Kangaroo Island
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Kangaroo Island's population is around 5,241 as of August 2025. This reflects an increase of 347 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,894 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,220 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 117 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1.2 persons per square kilometer. Kangaroo Island's growth rate of 7.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area's growth rate of 6.0%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 42.9% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as 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 employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on the latest population numbers, Kangaroo Island is expected to expand by 636 persons to reach a total population of approximately 5,877 by 2041, recording a gain of 10.7% in total over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Kangaroo Island when compared nationally

Kangaroo Island has seen approximately 52 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports development approval data on a financial year basis, with 263 dwellings approved between FY-21 and FY-25, and 8 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about one new resident arrives per year for each new home over the past five financial years. This indicates that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $431,000. In FY-26, there have been approximately $13.6 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the Rest of SA, Kangaroo Island records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 88th percentile nationally when measured against other areas assessed.

Recent construction comprises primarily detached dwellings (98.0%) with a smaller proportion of townhouses or apartments (2.0%), preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 90 people per dwelling approval, Kangaroo Island shows characteristics of a growth area. By 2041, Kangaroo Island is expected to grow by approximately 562 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Kangaroo Island has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 19thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Kingscote Airport Master Plan, Seaview Motel Renovation and Expansion, Kingscote Town Centre Project, and Kangaroo Island Wool Mill Retail and Commercial Buildings. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Employment conditions in Kangaroo Island demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Kangaroo Island has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 1.7% as of June 2025. There are 2,677 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 2.9% lower than the Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%.

Workforce participation is at 57.8%, comparable to the Rest of SA's 54.1%. Employment is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing (13.0%), accommodation & food (12.0%), and health care & social assistance (11.9%). The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level, while manufacturing employs only 3.6% of local workers, below the Rest of SA's 9.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.2%, employment decreased by 2.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of SA had an employment decline of 1.2%, labour force growth of 0.1%, with unemployment rising 1.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Kangaroo Island. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Kangaroo Island's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.4% over five years and 11.6% over ten years.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on 29 June 2022 for financial year 2021/22, Kangaroo Island had a median income among taxpayers of $41,742 with the average level standing at $50,291. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $46,889 and $56,582 across Rest of SA respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% from financial year 2021/22 to March 2025, current estimates would be approximately $46,263 (median) and $55,738 (average). According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures from the 2021 Census, household incomes in Kangaroo Island fall between the 9th and 23rd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the predominant cohort spans 27.3% of locals (1,430 people) with incomes in the $400 - $799 category, differing from the broader area where the $1,500 - $2,999 category predominates at 27.5%. Housing costs are modest, with 89.4% of income retained after housing expenses, however, total disposable income ranks at just the 14th percentile nationally.

Kangaroo Island is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Kangaroo Island, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 95.5% houses and 4.4% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro SA's dwelling structure of 92.1% houses and 7.9% other dwellings. Home ownership levels within Kangaroo Island were slightly lower than those in Non-Metro SA at 46.5%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (30.0%) or rented (23.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was recorded at $1,023 during this period, while the median weekly rent figure stood at $208. These figures are lower than Non-Metro SA's averages of $1,300 for mortgage repayments and $280 for weekly rents. Nationally, Kangaroo Island's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 reported in June 2021, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375 during the same period.

Kangaroo Island features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 63.8% of all households, including 20.3% couples with children, 36.3% couples without children, and 6.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.2%, with lone person households at 33.7% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which matches the average in the Rest of South Africa.

Educational outcomes in Kangaroo Island fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Kangaroo Island's residents aged 15+ have 21.4% university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are held by 37.7% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 28.1%. Active pursuit of formal education is seen in 24.3% of the population, including 12.1% in primary, 6.2% in secondary, and 1.4% in tertiary education.

The island has 4 schools with a combined enrolment of 713 students, offering integrated K-12 education. School capacity is higher than typical residential needs at 13.6 places per 100 residents versus the regional average of 11.2. Kangaroo Island's ICSEA score for educational opportunities is 993.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Kangaroo Island is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Kangaroo Island faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~2,421 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 10.0 and 7.6% of residents respectively, while 65.4% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 58.3% across Rest of SA. The area has 30.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,577 people), which is lower than the 37.0% in Rest of SA. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Kangaroo Island is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Kangaroo Island's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.2% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (84.1%), and speaking English only at home (95.5%). Christianity is the predominant religion on Kangaroo Island, comprising 35.3% of the population. Notably, Judaism, which is not represented regionally, comprises 0.1% of Kangaroo Island's population.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (34.1%), Australian (31.0%), and Scottish (8.2%). Some ethnic groups show notable divergences: German is overrepresented at 6.8% compared to 6.7% regionally, Dutch remains unchanged at 1.6%, and Maori increases from 0.2% regionally to 0.8%.

Kangaroo Island ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Kangaroo Island is 50 years, slightly higher than Rest of South Australia's average of 47 and considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the Rest of SA average, those aged 65-74 are notably over-represented at 16.8% on Kangaroo Island, while those aged 15-24 are under-represented at 7.2%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 8.2% to 10.3% of the population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has declined from 17.4% to 15.2%. By 2041, Kangaroo Island's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 85+ age cohort is projected to expand substantially, growing by 246 people (160%) from 154 to 401. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 66% of total population growth, reflecting Kangaroo Island's aging demographic profile. Conversely, both the 35-44 and 65-74 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.