Yarrawarrah
Households in Yarrawarrah sit at the 94.9th income percentile, yet the suburb is changing slowly: population change across the wider area is 2.0% over 10 years and the annual trend is -0.07%. Its 2,775 residents live at a density of 2,231.1 people per square kilometre, with a median age of 42, or 2.0 years above the national comparison. Housing is overwhelmingly detached, and 46.3% of homes are owned outright. Near Engadine and Loftus, Yarrawarrah reads as a settled, high-income owner-occupier pocket rather than a rapid-growth market, with overseas migration the primary growth driver.
Local council: Sutherland
Population
2,775
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,724/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Yarrawarrah suits buyers prioritising detached space, established streets and larger homes over apartment living. Separate houses account for 95.4% of dwellings, while 62.2% have four or more bedrooms and a further 33.0% have three bedrooms. The tenure split is also owner-focused, with 46.3% owned outright, 46.9% under mortgage and only 5.0% rented. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,730, equal to 23.1% of household income, which is higher than the 19.1% rent-to-income measure. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, buyers should compare recent detached-house sales by land size, condition and renovation needs because the housing mix is so strongly house-based.
For Buyers
Yarrawarrah suits buyers prioritising detached space, established streets and larger homes over apartment living. Separate houses account for 95.4% of dwellings, while 62.2% have four or more bedrooms and a further 33.0% have three bedrooms. The tenure split is also owner-focused, with 46.3% owned outright, 46.9% under mortgage and only 5.0% rented. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,730, equal to 23.1% of household income, which is higher than the 19.1% rent-to-income measure. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, buyers should compare recent detached-house sales by land size, condition and renovation needs because the housing mix is so strongly house-based.
For Investors
Yarrawarrah presents as a low-rental-stock market rather than a high-turnover investment precinct. Just 5.0% of households rent, the weekly rent measure is $520 and vacancy is 2.8%, so a landlord should test tenant demand carefully against the small rental pool. Development activity reached 19 applications over 12 months, pointing mainly to incremental dwelling-house work rather than a large development pipeline. The annual growth trend of -0.07% is below a positive-growth market, while overseas migration is the primary driver identified for future movement. Compared with faster-growing suburbs, the case is more dependent on holding quality, owner-occupier appeal and manageable costs than on rapid capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
81
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+81.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Yarrawarrah has an older age structure than the national benchmark, with a median age of 42, or 2.0 years above it. University attainment is 35.8%, which is 5.7 percentage points above the national comparison, while the overseas-born share is 13.8%, or 7.8 points below national levels. Average household size is 3.0 people, 0.5 above the national figure, supported by couples with children at 54.2% of families and couples without children at 37.9%. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 1,212, 389 and 297. Christianity counts 1,685 residents versus 932 reporting no religion. For households comparing Yarrawarrah with nearby Engadine or Loftus, the 87.6% staying rate and 12.4% turnover indicate a more settled pattern.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.4%
Houses
3.9%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Yarrawarrah's housing stock is notably detached and family-sized: 95.4% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 0.7% apartments and 3.9% semi-detached homes. Four or more bedrooms account for 62.2% of dwellings, while three-bedroom homes make up 33.0%, reinforcing the suburb's family-house orientation. Ownership is split between 46.3% outright ownership and 46.9% mortgage tenure, with renting at only 5.0%. The mortgage-to-income measure is 23.1%, higher than the 19.1% rent-to-income figure. Affordability indicators were 62.3 in 2011 and 56.6 in 2021, although the recorded affordability trend is Improving. Compared with apartment-heavy parts of the region, buyers should allow for higher maintenance and renovation costs on detached homes.
Mortgage / mo
$2,730
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $520.
$850
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,000 · units $720
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,020
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.8%
Unoccupied
26
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
54.2%
Couples with children
37.9%
Couples, no children
8.0%
Single parent
837
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated across healthcare at 16.5% of local industry, education at 15.2%, construction at 12.4%, professional and technical services at 10.1%, and public administration at 9.2%. The occupation mix is led by professionals with 408 workers, followed by clerical and administrative roles at 227, managers at 218, trades at 200 and community or personal service roles at 140. Unemployment is 2.1%, participation is 65.4% and full-time employment is 55.6%, supporting household incomes at the 94.9th percentile nationally. SEIFA reinforces that advantage: the IEO decile is 8, while IER and IRSD are both decile 10 and IRSAD is decile 9. The IEO result sits below the economic-resources and disadvantage measures, suggesting education and occupation conditions are strong but not uniformly at the top decile.
Unemployment
2.1%
Labour Force
1,452
Unemployed
30
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.6%
Part-time
33.9%
Participation
65.4%
Employed
1,422
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.8%
Postgraduate
8.4%
Born Overseas
13.8%
Dwellings
918
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented and home-based. Car drivers account for 48.9% of travel, compared with 1.9% using public transport and 0.3% walking or cycling, while 46.3% work from home. That combination means remote workers may find daily routines practical, but households commuting by public transport should compare travel times carefully with transit-rich suburbs. Social conditions are favourable on the SEIFA measures, with IRSAD at decile 9, IRSD at decile 10, IER at decile 10 and IEO at decile 8, all above the midpoint. Families should check school enrolment zones and nearby campus options by exact address because access can cross suburb boundaries. For safety decisions, compare current NSW Police incident information with the needs of the household rather than relying on a general suburb assumption.
Drive
48.9%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.3%
Work from Home
46.3%
Growth Outlook
Yarrawarrah's outlook is established and slow-moving. The annual trend is -0.07%, below zero, while population change across the wider area is 2.0% over 10 years. The primary migration driver is Overseas migration, but the broader trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen by 4.8 percentage points, while the working share has fallen 3.4 points and the young share has fallen 0.4 points. This direction reflects an established owner-occupier base and limited turnover rather than a large influx of young households. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so compared with renewal-led suburbs, growth is more likely to come through household change and modest alterations than major neighbourhood transformation.
Population trend: Sutherland council area
Yarrawarrah sits in the Sutherland council area. These are the council area's residents, not Yarrawarrah's.
Residents 2025
241,327
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Yarrawarrah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yarrawarrah a good suburb to live in?
Yarrawarrah can suit households seeking detached homes, space and stability. The median age is 42 and 95.4% of dwellings are separate houses, while household income ranks at the 94.9th percentile, above the national comparison.
What is the median house price in Yarrawarrah?
A current median house price should be confirmed from recent local sales. Compare like-for-like properties because 95.4% of dwellings are detached houses and 62.2% have four or more bedrooms, making the housing mix different from apartment-oriented suburbs.
What schools are in Yarrawarrah?
Families should check school options and enrolment zones against the exact address. Yarrawarrah is 95.4% separate housing and only 1.9% of residents use public transport, so compare nearby government and non-government choices with likely car travel requirements.
Is Yarrawarrah safe?
Use current NSW Police incident information when assessing safety, since conditions can change. Yarrawarrah has 48.9% car-driver travel compared with 1.9% public transport use, so compare the suburb's street and commuting conditions with the household's routine.
Is Yarrawarrah good for property investment?
It may suit a measured, long-term strategy rather than a rapid-growth approach. Weekly rent is $520, vacancy is 2.8% and only 5.0% of households rent. Compared with higher-growth markets, the -0.07% annual trend makes price and yield checks important.
How is Yarrawarrah's population changing?
The suburb has 2,775 residents today, while population change across the wider area is 2.0% over 10 years. The annual trend is -0.07% and the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.8 percentage points, below the pace of a growth suburb.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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