mix of white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate was 4.1% as per AreaSearch data aggregation in statistical areas. As of December 2025, Young had 4,609 employed residents, an unemployment rate of 4.3%, and workforce participation at 56.2%.

Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have influenced these figures. Key employment sectors were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Notably, agriculture, forestry & fishing showed strong specialization with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance was under-represented at 14.5% compared to Regional NSW's 16.9%.

Limited local employment opportunities were indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Young saw a labour force decrease of 4.5%, employment decline of 3.4%, and unemployment fall by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW had an employment decline of 1.2%, labour force decline of 0.8%, and unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth rates of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Young's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2023, Young suburb had a median income among taxpayers of $46,309 with the average at $55,877. This was lower than national averages of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since June 30, 2023, current estimates for Young's median income would be approximately $50,412 and average at $60,828 as of September 2025. Census data from 2021 shows household, family, and personal incomes in Young fall between the 10th and 20th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 27.1% earning $800 - $1,499 weekly (2,880 residents), unlike regional trends where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. After housing costs, 85.6% of income remains in Young, ranking at only the 13th 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 87.5% houses and 12.4% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Young was at 39.4%, aligning with Regional NSW's figure, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (29.7%) or rented (30.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Young was $1,300, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Weekly rent was recorded at $250 in Young, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Young's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Young features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 66.2% of all households, including 24.9% couples with children, 27.3% couples without children, and 12.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for 33.8%, comprising 31.3% lone person households and 2.5% group households. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Regional NSW average.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 13.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (29.7%). Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (11.6%), secondary education (9.0%), and tertiary education (1.6%).

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

Young has 317 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 30 routes providing 349 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 172 meters to the nearest stop. In this mainly residential area, most commuters travel outwards using cars (94%), while 5% walk. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, only 7.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 49 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly one weekly trip per stop. A map accompanies this data, displaying the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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 challenges for Young, as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 49% of the total population (~5,216 people) has private health cover, lower than Regional NSW's 51.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.1%) and asthma (9.4%), with 62.3% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 23.1% of residents aged 65 and over (2,455 people), with senior health outcomes broadly inline with national rankings.

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

Young was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 90.1% of its population being citizens, 91.1% born in Australia, and 92.4% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Young is Christianity, comprising 65.1% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Young are Australian (34.2%), English (30.6%), and Irish (9.8%).

Notably, Lebanese people are overrepresented at 1.9%, Australian Aboriginal at 3.9%, and Serbian at 0.3%, compared to regional averages of 0.2%, 4.6%, and 0.2% respectively.

Young's median age exceeds the national pattern

Young's median age is 41 years, which is lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 but higher than the national average of 38. The 5-14 age group comprises 13.4% of Young's population compared to Regional NSW, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 11.6%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35-44 age group has increased from 11.3% to 12.4%, and the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 14.0% to 13.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Young's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 24%, adding 210 residents to reach 1,082. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 50% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 65-74 cohorts.