Christie Downs
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Christie Downs reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Christie Downs' population is approximately 9,728 as of August 2025. This represents an increase of 253 people, a 2.7% rise from the 2021 Census which reported a population of 9,475. The growth was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 9,669 in June 2024 and 41 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,135 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across other areas assessed by AreaSearch. Christie Downs' growth rate of 2.7% places it within 2.1 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth of 4.8%, indicating strong fundamental growth factors. Overseas migration contributed approximately 57.5% of overall population gains, with natural growth and interstate migration also being positive drivers.

AreaSearch uses 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 after adjustments using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on projected demographic shifts, Christie Downs is expected to grow by approximately 891 persons to 2041, representing an 8.5% increase over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Christie Downs according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Christie Downs has recorded approximately 23 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 117 homes approved over the past five years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 10 approved so far in FY-26. On average, 1.4 new residents per year have been added per dwelling constructed over these five years. This balance between supply and demand supports stable market conditions.

The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $280,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY-26, $50.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Christie Downs has significantly less development activity, at 51.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 88.0% detached houses and 12.0% medium to high-density housing, preserving Christie Downs' suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

The location has approximately 478 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established area. Looking ahead, Christie Downs is expected to grow by 829 residents through to 2041. Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers may encounter growing competition as the population increases.

Christie Downs has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified eight projects impacting the area; key ones are Noarlunga Master Planning Housing Project, Noarlunga Development, Main South Road Duplication Stage 1 - Aldinga Project, and Noarlunga Hospital Mental Health Expansion. The following details those most relevant:.

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

Employment drivers in Christie Downs are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Christie Downs has a balanced workforce across white and blue collar jobs. Key sectors include essential services, with an unemployment rate of 13.8% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.5%. There are 3,853 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 9.8%, higher than Greater Adelaide's 4.0%. Workforce participation is lower at 49.3% compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Retail trade has notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 3.8%, compared to the regional average of 7.3%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating higher local employment opportunities than usual. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.5% while labour force increased by 2.7%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. In Greater Adelaide, employment grew by 2.1%, labour force expanded by 2.1%, with a marginal rise in unemployment. State-wide, South Australia's employment grew by 1.06% year-on-year to Sep-25, adding 9,370 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, aligning with the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Christie Downs' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Christie Downs had a median income among taxpayers of $44,995 and an average level of $49,309. These figures are lower than national averages, which stand at $52,592 and $64,886 respectively for Greater Adelaide. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $49,868 (median) and $54,649 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Christie Downs all fall between the 3rd and 7th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 29.1% of the population, consisting of 2,830 individuals, falls within the $800 - $1,499 income range, contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Christie Downs, with only 79.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 4th percentile nationally.

Christie Downs is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Christie Downs, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 81.1% houses and 18.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 81.2% houses and 18.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Christie Downs stood at 22.8%, with the rest being mortgaged (34.8%) or rented (42.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,250, while the median weekly rent was $250. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Christie Downs features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 60.4% of all households, including 20.4% couples with children, 21.5% couples without children, and 17.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 39.6%, with lone person households at 35.8% and group households comprising 3.8%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Christie Downs faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates of 12.6%, significantly below the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.6%) and certificates (32.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.2% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education. Eleven schools serve 3,486 students in the area. The educational mix includes three primary, six secondary, and two K-12 schools. The area functions as an education hub with 35.8 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.6, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Christie Downs has 96 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 38 unique routes that facilitate 2,731 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents situated an average of 202 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 390 trips daily, equating to roughly 28 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Christie Downs is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Christie Downs faces significant health challenges, as indicated by a variety of health conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover stands at approximately 46% (~4,484 people), which is lower than Greater Adelaide's 48.6%. Nationally, the average is 55.3%.

Mental health issues are the most prevalent condition in Christie Downs, affecting 13.2% of residents, followed by arthritis at 10.6%. Conversely, 56.1% reported having no medical ailments, compared to Greater Adelaide's 62.9%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 21.0% (~2,041 people). Health outcomes among seniors align broadly with those of the general population.

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

Christie Downs' population was found to be roughly similar to the broader area's cultural diversity, with 86.2% being citizens, 77.7% born in Australia, and 91.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Christie Downs, comprising 36.5% of its population. The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, which made up 0.7% compared to the region's 0.7%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were English (34.6%), Australian (28.1%), and Scottish (6.1%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Welsh was overrepresented at 0.8%, Hungarian at 0.4% compared to regional figures, while German showed a slight underrepresentation at 4.8%.

Christie Downs's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Christie Downs is 40 years, similar to Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years but somewhat older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constitutes 8.0% of the population in Christie Downs, compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 35-44 cohort makes up 12.6%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has increased from 6.3% to 8.0%, and the 65-74 cohort has decreased from 11.9% to 10.6%. Population forecasts for Christie Downs in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 123%, reaching 523 people from 234, while the combined 65+ age groups will account for 61% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort is projected to decline by 8 people.