Yarra Valley

Yarra Valley is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Yarra Valley's population, as of Feb 2026, is approximately 17,166, reflecting a 367-person increase since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 2.2% rise from the previous figure of 16,799 people. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 17,059 as of June 2024 and an additional 107 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 23 persons per square kilometer. Yarra Valley's growth rate of 2.2% is within 1.8 percentage points of the SA3 area's 4.0%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth primarily drove this population increase, contributing approximately 64.6% of overall gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting with weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future trends suggest lower quartile growth, with Yarra Valley expected to expand by 219 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 0.7% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Yarra Valley, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Yarra Valley averaged approximately 39 new dwelling approvals annually between FY-21 and FY-25. Over these five years, 199 homes were approved, with an additional 16 approved in FY-26 to date. This results in an average of around 0.5 new residents per year arriving for each new home constructed during this period.

The average construction cost value of new properties is approximately $307,000, aligning with regional trends. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaling $16.9 million have been registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Yarra Valley has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 25th percentile nationally in terms of housing choices available for buyers. This suggests limited options for buyers, supporting demand for existing homes.

The area's building activity is dominated by detached dwellings (92.0%) with townhouses or apartments comprising only 8.0%, maintaining its traditional low-density character focused on family homes. As of now, there are approximately 644 people per dwelling approval in the area. Looking ahead to 2041, Yarra Valley is projected to grow by 112 residents based on current development patterns and AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Given these patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Yarra Valley has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects expected to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Healesville Sanctuary Precinct Redevelopment (Stage 2), Graceburn Gardens Estate, Maroondah Highway & Don Road Interchange Upgrade, and The Memo Healesville Redevelopment.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment performance in Yarra Valley has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Yarra Valley's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector has notable representation with an unemployment rate of 5.6% and employment growth of 2.0% in the past year. As of September 2025, 8495 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 5.6%, which is 0.9% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation stands at 63.4%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census data, 18.9% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries are construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing. Construction is particularly strong with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services are under-represented at 4.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.0% while the labour force grew by 0.8%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a slight rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Yarra Valley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Yarra Valley SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $50,873 and an average of $60,174. This is lower than the national average. Greater Melbourne, meanwhile, had a median income of $57,688 and an average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $55,070 (median) and $65,138 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Yarra Valley rank modestly, between the 24th and 31st percentiles. The earnings band of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 33.7% of the community (5,784 individuals), similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 31st percentile.

Yarra Valley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Yarra Valley's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.6% houses and 4.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Yarra Valley was at 37.6%, with mortgaged properties at 50.0% and rented dwellings at 12.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,690, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Weekly rent median was recorded at $315, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Yarra Valley's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

Yarra Valley has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.9% of all households, including 30.0% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.1%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Yarra Valley shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 16.5%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 11.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 44.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (32.2%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (10.5%), secondary education (8.6%), and tertiary education (2.8%).

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

Yarra Valley has 79 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by two routes that together offer 161 weekly passenger trips. Residents have limited access to transportation, with an average distance of 704 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards from this primarily residential area, with cars being the dominant mode of transport at 94%. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 18.9% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 23 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately two weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Yarra Valley is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Yarra Valley faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high among both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 49% of the total population, around 8,394 people, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and 55.7% nationally.

Mental health issues and arthritis were found to be the most common medical conditions, affecting 10.3% and 9.6% of residents respectively. However, 64.6% of residents claimed to have no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. As of the latest data (2021), Yarra Valley has 21.9% of residents aged 65 and over, totaling 3,754 people, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. National rankings for the area are broadly in line with the general population.

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

Yarra Valley's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.0% of its population being citizens and 86.6% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 96.5%. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 34.1%.

Judaism was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%. In ancestry, English (33.2%) and Australian (30.9%) were substantially higher than regional averages of 20.1% and 18.4%, respectively. Irish ancestry comprised 8.6%. Dutch (3.1%), Scottish (8.2%), and German (3.8%) were notably overrepresented compared to regional figures of 1.2%, 5.6%, and 2.2%, respectively.

Yarra Valley's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Yarra Valley is 43 years, which is considerably higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 years make up 12.5%, while those aged 25-34 years comprise 10.2%. Since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.4% to 7.5%, and the 35 to 44 cohort has increased from 11.3% to 12.5%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.3% to 12.3%, and the 25 to 34 group has dropped from 11.7% to 10.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Yarra Valley's age structure. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to increase by 391 people (31%), from 1,278 to 1,670. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 87% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 55 to 64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.