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 approximately 5,277 as of November 2025. This figure represents a growth of 383 people, an increase of 7.8% since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4,894. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,240 in June 2024 and an additional 124 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 1.2 persons per square kilometer. Kangaroo Island's growth exceeded that of non-metro areas (6.8%) and the state, making it a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 42.9% to overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

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, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, with adjustments made using weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on current demographic trends, a population increase of just below the median for regional areas nationally is expected, with Kangaroo Island projected to expand by 636 persons to reach approximately 5,913 by 2041, a total gain of 10.0% 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 over the past five financial years, totalling 263 homes. In Financial Year 2026, up to July, 20 approvals have been recorded. On average, about one person per year has moved to the area for each dwelling built between Financial Years 2021 and 2025, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average expected construction cost of new dwellings over this period was $298,000.

In the current financial year, commercial development approvals have totalled $13.6 million, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to residential development. Compared to the rest of South Australia, Kangaroo Island has approximately 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 88th percentile nationally. New building activity comprises 98.0% detached houses and 2.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes.

There are roughly 90 people per dwelling approval in the location, indicating an expanding market. Looking ahead, Kangaroo Island is projected to grow by 526 residents by 2041. 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 that may impact the area. Notable projects include the 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 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.

AreaSearch analysis places Kangaroo Island well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Kangaroo Island's workforce is skilled 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 on the island is 57.8%, compared to 54.1% in the Rest of SA. Employment is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing (employing 30.8% of residents), accommodation & food services (22.9%), and health care & social assistance (16.7%). The island specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level, while manufacturing employs only 3.6%, below the Rest of SA's 9.3%. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.2% and employment fell by 2.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points.

In contrast, the Rest of SA saw employment fall by 1.2%, labour force expand by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 1.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% expansion in employment over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Kangaroo Island had a median taxpayer income of $41,742 and an average income of $50,291. These figures are below the national averages of $46,889 (median) and $56,582 (average). In Rest of SA, the median was $46,889 and the average was $56,582. By September 2025, estimates based on a 12.83% Wage Price Index growth suggest median income will be approximately $47,097 and average income $56,743 in Kangaroo Island. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Kangaroo Island fall between the 9th and 23rd percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income analysis reveals that 27.3% of locals (1,440 people) earn between $400 and $799 annually, differing from broader area trends where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 27.5%. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 89.4% income retention, Kangaroo Island's 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

Kangaroo Island's dwelling structure in 2016 comprised 95.5% houses and 4.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro SA's 92.1% houses and 7.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kangaroo Island was at 46.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.0% and rented dwellings at 23.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,023, lower than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,300. Median weekly rent in Kangaroo Island was recorded at $208, compared to Non-Metro SA's $280. Nationally, Kangaroo Island's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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 aligns with the Rest of SA average.

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

Kangaroo Island has 4 schools with a combined enrollment of 713 students. The island's schools offer integrated K-12 education, providing continuity throughout students' academic journey. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 13.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 11.2, indicating that Kangaroo Island serves as an educational center for the broader region. All schools demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 993) and offer balanced educational opportunities.

A substantial 24.3% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 12.1% in primary education, 6.2% in secondary education, and 1.4% pursuing tertiary education. Kangaroo Island's 4 schools have combined enrollment reaching 713 students while the area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 993) with balanced educational opportunities. All 4 schools offer integrated K-12 education, providing continuity throughout students' academic journey. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (13.6 places per 100 residents vs 11.2 regionally), indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments please refer to parent campus.

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. Approximately 46% of its total population (~2,437 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (10.0%) and mental health issues (7.6%). About 65.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 58.3% across Rest of SA. Approximately 30.1% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,588 people), lower than the 37.0% in Rest of SA. Health outcomes among seniors on Kangaroo Island are 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. Its population comprised 86.2% citizens, 84.1% born in Australia, and 95.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, with 35.3% of people identifying as such.

Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to 0.0% across Rest of SA. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (34.1%), Australian (31.0%), and Scottish (8.2%). There were also notable divergences in German (6.8% vs regional 6.7%), Dutch (1.6% vs 1.6%), and Maori (0.8% vs regional 0.2%) representation.

Kangaroo Island ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Kangaroo Island is 50 years, which is slightly higher than Rest of SA's average of 47 years and significantly older than Australia's national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of SA average, the 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented at 16.8% in Kangaroo Island, while the 15-24 age group is 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 now, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.2% to 10.3% of the population, while the 55 to 64 age cohort has declined from 17.4% to 15.2%. By 2041, Kangaroo Island is projected to see significant shifts in its age composition. The 85+ age group is expected to expand substantially, increasing by 245 people (158%) from 155 to 401. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 68% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. However, both the 35-44 and 65-74 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.