APY Lands
Statistical Area - sa2

APY Lands is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of August 2025, APY Lands' population is approximately 2,658, reflecting a growth of 325 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 13.9% rise from the previous population count of 2,333. The change is inferred based on ABS's estimated resident population of 2,654 as of June 2024 and address validation from the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 0.00 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space per person. APY Lands' growth rate of 13.9% since the 2021 census surpassed both the SA3 area's growth of 4.1% and the SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. The primary driver for this population growth was interstate migration, contributing approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023. Future population dynamics indicate an overall decline over this period, with APY Lands' population expected to decrease by 62 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are projected to grow, notably the 35 to 44 age group, which is anticipated to expand by 71 people.

Residential development activity is lower than average in APY Lands according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

APY Lands has seen approximately six new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY20 to FY25, around 30 dwellings were approved, with no approvals recorded so far in FY26. On average, 7.4 new residents per year have been associated with every home built during this period.

This supply lagging demand suggests heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. Additionally, $6.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded in the current financial year, indicating a residential character for the area. Compared to the Rest of SA, APY Lands shows moderately higher new home approvals, at 18.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values, although development activity has moderated in recent periods.

This is also below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached dwellings, maintaining APY Lands' traditional low-density character and focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 0 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, APY Lands may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

APY Lands has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 19 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include APY Lands Groundwater Quantity and Quality Investigation, Umuwa Multi-Agency Facility, Umuwa Central Power House Renewable Energy Upgrade, and Fregon Anangu School Upgrade. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Employment conditions in APY Lands face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

APY Lands has a balanced workforce comprising both white and blue collar jobs, with essential services sectors well-represented. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate stands at 41.0%.

Compared to Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%, APY Lands' unemployment is 36.4% higher, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in APY Lands lags significantly at 41.7%, compared to Rest of SA's 54.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include education & training, health care & social assistance, and arts & recreation. Notably, the area specializes in education & training, with an employment share 3.9 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 3.1% of local workers, below Rest of SA's 14.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population versus resident population count. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels increased by 6.3%, while employment declined by 16.4%, leading to a significant rise in unemployment rate by 16.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA recorded an employment decline of 1.2%, labour force growth of 0.1%, and a 1.2 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 offer insight into potential future demand within APY Lands. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to APY Lands' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

APY Lands' median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $25,535. The average income stood at $32,592 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of SA's which were $46,889 and $56,582 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $28,300 (median) and $36,122 (average) as of March 2025. According to census data, household income ranks at the 18th percentile with a weekly income of $1,266. Personal income sits at the 1st percentile. Income brackets indicate that 32.2% of locals (855 people) fall within the $800 - 1,499 category, unlike metropolitan trends where 27.5% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Housing costs are modest with 93.5% of income retained. However, total disposable income ranks at just the 29th percentile nationally.

APY Lands is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within APY Lands, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 91.1% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro SA had 85.7% houses and 14.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in APY Lands was at 2.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 0.0% and rented at 97.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $0, while the median weekly rent was $85. Nationally, APY Lands's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 80.0% of all households, including 35.2% couples with children, 17.3% couples without children, and 20.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 20.0%, with lone person households at 17.5% and group households making up 2.9%. The median household size is 4.0 people, larger than the Rest of SA average of 2.4.

APY Lands faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 13.0%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational pathways account for 19.1% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 3.2% and certificates at 15.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 14.7% in primary, 7.6% in secondary, and 1.0% in tertiary education. There are 8 schools operating within the area as of now, educating approximately 556 students. All these schools offer integrated K-12 education, providing academic continuity throughout students' journey. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 20.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.4, indicating that the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

APY Lands's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across APY Lands. Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 44% of the total population (around 1,180 people), compared to 53.1% in the rest of South Australia (SA).

Nationally, the average is 55.3%. Diabetes and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 9.5% and 4.6% of residents respectively. 78.6% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 68.2% in the rest of SA. The area has 4.6% of residents aged 65 and over (122 people), which is lower than the 16.3% in the rest of SA. While health outcomes among seniors are above average, they require more attention than the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in APY Lands was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

APY Lands had a higher cultural diversity with 2.7% of its population born overseas and 88.5% speaking another language at home. Christianity was the predominant religion at 53.7%. The category 'Other' was significantly overrepresented at 9.4%, compared to the Rest of SA average of 1.9%.

In ancestry, Australian Aboriginal was the highest at 85.1%, far exceeding the regional average of 17.2%. English ancestry was lower at 3.7%, below the regional average of 25.2%. Australian ancestry was also lower at 3.6%, compared to the regional average of 28.5%.

APY Lands hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in APY Lands is 28 years, significantly lower than the Rest of SA average of 47 years and the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Rest of SA, APY Lands has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (22.1%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (3.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 20.4% to 22.1%, while the proportion of those aged 35 to 44 has risen from 12.9% to 14.2%. Conversely, the proportion of children aged 0-4 has decreased from 8.4% to 6.0%, and the proportion of young adults aged 15-24 has dropped from 18.8% to 16.8%. By the year 2041, APY Lands is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. Notably, the 35 to 44 age group is expected to grow by approximately 20%, increasing from 377 people to 452. Meanwhile, both the 65 to 74 and 25 to 34 age groups are anticipated to see a reduction in numbers.