Blackwood

Population growth drivers in Blackwood are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Blackwood's population is approximately 13,717 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 754 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,963. The growth was inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,688 in June 2024 and an additional 69 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 810 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Blackwood's growth rate of 5.8% since the 2021 census exceeds that of both the SA3 area (4.4%) and the SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 54.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

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, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on demographic trends and latest annual ERP population numbers, Blackwood is expected to increase by approximately 1,724 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 12.4% over the 17-year period.

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

Blackwood has seen approximately 49 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25248 homes received approvals, with a further 21 approved in FY26. On average, around 4 people have moved to the area each year for every dwelling constructed during these five years.

This indicates substantial supply lagging behind demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. Developers are targeting the premium market segment, as new properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $421,000. In FY26, there have been $3.5 million in commercial approvals, suggesting a residential character for the area.

Compared to Greater Adelaide, Blackwood has slightly more development, with 11.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This balance supports buyer choice while maintaining current property values. New building activity consists of 92.0% detached houses and 8.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. With around 296 people per dwelling approval, Blackwood exhibits characteristics of a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Blackwood is projected to gain 1,695 residents by 2041. Building activity appears to be keeping pace with growth projections, though buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

Blackwood has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 14thth percentile nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to influence the local performance: Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access, Adelaide's Inner and Outer Ring Route Capacity Improvements, Flagstaff Pines Residential Development, and Springbank Secondary College upgrade.

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

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

Blackwood's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 1.2% as of September 2025, showing a 3.8% employment growth over the past year.

This rate is 2.8% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation stood at 65.6%, slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Leading industries for residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services, with education & training showing particularly strong specialization. Conversely, manufacturing showed lower representation at 4.7% compared to the regional average of 7.0%.

Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 3.8%, while labour force grew by 3.6%, resulting in a 0.2 percentage point decrease in unemployment. In comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 3.0% and a 0.1 percentage point decrease in unemployment. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.0%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. Blackwood SA2 had a median income of $59,709 and an average of $74,494 among taxpayers. This was high nationally compared to Greater Adelaide's median of $52,592 and average of $64,886. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $67,370 (median) and $84,052 (average). Census 2021 income data showed Blackwood's household, family, and personal incomes clustered around the 73rd percentile nationally. Income analysis revealed that 31.0% of residents earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, mirroring the metropolitan region where 31.8% fell into this bracket. A substantial proportion, 32.6%, earned above $3,000 weekly, indicating strong economic capacity in the suburb. After housing costs, residents retained 87.8% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed 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 structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 91.1% houses and 8.9% other dwellings. In Adelaide metro, this was 78.8% houses and 21.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackwood stood at 40.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.0% and rented ones at 10.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Blackwood was $1,950, below Adelaide metro's $1,992. Median weekly rent in Blackwood was $370, compared to Adelaide metro's $335. Nationally, Blackwood's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than 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% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Blackwood places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Blackwood is notably high, with 42.0% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to the broader benchmarks of 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 at 10.2% and graduate diplomas at 5.3%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (17.8%). Educational participation is high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 10.7% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 6.0% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 6.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Blackwood has 99 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 32 routes that facilitate 957 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 256 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 136 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 9 weekly trips per 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 have a relatively positive health profile with common conditions seen equally among young and old age groups.

Private health cover is high at approximately 56% of the total population (~7,750 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.0%) and asthma (7.9%). A majority, 68.3%, report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Adelaide's 69.3%. As of 2021, 21.1% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,888 people). Health outcomes among seniors in Blackwood 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 was found to be approximately in line with the broader regional average regarding cultural diversity, with 77.8% of residents born in Australia, 93.5% being citizens, and 91.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in Blackwood, accounting for 38.9% of its population. Notably, Judaism was found to be disproportionately represented in Blackwood compared to Greater Adelaide, with 0.2% versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups based on parental country of birth were English (34.6%), Australian (24.8%), and Scottish (8.2%). Additionally, there were noticeable disparities in the representation of certain ethnic groups: German was overrepresented at 6.1% compared to the regional average of 5.9%, Polish at 1.1% versus 1.0%, and Dutch at 1.7% against the regional figure of 1.3%.

Blackwood's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Blackwood is 43 years, which is 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 percentage of residents aged 45-54 (14.5%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (8.2%). According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 11.1% to 12.3%, while the proportion of those aged 65-74 has decreased from 11.3% to 10.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Blackwood's age structure. Notably, the number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 134%, reaching 901 from 385, while the cohort aged 65-74 is projected to decrease by 57 people.