Yarravel
With 47.7% of households owning their homes outright, Yarravel carries one of the more unusual tenure profiles for a rural NSW suburb of 1,182 people. The median age of 47 sits 7 years above the national figure, and 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses spread across 24.66 square kilometres, giving a density of just 47.9 people per km2. Household income lands at the 33rd percentile nationally, which is below average, yet housing costs remain manageable: mortgage-to-income at 27.9% and rent-to-income at 25.6% both sit below the 30% stress threshold. These numbers describe a stable, owner-occupier community where affordability is not the constraint it is in coastal NSW.
Population
1,182
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,326/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$735K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price in Yarravel is $735,000 based on 2025 data, up from $720,000 in 2024, a 2.1% annual gain. Every dwelling type recorded is a separate house at 99.3%, so buyers get no lower-cost apartment or semi-detached alternative. Larger homes dominate the stock: 46.8% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 44.2% have 3, compared to the national mix where 3-bedroom homes are less than half the stock in many markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, which is well below Sydney levels. At a household income in the 33rd percentile nationally, the purchase price is still a stretch, but the combination of low monthly costs and high outright-ownership rates at 47.7% signals that long-term holders have absorbed the debt well.
For Buyers
The median house price in Yarravel is $735,000 based on 2025 data, up from $720,000 in 2024, a 2.1% annual gain. Every dwelling type recorded is a separate house at 99.3%, so buyers get no lower-cost apartment or semi-detached alternative. Larger homes dominate the stock: 46.8% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 44.2% have 3, compared to the national mix where 3-bedroom homes are less than half the stock in many markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, which is well below Sydney levels. At a household income in the 33rd percentile nationally, the purchase price is still a stretch, but the combination of low monthly costs and high outright-ownership rates at 47.7% signals that long-term holders have absorbed the debt well.
For Investors
Yarravel's rental market is thin: only 7.5% of dwellings are rented, far below the national average, with a weekly median rent of $340. Against the $735,000 median house price that implies a gross yield near 2.4%, which is below typical investment benchmarks. The vacancy rate of 4.4% is above the 3% threshold considered healthy, indicating modest oversupply relative to demand. Development activity recorded 8 applications in the past 12 months, all shed constructions or alterations rather than new residential supply, confirming a stable rather than expanding housing stock. The 86.5% of residents who stayed in the same address over a year reflects very low turnover, which limits both rental churn and resale volume for investors seeking liquidity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
54
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-27.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Yarravel iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Aldavilla Public School
K-6 · 263 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure, placing Yarravel firmly in the older-resident tier. Overseas-born residents account for just 5.8% of the population, which is 15.8 percentage points below the national rate, and the community is predominantly of Anglo-Celtic ancestry: English (517), Irish (130) and Scottish (96) are the three leading ancestries. University qualifications reach only 12.5% of residents, 17.6 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting the suburb's rural, trade and service-sector character. Average household size of 2.7 is slightly above the national average. Couples with children (343 families) and couples without children (341) are almost equal in number, and 17.5% of residents volunteer, a rate above what you would expect from the income profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.3%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 99.3% of all dwellings, with no recorded apartments or semi-detached homes, making Yarravel one of the most detached-dominant suburbs in NSW. Bedroom distribution skews large: 46.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 44.2% have 3, so the stock suits families or buyers wanting space. Tenure is split between outright owners at 47.7% and mortgage holders at 44.8%, with renters at just 7.5%. That nearly even split between outright and mortgaged owners, combined with a price-to-income ratio that is moderate by NSW standards, suggests the suburb attracts both established older buyers paying cash and working families taking on modest debt. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.9% stays below the 30% stress line, which is better than many coastal NSW suburbs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wk
$340
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$605
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.4%
Unoccupied
19
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.6%
Couples, no children
1,014
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 24.7% of employed residents (77 workers), more than double the next sectors of Retail, Public Admin and Education at 11.9% each. Manufacturing employs 8%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service Workers lead with 87 positions, followed by Professionals at 62, Clerical and Admin at 59, Labourers at 53 and Machinery and Drivers at 48, a mix that reflects a regional service centre employment base. The unemployment rate is 6.9%, above the national average, and the participation rate of 51.1% is low, consistent with the older median age of 47 where many residents have exited the workforce. Household income at the 33rd percentile nationally puts Yarravel below average, but the low cost base and outright ownership levels reduce the financial pressure that lower incomes would create elsewhere.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.3%
Part-time
33.8%
Participation
51.1%
Employed
457
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.5%
Postgraduate
0.7%
Born Overseas
5.8%
Dwellings
415
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high at 91.2% of commuters driving, which is consistent with Yarravel's 24.66 square kilometre footprint and rural location in the 2440 postcode area around Kempsey. Only 1.1% walk or cycle to work, and no public transport data is available, reflecting the limited transit options typical of regional NSW. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in nearby Kempsey township. Crime data is not available for Yarravel specifically, but housing stress indicators are reassuring: mortgage-to-income at 27.9% and rent-to-income at 25.6% are both below the 30% stress threshold. The need-for-assistance rate of 10.4% (117 residents) is elevated compared to urban suburbs, likely linked to the older median age of 47 and the below-average household income at the 33rd percentile nationally.
Drive
91.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Yarravel compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yarravel a good suburb to live in?
Yarravel suits buyers who want space and low housing costs in rural NSW. With 99.3% separate houses, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.9% below the 30% stress threshold, and 47.7% of residents owning outright, the financial picture is stable. The trade-offs are car dependence at 91.2% and no schools recorded within the suburb, so families rely on Kempsey township services.
What is the median house price in Yarravel?
The median house price is $735,000 as of 2025, up from $720,000 in 2024, a 2.1% annual gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600 and weekly rent is $340. At these levels, mortgage-to-income sits at 27.9%, which is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Yarravel?
No schools are recorded inside the Yarravel suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in Kempsey township, which is the major service centre in the 2440 postcode area. University qualifications among Yarravel residents reach 12.5%, which is 17.6 percentage points below the national rate.
Is Yarravel safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Yarravel in this dataset. As an indirect measure, housing stress indicators are low: mortgage-to-income is 27.9% and rent-to-income is 25.6%, both below the 30% stress threshold. Residential stability is high, with 86.5% of residents staying at the same address for at least a year.
Is Yarravel good for property investment?
The investment case is modest. Rental yield is approximately 2.4% against the $735,000 median and $340 weekly rent, which is below typical investment benchmarks. Vacancy sits at 4.4%, above the healthy 3% mark. Only 7.5% of dwellings are rented and turnover is low at 13.5% annually, limiting both demand and resale liquidity.
How is Yarravel's population changing?
No formal population forecast is available in this dataset. Structural signals point to slow natural decline: the median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure, and 86.5% of residents stayed at the same address, indicating low migration turnover. Development applications recorded only 8 in the past 12 months, all shed additions rather than new dwellings.
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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