Yackandandah
A 10.3% vacancy rate stands out in Yackandandah, where 2,008 residents live across a low-density 141.25 square kilometre area. The median age is 50, which is 10.0 years above the national comparison, while 44.9% of homes are owned outright. Yackandandah presents a lower-density alternative to nearby Beechworth, with 14.2 people per square kilometre and 93.4% separate houses. A 31.7% volunteering rate and 81.5% resident retention point to an established community, while the high vacancy rate may give buyers and tenants more choice than in tightly supplied markets.
Local council: Indigo
Population
2,008
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,674/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
13
Median House
$685K
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
Housing is predominantly detached, with 93.4% separate houses, while 42.5% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 38.2% have 4 or more. Ownership is relatively established: 44.9% own outright and 35.0% have a mortgage. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,600 and mortgage payments equal to 22.1% of household income suggest manageable borrowing pressure, provided buyers can accommodate the area's larger-lot and maintenance demands.
For Buyers
Housing is predominantly detached, with 93.4% separate houses, while 42.5% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 38.2% have 4 or more. Ownership is relatively established: 44.9% own outright and 35.0% have a mortgage. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,600 and mortgage payments equal to 22.1% of household income suggest manageable borrowing pressure, provided buyers can accommodate the area's larger-lot and maintenance demands.
For Investors
Yackandandah's median rent is $306 per week, while 16.5% of households rent and the vacancy rate is 10.3%. Compared with a low-vacancy market, that level of availability gives tenants more choice and may make rental growth less reliable in the short term. Rents have nevertheless grown by 47.4% across the longer shift period, supporting the case for monitoring demand rather than assuming immediate scarcity. Fourteen development records in the latest 12 months indicate some ongoing activity, while balanced migration suggests demand is not reliant on one clear population source. The 22.1% mortgage-to-income ratio also points to limited broad housing stress.
Development Activity
Total DAs
21
Last 12 Months
13
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+225.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Yackandandah
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Yackandandah Primary School
Demographics
Yackandandah has a median age of 50, or 10.0 years above the national comparison, and an average household size of 2.5 people. The university-qualified share is 37.5%, which is 7.4 percentage points above the national comparison, while only 10.7% of residents were born overseas, 10.9 points below the national figure. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry are prominent at 899, 323 and 281 people respectively. Resident stability is notable: 81.5% stayed in the area and turnover was 18.5%. Couples without children make up 49.1% of families, higher than couples with children at 38.9%, reinforcing the suburb's older and settled profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.4%
Houses
4.3%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is weighted towards ownership, with 44.9% owned outright, 35.0% mortgaged and 16.5% rented. Separate houses account for 93.4%, far higher than apartments at 0.9%. For buyers comparing Yackandandah with nearby Beechworth, the practical contrast is a lower-density, overwhelmingly detached format, because 14.2 people occupy each square kilometre.
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$306
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$813
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.3%
Unoccupied
85
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.9%
Couples with children
49.1%
Couples, no children
9.6%
Single parent
574
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated in essential and locally anchored industries. Healthcare accounts for 18.6% of industry employment, education 17.0%, public administration 10.7%, construction 9.0% and professional or technical services 8.6%. The main occupational groups are professionals at 278 people, managers at 176 and trades at 112. An unemployment rate of 1.8% sits alongside a 59.6% participation rate, indicating a relatively tight local labour market, although 577 people are outside the labour force. Household income ranks at the 58.1 percentile, modestly above the midpoint, while IRSD and IER scores both sit in decile 9, higher than the suburb's IRSAD decile 7. This combination reflects sound socioeconomic conditions but a limited employment base.
Unemployment
1.8%
Labour Force
980
Unemployed
18
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.9%
Part-time
40.5%
Participation
59.6%
Employed
962
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.5%
Postgraduate
9.3%
Born Overseas
10.7%
Dwellings
744
Transport to Work
At 14.2 people per square kilometre, Yackandandah is lower-density than a typical suburban environment, but daily mobility is strongly car-led: 64.8% drive to work, compared with 6.9% who walk or cycle, while 24.5% work from home. School access centres on 1 government primary school, so families should check enrolment zones and travel distances for secondary options. Recorded crime totals 28 incidents, equal to 13.9 per 1,000 residents, supporting a lower-crime profile than areas with materially higher rates. The IRSAD decile is 7 and the IRSD decile is 9, while 31.7% volunteering suggests strong civic participation. These features suit residents seeking space and community connection more than those prioritising frequent public transport.
Drive
64.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
6.9%
Work from Home
24.5%
Growth Outlook
Growth runs at 1.36% annually, above a flat baseline, with balanced migration rather than a single dominant source of demand. Population change across the wider area is 18.4% over 10 years, but the trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen by 5.8 percentage points while the working share has fallen by 3.0 points. Gentrification signals are mixed compared with a straightforward renewal cycle. One indicator records a score of 23 at the Early signs stage, while the broader shift indicator records 45 and Active. Stable affordability, moving only from 32.5% in 2011 to 32.9% in 2021, may help preserve demand even as the age profile changes.
Population trend: Indigo council area
Yackandandah sits in the Indigo council area. These are the council area's residents, not Yackandandah's.
Residents 2025
17,758
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.8%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
28
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
13.9
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Yackandandah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yackandandah a good suburb to live in?
Yackandandah suits residents seeking a low-density, established setting, with 2,008 people across 141.25 square kilometres, a 31.7% volunteering rate and crime of 13.9 per 1,000 residents. Its median age of 50 is 10.0 years above the national comparison, so it may appeal more to settled households than to people seeking a younger, highly urban lifestyle.
What schools are in Yackandandah?
School access centres on 1 government primary school, Yackandandah Primary School. Families considering a move should confirm the exact enrolment zone, year levels and travel arrangements for secondary education, because school catchments can extend beyond suburb boundaries and may affect daily commuting.
Is Yackandandah safe?
Yackandandah recorded 28 offences, equivalent to 13.9 crimes per 1,000 residents. The largest categories were 13 crimes against the person and 12 property or deception offences. That rate supports a lower-crime profile than places with materially higher incident levels, although buyers and renters should still review the latest local reports and assess the exact street.
Is Yackandandah good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Median rent is $306 per week and rents have grown by 47.4%, but a 10.3% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied market and can give tenants more choice. Only 16.5% of households rent, while balanced migration and 14 recent development records indicate demand should be assessed carefully rather than assumed.
How is Yackandandah's population changing?
The wider area records 18.4% population change over 10 years and a forecast annual trend of 1.36%, with migration described as balanced. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased by 5.8 percentage points and the working share has decreased by 3.0 points. This points to steady growth with an older resident profile rather than rapid youth-led expansion.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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