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 (6.7%) 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 population level 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 6.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 93.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Regarding demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is expected, with the area 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 around 64 new dwelling approvals each year, totalling 323 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 43 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 2.1 new residents per year gained for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), indicating healthy demand that should support property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $583,000, showing that developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. There have also been $22.2 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating steady commercial investment activity.

Compared to Greater Adelaide, Burnside - Wattle Park records about 56% of the building activity per person while it places among the 50th percentile of areas assessed nationally. This level is below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. New building activity shows 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 334 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

Future projections show Burnside - Wattle Park adding 1,054 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). 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.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 13 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Hamilton Hill (former Youth Training Centre, Magill/Woodforde), Norwood Green, Magill 5 Units Luxury Townhouse Project, and Glenside Development, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 exceptional employment performance in Burnside - Wattle Park places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Burnside - Wattle Park possesses a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 2.0%, and 5.3% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 11,146 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.8% below Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is on par with Greater Adelaide's 67.2%. Based on Census responses, a moderate 16.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. On the other hand, construction is under-represented, with only 5.8% of Burnside - Wattle Park's workforce compared to 8.7% in Greater Adelaide. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 5.3% and labour force increased by 5.3%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide, where employment rose by 4.2%, the labour force grew by 3.9%, and unemployment fell 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Burnside - Wattle Park. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Burnside - Wattle Park's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.8% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Burnside - Wattle Park SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $60,253 with the average level standing at $89,650. This is extremely high nationally and compares to levels of $54,808 and $66,852 across Greater Adelaide respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $65,555 (median) and $97,539 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Burnside - Wattle Park cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. Looking at income distribution, the largest segment comprises 27.9% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (5,676 residents), aligning with regional levels where this cohort likewise represents 31.8%. Economic strength emerges through 33.9% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, 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

Dwelling structure within Burnside - Wattle Park, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 73.2% houses and 26.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Adelaide metro's 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Burnside - Wattle Park was well beyond that of Adelaide metro, at 44.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (34.3%) or rented (20.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Adelaide metro average at $2,245, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $360, compared to Adelaide metro's $1,562 and $320. Nationally, Burnside - Wattle Park's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 72.2% of all households, comprising 34.7% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.8%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people matches 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 49.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 25.7% in SA and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 30.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways account for 21.2% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (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

Public transport analysis reveals 90 active transport stops operating within Burnside - Wattle Park, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 40 individual routes, collectively providing 1,895 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 230 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 85%, with 8% by bus and 3% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. Some 16.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 270 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual 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 demonstrates outstanding results across Burnside - Wattle Park, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (13,407 people). This compares to 52.7% across Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 7.1 and 6.2% of residents, respectively, while 72.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 23.0% of residents aged 65 and over (4,681 people), which is higher than the 19.3% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 33.8% of its population born overseas and 27.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Burnside - Wattle Park is Christianity, which makes up 45.4% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.3% of the population, compared to 0.1% across Greater Adelaide.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Burnside - Wattle Park are English, comprising 23.9% of the population, Australian, comprising 18.9% of the population, and Chinese, comprising 9.8% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 3.1%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Italian is notably overrepresented at 7.7% of Burnside - Wattle Park (vs 5.2% regionally), Hungarian at 0.4% (vs 0.3%) and German at 4.9% (vs 5.1%).

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

The 44-year median age in Burnside - Wattle Park is notably higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and similarly well above the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Greater Adelaide average, the 45 - 54 cohort is notably over-represented (13.7% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (9.6%). Since the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.9% to 14.2% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 7.5% to 8.7%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 13.2% to 12.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Burnside - Wattle Park. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 515 people (78%) from 657 to 1,173. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 63% of projected growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.