South Yarra - West

Population growth drivers in South Yarra - West are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

South Yarra - West's population was around 6,894 as of May 2026, reflecting a 7.3% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,423 people. This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,894 in June 2025 and address validation since the Census date. The area's population density was 4,596 persons per square kilometer as of May 2026, placing it within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. South Yarra - West's growth rate of 7.3% since the 2021 Census is within 2.0 percentage points of the state's growth rate of 9.3%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods for this area. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 adjusted using weighted aggregation for areas not covered by the ABS data.

Future population trends forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas, with South Yarra - West expected to gain an additional 1,460 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 21.2% over the 16-year period.

The level of residential development activity in South Yarra - West is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

South Yarra - West has seen approximately 13 dwellings granted development approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 65 homes. As of FY-26, 86 approvals have been recorded. Despite a decrease in population during this period, the development activity has been relatively adequate, benefiting buyers while developers focus on premium market developments with an average construction cost value of $2,623,000. This financial year has seen $186.3 million in commercial development approvals, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, South Yarra - West records significantly lower building activity, 85.0% below the regional average per person, which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is also lower than the national average, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints. Recent development has exclusively consisted of townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, South Yarra - West is projected to add 1,460 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Future projections show South Yarra - West adding 1,460 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

South Yarra - West has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 51 projects that may affect the region. Key initiatives include Holckner Family Senior Living and Community Precinct - St Kilda Road Stage 2, The Muse, 322-332 St Kilda Road Mixed-Use Development Opportunity, and The Carter Building. Below is a list of projects likely to be 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.

Employment conditions in South Yarra - West demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

South Yarra - West has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 2.8% as of December 2025, lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.3%.

As of December 2025, 75.5% of residents were participating in the workforce, higher than Greater Melbourne's participation rate of 69.9%. A significant portion, 52.3%, of residents worked from home according to Census responses, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area shows a notable concentration in professional & technical services with employment levels at 2.1 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction has lower representation at 4.1% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. There were 3.1 workers for every resident as per Census data, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 4.3%, labour force grew by 4.6%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to South Yarra - West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.2% over ten years.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, South Yarra - West SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $68,433 and an average level of $107,974. This places it in the top percentile nationally, compared to levels of $57,688 and $75,164 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $75,016 for median income and $118,361 for average income as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data shows individual earnings stand out at the 97th percentile nationally with a weekly income of $1,454. The earnings profile shows that 33.2% of residents (2,288 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, which is similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 32.8%. Economic strength is evident through 37.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.7% of income. Strong earnings rank residents within the 81st percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

In South Yarra - West, as per the latest Census, 5.7% of dwellings were houses while 94.4% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Yarra - West stood at 28.3%, lower than Melbourne metro's figure. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 17.0%, while rented properties made up 54.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,100, higher than the Melbourne metro average of $2,000 and significantly above the Australian average of $1,863. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent in South Yarra - West was $457, higher than Melbourne metro's $390 and substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 49.1% of all households, including 11.9% couples with children, 31.5% couples without children, and 4.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 50.9%, consisting of 44.8% lone person households and 6.1% group households. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in South Yarra - West places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

South Yarra - West has an educational attainment level that exceeds national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 66.0% have university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. The area's high proportion of residents with bachelor degrees (39.6%), postgraduate qualifications (21.6%), and graduate diplomas (4.8%) contributes to this advantage. Vocational pathways are also pursued, with advanced diplomas accounting for 9.4% and certificates for 6.7%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in tertiary education, 5.8% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing primary education.

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

South Yarra - West has 34 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 11 routes that facilitate 12,977 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically living 124 meters from the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, with most commuters traveling outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 48%, followed by walking at 22% and train at 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.5 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 52.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 1,853 trips per day, equating to approximately 381 weekly trips per stop.

South Yarra - West's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

South Yarra - West residents have relatively positive health outcomes. Mortality rates and health conditions align broadly with national benchmarks. Prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age cohorts.

Approximately 74% of the total population (5,101 people) has private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (8.0%) and asthma (7.4%). 72.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. As of March 2021, 22.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,550 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors rank even higher than the general population nationally.

South Yarra - West 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-West was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 21.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 35.7% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in South Yarra-West, comprising 37.8% of people. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented at 3.2%, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups are English (24.9%), Australian (17.2%), and Other (11.1%). Some ethnic groups show notable divergences: Polish is overrepresented at 1.5% (vs regional 0.8%), French at 1.1% (vs regional 0.5%), and Scottish at 9.4% (vs regional 5.6%).

South Yarra - West's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in South Yarra - West is 38, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, South Yarra - West has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.5%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has increased from 8.7% to 10.9%, while the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 10.4% to 9.0%. By 2041, South Yarra - West's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 56%, adding 348 people and reaching a total of 969 from the current 620. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is expected to grow by 5%, with an increase of just 10 residents.