Yorkeys Knob
A 12.5% vacancy rate is the sharpest signal in Yorkeys Knob's data, pointing to an oversupplied rental market in a suburb where 47.3% of households rent. The estimated median house price sits at $386,000, well below the Queensland state median, yet household income lands in just the 27.2nd percentile nationally, making affordability relative rather than absolute. With a median age of 46, six years above the national figure, and a senior share that grew 9.2 points over the decade, the suburb is aging faster than most coastal communities its size.
Population
2,794
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,234/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$386K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At an estimated median house price of $386,000, Yorkeys Knob sits below state and national medians, which attracts budget-conscious buyers seeking a coastal address. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,357, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.4% falls below the standard 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here are not stretching as hard as the national average. The dwelling mix is unusual: semi-detached homes lead at 37.5%, separate houses follow at 37.0%, and apartments make up 23.9%, with two-bedroom dwellings dominating at 51.3% of stock. Only 26.8% of residents carry a mortgage, compared with 25.9% owning outright, pointing to a market where long-term holders coexist with a large renter base.
For Buyers
At an estimated median house price of $386,000, Yorkeys Knob sits below state and national medians, which attracts budget-conscious buyers seeking a coastal address. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,357, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.4% falls below the standard 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here are not stretching as hard as the national average. The dwelling mix is unusual: semi-detached homes lead at 37.5%, separate houses follow at 37.0%, and apartments make up 23.9%, with two-bedroom dwellings dominating at 51.3% of stock. Only 26.8% of residents carry a mortgage, compared with 25.9% owning outright, pointing to a market where long-term holders coexist with a large renter base.
For Investors
The 47.3% renter share is one of the highest among regional QLD coastal suburbs, giving landlords a deep tenant pool at a weekly rent of $310. However, the 12.5% vacancy rate signals genuine oversupply, which suppresses rent growth and extends leasing periods. Against the $386,000 median, $310 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 4.2%, reasonable compared with capital-city standards but undermined by vacancy risk. Population growth runs at just 0.14% annually, adding roughly 9 persons per year, so demand pressure is limited. Net overseas migration adds 56 residents per year, partially offsetting net internal outflow of 30, but neither figure is large enough to absorb excess rental supply quickly.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
1
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 Yorkeys Knob iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Yorkeys Knob State School
Prep-6 · 321 students
Demographics
The median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, placing Yorkeys Knob firmly in the older-coastal-resident category. The senior share climbed 9.2 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 5.2 points, an aging trajectory that is among the more pronounced in regional QLD. Overseas-born residents account for 24.8% of the population, 3.2 points above the national average, with English (1,118), Irish (358) and Scottish (334) leading ancestry, reflecting an Anglo-Celtic heritage profile. University qualifications reach 26.1%, which is 4.0 points below the national figure. The average household size of 2.0 is 0.5 below national, consistent with the high share of couples without children (39.1% of families) and the near-absence of one-parent families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
37.0%
Houses
37.5%
Townhouse
23.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is strongly skewed toward renting: 47.3% of households rent, compared with 26.8% carrying mortgages and 25.9% owning outright. That renter-heavy profile, combined with a 12.5% vacancy rate, suggests supply consistently exceeds local demand. The dwelling stock splits between semi-detached (37.5%), separate houses (37.0%) and apartments (23.9%), with two-bedroom dwellings making up 51.3%, reflecting holiday-let and downsizer configurations rather than family-sized homes. The four-plus bedroom segment is just 13.3%. Rent-to-income at 25.1% stays below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 25.4% is similarly manageable, both measures lower than state and national averages.
Mortgage / mo
$1,357
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$781
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.5%
Unoccupied
183
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.1%
Couples, no children
1,765
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant local industry at 23.2% of employed residents (215 workers), well above the share typical for suburbs of this size, followed by Education at 11.1% and Hospitality at 8.8%, which reflects the tourism-adjacent coastal setting. By occupation, Professionals lead with 284 workers, followed by Community and Personal Service roles (199) and Clerical/Admin (144). The unemployment rate is 6.6%, above the national average, and the participation rate of 55.7% is low, partly because the aging population places 767 residents outside the labour force. SEIFA tells a clear story of relative disadvantage: the IRSD decile of 3 and IRSAD decile of 3 both rank well below average nationally, despite the education and occupation mix of the working population.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
3,643
Unemployed
168
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.2%
Part-time
36.2%
Participation
55.7%
Employed
1,255
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.1%
Postgraduate
4.6%
Born Overseas
24.8%
Dwellings
1,280
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 90.3% of residents drive to work, while only 1.0% use public transport and 4.4% walk or cycle, rates that reflect the suburb's distance from Cairns CBD and the absence of meaningful transit infrastructure. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on nearby Cairns-area schools for education. The IRSAD decile of 3 ranks in the lower third nationally, indicating meaningful relative disadvantage. The volunteering rate is 14.1% and 5.4% of residents require daily assistance (137 people), a figure slightly above the national average given the older median age of 46. Rent-to-income at 25.1% keeps tenants manageable, but the high 12.5% vacancy rate is a practical livability indicator of a suburb with more dwellings than consistent occupants.
Drive
90.3%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.14%/yr
(+9 people/yr)
EstablishedYorkeys Knob is effectively stable, adding an estimated 9 persons per year at 0.14% annual growth, with the SA2-level population forecast to reach around 6,366 by 2031 under the medium scenario. The 10-year population change was just 2.4%, well below most QLD coastal markets. Net overseas migration of 56 per year is the primary driver, but it is offset by net internal outflow of 30 annually, leaving little net momentum. The gentrification score reads 0 and the stage is classified as not gentrifying, consistent with an IRSAD decile of 3 that has shown no upward movement. Real income growth over the decade was just 1.1%, far below inflation, meaning purchasing power has declined in real terms.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+56
Net Internal / yr
-30
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Yorkeys Knob compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yorkeys Knob a good suburb to live in?
Yorkeys Knob offers an estimated median house price of $386,000 and a coastal setting north of Cairns, but the IRSAD decile of 3 ranks it in the lower third nationally for relative advantage. The 12.5% vacancy rate and 47.3% renter share signal a transient population. Mortgage-to-income at 25.4% is below the 30% stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Yorkeys Knob?
The estimated median house price is $386,000, below state and national medians. Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,357. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.4% stays under the standard 30% stress benchmark.
What schools are in Yorkeys Knob?
No schools are recorded inside the Yorkeys Knob suburb boundary in this dataset. With a population of 2,794 and an average household size of 2.0, families typically rely on schools in the broader Cairns area. The suburb's university qualification rate is 26.1%, which is 4.0 points below the national average.
Is Yorkeys Knob safe?
Detailed crime rate data is not available for Yorkeys Knob in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 3, in the lower third nationally for relative disadvantage. The volunteering rate of 14.1% and 5.4% needing daily assistance are consistent with a mixed-profile coastal community.
Is Yorkeys Knob good for property investment?
At $310 weekly rent against a $386,000 median, gross yield is near 4.2%, higher than major capital-city suburbs. However, the 12.5% vacancy rate is a significant risk, and annual population growth of 0.14% generates little demand pressure. Net overseas migration adds 56 residents per year, which provides modest but limited demand support.
How is Yorkeys Knob's population changing?
The suburb grows at approximately 0.14% per year, adding around 9 persons annually. The 10-year population change was just 2.4%, below most QLD coastal markets. Net overseas migration of 56 per year is the main driver, offset by net internal outflow of 30. The population profile is aging, with the senior share up 9.2 points over the decade.
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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