Yarra Glen
With 92.5% of dwellings being separate houses and only 3,012 residents spread across 35 square kilometres, Yarra Glen is one of the Yarra Valley's most spacious and owner-dominated townships. Household income sits in the 65.6th percentile nationally, above the midpoint despite its rural feel. The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, and 85% of residents stayed put over the last 5 years, reflecting a stable, established community. Construction is the top industry at 19.1%, pointing to a self-reliant trades workforce that services the surrounding region rather than commuting to Melbourne.
Population
3,012
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,818/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$870K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $870,000 as of April-June 2024 represents a significant lift from $420,000 in 2013, a 107.1% gain over 14 years with a compound annual growth rate of 5.3%. The stock is heavily weighted to separate houses at 92.5%, with semi-detached at 7.5% and no apartment data recorded. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.7% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes for 42.8%, making this an unusually large-home market compared to national averages. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.4%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners reach 39.6%, a high proportion that reflects long tenure and debt-free households accumulated over decades.
For Buyers
The median house price of $870,000 as of April-June 2024 represents a significant lift from $420,000 in 2013, a 107.1% gain over 14 years with a compound annual growth rate of 5.3%. The stock is heavily weighted to separate houses at 92.5%, with semi-detached at 7.5% and no apartment data recorded. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.7% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes for 42.8%, making this an unusually large-home market compared to national averages. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.4%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners reach 39.6%, a high proportion that reflects long tenure and debt-free households accumulated over decades.
For Investors
At $380 per week, rent is modest relative to the $870,000 median, implying a gross yield near 2.3%. The vacancy rate of 7.8% is elevated and signals limited rental demand, which is consistent with only 12.3% of residents renting, one of the lowest renter shares you will find in VIC. Development activity is thin at 2 planning permits in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term pressure. Net overseas migration adds around 60 residents annually while internal migration removes 86, leaving slight negative net flow. Investors should weigh the low rental depth and high vacancy against the 107.1% decade-long price growth and 5.3% CAGR.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Yarra Glen iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Yarra Glen Primary School
Prep-6 · 117 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure and 7.1 percentage points more residents fall into the senior cohort than a decade ago, confirming the aging trajectory. Overseas-born residents make up 12.7%, which is 8.9 points below the national average, consistent with the Anglo-Celtic ancestry profile: English (1,490), Irish (383) and Scottish (378) lead. University qualifications reach 23.8%, which is 6.3 points below the national rate, reflecting the trades and agriculture employment base. Average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above national. The volunteering rate of 17.5% is strong for a town of this size, and couples with children (1,074 families) outnumber couples without children (701).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.5%
Houses
7.5%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Yarra Glen skews heavily to ownership: 39.6% own outright and 48.1% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at just 12.3%, far below the national average. The stock is almost entirely detached: 92.5% separate houses and 7.5% semi-detached. Large homes dominate, with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 42.8% and 3-bedroom at 46.7%. Price history shows $420,000 in 2013 rising to $870,000 by April-June 2024, a 107.1% increase. The CAGR of 5.3% over 14 years is steady rather than spectacular, suggesting consistent underlying demand. Rent-to-income sits at 20.9%, below the rental stress threshold, which keeps tenant affordability manageable despite the elevated vacancy.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$839
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
91
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.5%
Couples, no children
2,551
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction dominates local employment at 19.1% of workers, followed by Healthcare at 13.6%, Education at 11.9%, Manufacturing at 8.2% and Retail at 7.5%. This distribution differs from metropolitan Melbourne where professional services lead. By occupation, Professionals (250) and Managers (247) are nearly tied at the top, followed by Clerical/Admin (203) and Community/Personal (162). The unemployment rate is 2.7%, well below national benchmarks, and full-time employment reaches 63.4%. On SEIFA, the IER score lands at decile 8, indicating strong economic resources such as housing wealth, while the IEO decile of 5 reflects average education and occupation outcomes, a common split in rural townships where asset wealth outpaces credentialled employment.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
7,450
Unemployed
321
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.4%
Part-time
33.9%
Participation
60.1%
Employed
1,428
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.8%
Postgraduate
4.8%
Born Overseas
12.7%
Dwellings
1,074
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total at 91.6% of commuters, compared to far lower rates in metropolitan Melbourne, and public transport use sits at just 0.8%. Walking and cycling accounts for 2.6%, supported by township-scale distances. Crime sits at 25.2 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 76 total offences recorded: property and deception offences lead at 45, followed by crimes against the person at 20. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding towns. The IRSAD decile of 5 places Yarra Glen at the national midpoint for relative advantage, while the IER decile of 8 indicates above-average household economic resources, a combination typical of land-asset-rich rural areas.
Drive
91.6%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.45%/yr
(+64 people/yr)
EstablishedYarra Glen's broader SA2 area tracks around 14,116 residents, growing at 0.45% per year, slower than most metropolitan Melbourne suburbs. The 10-year population rise of 9.6% is below the national pace for established suburbs in major-city fringe zones. Medium forecasts project the area reaching 14,722 by 2031. The dominant demographic shift is aging: the senior share has grown 7.1 points and the working-age share has fallen 2.7 points over the decade. Rent grew 40% over the period against real income growth of 13.9%, meaning rental affordability has tightened. The gentrification score of 36 signals early change, though full structural transformation has not yet materialised.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+60
Net Internal / yr
-86
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
76
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
25.2
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 Yarra Glen compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yarra Glen a good suburb to live in?
Yarra Glen suits buyers who prioritise space, low density and ownership stability. With 92.5% detached houses across 35 square kilometres, a median age of 42, and 85% of residents staying put over the past 5 years, it is an established and settled area. The IER SEIFA decile of 8 indicates above-average household economic resources nationally. The main trade-offs are near-total car dependency and a vacancy rate of 7.8%.
What is the median house price in Yarra Glen?
The median house price is $870,000 as of April-June 2024. Prices have risen 107.1% from $420,000 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 5.3% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.4%, below the standard 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Yarra Glen?
No schools are recorded within the Yarra Glen suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring towns across the Yarra Valley. Locally, 23.8% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 6.3 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the area's trades and agriculture employment base.
Is Yarra Glen safe?
Yarra Glen recorded 76 total offences in the reference period, giving a crime rate of 25.2 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 45 of those incidents, crimes against the person 20, and drug offences just 2. The overall rate is relatively low for a regional area and consistent with the suburb's identity signals of low crime.
Is Yarra Glen good for property investment?
The 107.1% price growth from $420,000 in 2013 to $870,000 in 2024 gives Yarra Glen a credible capital growth record. However, the gross yield on $380 weekly rent is roughly 2.3% against that median, the 7.8% vacancy rate signals thin rental demand, and only 12.3% of residents rent. Investment returns depend on land value appreciation rather than rental income.
How is Yarra Glen's population changing?
Yarra Glen's broader area is growing at 0.45% per year, adding around 64 people annually. Over 10 years the population rose 9.6%, and medium forecasts project the area reaching approximately 14,722 by 2031. The trajectory is aging, with the senior cohort up 7.1 points and working-age share down 2.7 points over the decade. Net internal migration is slightly negative at minus 86 per year.
What industries employ people in Yarra Glen?
Construction is the largest industry at 19.1% of workers, well above the national share for most suburbs. Healthcare follows at 13.6% and Education at 11.9%, reflecting the service needs of the Yarra Valley region. Manufacturing (8.2%) and Retail (7.5%) round out the top 5. The unemployment rate is 2.7%, below the national benchmark.
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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