South Yarra - South

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 approximately 10,440 as of May 2026. This figure represents an increase of 501 people, a 5.0% rise from the 9,939 recorded in the 2021 Census. The change is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 10,440 in June 2025 and the addition of 55 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 7,733 persons per square kilometer, placing South Yarra - South among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. The primary driver for this growth was overseas migration, contributing around 91.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, AreaSearch employs the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, South Yarra - South is projected to increase by 2,418 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 23.2% over the 16-year period based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

South Yarra - South has 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 353 approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline in recent years, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas, benefiting buyers while new homes are constructed at an average expected cost of $555,000, indicating a focus on premium properties by developers.

This financial year has seen $39.3 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, South Yarra - South has 95.0% 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 that creates 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. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 2,418 residents through to 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Looking ahead, South Yarra - South is expected to grow by 2,418 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

South Yarra - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 41 projects likely to affect the area. Notable ones include The Jam Factory, One Toorak Place (Orchard Piper Carters Avenue), 177 Toorak Road Mixed-Use Development, and 671 Chapel Street. 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.

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

South Yarra - South has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate was 5.5% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.2%.

As of that date, 7,154 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 6.3%, higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in South Yarra - South was 78.1%, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Census data indicates that 52.3% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment are professional & technical (with a share of 2.0 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Construction employs only 5.1% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident suggests ample local employment opportunities. In the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.2%, while labour force grew by 4.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Yarra - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localized population projections.

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

The South Yarra - South SA2 has one of the highest income levels nationally, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2023. Its median income among taxpayers is $68,549 and average income stands at $116,120. These figures compare with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for South Yarra - South SA2 would be approximately $75,143 (median) and $127,291 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings rank at the 95th percentile nationally ($1,329 weekly), while household income ranks at the 65th percentile. Income brackets indicate that 29.6% of residents (3,090 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, mirroring the surrounding region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 32.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 17.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 64th percentile. 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 dwellings were 12.6% houses and 87.4% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other') in the latest Census, compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% others. Home ownership was 18.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.0% and rented at 61.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,200, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent was $395, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, South Yarra - South's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents surpassed 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 constitute 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 make up the remaining 55.8%, with lone person households at 46.9% and group households comprising 8.9%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

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

Vocational pathways account for 17.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.3% and certificates at 8.4%. A substantial proportion of the population is actively pursuing formal education, with 24.1% currently engaged in it. This includes 10.7% in tertiary education, 4.4% in primary education, and 3.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

South Yarra - South has 32 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These are operated by 9 different routes that collectively facilitate 7,791 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 162 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most commutes are outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 49%, followed by train at 20% and walking at 15%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.5 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 52.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,113 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 243 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

South Yarra - South demonstrates excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 78% of the total population (8,195 people) have private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues affect 10.1% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.1%. A total of 71.5% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population has better than average health outcomes. The area has 13.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,413 people), lower than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

South Yarra - South was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon 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 as of the latest data from 2021. Christianity is the predominant religion in South Yarra - South, making up 33.7% of people, but Judaism is notably overrepresented with 2.7%, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne. The top three ancestry groups are English at 24.3%, Australian at 15.7%, and Other at 12.6%.

There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups, such as Russian at 1.2% (vs regional 0.4%), French at 1.1% (vs regional 0.5%), and Polish at 1.2% (vs regional 0.8%).

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

South Yarra - South's median age is 33, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's figure 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 (34.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.1%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.6%. Between the censuses of 2021 and 2026, South Yarra - South's median age decreased by 1.7 years to 33 from 35. The proportion of residents aged 25-34 increased from 31.2% to 34.9%, while the 45-54 age group declined from 10.7% to 8.2% and the 65-74 age group decreased from 7.5% to 6.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that South Yarra - South's age profile will change significantly. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to increase by 791 people (22%), growing from 3,640 to 4,432 residents. The 5-14 age group is expected to grow more modestly, adding only 38 residents at a rate of 9%.