Yakamia
A 10.6% vacancy rate in a suburb where 81.8% of dwellings are detached houses tells a story about Yakamia that the headline price does not. At $395,000, the median sits well below the national average for freestanding houses, yet the rental market shows real slack, with more than 1 in 10 properties sitting empty. The population of 3,025 skews older, with a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national figure. Household incomes rank in just the 27th percentile nationally, and the workforce profile leans toward healthcare (23.2%) and community services, reflecting the suburb's role as a service-sector residential area within the Albany region.
Population
3,025
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,232/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$395K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $395,000 estimated from 2025 rental data, Yakamia sits below the national median for detached houses, making entry costs lower than most comparable WA suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, which produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.4%, technically below the standard 30% stress threshold, though household income is in just the 27th percentile nationally, so the buffer is narrow. The stock is strongly detached-house dominant at 81.8%, with semi-detached at 17.8% and apartments at just 0.3%. Most properties are larger homes: 43.1% have 4 or more bedrooms and 39.6% have 3 bedrooms. Owner-occupiers are split between outright owners (34.4%) and those with a mortgage (28.5%), suggesting an established base of long-term residents rather than rapid recent buyer activity.
For Buyers
At $395,000 estimated from 2025 rental data, Yakamia sits below the national median for detached houses, making entry costs lower than most comparable WA suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, which produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.4%, technically below the standard 30% stress threshold, though household income is in just the 27th percentile nationally, so the buffer is narrow. The stock is strongly detached-house dominant at 81.8%, with semi-detached at 17.8% and apartments at just 0.3%. Most properties are larger homes: 43.1% have 4 or more bedrooms and 39.6% have 3 bedrooms. Owner-occupiers are split between outright owners (34.4%) and those with a mortgage (28.5%), suggesting an established base of long-term residents rather than rapid recent buyer activity.
For Investors
The 37.0% renter share gives landlords a reasonable pool of tenants, but the 10.6% vacancy rate is a clear warning signal, running higher than typical suburban averages and pointing to more rental supply than current demand can absorb. Weekly rent of $320 against a $395,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.2%, which is better than many coastal or metro WA markets, but the vacancy drag reduces effective returns. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, so no new supply pressure is building from construction. The suburb's income base, at the 27th national percentile, limits rental upside compared to higher-income areas, and the high proportion of outright owners (34.4%) means much of the housing stock is unlikely to become rental supply.
Demographics
The median age of 46 is 6 years above the national figure, placing Yakamia firmly in an aging-resident profile. The overseas-born share of 23.3% is 1.7 points above national, modest diversity for WA. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,394 residents) is the dominant heritage, with Scottish (274) and Irish (221) also notable. Non-English language speakers are a small share, with Afrikaans (15), Italian (14) and Mandarin (12) the top groups. University qualifications reach only 20.1%, which is 10 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the healthcare and trades occupation mix. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national average, and 30.9% of families are couples without children, a high share linked to the older age profile. Volunteering runs at 23.4%, above most metro suburb benchmarks.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.8%
Houses
17.8%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Yakamia's housing tenure reflects a stable, owner-occupied suburb: 34.4% own outright, 28.5% carry a mortgage and 37.0% rent. The 81.8% detached house rate is high compared to national and state suburban norms, with semi-detached at 17.8% and apartments at just 0.3%. Most homes are larger format, with 4-plus bedrooms at 43.1% and 3-bedroom at 39.6%, leaving only 12.4% with 2 bedrooms. Rent at $320 per week equates to 26.0% of median income, which is below the 30% stress threshold, so tenants are not under acute pressure. Mortgage holders face a 28.4% ratio, also below stress levels. The 10.6% vacancy rate stands out as the most significant housing market signal, indicating more stock than tenants currently need in this postcode.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$632
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.6%
Unoccupied
142
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.9%
Couples, no children
2,173
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local employment base at 23.2% of workers (185 people), well above typical suburban shares, followed by Education at 11.8% (94) and Public Administration at 9.3% (74). Retail accounts for 8.1% and Other Services 7.3%. By occupation, Professionals (209) and Community/Personal Services workers (199) lead, with Labourers (139) and Sales workers (134) also significant. The unemployment rate is 4.5% with 54 people unemployed, modest by regional WA standards. The full-time employment rate of 61.5% is reasonable but the participation rate of only 48.1% is low, largely because 1,072 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age. Household income sits in the 27th percentile nationally, below state and national averages, reflecting the public-sector and care-economy orientation rather than resource-sector wages.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.5%
Part-time
34.0%
Participation
48.1%
Employed
1,149
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.1%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
23.3%
Dwellings
1,189
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total in Yakamia: 88.1% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average, while only 0.9% use public transport and 2.9% walk or cycle, reflecting the regional location and limited transit infrastructure. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families access education in neighbouring Albany suburbs. The need-for-assistance rate is 12.0% (348 people), notably high and linked to the older age profile, placing demand on local health and community services. Rent-to-income at 26.0% and mortgage-to-income at 28.4% both sit below stress thresholds, meaning most residents are not financially stretched by housing costs. Healthcare employment at 23.2% of workers locally suggests reasonable access to health services, though SEIFA socio-economic scores are unavailable for this suburb to confirm disadvantage levels precisely.
Drive
88.1%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Yakamia compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yakamia a good suburb to live in?
Yakamia suits owner-occupiers and retirees more than young families or renters. Housing costs are manageable, with mortgage-to-income at 28.4% and rent-to-income at 26.0%, both below stress thresholds. The suburb has a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national figure, and 23.4% of residents volunteer, reflecting community involvement. The 10.6% vacancy rate and absence of public transport (only 0.9% usage) are practical drawbacks.
What is the median house price in Yakamia?
The median house price is $395,000 (estimated from 2025 rental data). Weekly rent averages $320, implying a gross yield of around 4.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.4%. The suburb's 81.8% detached house rate means most properties are standalone homes rather than units or apartments.
What schools are in Yakamia?
No schools are recorded within the Yakamia suburb boundary in this dataset. Families access schools in surrounding Albany suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 20.1%, which is 10 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the suburb's healthcare and trades workforce rather than a high professional density.
Is Yakamia safe?
Detailed crime rate data is not available for Yakamia in this dataset. As contextual indicators, the suburb has a 4.5% unemployment rate and a strong community-services employment base, with Healthcare at 23.2% and Community/Personal Services making up 199 workers. The 23.4% volunteering rate suggests an engaged resident base, often associated with lower antisocial activity in similar regional suburbs.
Is Yakamia good for property investment?
The 37.0% renter share provides a tenant pool, and the $395,000 median with $320 weekly rent implies around 4.2% gross yield, reasonable compared to major metro WA markets. However, the 10.6% vacancy rate is a significant caution: it indicates more rental supply than current demand, which compresses effective returns. Zero development applications in 12 months means no new supply is imminent, but weak income growth at the 27th national percentile limits rental upside.
How is Yakamia's population changing?
The suburb's 3,025 residents include 75.6% who stayed in place over the census period, suggesting low churn. The median age of 46 is 6 years above national, pointing to an aging demographic trajectory. The 23.3% overseas-born share, 1.7 points above national, reflects modest migration inflow. No formal population forecast data is available, but the combination of older residents, zero new development and stable turnover points to flat or slow growth in the near term.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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