Highbury - Dernancourt

Highbury - Dernancourt has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Highbury-Dernancourt's population is around 11,826 as of May 2026. This reflects a growth of 778 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,048 people. The increase was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 11,781 in June 2025 and an additional 56 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 985 persons per square kilometer. Highbury-Dernancourt's growth rate of 7.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area average of 4.1%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 71.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods. Based on projected demographic shifts, Highbury-Dernancourt is expected to grow by 14.3% in total over the period from 2026 to 2041, adding approximately 1,734 persons to its population during this time.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Highbury - Dernancourt among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Highbury - Dernancourt has recorded approximately 66 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 332 homes were approved, with a further 67 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, each dwelling accommodates about 2.3 new residents per year over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value of new homes is approximately $282,000. This financial year has seen around $805,000 in commercial approvals, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Highbury - Dernancourt exhibits moderately higher development activity, with 24.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period.

This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. New development consists of approximately 94.0% standalone homes and 6.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 211 people approved per dwelling, Highbury - Dernancourt indicates a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, population forecasts suggest that Highbury - Dernancourt will gain approximately 1,689 residents by 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Highbury - Dernancourt has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 10thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 21 such projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable ones include Modbury Hospital Redevelopment, Tea Tree Gully Township North East Road Streetscape Upgrade, Modbury Sporting Club Redevelopment, and Thorndon Park Reserve Master Plan Implementation (Ongoing). The following list details those most 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.

Employment conditions in Highbury - Dernancourt rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Highbury - Dernancourt has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors being well represented. The unemployment rate in the area is 1.4% as of December 2025. There was an estimated employment growth of 1.2% over the past year.

As of December 2025, 6,402 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.4% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Highbury - Dernancourt is on par with Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. According to Census responses, only 12.0% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.

Notably, the area shows strong specialization in education & training with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 16.2% compared to the regional average of 17.7%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. During the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.2%, and labour force increased by 1.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.1 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 4.2% and labour force growth of 3.9%, with unemployment falling by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Highbury - Dernancourt. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Highbury - Dernancourt's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though it is important to note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Highbury - Dernancourt SA2 has an income median of $54,541 and an average income of $66,403. This is below Greater Adelaide's median income of $54,808 and average income of $66,852. By March 2026, estimates suggest the median will be approximately $60,088 and the average $73,156, based on a 10.17% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. The 2021 Census indicates that incomes in Highbury - Dernancourt cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. The most common income bracket is $1,500 - $2,999, with 33.9% of residents (4,009 people) falling into this category, similar to the metropolitan region's 31.8%. After housing costs, residents retain 88.3% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Highbury-Dernancourt's dwelling structure in the latest Census showed 94.6% houses and 5.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Highbury-Dernancourt stood at 42.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.4% and rented ones at 13.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. Median weekly rent in Highbury-Dernancourt was $375, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Highbury-Dernancourt's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were comparable at $375.

Highbury - Dernancourt features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 79.7% of all households, including 36.8% couples with children, 31.8% couples without children, and 10.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.3%, with lone person households at 18.6% and group households comprising 1.8% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Highbury-Dernancourt is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 30.8% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 19.8% in the SA4 region and 23.2% in the SA3 area. University qualifications include bachelor degrees (21.1%), postgraduate qualifications (6.3%), and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.0%) and certificates (21.1%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (9.5%), secondary education (7.3%), and tertiary education (6.5%).

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

Highbury-Dernancourt has 49 active public transport stops operating within it. These stops are a mix of bus services. There are 8 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 682 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in the area is rated as good, with residents typically located 259 meters from their nearest transport stop. In this primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using cars at a rate of 86%, while 10% use buses for commuting. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 12.0% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 97 trips per day, equating to approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Highbury - Dernancourt's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Highbury - Dernancourt based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 52% of the total population (~6,161 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 8.2 and 7.1% of residents respectively, while 69.9% report being completely free from medical ailments compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes for those under 65 are better than average. The area has 21.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,593 people), higher than the 19.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors align with national rankings, broadly in line with the general population.

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

Highbury-Dernancourt, surveyed from July 2016 to June 2021, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas. It had 25.8% of its population born overseas and 19.6% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 53.9%.

The 'Other' category showed an overrepresentation with 2.2%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 1.8%. For ancestry, the top groups were English (26.2%), Australian (21.9%), and Italian (11.8%), significantly higher than regional averages. Polish (1.4% vs 1.0%) and German (5.6% vs 5.1%) were also notably overrepresented, with Russian at 0.5% compared to the region's 0.3%.

Highbury - Dernancourt's median age exceeds the national pattern

Highbury - Dernancourt has a median age of 42, which is slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's figure of 39 and significantly exceeds the national norm of 38. The age group of 75-84 shows strong representation in Highbury - Dernancourt at 8.9%, compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 11.7%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 7.3% to 8.9% of the population, and the 85+ cohort has increased from 1.8% to 3.0%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 12.0% to 10.0%, and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 13.3% to 12.1%. Demographic modeling indicates that Highbury - Dernancourt's age profile will significantly change by 2041, with the 85+ group projected to grow by 151%, reaching 880 people from 351. The 65 to 74 group is expected to grow modestly at 1%, adding only 9 residents.