Yarrawonga
A 17.1% vacancy rate, the highest in this batch, marks Yarrawonga as a holiday-home town where retirees and weekenders inflate the dwelling count beyond the permanent population. The median age of 52 runs 12 years above national, and 47.6% own outright, nearly double the national rate, signalling an asset-rich, low-income community. Household income sits at just the 21.7th percentile ($1,149/week), yet median house prices reached $652,500, creating a striking price-to-income gap that persists because of external buyer demand from Melbourne.
Population
8,661
Median Age
52.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,149/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$652K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $652,500 median (Apr-Jun 2024) rose 115.7% from $302,500 in 2013, a 5.6% CAGR over 14 years. It peaked at $670,000 in 2022 and has since eased 2.6%. Three-bedroom homes at 51.5% dominate, with 4+ bedrooms at 30.2%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.7% approaches the stress threshold, a consequence of local incomes being lower than the buyer pool (many purchasers earn Melbourne salaries). Detached houses at 84.3% dominate, but semi-detached at 13.6% is notable for a regional town. Buyers should factor in the near-absence of public transport and 87.6% car dependency.
For Buyers
The $652,500 median (Apr-Jun 2024) rose 115.7% from $302,500 in 2013, a 5.6% CAGR over 14 years. It peaked at $670,000 in 2022 and has since eased 2.6%. Three-bedroom homes at 51.5% dominate, with 4+ bedrooms at 30.2%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.7% approaches the stress threshold, a consequence of local incomes being lower than the buyer pool (many purchasers earn Melbourne salaries). Detached houses at 84.3% dominate, but semi-detached at 13.6% is notable for a regional town. Buyers should factor in the near-absence of public transport and 87.6% car dependency.
For Investors
The 24.0% renter share and 17.1% vacancy rate create a split picture: weekender properties inflate vacancy, but the permanent rental market at $290/week is tight for regional VIC. Gross yield of roughly 2.3% ($290 on $652,500) is below average, reflecting capital values driven by lifestyle demand rather than rental fundamentals. Rent grew 45.0% over the decade, outpacing the 17.1% real income growth. With only 16 DAs in 12 months, new supply is minimal. Population growth of 1.47% per year (132 persons) is moderate, primarily from internal migration (112 net per year).
Development Activity
Total DAs
55
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Yarrawonga iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sacred Heart Primary School
Prep-6 · 443 students
Sacred Heart College
7-12 · 236 students
Yarrawonga College P-12
Prep-12 · 1008 students
Demographics
The median age of 52 is 12 years above national, the widest gap in this batch. Only 9.2% were born overseas, 12.4 points below the national average, making it one of the most homogeneous suburbs examined. English (3,820), Irish (1,235) and Scottish (1,044) ancestries dominate. University qualifications at 18.2% are 11.9 points below national, consistent with the IEO decile 3 ranking. Average household size of 2.3 and couples-without-children at 40.5% reflect the retiree composition. The participation rate of just 43.7% is well below national, with 3,338 persons not in the labour force.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.3%
Houses
13.6%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Owned-outright at 47.6% is the dominant tenure, nearly double the national average, reflecting retirees who have paid off mortgages. Mortgaged at 28.5% and renting at 24.0% make up the balance. The median grew from $302,500 in 2013 to a $670,000 peak in 2022 (5.6% CAGR over 14 years) before easing to $652,500. Three-bedroom homes (51.5%) are the most common, with two-bedrooms at 15.3% higher than metro norms. The 28.7% mortgage-to-income ratio is elevated because local incomes (21.7th percentile) are low relative to prices. Affordability has remained stable at around 46% over the decade.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,430
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$625
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
17.1%
Unoccupied
713
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.5%
Couples, no children
6,410
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare (18.3%, 381 workers) and Construction (13.7%, 285) lead employment, followed by Education (11.9%, 247) and Manufacturing (11.0%, 228). Hospitality at 9.0% reflects the tourism-dependent economy. Occupations split between Professionals (518) and blue-collar roles: Labourers (471) and Community/Personal services (474) rank higher than in metro areas. Full-time employment at 59.5% is below national, while the participation rate of 43.7% is notably low, dragged down by the large retiree population. Unemployment at 3.0% is below national. All 4 SEIFA deciles sit in the bottom half (IRSAD 3), consistent with the low-income, aging profile.
Unemployment
2.3%
Labour Force
3,799
Unemployed
88
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.5%
Part-time
37.5%
Participation
43.7%
Employed
3,098
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.2%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
9.2%
Dwellings
3,461
Transport to Work
Three schools serve the suburb: Sacred Heart Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1,046, 443 students), Sacred Heart College (Catholic Secondary, ICSEA 1,021, 236 students) and Yarrawonga College P-12 (Government Combined, ICSEA 964, 1,008 students). The government school sits below the national benchmark at 964, 36 points lower than the Catholic primary. Crime at 72.4 per 1,000 residents is above the VIC median, with property/deception (206) and crimes against the person (191) as top categories. The IRSAD decile 3 places Yarrawonga in the lower-advantage band.
Drive
87.6%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
5.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.47%/yr
(+132 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 22.7% over the decade to approximately 8,953 by 2025, above the national average, with the medium forecast projecting 9,859 by 2031. Annual growth of 1.47% (132 persons) is driven by internal migration of 112 per year. The gentrification score of 23 indicates early signs, with the aging trajectory as the dominant pattern: the senior share rose 5.6 points while the young share dropped 2.1 points. The working-age share fell 2.7 points. Despite this, rent growth of 45.0% over the decade significantly outpaced the 17.1% real income growth, tightening affordability for permanent residents compared to the state median.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+18
Net Internal / yr
+112
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +26% since 2011, Net internal migration +112/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
627
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
72.4
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 Yarrawonga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yarrawonga a good suburb to live in?
Yarrawonga suits retirees and lifestyle buyers drawn to the Murray River region. With 47.6% owning outright and a median age of 52 (12 years above national), it has a settled, older community. The IRSAD decile 3 indicates below-average advantage, and crime at 72.4 per 1,000 is above the VIC median.
What is the median house price in Yarrawonga?
The median is $652,500 (Apr-Jun 2024), down 2.6% from the $670,000 peak in 2022. Since 2013, prices grew 115.7% at a 5.6% CAGR. Monthly mortgage of $1,430 creates a 28.7% mortgage-to-income ratio at local income levels (21.7th percentile), approaching stress territory for permanent residents.
What schools are in Yarrawonga?
Yarrawonga has 3 schools. Sacred Heart Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1,046, 443 students) leads, 46 points above the national benchmark. Yarrawonga College P-12 (Government, ICSEA 964, 1,008 students) is the largest but sits 36 points below benchmark. Sacred Heart College (Catholic Secondary, ICSEA 1,021) completes the offering.
Is Yarrawonga safe?
Crime sits at 72.4 per 1,000 residents, above the VIC regional median. Property/deception offences (206) are the largest category. Crimes against the person (191) are also elevated. The IRSD decile 4 correlates with higher-than-average disadvantage. Seasonal population surges from tourism may inflate per-capita crime figures.
Is Yarrawonga good for property investment?
The 17.1% vacancy rate is extremely high, inflated by holiday homes not available for permanent rental. Gross yield of about 2.3% ($290/week on $652,500) is below average. However, rent grew 45.0% over the decade, and capital growth averaged 5.6% CAGR since 2013. Population growth of 1.47% per year provides moderate demand.
How is Yarrawonga's population changing?
Population grew 22.7% over the decade to about 8,953 by 2025, projected to reach 9,859 by 2031. The aging trajectory is clear: seniors rose 5.6 points while the young share fell 2.1 points. Internal migration of 112 per year drives growth, likely retirees relocating from Melbourne to the Murray River region.
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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