South Yarra - South
Statistical Area - sa2

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

South Yarra - South's population was around 10,555 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase of 616 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,939 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,558 in June 2024 and an additional 56 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 7,818 persons per square kilometer, placing South Yarra - South among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 6.2% growth since census was within 2.4 percentage points of the national average (8.6%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 89.2% of overall population gains during recent periods in South Yarra - South.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch used the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting with a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, South Yarra - South's population was forecasted to increase by 2,591 persons, marking a total increase of 24.6% over the 17-year period based on the latest population numbers.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions South Yarra - South among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

South Yarra - South recorded approximately 236 residential properties granted approval each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 1,181 homes were approved, with an additional three approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline in recent years, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas, which is beneficial for buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $631,000, higher than regional norms, indicating quality-focused development. This financial year, there have been $39.3 million in commercial approvals, suggesting strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, South Yarra - South has 90.0% more construction activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers and reflecting strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists of 2.0% detached houses and 98.0% townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living and creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 758 people per dwelling approval, South Yarra - South reflects a highly mature market. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 2,594 residents.

Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 41 such projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable among these are The Jam Factory Redevelopment, Toorak Village at 109 Mathoura Road, One Toorak Place located on Orchard Piper Carters Avenue, and the 177 Toorak Road Mixed-Use Development. The following list provides details of those projects considered 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.

South Yarra - South has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

South Yarra - South has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 5.5% as of June 2025, which is 0.8% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

The employment growth over the past year was estimated at 6.1%. There are 7,444 residents in work, with a workforce participation rate of 69.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries of employment among residents include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area has a particular specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 2.0 times the regional level.

However, construction employs only 5.1% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 6.1%, while the labour force grew by 7.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with an increase in unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to South Yarra - South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.4% over five years and 14.8% over ten years. These projections are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not take into account localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

South Yarra - South's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. South Yarra - South's median income among taxpayers is $68,203 and the average income stands at $123,743, which compares to figures for Greater Melbourne's of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $76,496 (median) and $138,790 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, individual earnings stand out at the 95th percentile nationally ($1,329 weekly), though household income ranks lower at the 65th percentile. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 29.6% of residents (3,124 people). Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 32.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 17.1% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 64th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

South Yarra - South features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

South Yarra - South's dwelling structure in the latest Census showed 12.6% houses and 87.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 16.9% houses and 83.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Yarra - South was 18.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.0% and rented ones at 61.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,200, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,287. Median weekly rent in the area was $395, compared to Melbourne metro's $425. Nationally, South Yarra - South's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

South Yarra - South features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 44.2% of all households, including 10.8% couples with children, 25.9% couples without children, and 6.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 55.8%, with lone person households at 46.9% and group households comprising 8.9% of the total. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.9.

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

South Yarra's educational attainment significantly exceeds national and state averages. As of 2016, 60.5% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and Victoria's average of 33.4%. This high level of educational attainment positions South Yarra favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 39.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%).

Vocational pathways account for 17.7% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.3% and certificates 8.4%. A substantial 24.1% of the population is actively pursuing formal education as of 2016 data, including 10.7% in tertiary education, 4.4% in primary education, and 3.2% pursuing secondary education. Educational facilities appear to be located outside South Yarra's immediate boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighbouring areas for their educational needs.

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

South Yarra - South has 31 active public transport stops. These include train, light rail, and bus services. Seven routes operate in total, serving 6,246 weekly passenger trips.

Residents' average distance to the nearest stop is 162 meters. Daily service frequency averages 892 trips across all routes, equating to around 201 weekly trips per individual stop.

South Yarra - South's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout South Yarra - South. Both young and old age cohorts exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 79% of the total population (8,380 people), compared to 81.8% across Greater Melbourne.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 10.1 and 8.1% of residents respectively. A total of 71.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.3% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 13.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,430 people), which is lower than the 16.3% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

South Yarra - South is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

South Yarra - South has a high level of cultural diversity, with 26.5% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 38.5% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in South Yarra - South, comprising 33.7% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented, making up 2.7% of the population compared to 5.1% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups are English at 24.3%, Australian at 15.7%, and Other at 12.6%. Notably, Russian (1.2%), French (1.1%), and Polish (1.2%) ethnicities show higher representation in South Yarra - South compared to regional averages of 0.9%, 1.0%, and 1.9% respectively.

South Yarra - South's population is younger than the national pattern

South Yarra-South's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, South Yarra-South has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (34.0%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.0%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, South Yarra-South's median age decreased by 1.3 years to 34 from 35. During this period, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 increased from 31.2% to 34.0%, while those aged 15-24 rose from 10.4% to 11.9%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 45-54 decreased from 10.7% to 8.9%, and those aged 5-14 dropped from 5.2% to 4.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for South Yarra-South. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 22%, adding 787 residents to reach a total of 4,374. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age group is expected to grow by a modest 6%, with an increase of 25 people.