Lobethal - Woodside
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Lobethal - Woodside reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Lobethal-Woodside's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, stands at 9,957 as of Aug 2025. This figure indicates a rise of 509 individuals, representing a 5.4% increase since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,448. The growth is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 9,845 in June 2024 and an additional 103 validated new addresses post-census. This results in a density ratio of 49 persons per square kilometer. Lobethal-Woodside's 5.4% growth since the census is within 1.3 percentage points of South Australia's state average (6.7%), reflecting comparable growth trends. Interstate migration contributed approximately 54.0% of overall population gains in recent periods, driving the area's population growth.

AreaSearch employs 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, AreaSearch uses the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, adjusted using a weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. Future demographic trends suggest an above median population growth for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. Based on current numbers, Lobethal-Woodside is projected to increase by 1,474 persons by 2041, representing a total increase of 13.6% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Lobethal - Woodside when compared nationally

Lobethal-Woodside has recorded approximately 56 residential property approvals annually. Development approval data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows 280 dwellings approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with four already approved in FY-26. On average, each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25 brought in 1.7 new residents annually. This indicates a balanced supply and demand market, supporting stable conditions.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $510,000, which is higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development. Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $45.9 million, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Lobethal-Woodside has roughly half the construction activity per person and ranks in the 69th percentile nationally.

The area maintains its traditional low-density character with 98.0% detached dwellings and 2.0% attached dwellings, appealing to those seeking space for families. There are approximately 198 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Population forecasts project an increase of 1,351 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand readily, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Lobethal - Woodside has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects are Larkview Mount Barker, Amblemead Estate, New Mount Barker Hospital Development, and Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access. The following details these projects in order of relevance.

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

The employment environment in Lobethal - Woodside shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Lobethal-Woodside has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 3.3% as of June 2025. The area's employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.7%.

There are 5,424 residents employed in Lobethal-Woodside, with an unemployment rate of 0.7% below Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and manufacturing. The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 5.2 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 14.4% compared to Greater Adelaide's 17.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 1.7%, while labour force and unemployment remained flat. In comparison, Greater Adelaide had employment growth of 2.1%, with a marginal rise in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 shows SA's employment grew by 1.06% year-on-year, adding 9,370 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lobethal-Woodside's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.0%% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Lobethal - Woodside's median income is $51,080 and the average income is $65,405. These figures align with national averages but are slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's median income of $52,592 and average income of $64,886. By March 2025, taking into account a Wage Price Index growth of 10.83%, the estimated median income would be approximately $56,612 and the average income would be around $72,488. According to Census 2021 data, Lobethal - Woodside's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 47th and 48th percentiles. The earnings profile indicates that 32.3% of locals (3,216 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, which is similar to regional levels at 31.8%. After housing costs, residents retain 87.1% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

In Lobethal-Woodside, as per the latest Census, 93.3% of dwellings were houses while 6.7% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. Adelaide metro had a slightly higher proportion of houses at 95.2%. Home ownership in Lobethal-Woodside stood at 38.8%, with mortgaged properties at 45.6% and rented dwellings at 15.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,600, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Lobethal-Woodside was $320 compared to Adelaide metro's $350. Nationally, Lobethal-Woodside's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Lobethal - Woodside has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 75.7% of all households, including 33.1% couples with children, 32.4% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 22.8% and group households comprising 1.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 25.7%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 42.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are held by 38.4% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.8% and certificates at 26.6%. Current educational participation is high at 27.4%, including primary education (10.6%), secondary education (7.8%), and tertiary education (4.2%).

Six schools operate in Lobethal - Woodside, educating approximately 1,557 students. These schools demonstrate typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities, having an ICSEA score of 1039. The educational mix includes four primary schools and two K-12 schools.

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

Transport analysis indicates 67 active public transport stops operating between Lobethal and Woodside. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totalling 22 individual routes that collectively facilitate 460 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically located 274 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 65 trips per day, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per individual stop.

Lobethal - Woodside's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Lobethal-Woodside's health metrics closely match national benchmarks, with typical health conditions prevalent across both young and elderly residents. Private health cover stands at approximately 52%, compared to 55.2% across Greater Adelaide (~5,217 people).

The most common ailments are arthritis (8.5%) and mental health issues (8.3%). Overall, 68.1% of residents report no medical conditions, similar to the 68.5% in Greater Adelaide. Residents aged 65 and over constitute 22.6%, higher than Greater Adelaide's 19.9%. Senior health outcomes are notably strong, outperforming general population metrics.

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

Lobethal-Woodside was found to have a below-average level of cultural diversity, with 86.7% of its population born in Australia, 91.6% being citizens, and 95.9% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Lobethal-Woodside is Christianity, comprising 44.3% of the population, compared to 40.1% across Greater Adelaide. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (33.5%), Australian (29.2%), and German (10.5%).

Notably, Dutch ethnicity is similarly represented at 1.8%, Welsh at 0.7%, and Polish at 0.9% compared to regional figures.

Lobethal - Woodside hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Lobethal - Woodside is 44 years, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and also above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, the 55-64 age cohort is significantly more prevalent in Lobethal-Woodside at 14.5%, while the 25-34 age group is underrepresented at 10.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the population of those aged 75 to 84 has increased from 7.1% to 8.3%, whereas the percentage of people aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 13.4% to 12.2%. By 2041, projections indicate substantial demographic shifts in Lobethal-Woodside. The number of individuals aged 85 and above is expected to surge by 365 people (129%), rising from 282 to 648. This growth will be primarily driven by an aging population, with those aged 65 and older comprising 60% of the projected increase. Conversely, the number of individuals aged 15 to 24 is expected to decline by 1 person.