Burnside - Wattle Park

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Burnside - Wattle Park's population is around 20,345 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,279 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,066 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,045 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 50 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,800 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Burnside - Wattle Park's growth rate of 6.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.9%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 93.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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 employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Moving forward with demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is expected. The area is expected to expand by 1,354 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 5.2% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Burnside - Wattle Park when compared nationally

Burnside - Wattle Park has averaged approximately 64 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 323 homes. As of FY-26, 41 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25 has attracted 2.1 new residents yearly, indicating robust demand that supports property values. New homes are constructed at an average cost of $583,000, reflecting developers' focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

This financial year has seen $22.2 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Burnside - Wattle Park records around 56% of building activity per capita while ranking among the 50th percentile nationally, suggesting its established nature and potential planning constraints. New building activity comprises 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 334 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market.

Future projections estimate Burnside - Wattle Park to add 1,054 residents by 2041 (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Burnside - Wattle Park has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Hamilton Hill (former Youth Training Centre, Magill/Woodforde), Norwood Green, Magill 5 Units Luxury Townhouse Project, and Glenside Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The labour market strength in Burnside - Wattle Park positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Burnside-Wattle Park has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.0%, lower than Greater Adelaide's 3.9%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.0%.

As of September 2025, there are 10,971 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9% below Greater Adelaide's and workforce participation matching Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. Home-based workers account for 16.7% of the population, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, with a share 1.9 times higher than the regional level.

Construction is under-represented at 5.8%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.0% while labour force grew by 3.1%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 2.6%. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 3.0%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment fall to 3.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Burnside-Wattle Park's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.2% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Burnside - Wattle Park SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $60,253 and an average income of $89,650. Nationally, these figures are high compared to the median of $54,808 and average of $66,852 across Greater Adelaide. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $65,555 (median) and $97,539 (average), based on an 8.8% Wage Price Index growth since June 2023. In the 2021 Census, Burnside - Wattle Park's household, family, and personal incomes clustered around the 72nd percentile nationally. The largest income segment comprised 27.9% of residents earning $1,500 to $2,999 weekly (5,676 residents), similar to regional levels where this cohort represented 31.8%. Economic strength was evident with 33.9% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retained 87.9% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 9th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Burnside - Wattle Park, as per the latest Census, consisted of 73.2% houses and 26.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Adelaide metro's figures of 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Burnside - Wattle Park was 44.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.3% and rented dwellings at 20.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,245, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent figure for Burnside - Wattle Park was $360, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Burnside - Wattle Park's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,245 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $360 compared to the national figure of $375.

Burnside - Wattle Park has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 72.2% of all households, including 34.7% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.8%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Greater Adelaide average.

Burnside - Wattle Park shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Burnside - Wattle Park is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 49.2% of residents aged 15 years and over hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. This educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 30.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.0% and graduate diplomas at 4.6%.

Vocational pathways account for 21.2% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and over – advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 11.2%. Educational participation is notably high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 8.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Burnside-Wattle Park has 90 active public transport stops, served by 40 routes offering 1,895 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is good, with residents typically located 230 meters from the nearest stop. Most commuters travel outward. Car remains dominant at 85%, followed by bus at 8% and cycling at 3%. Average vehicle ownership is 1.4 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 16.7% of residents work from home.

Service frequency averages 270 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 21 weekly trips per stop.

Burnside - Wattle Park's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results for Burnside - Wattle Park area based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (13,407 people), compared to 52.7% in Greater Adelaide and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.1% and 6.2% of residents respectively, while 72.5% report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.9% in Greater Adelaide. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.0% (4,681 people) than Greater Adelaide's 19.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking broadly in line with the general population nationally.

Burnside - Wattle Park was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Burnside-Wattle Park has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 33.8% of its residents born overseas and 27.7% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Burnside-Wattle Park, accounting for 45.4% of the population. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented, comprising 0.3% compared to the Greater Adelaide average of 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (23.9%), Australian (18.9%), and Chinese (9.8%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 3.1%. Other ethnicities with notable representation include Italians at 7.7% compared to the regional average of 5.2%, Hungarians at 0.4% versus 0.3%, and Germans at 4.9% compared to 5.1%.

Burnside - Wattle Park hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Burnside - Wattle Park is 44 years, notably higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years, which is also above the Australian median of 38 years. The 45-54 cohort is over-represented locally at 13.7%, compared to the Greater Adelaide average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.6%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 12.9% to 14.2%, and the 75 to 84 cohort has grown from 7.5% to 8.7%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has decreased from 13.2% to 12.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Burnside - Wattle Park. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow by 515 people (78%), from 657 to 1,173. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 63% of the population growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.