Goolwa - Port Elliot
Statistical Area - sa2

Goolwa - Port Elliot lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Goolwa - Port Elliot's population was around 13,791 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 1,275 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,516. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,463 in June 2024 and an additional 444 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 76 persons per square kilometer. Goolwa - Port Elliot's growth rate of 10.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area's growth rate of 6.8%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 83.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Population projections indicate an above median growth for regional areas nationally, with Goolwa - Port Elliot expected to expand by 1,879 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, showing an increase of 11.2% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Goolwa - Port Elliot was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Goolwa - Port Elliot has recorded approximately 196 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 980 homes have been approved, and a further 61 have been approved in FY26 so far. On average, about 1.6 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built during these five years.

This balance between supply and demand has contributed to stable market conditions. The average construction value of new homes over this period was $292,000. In terms of commercial approvals, $22.2 million have been registered in FY26, indicating steady investment activity. Compared to the rest of South Australia, Goolwa - Port Elliot has seen elevated construction levels, with 19.0% more residential approvals per person over the past five years.

This is significantly higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. The new building activity in Goolwa - Port Elliot is primarily focused on detached houses, with approximately 97.0% of approved dwellings being detached and around 3.0% being medium or high-density housing. This maintains the area's traditional low-density character, appealing to those seeking space for families. With around 70 people moving into the area for each dwelling approval, Goolwa - Port Elliot shows characteristics of a growth area. Looking ahead, it is projected that the population will grow by approximately 1,551 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Goolwa - Port Elliot has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely to impact the region. Key projects are Airpark Estate, Riverhaven Estate, Goolwa Wharf Precinct, and Goolwa Oval Recreation Precinct. The following details projects expected to have the 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 employment landscape in Goolwa - Port Elliot presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.2%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Goolwa-Port Elliot has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.2%.

As of June 2025, there are 4611 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4% lower than the Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation lags at 38.5%, compared to the Rest of SA's 54.1%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area has a particular specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing show lower representation at 3.5%, compared to the regional average of 14.5%. Local employment opportunities may be limited, as indicated by Census data showing fewer working residents than expected based on population size. Over the year ending June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.2% and employment declined by 3.0%, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA experienced a 1.2% employment decline and 0.1% labour force growth, with a 1.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Goolwa-Port Elliot's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Goolwa - Port Elliot is $38,708 and average income is $51,975. This is below national averages of $46,889 (median) and $56,582 (average). Comparing to Rest of SA's figures, median income is lower ($46,889), but average income is slightly higher ($56,582). By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $43,674 (median) and $58,643 (average), based on a 12.83% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census 2021 data indicates that Goolwa - Port Elliot's incomes fall between the 3rd and 7th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income brackets show that 33.4% of residents earn $800 - 1,499 annually (4,606 people), while metropolitan regions have more in the $1,500 - 2,999 range (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 data, consisted of 90.6% houses and 9.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro SA's figures of 92.1% houses and 7.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Goolwa - Port Elliot stood at 52.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.0% and rented dwellings at 22.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,196, below Non-Metro SA's average of $1,300. The median weekly rent in Goolwa - Port Elliot was $280, matching Non-Metro SA's figure but significantly lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 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 comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of South Africa average of 2.2.

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 presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 11.7% and certificates for 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. Goolwa - Port Elliot's 3 schools have a combined enrollment of 840 students and demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 971) with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with 2 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents (6.1) fall below the regional average (11.2), with some students likely attending schools in adjacent areas.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Goolwa - Port Elliot is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Goolwa - Port Elliot faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 46% (~6,371 individuals) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical issues are arthritis (affecting 14.3% of residents) and mental health concerns (impacting 9.3%). Around 53.3% claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to 58.3% in the rest of South Australia. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over, with 46.4% (~6,405 individuals), compared to the Rest of SA's 37.0%.

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, as per the census conducted on 29 June 2016, showed lower than average cultural diversity. The population born in Australia constituted 79.4%, with 92.0% being citizens and 97.1% speaking English at home exclusively. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 44.5%.

Notably, Judaism, which comprised 0.1% of the population, was overrepresented compared to the rest of South Australia where it was 0.0%. In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (38.9%), Australian (26.5%), and Scottish (8.7%). Significant disparities existed in the representation of German (6.7% vs regional 6.7%), Welsh (0.8% vs 0.6%), and Dutch (1.7% vs 1.6%) ethnic groups.

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

Goolwa - Port Elliot has a median age of 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 constitutes 17.8% of its population, compared to 12.0% in the Rest of SA and 6.0% nationally. Meanwhile, the 25-34 cohort makes up only 5.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the 75-84 age group has grown from 15.6% to 17.8%, while the 85+ cohort has increased from 5.0% to 6.0%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 15.7% to 13.9%. By 2041, Goolwa - Port Elliot is projected to see significant shifts in its age composition. The 85+ age cohort is expected to surge dramatically, expanding by 1,100 people (132%) from 834 to 1,935. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 88% of population growth, reflecting demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.