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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Jamestown has an estimated 4,730 residents, up from 4,596 at the 2021 Census — a change of 134 people, or 2.9%. 129 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Fewer than ten people live on each square kilometre, across a boundary that takes in surrounding rural land. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to research from AreaSearch, the resident count in Jamestown stands at approximately 4,730 as of Aug 2026. This represents an addition of 134 people (2.9%) compared to the 2021 Census, when 4,596 people were enumerated. Such momentum is deduced from the ABS estimated resident population of 4,724 recorded as of June 2025 alongside 129 validated new addresses registered following the Census date. With a density calculation of 1.5 persons per square kilometer, the locality offers considerable space across its terrain. The area outperformed the wider SA3 area (2.4%) with its 2.9% expansion since the 2021 census, establishing it as a regional frontrunner in population growth.
Net interstate migration served as the primary catalyst, effectively underpinning nearly all inbound demographic gains across recent periods. Projections generated by ABS/Geoscience Australia released in 2024 (using 2022 as the base year) are utilized by AreaSearch across SA2 boundaries. For unrepresented SA2 districts and timeline horizons extending beyond 2032, models incorporate the SA State Government's Regional/LGA cohort forecasts (issued in 2023 utilizing 2021 data), adjusted via weighted aggregation from local government areas to SA2 tiers. Under these demographic modeling frameworks, overall resident numbers are anticipated to contract over this period, declining by 45 persons by 2041. In contrast, expansion is slated for particular cohorts, most notably within the 85 and over age group, where an increase of 169 people is anticipated. Additional insights can be found in the age breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
56 new dwellings have been approved in Jamestown over the past five years, an average of 11 a year. That is 2.4 approvals per 1,000 residents. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building approvals in Jamestown average approximately 11 per year, delivering 56 homes across the prior 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26). With around 1.2 new residents per year per dwelling constructed across the preceding 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26), additions to stock appear aligned with demographic needs to preserve a balanced market, with typical new residential properties showing an estimated construction cost of $323,000. Additionally, commercial development consents reached $7.0 million this financial year, underlining the district's predominantly residential focus. Relative to Rest of SA, Jamestown exhibits moderately stronger building approvals (exceeding the regional per-capita baseline by 12.0% over the 5 year period), which supports local buyer supply while helping sustain prevailing property values.
This volume sits lower than the national benchmark, reflecting the established footprint of the community alongside possible planning constraints. Furthermore, recent development has been exclusive to detached dwellings, reinforcing the traditional low-density neighborhood fabric tailored to buyers seeking spacious family accommodation. An average of 371 people in the area per dwelling approval highlights the subdued pace of local construction. Given expectations of a flat or contracting resident count, Jamestown is likely to experience softened demand for residential stock, which could create favorable buying conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Jamestown
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 74 current infrastructure and development projects close to Jamestown, worth an estimated $19 billion. 22 are already under construction and 14 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, energy and ports, marinas, fisheries & aquaculture. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Infrastructure investments, capital developments, and planning schemes play a vital role in shaping community outcomes. AreaSearch has highlighted 3 major projects that are expected to influence the district. Key undertakings include the Silver to Sea Way, Mid North South Australia REZ Expansion, Wapma Thura-Southern Flinders Ranges National Park, and Barrier Highway Safety Upgrades, with the primary initiatives outlined below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Silver to Sea Way
A major new touring route stretching from Silverton in New South Wales to Port Pirie. The project is a regional regeneration project to generate economic and social benefits through the use of heritage assets in regional and remote areas. Stage 1 follows the original railway line from the Trust's magnificent Port Pirie Railway Museum and Customs House, to Gladstone Gaol and the Peterborough Roundhouse.
Mid North South Australia REZ Expansion
The Mid North South Australia REZ Expansion would increase the capacity of the existing REZ from 1.7 gigawatts to a proposed two gigawatts. Works include: Construction of a 275-kilovolt (kV) double-circuit line between Bundey and Para; Disconnecting existing Waterloo-Templers 132-kV line at each end; Building a 132-kV single-circuit line from Templers West to Templers; A new 160-MVA, 275/132-kV transformer at Templers West.
Bungama Battery Project
Amp Energy's Bungama Battery Project introduces a 250MW/500MWh energy storage facility near Port Pirie, South Australia, featuring grid forming inverter technology, adjacent to the 275kV Bungama Substation.
Wapma Thura-Southern Flinders Ranges National Park
Creation of a new national park by combining several existing conservation parks and adding new land. The project includes the development of new visitor facilities, campgrounds, and an international mountain biking destination at Mt Remarkable, along with new trails for hiking and cycling, including a new iconic multi-day hike.
Green Iron SA Port Pirie Hub
Green Iron SA is a consortium-led initiative developing a green iron supply chain in South Australia centered in Port Pirie. High-level engineering for a premium iron ore export pathway via Port Pirie Berth 7 was completed, focusing on upgrading rail and port infrastructure to export magnetite concentrate from the Razorback Iron Ore Project. The design incorporates sealed handling systems to support future green hydrogen-based pellet and Hot Briquetted Iron production.
Port Pirie Masterplan / Yorke Peninsula and Mid North Regional Plan
A 30-year blueprint for the Yorke Peninsula and Mid North region, identifying land use and infrastructure to support a projected population increase of 17,677 by 2051. The plan designates Port Pirie as the primary Regional City, focusing on essential services, logistics, and its expanding role in critical minerals and energy. Key active components include the Riverbank Precinct redevelopment (Stage 1 nature play and beach shelter upgrades), the Greening Port Pirie Rail Yards project (16,500 seedlings planted to reduce lead dust exposure), and Nyrstar's industrial transformation, which achieved its first commercial shipment of Australian-produced Antimony metal in February 2026.The plan is now delivered via an interactive electronic Regional Planning Portal rather than a static document.
Nyrstar Port Pirie Smelter Transformation
Major redevelopment of the Nyrstar lead-zinc smelter at Port Pirie to implement advanced PAR (Port Pirie Advanced Recycling) technology, significantly reducing lead-in-air emissions, modernising the facility and securing its long-term future. The A$750 million transformation project reached full mechanical completion in 2023 with final commissioning and performance testing completed in 2024.
Port Pirie Wharf Upgrades
Infrastructure upgrade project involving sealing of 19,350 square metres of previously unsurfaced port area with 6,100 tonnes of asphalt. Removal of 8,800 tonnes of contaminated material and addition of 9,100 tonnes of new material. Focus on Berths 5 and 7 to enhance port capacity and economic benefits to Mid North region.
2,224 residents of Jamestown are employed, from a labour force of 2,330. Unemployment sits at 4.5%, with participation at 60.1%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 5.2% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local economy in Jamestown encompasses a mix of blue- and white-collar roles across varied industry sectors, featuring an unemployment rate of 4.5% alongside a 3.1% rise in employment over the preceding year. As of March 2026, working residents count 2,224, with the local jobless figure tracking 0.9% lower than the 5.5% observed across Regional SA, while labor participation is closely aligned with the Regional SA benchmark of 58.3%. Census figures indicated that 16.4% of employed locals conducted their duties from home, though potential distortions from Covid-19 restrictions must be acknowledged.
Resident employment is concentrated primarily within agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. In particular, agriculture, forestry & fishing displays heavy local concentration, holding an employment share 1.9 times the regional average. Conversely, accommodation & food provides jobs for only 3.1% of the workforce, trailing the 7.0% recorded for Regional SA. Based on Census comparisons between resident workers and local workplace positions, internal job opportunities within the area remain somewhat restricted. An examination of SALM and ABS statistics by AreaSearch demonstrates that the past 12-month period saw employment increase by 3.1% while the workforce expanded by 3.4%, lifting local unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. Over the same timeframe, Regional SA experienced an employment uptick of 1.2%, a labor force lift of 2.6%, and an unemployment rise of 1.4 percentage points. Additional perspective regarding medium-to-long term labor demand in Jamestown comes from the Mar-26 national workforce forecasts by Jobs and Skills Australia. These five- and ten-year projections have been applied to the local workforce makeup to project potential hiring trajectories. Nationally, employment is anticipated to grow by 6.6% across five years and 13.7% over ten years, though industry trajectories vary widely. When these industry projections are mapped to Jamestown's economic structure, local jobs are projected to rise by 5.2% over five years and 11.7% over ten years (note that this extrapolation uses simple weighting for illustration without incorporating local population forecasts).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Jamestown is $1,145 a week (about $60,000 a year), with median personal income at $640 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $49,549 a year against an average of $61,412. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Taxation records from the ATO at postcode level aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 show the Jamestown SA2 achieving a median taxpayer income of $49,549 and an average of $61,412. These figures track below national averages, while comparing against Regional SA's median of $48,920 and average of $58,933. Factoring in a 10.17% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, present estimates stand near $54,588 for median income and $67,658 for average income as of March 2026. Across personal, family, and household dimensions, Census measures position local earnings between the 9th and 17th percentiles on a national scale.
In terms of earnings distribution, the largest single bracket comprises 28.3% earning $800 - 1,499 weekly (1,338 residents), diverging from regional norms where 27.5% earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Even though residents retain 92.2% of income after modest housing outlays, overall disposable income sits in the 18th percentile nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Jamestown had 1,898 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 97% detached houses and 0% apartments. 29% are owned with a mortgage, 18% rented and 52% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $192 a week and the median mortgage repayment $802 a month. Rent absorbs 16.8% of household income here and mortgage repayments 16.2%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to the latest Census, the housing inventory in Jamestown consisted of 96.7% houses and 3.3% other dwellings (incorporating apartments, semi-detached properties, and 'other' residences), contrasted with 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings throughout Regional SA. Outright home ownership reached 52.3%, substantially surpassing regional levels, while remaining residences were either being purchased under a mortgage (29.4%) or occupied by tenants (18.3%). The median monthly mortgage commitment was $802 and median weekly rent was $192, sitting considerably beneath Regional SA figures of $1,153 and $220. Compared across Australia, Jamestown records substantially lower mortgage outlays than the national average of $1,863, alongside rents well below the national mark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Jamestown counted 1,898 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.2 people each. 23% are couples with children, fewer than in 78% of areas nationally, against 33% couples without children. 33% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.1 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute the majority of local living arrangements at 64.2%, broken down into couples without children (33.4%), couples with children (22.8%), and single parent families (7.3%). Non-family living situations represent the remaining 35.8%, with single-person residences accounting for 32.8% and group households making up 3.0%. The median household size stands at 2.2 people, slightly smaller than the 2.3 observed across Regional SA.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
14.6% of adults in Jamestown hold a university qualification, including 10.9% with a bachelor degree and 1.7% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 29.5% hold a vocational qualification. 7 schools serve the area, with 713 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 998 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment in the district shows lower tertiary completion, with 14.6% possessing university degrees compared to 30.4% nationally. This divergence presents targeted opportunities for educational development. Within higher education, bachelor degrees account for 10.9%, ahead of graduate diplomas at 2.0% and postgraduate credentials at 1.7%. Technical and trade qualifications are widely held, with 38.7% of residents aged 15+ possessing vocational credentials, divided between certificates (29.5%) and advanced diplomas (9.2%). Enrolment across educational institutions encompasses 24.3% of the total population. This group is distributed across primary schooling at 11.5%, secondary schooling at 6.9%, and tertiary study at 1.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Jamestown means driving: households keep an average of 1.8 vehicles, and scheduled services reach only a handful of stops. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Transit infrastructure in Jamestown comprises 17 active passenger stops served by 4 dedicated routes that deliver a total of 8 weekly passenger trips. Public transport access remains sparse, with typical walking distances of 867 meters to the closest transit stop. Given the area's residential profile, outward commuting is standard, with private motor vehicles accounting for 88% of travel and pedestrian journeys making up 8%. Vehicle access is relatively high, averaging 1.8 per dwelling, higher than the regional norm. Additionally, 16.4% of residents performed their work from home during the 2021 Census, which may have been influenced by COVID-19 settings.
Transit services average 1 trips per day over all routes combined, which translates to no weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
61.7% of residents in Jamestown report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 76% of areas nationally. 7.0% need daily assistance with core activities, and 49.8% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.0 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Public health metrics compiled by AreaSearch indicate notable health challenges for Jamestown across mortality rates and chronic health conditions, with prevalent conditions evident across older and younger cohorts alike, while private health insurance uptake is relatively subdued at approximately 50% of the total population (~2,355 people). This sits below the Australian benchmark of 55.7%. The two most prevalent health issues recorded locally are arthritis and mental health disorders, experienced by 10.8 and 8.8% of residents, respectively, while 61.7% reported no long-term medical conditions compared to 62.5% across Regional SA. Chronic conditions pose particular challenges among working-age locals.
Furthermore, residents aged 65 and over make up 28.8% of the community (1,363 people), exceeding the Regional SA share of 27.1%, with condition prevalence ranking even higher relative to national benchmarks.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Jamestown is largely Australian-born, at 93.0% of residents, with 2.2% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (35.3%) and English (32.7%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Demographic indicators reflect a relatively homogeneous population in Jamestown, with 92.6% holding Australian citizenship, 93.0% born in Australia, and 97.8% communicating exclusively in English at home. Christianity forms the dominant religious faith, claimed by 54.2% of residents in Jamestown, compared with 45.2% across Regional SA. Evaluating parental country of birth, the primary ancestries reported across Jamestown are Australian (35.3%), English (32.7%), and German (7.9%). Variations emerge across other cultural backgrounds, with Welsh ancestry representing 0.7% of Jamestown (vs 0.5% regionally), Australian Aboriginal ancestry at 2.3% (vs 3.3%), and Polish ancestry accounting for 0.6% (vs 0.4%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Jamestown is 49, older than 89% of areas nationally. 16.9% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The age profile of Jamestown mirrors Regional SA across all major demographic segments, with the most pronounced variation across the four age tiers being 3.6 percentage points. The median age is estimated at 49, holding steady from the 2021 Census and exceeding the Regional SA figure of 47 by 2 years from that same survey. Across Australia, the median age was 38 at that Census. Since then, residents aged 65+ have expanded from 26.0% to an estimated 28.8%. Projections out to 2041 indicate that senior and elderly demographics will absorb the majority of future gains, increasing by 233 residents (17%) to 1,597, whereas children, young adults, and middle-aged cohorts are anticipated to contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Jamestown
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 129 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (4,596 at the 2021 Census → 4,730 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (405031120). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.