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 is approximately 10,563 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 624 people, a growth rate of 6.3%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 9,939. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,558 in June 2024 and an additional 56 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 7,824 persons per square kilometer, placing South Yarra - South within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. The primary driver of population growth was overseas migration, contributing approximately 89.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to reach 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 its population by 2,591 persons, reflecting a total increase of 24.5% over the 17-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 four approved so far in FY-26. Despite recent population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas, which is positive for buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $555,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year has seen $39.3 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust 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, 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. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, South Yarra - South is expected to grow by 2,586 residents through to 2041.

Given 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 to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 41 projects likely affecting the area. Notable projects include The Jam Factory, One Toorak Place (Orchard Piper Carters Avenue), 177 Toorak Road Mixed-Use Development, and 671 Chapel Street. Below is a list of most relevant projects.

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% in September 2025, compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.7%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.1%.

As of September 2025, 7,093 residents were employed, with a workforce participation rate of 76.6%, above Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Home working was high at 52.3% due to Census responses, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries included professional & technical (employing 28.4%), health care & social assistance (16.5%), and retail trade (12.4%). South Yarra - South had a higher share of employment in professional & technical roles than the regional level, at 2.0 times.

Construction employed only 5.1% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.6, indicating more employment opportunities than usual. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1%, while the labour force grew by 4.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.3 percentage point increase in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) suggest South Yarra - South's employment could grow by 7.4% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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 based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Its median income among taxpayers is $68,549 and average income stands at $116,120, compared to Greater Melbourne's figures of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $74,204 and average income $125,700, considering Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings rank at the 95th percentile nationally ($1,329 weekly), though household income ranks lower at the 65th percentile. Income brackets show that 29.6% of residents (3,126 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 had 12.6% houses and 87.4% other dwellings in the latest Census, compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Yarra - South was 18.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.0% and rented dwellings at 61.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,200, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent in the area was $395, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, South Yarra - South's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and 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%. 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 national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 60.5% have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. 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%, with advanced diplomas at 9.3% and certificates at 8.4%.

A total of 24.1% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 10.7% in tertiary education, 4.4% in primary education, and 3.2% in 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 serving a mix of light rail and bus routes. These stops are serviced by 9 individual routes that collectively provide 7,791 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents' homes to the nearest transport stop is 162 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 49%, with trains used by 20% and walking by 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 across all routes averages 1,113 trips per day, 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 exhibits excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, showing very low prevalence across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 78% of the total population (8,291 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 10.1% and asthma impacting 8.1% of residents.

Notably, 71.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly lower than the 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population displays better than average health outcomes. The area has 13.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,453 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with national rankings for 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 high cultural diversity, with 26.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 38.5% born overseas as of the 2016 Census. Christianity is the predominant religion, making up 33.7%. Judaism is overrepresented at 2.7%, compared to 1.0% in Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups are English (24.3%), Australian (15.7%), and Other (12.6%). Notably, Russian (1.2%) French (1.1%) and Polish (1.2%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.4%, 0.5% and 0.8% respectively.

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

South Yarra-South's median age in 2021 was 34 years, lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, South Yarra-South had a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (33.6%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds was significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, South Yarra-South's median age decreased by 1.2 years to 34 from 35. The proportion of residents aged 25-34 increased from 31.2% to 33.6%, 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 8.7%, and those aged 5-14 dropped from 5.2% to 3.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in South Yarra-South, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 age group (23%), adding 821 residents to reach a total of 4,374.