Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Yass
100 km²
Steady growth and a shift toward a more diverse age range have shaped Yass over recent years. This New South Wales town is an older community where nearly 22% of residents are seniors, a figure well above the national average. It is defined by a high proportion of detached family homes and a workforce with strong full-time employment. While the population has grown by 4% since 2016, the town remains largely Australian-born with a modest number of overseas arrivals.
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The typical resident is 42, making Yass noticeably older than most Australian areas. It has a significant First Nations presence at 5.1%, which is much higher than most similar areas and has risen since 2016.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (9.3%) compared to the national figure. English and Australian ancestries are the most common.
English is the primary language for 90.9% of the community. Only 4.1% of people use another language at home, which is far below the state and national averages.
Over half of the population identifies as Christian. While those with no religion make up 35.7% of the community, this figure has risen by 12 percentage points since 2016.
About 50.9% of residents completed Year 12, which is well below the national average. However, the proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher rose 3.5 percentage points since 2016.
Typical weekly household income is $1,739, which is about the same as the national figure. Higher earners are becoming more common, with the share of households earning over $3,000 a week rising by 9.6 percentage points since 2016.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 37.1% of people living with a long-term condition. Mental health conditions and arthritis are the most reported issues.
Yass has a high rate of community spirit, with 18.9% of people volunteering, which is well above the national average. It also has a much higher proportion of Defence Force veterans than most similar areas.
There are 347 First Nations people in the community. This group is noticeably younger than the general population, with a typical age of 21.
Family life is common, with 57.4% of homes consisting of couples with children. However, people living alone also make up a higher share of the community (27.4%) than in most areas.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 88.5% of all dwellings. Most homes are large, with 81.7% having three or more bedrooms, far above the state average.
The town relies heavily on cars, as only 0.9% of people commute using public transport. This is reflected in the fact that 4.7% of homes have no motor vehicle, a figure well below the state average.
About 38.4% of residents moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 8.8% of the population, which is well below the national average and has fallen since 2016.
The job market is strong, with a 3.1% unemployment rate that is much lower than most similar areas. Full-time employment is also well above the national average at 61.9%.
Yass has a moderate level of overall advantage, ranking in the middle of similar areas. Recent population growth has been very slow at 0.8%, well below the New South Wales average of 6.1%.
The area is cooler and wetter than the state average, with an average annual rainfall of 839mm and a typical minimum temperature of 7.5 degrees.
The town is somewhat walkable, and 71.7% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries. However, access to public transport and schools is far below the state average.