Gilbert Valley
Statistical Area - sa2

Gilbert Valley is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Gilbert Valley's population was around 5,262 as of Aug 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 246 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,016. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,168 in June 2024 and an additional 113 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3.1 persons per square kilometer. Gilbert Valley's growth rate of 4.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.1%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during this period.

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 are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth is anticipated for locations outside capital cities. Gilbert Valley is expected to grow by 75 persons to 2041, with a reduction of 0.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Gilbert Valley has averaged approximately 25 new dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, totalling 128 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional three approved so far in FY-26. On average, over these five years, only 0.6 new residents per year have been associated with each dwelling constructed. This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction value of new homes has been around $400,000. In this financial year, there have also been $6.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to the Rest of South Australia, Gilbert Valley has shown slightly more development activity, with a 39.0% increase per person over the five-year period from FY-21 to FY-25.

This higher level of development preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand in the area. All recent development has comprised standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional low density character and appealing to those seeking family homes with space. The location currently has approximately 210 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Given that population projections suggest stability or decline, Gilbert Valley is expected to experience reduced housing demand pressures in the future, potentially benefiting potential buyers.

Gilbert Valley has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely to impact this region. Notable ones are Kidman Rise, Bundey BESS and Solar Project, Goyder Renewables Zone, and Robertstown Solar Project. The following details these projects, focusing on those most relevant.

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

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.8%, Gilbert Valley has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Gilbert Valley has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 3.8% as of June 2025. There are 2,515 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.8% lower than Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%.

Workforce participation stands at 57.4%, compared to Rest of SA's 54.1%. Key employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing. The area has a notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, retail trade shows lower representation at 6.4% versus the regional average of 9.9%.

Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by Census working population vs resident population figures. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force increased by 0.2%, while employment declined by 1.3%, leading to a 1.5 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In comparison, Rest of SA saw an employment decline of 1.2%, labour force growth of 0.1%, and a 1.2 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across sectors. Applying these projections to Gilbert Valley's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.0% over five years and 11.4% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Gilbert Valley's median income among taxpayers was $45,408, with an average of $56,346. This is below the national average. Rest of SA had a median income of $46,889 and an average of $56,582 during this period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Gilbert Valley would be approximately $50,326 (median) and $62,448 (average) as of March 2025. The 2021 Census reports that household, family and personal incomes in Gilbert Valley all fall between the 17th and 21st percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate 27.7% of the population (1,457 individuals) fall within the $800 - 1,499 income range, differing from the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 27.5%. Housing costs are modest with 89.8% of income retained, however, total disposable income ranks at just the 24th percentile nationally.

Gilbert Valley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Gilbert Valley, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 96.1% houses and 3.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro SA's 94.2% houses and 5.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gilbert Valley was 47.4%, with the rest being mortgaged (35.7%) or rented (17.0%), similar to Non-Metro SA's levels. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Gilbert Valley was $1,100, higher than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,081. Weekly rent in Gilbert Valley averaged $225, slightly above Non-Metro SA's figure of $220. Nationally, Gilbert Valley's median monthly mortgage repayment is lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while weekly rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Gilbert Valley has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 68.8% of all households, including 24.1% couples with children, 36.6% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.2%, with lone person households at 29.1% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the Rest of SA average.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.4%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (28.6%). Educational participation is high at 25.2%, comprising primary (11.1%), secondary (7.9%), and tertiary education (1.8%).

There are seven schools in Gilbert Valley educating approximately 436 students, with balanced educational opportunities reflected by an ICSEA score of 963. Six primary and one secondary school serve distinct age groups, but there are fewer school places per 100 residents (8.3) compared to the regional average (15.0), indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Gilbert Valley is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Gilbert Valley faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~2,525 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 10.9 and 8.7% of residents respectively. Approximately 62.4% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of SA's 60.9%. As of June 20XX (exact year not specified), about 27.8% of Gilbert Valley's population is aged 65 and over (1,462 people). Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are above average, outperforming the general population in various health metrics.

Gilbert Valley is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Gilbert Valley was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 90.4% of its population being citizens born in Australia speaking English only at home as of 2016. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 50.0% of Gilbert Valley's population compared to 51.3% across Rest of SA. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.8%), Australian (30.5%), and German (9.0%).

Notably, Polish, Dutch, and Irish ethnicities had higher representations than the regional averages: Polish at 0.8% vs 0.5%, Dutch at 1.2% vs 1.0%, and Irish at 7.9% vs 6.8%.

Gilbert Valley ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Gilbert Valley's median age is 51 years, which is higher than the Rest of SA average of 47 and considerably older than the national norm of 38. The age profile shows that the 55-64 year-olds are particularly prominent at 17.6%, while the 25-34 group is smaller at 7.7% compared to the Rest of SA. This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. Since 2021, the 75-84 age group has grown from 8.0% to 9.7% of the population. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 13.4% to 11.9%, and the 5-14 group has dropped from 11.8% to 10.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal that the 75-84 age cohort is expected to increase by 170 people (33%) from 508 to 679. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 85% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts.