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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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APY Lands has an estimated 2,668 residents, up from 2,333 at the 2021 Census — a change of 335 people, or 14.4%. Growth has averaged 1.2% a year over five years, faster than 83% of areas nationally. Natural increase accounts for 52.1% of that increase. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to the analysis performed by AreaSearch, the population of APY Lands stands at approximately 2,668 in May 2026. This indicates an expansion of 335 individuals (14.4%) from the 2,333 residents recorded during the 2021 Census. This demographic shift is calculated using the June 2025 ABS estimated resident population of 2,668 combined with post-Census address verification details. Such a population size results in a density of 0.00 residents per square kilometer, indicating significant space per individual. The 14.4% expansion rate of APY Lands since the 2021 census outpaced both the SA3 area (3.9%) and the broader SA4 region, establishing it as a local growth frontrunner.
Natural increase was the primary contributor to this growth, accounting for roughly 52.1% of the overall population rise in recent times, though all other components including interstate and overseas migration also registered positive gains. Projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline are utilized by AreaSearch for each SA2 region. For any SA2 locations missing from this dataset, or for projections extending beyond 2032, calculations rely on the 2023 SA State Government Regional/LGA age group projections based on 2021 statistics, adjusted using a weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on these projected demographic trends, a contraction in the overall population is anticipated over this timeframe, with a projected loss of 56 individuals by 2041 under this framework. In contrast, expansion is expected within particular age cohorts, most notably the 35 to 44 age bracket, which is forecast to grow by 78 individuals. Refer to the age section for additional statistics.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
20 new dwellings have been approved in APY Lands over the past five years, an average of 4 a year. That is 1.6 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 9, running ahead of that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
In APY Lands, development approvals average approximately 4 residential dwellings per year, totaling 20 homes over the preceding 5 financial years (spanning FY-21 to FY-25) and 9 recorded during FY-26 so far. Because an average of 7.7 individuals relocated to the region for every single dwelling constructed over the last 5 financial years (spanning FY-21 to FY-25), building activity is falling far behind demand, a situation that typically intensifies buyer competition and drives prices upward, while newly built dwellings carry an average valuation of $199,000—a figure below the broader regional standard—pointing to more budget-friendly purchase options.
Furthermore, commercial approvals totaling $6.2 million have been logged in the current financial year, highlighting that the locality remains predominantly residential. When contrasted with the Rest of SA, APY Lands shows slightly higher development activity (12.0% above the regional per capita average over the 5 year period), which helps maintain buyer options while underpinning established property values, even though construction activity has slowed down recently. This level of building is also lower than the national standard, indicating a mature market and pointing to potential construction constraints. In addition, all recent construction has focused on standalone houses, which maintains the low-density character of the neighborhood by focusing on detached properties that appeal to buyers looking for space. In light of flat or shrinking population projections, APY Lands could see reduced pressure on housing, which may result in advantageous conditions for home buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around APY Lands
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 15 current infrastructure and development projects inside APY Lands, worth an estimated $247 million. A further 39 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $13.8 billion. 16 are already under construction and 19 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans transport & logistics, residential development and environmental & disaster management. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Regional performance is closely tied to developments in local infrastructure, major construction works, and planning schemes. AreaSearch has tracked 20 projects expected to influence this locality. Primary works include the APY Lands Groundwater Quantity and Quality Investigation, the Umuwa Multi-Agency Facility, the Umuwa Central Power House Renewable Energy Upgrade, and the Fregon Anangu School Upgrade, with the accompanying list detailing the most significant developments.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
APY Lands Groundwater Quantity and Quality Investigation
Research and investigation project to assess groundwater quantity and quality across the remote Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in north-western South Australia. Activities include drilling, sampling and testing, hydrogeological assessment of aquifers, water quality risk analysis, and community engagement to set water use priorities. The project partners with APY Lands community stakeholders to co-develop First Nations and western science knowledge, supporting sustainable groundwater use for drinking water, agriculture and economic development. Funded by the Australian Government through the National Water Grid Fund, with delivery led by the SA Department for Environment and Water.
Umuwa Multi-Agency Facility
Purpose-built multi-agency facility accommodating SA Police and child protection agencies. Features forensic interview capabilities, family breakout areas, communal agency areas and improved technology connectivity. Designed to improve community safety and child protection outcomes through enhanced inter-agency collaboration.
Umuwa Central Power House Renewable Energy Upgrade
Upgrade of the Umuwa Central Power House on the APY Lands under South Australia's Remote Area Energy Supply (RAES) scheme. Works delivered a ground-mount solar PV system of approximately 2.42 MWp and a Battery Energy Storage System of about 1.56 MVA / 1.1 MWh integrated with the existing diesel plant via modern controls. The system is intended to supply around 4.4 GWh per year (about 40% of total demand) and reduce diesel use by roughly 1 million litres annually, improving reliability and cutting emissions across the RAES 33 kV network.
Fregon Anangu School Upgrade
Fregon Anangu School is undergoing a facility upgrade. Construction of a new Primary School building and Secondary School buildings including covered outdoor areas with general learning areas, withdrawal spaces, breakout spaces and amenities. The upgrade includes new construction providing administration spaces, primary and secondary learning areas, food technology and canteen; refurbishment of the library resource and general teaching to provide a new art space; refurbishment of the gymnasium amenities; a vehicle storage shed; a new covered outdoor learning area (COLA) and external works; and demolition of ageing infrastructure.
Ernabella Arts Centre Extension and Refurbishment
Extension and refurbishment of Australia's oldest continuously running Indigenous art centre, established in 1948. The project will enhance facilities for the culturally significant art centre that supports over 500 Anangu artists and preserves traditional cultural practices while providing contemporary art spaces.
Indulkana Bus Shelters
Construction of two new bus shelters on Stuart Highway near Indulkana to provide shade and shelter for people travelling by bus between Adelaide, Alice Springs and the APY Lands. Improves comfort and safety for community members using public transport services.
Indulkana Street Lighting Project
Installation of five new street lights on the eastern side of Indulkana community to improve safety and visibility during night hours. The lighting infrastructure will enhance community safety and support evening activities for residents.
Network Optimisation Program - Roads
A national program concept focused on improving congestion and reliability on urban road networks by using low-cost operational measures and technology (e.g., signal timing, intersection treatments, incident management) to optimise existing capacity across major city corridors.
326 residents of APY Lands are employed, from a labour force of 916. Unemployment sits at 64.4%, with participation at 43.9%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth, so in an area growing as fast as this one it understates the likely rise in local jobs. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The workforce in APY Lands is distributed across blue-collar and white-collar roles, with a strong presence of essential service fields and an unemployment rate of 64.4%. In March 2026326 local residents were employed, and the unemployment rate sat at 59.0% above the 5.5% recorded for Regional SA, highlighting opportunities for economic improvement, while workforce participation is low (43.9% relative to 58.4% in Regional SA). According to Census data, a minor 1.5% of the workforce operated from home, though the influence of Covid-19 lockdowns should be taken into account. The primary employment sectors for local residents are education & training, health care & social assistance, and arts & recreation.
The locality displays a particularly high concentration of workers in education & training, where employment levels reach 3.9 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is underrepresented, employing just 3.1% of the APY Lands workforce compared to 14.5% in Regional SA. A comparison of the Census working population against the resident population suggests a lack of local job opportunities. Analysis conducted by AreaSearch using SALM and ABS data shows that between the 12 months ending March 2026, the labour force shrank by 1.3 percent while employment dropped by 48.7 percent, which pushed the unemployment rate up by 32.9 percentage points. This outcome stands in sharp contrast to what happened in Regional SA, where employment climbed by 1.2 percent, the labour force expanded by 2.6 percent, and unemployment increased by only 1.4 percentage points. To better understand where future job demand might be heading in APY Lands, one can look at the national employment forecasts published by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25. These forecasts span five and ten year horizons and have been overlaid with the local employment structure to project potential growth trajectories. On a national scale, employment is projected to grow by 6.6 percent over five years and by 13.7 percent over ten years, yet these figures vary considerably across different industry sectors. When these sector-specific growth rates are applied to the employment mix in APY Lands, the result is an estimated local employment increase of 6.3 percent over five years and 13.4 percent over ten years, though it is important to note that this is a basic weighting exercise meant only for illustration and does not incorporate local population forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in APY Lands is $1,266 a week (about $66,000 a year), with median personal income at $324 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $27,968 a year against an average of $34,446. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
The APY Lands SA2 features a median taxpayer income of $27,968 alongside an average of $34,446, based on the latest postcode ATO statistics compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. These figures are below national benchmarks, contrasting with a median of $48,920 and an average of $58,933 in Regional SA. Adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since financial year 2023, estimates for March 2026 would be approximately $30,812 for the median and $37,949 for the average. According to 2021 Census data, household income is positioned at the 18th percentile ($1,266 weekly), while personal income rests at the 0th percentile.
Income distribution details show that the $800 - 1,499 bracket is the largest, containing 32.2% of residents (859 people), which differs from the broader region where the $1,500 - 2,999 group is the most common at 27.5%. Even though residents keep 93.5% of their income due to low housing costs, total disposable income ranks at the 29th percentile nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
APY Lands had 514 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 91% detached houses and 0% apartments. 0% are owned with a mortgage, 98% rented and 2% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $85 a week. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to the most recent Census, the dwelling mix in APY Lands was made up of 91.1% houses and 9.0% other dwelling styles (comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and alternative structures), compared to 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings in Regional SA. Home ownership in APY Lands lagged behind the Regional SA rate, standing at 2.3%, with the remaining properties occupied by renters (97.7%) or held without a mortgage (0.0%). The median monthly mortgage payment was $0, which is far below the Regional SA average, while the median weekly rent was $85, compared to Regional SA averages of $1,153 and $220.
On a national level, mortgage costs in APY Lands are much lower than the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents are also far below the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
APY Lands counted 514 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 588 today, averaging 4.0 people each. 35% are couples with children, against 17% couples without children. 18% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.7 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families represent the majority of households at 80.0%, consisting of couples with children (35.2%), couples without children (17.3%), and single parent homes (20.2%). Non-family households account for the remaining 20.0%, made up of single-person households at 17.5% and group share houses at 2.9%. The median household occupancy is 4.0 people, which exceeds the Regional SA median of 2.3.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
13.0% of adults in APY Lands hold a university qualification, including 9.2% with a bachelor degree and 2.6% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 94% of areas nationally. A further 15.9% hold a vocational qualification. 8 schools serve the area, with 556 enrolment places. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational outcomes in the area show room for development, with university graduation rates (13.0%) falling well below the national level of 30.4%. This represents a clear opportunity for focused educational programs. Bachelor degrees are the most common higher qualification at 9.2%, followed by postgraduate studies (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational training accounts for 19.1% of qualifications for residents aged 15+ years, consisting of advanced diplomas (3.2%) and certificates (15.9%). School and study participation is quite high, with 28.8% of the population actively enrolled in formal study. This student group includes 14.7% in primary school, 7.6% in high school, and 1.0% enrolled in tertiary institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
78.6% of residents in APY Lands report no long-term health condition. 4.5% need daily assistance with core activities, and 44.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 15.1 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health indicators in APY Lands point to notable concerns, based on AreaSearch assessments of mortality and chronic disease rates, with common illnesses present in both youth and older cohorts, while the rate of private health insurance is very low at roughly 45% of the population (~1,197 people). This is lower than the 48.9% rate in Regional SA and the national benchmark of 55.7%. Diabetes and asthma represent the most widespread medical issues in the area, affecting 9.5% and 4.6% of the population, respectively, while 78.6% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions compared to 62.5% in Regional SA.
The working-age population is generally healthy with low rates of chronic illness. Residents aged 65 and older make up 4.7% of the population (125 people), which is lower than the 27.1% seen across Regional SA. Seniors in the area experience above-average health outcomes, with their national rankings exceeding those of the general local population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
APY Lands is largely Australian-born, at 97.3% of residents, with 88.5% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian Aboriginal (85.1%) and English (3.7%). 85.1% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
APY Lands exhibits higher cultural diversity than average, with 2.7% of residents born outside Australia and 88.5% speaking a non-English language at home. Christianity is the dominant religion, practiced by 53.7% of the population. The most prominent statistical divergence is in the Other category, which accounts for 9.4% of the population, significantly higher than the Regional SA average of 0.8%. Looking at ancestral backgrounds (parents' countries of birth), the three most common heritages in APY Lands are Australian Aboriginal at 85.1% of the population (substantially above the regional average of 3.3%), English at 3.7% (notably below the regional average of 32.5%), and Australian at 3.6% (notably below the regional average of 31.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of APY Lands is 28, younger than 99% of areas nationally. 37.7% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The median age of 28 years in APY Lands is considerably lower than the Regional SA average of 47 and the Australian median of 38. Compared to Regional SA, the area has a higher share of residents aged 25 - 34 (21.5%) but fewer aged 65 - 74 (3.2%). The concentration of residents aged 25 - 34 is also well above the national rate of 14.6%. Since the 2021 Census, the 35 to 44 age cohort has increased from 12.9% to 15.6% of the population, and the 55 to 64 group grew from 8.0% to 9.2%.
Conversely, the 15 to 24 age bracket shrank from 18.8% to 16.3%, and the 0 to 4 group declined from 8.4% to 6.1%. By 2041, demographic shifts will alter the local age distribution, with the 45 to 54 group projected to grow by 20% (57 people) to reach 346 from 288. At the same time, the cohorts aged 65 to 74 and 25 to 34 are expected to experience declines.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for APY Lands
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jun 2026 2 months ago all 15 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jun 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (2,333 at the 2021 Census → 2,668 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (406021138). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.