Blackwood
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Blackwood are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Blackwood's population was around 13,717 as of August 2025. This reflected an increase of 754 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 12,963. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 13,688 in June 2024 and an additional 69 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 810 persons per square kilometer. Blackwood's growth rate of 5.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.3%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 54.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts 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 are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods. Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the national median, with Blackwood expected to gain 1,724 persons by 2041 based on latest numbers, resulting in a total gain of 12.4% over 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Blackwood among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Blackwood has received approximately 49 dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, Blackwood saw 248 homes approved, with 9 more approved in FY-26 so far. Each new dwelling constructed has attracted an average of 4 new residents annually over the past five financial years.

This indicates that supply is lagging behind demand, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost for new homes is $557,000, suggesting a focus on premium properties. Commercial approvals this year total $3.5 million, reflecting Blackwood's residential character.

Compared to Greater Adelaide, Blackwood has seen 11.0% more construction per person over the past five years, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. Detached houses make up 92.0% of new building activity, with medium and high-density housing comprising 8.0%, maintaining Blackwood's low-density character focused on family homes. There are approximately 296 people per dwelling approval in Blackwood, further indicating its low-density nature. Population forecasts project an increase of 1,695 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with population growth projections, though buyers may face heightened competition as the population expands.

Blackwood has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects expected to affect the region. Notable projects are Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access, Adelaide's Inner And Outer Ring Route Capacity Improvements, Flagstaff Pines Residential Development, and Living Choice Flagstaff Hill. The following details those most relevant.

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

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

Blackwood's workforce is highly educated with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 1.3% in June 2025.

Employment grew by an estimated 2.7% over the past year. As of June 2025, 7,565 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.7% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was 65.6%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Leading employment industries included health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

Education & training had particularly strong specialization with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Manufacturing showed lower representation at 4.7% versus the regional average of 7.0%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census working population vs resident population data. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.7% while labour force increased by 2.7%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 2.1% during this period. State-level data from Sep-25 showed SA employment grew by 1.06% year-on-year, adding 9,370 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 projected growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackwood's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 Blackwood's median income among taxpayers is $59,709, with an average of $74,494. This is high nationally compared to Greater Adelaide's median of $52,592 and average of $64,886. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $66,175 (median) and $82,562 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Blackwood cluster around the 73rd percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 31.0% earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,252 residents), similar to the metropolitan region where 31.8% occupy this bracket. Notably, 32.6% have incomes above $3,000/week, indicating strong economic capacity in the suburb. After housing costs, residents retain 87.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Blackwood's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, were 91.1% houses and 8.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 78.8% houses and 21.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackwood was 40.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.0% and rented ones at 10.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Blackwood was $1,950, lower than Adelaide metro's $1,992. Median weekly rent in Blackwood was $370, higher than Adelaide metro's $335. Nationally, Blackwood's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,950 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $370 versus the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 78.0% of all households, including 39.4% couples with children, 29.7% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 22.0%, with lone person households at 20.2% and group households making up 1.7%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Blackwood is notably high, with 42% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This compares to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding them – advanced diplomas account for 11.8% and certificates for 17.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 29% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 6% pursuing tertiary education. Two schools serve Blackwood: Hawthorndene Primary School and Concordia College (St Peters Campus, Blackwood), with a total student population of 405. Blackwood demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1105. Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School capacity is limited locally, with only 3.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 21.2, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Blackwood has 99 operational public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus stations. There are 32 distinct routes servicing these stops, providing a total of 957 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is considered good, with residents on average located 256 meters from the nearest stop. The service frequency averages 136 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 9 weekly trips per individual stop.

Blackwood's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Blackwood residents exhibit relatively positive health outcomes, with common conditions evenly distributed across age cohorts.

Private health cover is high at approximately 56% of the total population (~7,750 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 8.0 and 7.9% of residents respectively. 68.3% of residents report being free from medical ailments, compared to 69.3% in Greater Adelaide. As of 21 June 2021, 21.1% of Blackwood's population is aged 65 and over (2,888 people). Senior health outcomes are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Blackwood's population, born in Australia, was approximately 77.8%, with 93.5% being citizens and 91.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 38.9% of Blackwood's population. Judaism, however, was overrepresented, making up 0.2% compared to 0.1% in Greater Adelaide.

The top three ancestry groups were English (34.6%), Australian (24.8%), and Scottish (8.2%). Notably, German ancestry was slightly higher at 6.1%, Polish at 1.1%, and Dutch at 1.7%, compared to regional averages of 5.9%, 1.0%, and 1.3% respectively.

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

The median age in Blackwood is 43 years, significantly higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Blackwood has a higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (14.5%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (8.2%). According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group increased from 11.1% to 12.3%, while the 65-74 age group decreased from 11.3% to 10.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Blackwood's age structure. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 134%, reaching 901 people from 385. Conversely, the 65-74 age group is projected to decline by 57 people.