Goolwa - Port Elliot

Population growth drivers in Goolwa - Port Elliot are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Goolwa - Port Elliot's population was 14,057 as of February 2026, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents a growth of 1,541 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 12,516. The increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 13,463 in June 2024 and an additional 495 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 77 persons per square kilometer. Goolwa - Port Elliot's growth rate of 12.3% since the 2021 census exceeded that of the Rest of SA (7.6%) and the SA4 region, indicating it as a growth leader. Interstate migration drove this population growth, contributing approximately 83.5% of overall gains.

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 released in 2023. These projections indicate an above median population growth for regional areas nationally, with Goolwa - Port Elliot expected to increase by 1,879 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 9.1% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Goolwa - Port Elliot among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Goolwa - Port Elliot has recorded approximately 196 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 980 homes. As of FY26, 84 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25. This suggests a balanced supply and demand, with stable market conditions.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $292,000. In this financial year, $22.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the rest of South Australia, Goolwa - Port Elliot has recorded elevated construction activity, 19.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This reflects strong developer confidence in the area.

New building activity comprises predominantly standalone homes (97.0%) with a smaller proportion of townhouses or apartments (3.0%), maintaining the area's traditional low-density character. With approximately 70 people moving to the area for each approval, Goolwa - Port Elliot is considered a developing region. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, the population is forecasted to grow by 1,285 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.

Goolwa - Port Elliot has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 13thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified ten projects likely impacting the region. Notable ones are Airpark Estate, Riverhaven Estate, Goolwa Wharf Precinct, and Goolwa Oval Recreation Precinct. The following details projects expected to have the most relevance.

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Goolwa - Port Elliot has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Goolwa - Port Elliot has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of September 2025. Employment grew by an estimated 0.8% in the past year.

There were 4,760 residents employed in September 2025, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Rest of SA's rate of 5.3%. Workforce participation was significantly lower at 40.6%, compared to Rest of SA's 58.5%. According to Census responses, 12.9% of residents worked from home. The key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Health care & social assistance had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented, with only 3.5% of Goolwa - Port Elliot's workforce compared to 14.5% in Rest of SA. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison between working population and resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 0.8% while labour force increased by 1.9%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA experienced employment growth of 0.3% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a 1.9 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Goolwa - Port Elliot. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Goolwa - Port Elliot's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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

The Goolwa - Port Elliot SA2's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2023 was $39,911. The average income stood at $51,643 during the same period. These figures are lower than those for Rest of SA, which were $48,920 and $58,933 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on an 8.8% Wage Price Index growth suggest median income will be approximately $43,423 and average income $56,188. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Goolwa - Port Elliot fall between the 2nd and 6th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that 33.4% of the population (4,695 individuals) earn within the $800 - 1,499 range, unlike surrounding regions where the dominant range is $1,500 - 2,999 with 27.5%. After housing costs, 86.4% of income remains, ranking at the 5th percentile nationally.

Goolwa - Port Elliot is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Goolwa - Port Elliot, as per the latest Census evaluation, comprised 90.6% houses and 9.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro SA had 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Goolwa - Port Elliot was higher at 52.6%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (25.0%) or rented (22.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,196, exceeding Non-Metro SA's average of $1,153. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $280, compared to Non-Metro SA's $220. Nationally, Goolwa - Port Elliot's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Goolwa - Port Elliot features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 64.6% of all households, including 14.5% couples with children, 41.7% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.4%, with lone person households at 33.4% and group households making up 2.1%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of SA average of 2.3.

Educational outcomes in Goolwa - Port Elliot fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 18.7%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives in the region. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 12.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 27.7%.

School and university attendance encompasses 18.3% of the community, including 7.4% in primary education, 5.2% in secondary education, and 2.0% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Goolwa - Port Elliot is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Goolwa - Port Elliot faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high among both younger and older age cohorts, with common health conditions somewhat prevalent. Private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~6,438 people), compared to 48.9% across Rest of SA and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (14.3%) and mental health issues (9.3%), while 53.3% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.5% across Rest of SA. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a high proportion of residents aged 65 and over, with 47.6% (6,688 people), compared to 27.1% in Rest of SA and national rankings even higher than the general population.

Goolwa - Port Elliot ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Goolwa-Port Elliot had low cultural diversity, with 79.4% born in Australia, 92.0% being citizens, and 97.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion at 44.5%. Judaism, at 0.1%, was overrepresented compared to Rest of SA's 0.0%.

Top ancestry groups were English (38.9%), Australian (26.5%), and Scottish (8.7%). German (6.7%) and Welsh (0.8%) were notably overrepresented, while Dutch (1.7%) had a slightly higher representation than the regional average of 1.3%.

Goolwa - Port Elliot ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Goolwa - Port Elliot's median age is 61 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of SA average of 47 and substantially exceeds the Australian median of 38. The 75-84 age group makes up 18.5% of the population in Goolwa - Port Elliot, compared to the Rest of SA's figure, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 5.2%. This concentration of the 75-84 age group is well above the national average of 6.1%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 15.6% to 18.5%, while the 85+ cohort increased from 5.0% to 6.5%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 15.7% to 13.5%. By 2041, Goolwa - Port Elliot is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 85+ age cohort is projected to surge dramatically, expanding by 1,018 people (111%) from 916 to 1,935. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 86% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.