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 20,077 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,011 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 49 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,776 persons per square kilometer. Burnside - Wattle Park's growth rate of 5.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 5.1%, 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 and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using 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 is expected for Burnside - Wattle Park. The area is expected to expand by 1,354 persons to reach a total population of approximately 21,431 by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall gain of 6.6% over the 17-year period.

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, 36 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25 has resulted in 2.1 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are constructed at an average value of $583,000, reflecting a 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 about 56% of the building activity per person and ranks in the 50th percentile nationally, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations. The area's new building activity comprises 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving its suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers. It has approximately 334 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

Future projections estimate Burnside - Wattle Park to add 1,322 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Burnside - Wattle Park has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects likely impacting the area. Notable 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 an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.0% in September 2025, below Greater Adelaide's 3.9%.

Employment grew by 3.0% over the past year. Healthcare and social assistance, professional and technical, and education and training are dominant sectors. Professional and technical jobs are particularly strong, at 1.9 times the regional level. Construction is under-represented, with only 5.8% of Burnside-Wattle Park's workforce compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.7%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.0%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 1.9%. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw a 3.0% employment rise but a slight fall in unemployment to 3.8%. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.0%, outperforming the national average of 0.14%. National employment forecasts suggest growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Burnside-Wattle Park's mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.2% in five years and 14.8% in ten years, though this is a simplified 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 2022, Burnside - Wattle Park SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $58,665 and an average income of $90,647. Nationally, these figures are high compared to the Greater Adelaide levels of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, current estimates for Burnside - Wattle Park are approximately $66,192 (median) and $102,277 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census shows household, family, and personal incomes in Burnside - Wattle Park cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. Income distribution reveals that 27.9% of residents earn $1,500-$2,999 weekly, aligning with regional levels at 31.8%. Economic strength is indicated by 33.9% of households earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.9% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Burnside - Wattle Park, as per the latest Census, 73.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 26.8% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of dwellings. This is compared to Adelaide metro's 67.0% houses and 33.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Burnside - Wattle Park stood at 44.8%, with mortgaged properties at 34.3% and rented dwellings at 20.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,245, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $2,300. The median weekly rent was recorded at $360, matching Adelaide metro's figure. Nationally, Burnside - Wattle Park's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than 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

Burnside-Wattle Park has a notably high educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above, with 49.2% holding university qualifications compared to the broader state average of 25.7% and the Greater Adelaide average of 28.9%. The area's educational advantage is evident in its residents' qualifications: Bachelor degrees are 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, with advanced diplomas making up 10.0% and certificates 11.2%. Educational participation is high in the area, 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, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 37 different routes that collectively facilitate 1,887 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 230 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 269 trips per day across all routes, which equals approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

Burnside - Wattle Park's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Burnside - Wattle Park. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (13,391 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 7.1 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A total of 72.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, which is similar to the Greater Adelaide average of 72.6%. The area has 22.7% of residents aged 65 and over (4,561 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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 compared to most local areas, with 33.8% of its population 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. Notably, Judaism, comprising 0.3%, is proportionally similar to Greater Adelaide's 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (23.9%), Australian (18.9%), and Chinese (9.8%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Italians at 7.7% compared to the regional average of 6.0%, Hungarians at 0.4% versus 0.3%, and Germans at 4.9% versus 4.8%.

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 and also above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Adelaide average, the 75-84 age cohort is significantly over-represented at 8.4% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.6%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 12.9% to 14.1%, whereas the 55 to 64 age cohort has decreased from 13.2% to 12.4%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Burnside - Wattle Park, with the 85+ age group projected to grow significantly by 532 people (an increase of 83%) from 640 to 1,173. The aging population trend is evident, as those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 60% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.