Adelaide Hills

An assessment of population growth drivers in Adelaide Hills reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Adelaide Hills' population was 7,051 as of the 2021 Census. As of Feb 2026, it is around 7,201, an increase of 150 people (2.1%). This growth is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 7,183 in June 2024 and 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 19.8 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 53.6% of recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, it adopts the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. By 2041, Adelaide Hills' population is expected to increase by 720 persons, reflecting a 9.8% total increase over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Adelaide Hills, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Adelaide Hills has received around 24 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 121 homes. In FY-26 so far, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1 person moves to the area per dwelling built each year between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost of new dwellings is $287,000. In this financial year, there have been $10.9 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Adelaide Hills has 68.0% lower building activity per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. Recent development consists entirely of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 549 people. Population forecasts indicate Adelaide Hills will gain 702 residents by 2041. Existing development levels appear aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Adelaide Hills has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

The performance of a region is significantly impacted by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Two projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially influencing this area: Defence and Aerospace Precinct at Penfield, Angle Vale Residential Growth Area, Northern Adelaide Transport Study, and Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme (NAIS). The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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The labour market in Adelaide Hills shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Adelaide Hills has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%, lower than Greater Adelaide's 3.9%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.0%.

As of September 2025, 4,210 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.0% below Greater Adelaide's rate. Workforce participation in Adelaide Hills is 71.9%, higher than Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. According to Census responses, 14.5% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training.

The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 4.8 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, at 13.4% compared to Greater Adelaide's 17.7%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 3.0% while labour force grew by 3.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a 0.1 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Adelaide Hills' employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.8% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Adelaide Hills SA2 had a median income of $53,309 and an average of $68,936. This is slightly above the national average, with Greater Adelaide having a median of $54,808 and an average of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $58,000 (median) and $75,002 (average). Census data indicates household, family and personal incomes in Adelaide Hills are around the 53rd percentile nationally. Distribution data shows that 33.1% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 (2,383 individuals), similar to the broader area where this group represents 31.8%. After housing costs, residents retain 88.9% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Adelaide Hills is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in Adelaide Hills with 98.2% houses and 1.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Adelaide metro's 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Adelaide Hills was at 44.7%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (46.4%) or rented (8.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300, lower than Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Adelaide Hills's mortgage repayments are below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

Adelaide Hills features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 82.0% of all households, including 38.5% couples with children, 35.9% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for 18.0%, with lone person households at 16.7% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Adelaide Hills performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's university qualification rate is 22.1%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 42.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (13.0%) and certificates (29.5%). Educational participation is high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.6% in primary, 8.2% in secondary, and 4.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Adelaide Hills's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance across Adelaide Hills, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Both younger and older age groups exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover stands at approximately 53% of the total population (~3,838 people), leading the average SA2 area rate. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.7%) and asthma (7.7%), while 68.8% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are largely typical. The area has 22.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,625 people), higher than the 19.3% in Greater Adelaide. Senior health outcomes rank notably high, even surpassing general population rankings nationally.

Adelaide Hills is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Adelaide Hills' population was found to be less culturally diverse, with 83.8% born in Australia, 92.1% being citizens, and 96.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 43.2%. The category 'Other' is underrepresented, at 0.5%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 1.8%.

In terms of ancestry, English (35.4%) and Australian (29.6%) are significantly overrepresented compared to regional averages of 27.8% and 22.8% respectively. German ancestry is also notable at 8.3%. Some other ethnic groups show significant divergences: Polish at 1.0%, Hungarian at 0.4%, and Dutch at 1.7%, all higher than their respective regional averages.

Adelaide Hills hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Adelaide Hills has a median age of 46 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 55-64 make up 17.0% of the population, a figure considerably higher than both Greater Adelaide's (12%) and Australia's national average (11.2%). Meanwhile, those aged 25-34 constitute only 8.3%, which is smaller compared to Greater Adelaide's equivalent percentage. Between 2021 and the present, the proportion of individuals aged 75-84 has increased from 5.5% to 7.4%, while the 15-24 age group has grown slightly from 12.3% to 13.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 15.8% to 12.5%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Adelaide Hills. The number of individuals aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 151%, adding 219 residents, reaching a total of 365. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 60% of the population growth, underscoring the trend towards an aging demographic. However, the number of individuals in the 55-64 age range is expected to fall by 85%.