Mallala
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Mallala's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 3,550 people. This figure represents a 6.4% increase from the 2021 Census count of 3,335 people. The growth is inferred from an estimated resident population of 3,523 in June 2024 and the addition of 30 new addresses since the Census date. Mallala's population density stands at 4.2 persons per square kilometer. The town's population grew faster than the SA4 region (5.8%) and non-metro areas between 2021 and August 2025, driven primarily by interstate migration contributing around 60.3% of overall population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. By 2041, Mallala is projected to gain an additional 629 persons, reflecting a total increase of 17.0% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Mallala when compared nationally

Mallala has seen approximately 16 new homes approved annually. Development approval data, produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, shows 81 homes over the past five years from FY20 to FY25, with four so far in FY26. On average, 1.7 people moved to Mallala each year for every dwelling built between FY20 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $331,000, aligning with regional trends.

This financial year has seen $10.9 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting moderate commercial development levels. Compared to the rest of South Australia, Mallala has slightly more development activity (13.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period), offering good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. Recent building activity consists solely of standalone homes, preserving Mallala's traditional low-density character and appealing to families seeking spacious living arrangements.

The area currently hosts approximately 189 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. Projections indicate Mallala will grow by 602 residents through to 2041. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, although increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

Mallala has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 12 projects likely impacting the area. Major projects include Gracewood Estate, Eden Two Wells, Liberty Two Wells, and Grevillea Grove. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch assessment indicates Mallala faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Mallala has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, diverse industry representation, and an unemployment rate of 5.2% as of June 2025. In this month, 1,729 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.6% higher than Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%.

The workforce participation rate in Mallala is 57.6%, close to Rest of SA's 54.1%. Major employment industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, construction, and health care & social assistance. Notably, transport, postal & warehousing has a high concentration with employment levels at 2.3 times the regional average. However, health care & social assistance has limited presence with 9.7% employment compared to 13.9% regionally.

The area may have limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data showing fewer working residents than expected based on population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Mallala's labour force increased by 0.1% while employment declined by 2.0%, leading to a 2.0 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In comparison, Rest of SA saw a 1.2% employment decline and a 1.2 percentage point rise in unemployment during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Mallala. Over five years, national employment is forecast to grow by 6.6%, with projections varying significantly across industries. Applying these industry-specific growth rates to Mallala's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.1% over five years and 11.2% over ten years, although these estimates are simplified and do not account for local population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows that Mallala has lower incomes compared to national averages. The median income in Mallala is $50,549 and the average income stands at $60,096. In contrast, Rest of SA had a median income of $46,889 and an average income of $56,582 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since June 2022, estimated current incomes for Mallala would be approximately $56,023 (median) and $66,604 (average) as of March 2025. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Mallala rank modestly, between the 25th to 75th percentiles. Income distribution shows the largest segment is 32.6% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (1,157 residents), similar to the regional pattern of 27.5%. Housing costs are manageable with 88.4% retained, but disposable income ranks below average at the 32nd percentile.

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

The dwelling structure in Mallala, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.0% houses and 4.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro SA's 94.6% houses and 5.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mallala was at 40.2%, similar to Non-Metro SA. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (44.2%) or rented (15.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,150, below the Non-Metro SA average of $1,400 and significantly lower than the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Mallala was $265, compared to Non-Metro SA's $285 and substantially below the national figure of $375.

Mallala features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 67.9% of all households, consisting of 28.7% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.1%, with lone person households at 26.8% and group households comprising 5.3%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Rest of SA average.

Mallala faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is significantly lower than the Australian average, at 10.0% compared to 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification in the area, with 7.4% of residents holding one, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15 and above, with 39.9% holding such qualifications.

This includes advanced diplomas (7.4%) and certificates (32.5%). Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (13.4%), secondary education (8.2%), and tertiary education (2.1%). Mallala Primary School, located within Mallala, has an enrollment of 127 students and demonstrates typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities, as indicated by its ICSEA score of 976. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited, with only 3.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.1, which means many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Mallala is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Mallala faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across age groups. Approximately half (50%) of Mallala's population (~1,757 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.5% each of residents. Around 63.4% of Mallala residents report no medical ailments, slightly below Rest of SA's 64.6%. As of 2021, 19.8% of Mallala's population is aged 65 and over (702 people), lower than Rest of SA's 22.8%. While health outcomes among seniors show some difficulties, they generally perform better than the overall population in health metrics.

Mallala ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Mallala's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 83.8% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (85.0%), and speaking English only at home (93.5%). Christianity is the predominant religion in Mallala, accounting for 41.4% of its residents. Notably, Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Rest of SA, with 1.4% versus 0.5%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (34.8%), English (34.2%), and Scottish (6.5%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences in representation: Welsh at 0.7% compared to 0.5% regionally, German at 4.4% versus 14.2%, and Maltese at 0.4% versus 0.2%.

Mallala hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Mallala's median age is 43 years, which is significantly below the Rest of SA average of 47 years and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 15-24 are particularly prominent, comprising 12.6% of the population, while those aged 75-84 constitute a smaller proportion at 6.3%. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of individuals aged 15 to 24 has grown from 10.1% to 12.6%. Conversely, the percentage of individuals aged 45 to 54 has declined from 13.4% to 12.0%, and those aged 25 to 34 have decreased from 11.7% to 10.4%. By 2041, Mallala's age composition is expected to change significantly. The demographic shift will be led by the 15 to 24 age group, which is projected to grow by 26%, increasing from 445 to 560 individuals. The 55 to 64 age group is expected to exhibit more modest growth of 1%, adding only 7 residents.