Henley Beach

Henley Beach has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Henley Beach's population was around 16,676 as of November 2025. This showed an increase of 1,042 people from the 2021 Census figure of 15,634, indicating a growth rate of 6.7%. The change was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 16,564 in June 2024 and an additional 187 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 2,798 persons per square kilometer, placing Henley Beach in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth rate was close to the state average, being within 0.4 percentage points of South Australia's 7.1% increase since the census. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.3% of overall population gains during recent periods in Henley Beach.

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, based on 2021 data and adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends suggest Henley Beach will likely experience growth close to the median statistical area analysed by AreaSearch. By 2041, the latest annual ERP population numbers indicate an expected increase of approximately 2,003 persons, reflecting a total gain of 11.3% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Henley Beach among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Henley Beach has received approximately 127 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 636 homes. As of FY-26, 39 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.4 new residents have moved into each new home per year between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction value of these homes is $420,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment.

This financial year has seen $29.3 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high local commercial activity. Henley Beach's construction rates per person are similar to Greater Adelaide, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas. Detached dwellings make up 71.0% of new building activity, while medium and high-density housing accounts for 29.0%, preserving the area's suburban identity.

With around 122 people moving in per approval, Henley Beach is a developing area. By 2041, AreaSearch forecasts an increase of 1,888 residents. Current construction levels are expected to meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially exceeding current population growth forecasts.

Henley Beach has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects expected to influence the region. Notable initiatives include Gleneagles Reserve Stormwater Management & Reserve Upgrade, Fulham Gardens Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Rivergarden Estate, and Apex Park Stage 2 Redevelopment. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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 Henley Beach places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Henley Beach has a highly educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.1%, lower than Greater Adelaide's 3.9%.

Over the past year, employment grew by an estimated 4.3%. As of September 2025, 9,524 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Greater Adelaide's rate. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Adelaide at 64.3%.

Leading industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade, but health care employs fewer local workers than the Greater Adelaide average (15.1% vs 17.7%). The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 4.3%, labour force by 4.4%, keeping unemployment broadly stable at 2.1%. In comparison, Greater Adelaide saw employment grow by 3.0% and unemployment fall to 3.8%. State-wide, South Australia's employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year to November 25, adding 10,710 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.0%, outperforming the national average of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Henley Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by similar rates, assuming population projections remain constant for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Henley Beach SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $57,409 during financial year 2022. The average income was $80,949. Nationally, these figures are high compared to the Greater Adelaide levels of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest a median income of approximately $64,775 and an average income of $91,335, based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Henley Beach cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. Income distribution data shows that 28.0% of locals (4,669 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, which is consistent with broader trends across the region at 31.8%. After housing expenses, 86.6% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Henley Beach displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Henley Beach's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 66.1% houses and 33.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is similar to Adelaide metro's structure of 66.1% houses and 33.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Henley Beach stood at 41.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.5% and rented ones at 26.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Henley Beach was $350, compared to Adelaide metro's $325. Nationally, Henley Beach's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $350 compared to the national figure of $375.

Henley Beach has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 69.9% of all households, including 32.6% couples with children, 27.0% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 30.1%, with lone person households at 27.3% and group households making up 2.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Greater Adelaide average.

The educational profile of Henley Beach exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 32.0% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the South Australian average of 25.7% and the SA3 area average of 28.8%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 7.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.2%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 19.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.8% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 5.8% in tertiary education.

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

Henley Beach has 97 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 38 different routes that together facilitate 2,517 weekly passenger trips. The average distance residents live from the nearest stop is 160 meters.

On average, there are 359 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 25 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Henley Beach is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Henley Beach shows above-average health outcomes for both younger and older age groups, with low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 60% of its total population of 9,972 has private health cover, compared to 52.8% across Greater Adelaide.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis (affecting 8.3% of residents) and mental health issues (6.3%). A total of 71.3% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 68.9% across Greater Adelaide. As of 2016, Henley Beach has 21.2% of its population aged 65 and over, with a total of 3,538 seniors. This is higher than the 20.0% senior population in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors in Henley Beach are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Henley Beach was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Henley Beach has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 25.0% of its population born overseas and 19.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Henley Beach, accounting for 55.4% of its population, compared to 51.6% across Greater Adelaide. The top three ancestry groups are English (25.2%), Australian (21.1%), and Italian (10.9%).

Notably, Greek (5.6%) and Serbian (0.8%) populations are higher in Henley Beach than the regional averages of 4.7% and 1.3%, respectively.

Henley Beach hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Henley Beach is 44 years, which is notably higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and also exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. The 55-64 age cohort is significantly over-represented in Henley Beach at 14.1%, compared to the Greater Adelaide average. Conversely, the 25-34 age group is under-represented locally at 11.0%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 6.8% to 7.7% of Henley Beach's population. During this period, the 45-54 age cohort has declined from 15.5% to 13.9%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are projected for Henley Beach. The 85+ age group is expected to grow substantially, increasing by 503 people (96%) from 521 to 1,025. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 58% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.