Yellow Rock
With 93.5% of residents driving to work and a 100% detached house rate, Yellow Rock is one of the most car-dependent, owner-occupier suburbs in the Blue Mountains fringe. The population of 1,119 sits across 18.81 km2, a low density of 59.5 per km2 compared to most NSW suburbs. What stands out is the household income: weekly household income of $2,635 places residents in the 94.2nd percentile nationally, yet house prices at a median of $977,750 remain far more modest than inner Sydney at that income level, making Yellow Rock a higher-income, lower-density escape rather than a prestige address.
Population
1,119
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,635/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$978K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $977,750 reflects strong demand for large detached homes in a rural-fringe setting. Every dwelling in Yellow Rock is a separate house (100%), and 69.3% have 4 or more bedrooms, well above the NSW norm for suburban stock. Price data shows a move from $900,000 in 2024 to $995,500 in 2025, a 10.6% gain over one year. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes at the 94.2nd percentile nationally are strong. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,058. With 55.9% of households carrying a mortgage and 36.4% owning outright, the suburb skews toward established owner-occupiers rather than recent-entry buyers.
For Buyers
The median house price of $977,750 reflects strong demand for large detached homes in a rural-fringe setting. Every dwelling in Yellow Rock is a separate house (100%), and 69.3% have 4 or more bedrooms, well above the NSW norm for suburban stock. Price data shows a move from $900,000 in 2024 to $995,500 in 2025, a 10.6% gain over one year. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes at the 94.2nd percentile nationally are strong. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,058. With 55.9% of households carrying a mortgage and 36.4% owning outright, the suburb skews toward established owner-occupiers rather than recent-entry buyers.
For Investors
Yellow Rock's rental market is thin by design. Only 7.7% of dwellings are rented, one of the lowest renter shares in NSW, and weekly rent sits at $400. Against the $977,750 median, that implies a gross yield near 2.1%, below the national average for houses. The vacancy rate of 3.2% signals modest but steady tenant demand. Development activity is light, with just 10 applications in the past 12 months, mostly dwelling alterations and one swimming pool, confirming this is a stable, slow-building suburb rather than a growth corridor. The turnover rate of 10.2% means 89.8% of residents stayed, pointing to a committed owner base that limits forced-sale stock. Investors should expect capital growth as the primary return driver rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
73
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+11.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Yellow Rock's median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, consistent with an established family and semi-rural lifestyle suburb. Overseas-born residents account for just 10.5% of the population, which is 11.1 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a predominantly locally-born community. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (466), Irish (167) and Scottish (115) are the top three ancestries recorded. University qualifications reach 25.8%, which is 4.3 percentage points below the national figure, yet household income sits in the 94.2nd percentile, suggesting wealth comes more from trades, management and property than from professional credentials. Average household size of 3.0 persons is 0.5 above the national figure, fitting the large-home, family-oriented character of the suburb.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is structurally simple: 100% separate houses, 0% apartments, and a bedroom profile dominated by 4-plus bedroom homes at 69.3%. Three-bedroom homes account for 26.1%, and only 3.0% have two bedrooms. This uniformity reflects a suburb built around large family lots rather than density. Tenure splits at 55.9% mortgaged and 36.4% owned outright, with just 7.7% renting. The price moved from $900,000 in 2024 to $995,500 in 2025, a 10.6% one-year gain. At a median of $977,750 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.0%, households here carry manageable debt relative to income, sitting in the 94.2nd percentile nationally for household income. Rent-to-income at 15.2% also confirms no financial stress among tenants.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,058
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,018
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.2%
Unoccupied
12
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.3%
Couples, no children
1,029
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads Yellow Rock's industry base at 16.2% of employed residents (68 workers), followed closely by Construction at 15.7% (66) and Public Administration at 14.5% (61). Education employs 13.8% (58 workers) and Manufacturing 7.1% (30). This spread across healthcare, construction and public sector means the local workforce is relatively insulated from any single industry cycle. By occupation, Professionals dominate at 116 workers, then Clerical/Admin at 102, Managers at 92 and Community/Personal at 90. The unemployment rate of 1.5% is very low compared to the NSW average, and the full-time employment rate is 61.4%. Weekly personal income of $1,018 and family income of $2,716 reflect the management and professional mix, placing households in the top tier nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.4%
Part-time
37.1%
Participation
64.3%
Employed
572
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.8%
Postgraduate
7.2%
Born Overseas
10.5%
Dwellings
362
Transport to Work
Car ownership is almost universal: 93.5% of residents drive to work, public transport use is just 1.2%, and walking or cycling accounts for 1.5%. This reflects the low density of 59.5 residents per km2 and the semi-rural setting, where distances between services are larger than in urban Sydney. No schools are recorded inside the Yellow Rock boundary, so families rely on neighbouring suburbs for education. Crime data is not available for Yellow Rock in this dataset. The volunteering rate of 15.9% is healthy, and only 4.7% of residents need daily assistance, below the NSW average. Rent-to-income at 15.2% and mortgage-to-income at 18.0% both confirm that financial stress is low compared to most NSW markets, where mortgage stress commonly exceeds 30%.
Drive
93.5%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Yellow Rock compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yellow Rock a good suburb to live in?
Yellow Rock suits families and established households who value space and low density. Every dwelling is a detached house, 69.3% have 4 or more bedrooms, and the unemployment rate is just 1.5%. Household income sits in the 94.2nd percentile nationally and financial stress is low, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.0% compared to the 30% stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Yellow Rock?
The median house price is $977,750 based on 2024-2025 data. Prices rose 10.6% from $900,000 in 2024 to $995,500 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,058 and weekly rent is $400.
What schools are in Yellow Rock?
No schools are recorded inside the Yellow Rock boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers 18.81 km2 at very low density of 59.5 residents per km2, so families rely on schools in nearby suburbs. The population of 1,119 is small, with 25.8% holding university qualifications.
Is Yellow Rock safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Yellow Rock are not available in this dataset. As indirect indicators, unemployment is very low at 1.5%, only 4.7% of the 1,119 residents need daily assistance, and the volunteering rate of 15.9% suggests a stable, engaged community with few signs of disadvantage.
Is Yellow Rock good for property investment?
The investment case rests on capital growth rather than yield. Weekly rent of $400 against a $977,750 median implies a gross yield near 2.1%, below national averages. However, prices rose 10.6% in one year and only 7.7% of dwellings are rented, which limits supply. A vacancy rate of 3.2% reflects modest but consistent demand.
How is Yellow Rock's population changing?
Yellow Rock has a population of 1,119 and a very stable resident base, with 89.8% of residents staying over the reference period and a turnover rate of just 10.2%. The suburb is low density at 59.5 per km2 across 18.81 km2, and just 10 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating minimal new dwelling construction.
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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