Belair
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Belair's population was 4,896 as of the 2021 Census. By Aug 2025, it is estimated to be around 4,909, reflecting an increase of 13 people (0.3%) since the Census date. This increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 4,904 as of June 2024 and two validated new addresses added since the Census. The population density stands at 198 persons per square kilometer, indicating significant space per person and potential room for further development. Overseas migration was the primary driver of Belair's population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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, they adopt the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, with adjustments made using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead, Belair is projected to expand by 187 persons to reach a total population of approximately 5,096 by 2041. This would represent an increase of 3.7% over the 17-year period.

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

Belair has recorded approximately 9 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis: 46 homes over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, and 2 so far in FY-26. This results in an average of 1.6 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past five financial years, suggesting balanced supply conditions. However, recent data shows this has decreased to -0.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating more balanced supply conditions. Development projects average $586,000 in construction value, reflecting a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

Additionally, $210,000 in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating Belair's residential nature. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Belair has approximately half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 26th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, preserving Belair's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population count is 623 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment.

Population forecasts indicate Belair will gain 182 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Belair has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 35thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 12 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access, Adelaide's Inner And Outer Ring Route Capacity Improvements, Belair National Park Redevelopment, and Belair Electrical Infrastructure Modifications. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The exceptional employment performance in Belair places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Belair has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 1.3% as of June 2025.

The area saw an estimated employment growth of 2.4% over the past year. As of June 2025, 2725 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.7% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Belair was on par with Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. The leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

Education & training had an employment share that was 1.6 times the regional level. Retail trade was under-represented, with only 7.7% of Belair's workforce compared to 10.0% in Greater Adelaide. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census working population vs resident population data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.4% while labour force increased by 2.7%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 2.1%, with unemployment rising marginally. State-level data from Sep-25 showed SA employment grew by 1.06% year-on-year, adding 9370 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.5%, in line with the national rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts for May 2025 suggested national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Belair's employment mix, local growth was estimated at approximately 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Belair has high national incomes. The median assessed income is $59,065 and the average income is $78,156. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide's figures of a median income of $52,592 and an average income of $64,886. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $65,462 and the average income would be around $86,620 by March 2025. The 2021 Census indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Belair rank highly nationally, between the 77th and 82nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 27.6% of the community (1,354 individuals) earn between $1,500 to $2,999 per week, consistent with broader regional trends showing 31.8% in the same category. A substantial proportion of residents (38.0%) earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout Belair. After housing costs, residents retain 88.7% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and placing the area's SEIFA income ranking in the 9th decile.

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

Belair's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consists of 89.2% houses and 10.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Adelaide metro's 78.8% houses and 21.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Belair stands at 45.0%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (46.6%) or rented (8.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Belair is $2,100, surpassing Adelaide metro's average of $1,992. The median weekly rent figure for Belair is recorded at $369, compared to Adelaide metro's $335. Nationally, Belair's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are lower than the national figure of $375.

Belair features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 78.6 percent of all households, including 39.3 percent couples with children, 31.9 percent couples without children, and 6.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 21.4 percent, with lone person households at 19.5 percent and group households comprising 1.7 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Adelaide average.

Belair shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Belair's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. 49.2% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 30.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.5%) and graduate diplomas (5.6%). Vocational pathways account for 24.6% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 14.6%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 7.1% pursuing tertiary education. Belair's 3 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,420 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1126). The educational mix includes 1 primary school and 2 K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 28.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 21.2, indicating Belair serves as an educational center for the broader region.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis indicates 44 operational stops in Belair, offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 34 distinct routes, facilitating 1290 weekly passenger journeys. Transport access is deemed good, with residents on average situated 373 meters from the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency averages 184 trips across all routes, translating to about 29 weekly trips per individual stop.

Belair's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Belair's health data shows a favourable picture with low prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 59% of Belair residents (2,886 people) have private health cover, which is notably high. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis affecting 9.1% of residents and asthma at 7.8%. A significant majority, 67.7%, report being free from medical ailments, compared to 69.3% across Greater Adelaide. Belair has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 24.9% (1,222 people) compared to Greater Adelaide's 21.2%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Belair are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in various health metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Belair records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Belair's cultural diversity aligns with its wider region, having 77.4% Australian-born residents, 91.4% citizens, and 92.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Belair, practiced by 38.7%. Judaism sees slight overrepresentation at 0.1%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.1%.

Top ancestry groups are English (33.5%), Australian (25.5%), and Scottish (9.2%). Notably higher representation exists for German (6.0% vs regional 5.9%), Welsh (0.8% vs 0.6%), and South African (0.7% vs 0.4%) ethnicities.

Belair hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Belair's median age is 47, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's figure of 39 and also above the national average of 38. The age profile indicates that those aged 75-84 are notably prominent, comprising 10.2% of the population, while the 25-34 age group is relatively smaller at 6.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of people aged 75 to 84 has increased from 8.7% to 10.2%, whereas the 65 to 74 cohort has decreased from 12.6% to 10.7%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Belair's age structure. Notably, the 85+ group is expected to grow by 88%, reaching 373 people from 198. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 35 to 44 and 0 to 4 age cohorts.