Mannum

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

As of February 2026, Mannum's population is approximately 7,296, reflecting a 10.6% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,594. This growth was inferred from an estimated resident population of 6,931 in June 2024 and an additional 112 validated new addresses since the Census date. Mannum's population density is around 2.2 persons per square kilometer. The town's population growth exceeded that of the SA3 area (7.4%) and the Rest of SA, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. 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, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Mannum expected to increase by 79 persons to 2041, reflecting a reduction of 3.9% in total over the 17 years based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Mannum among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Mannum has seen approximately 91 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 459 homes. In FY26 so far, 57 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.8 new residents have moved in per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25. The average construction cost of new properties is $308,000.

This financial year, Mannum has registered $1.9 million in commercial approvals. Compared to the rest of South Australia, Mannum has 133.0% more development activity per person. New building activity comprises 97.0% standalone homes and 3.0% medium and high-density housing. There are approximately 56 people per dwelling approval in Mannum. The population is expected to remain stable or decline, potentially reducing pressure on housing and creating buying opportunities.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Mannum should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Mannum has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 5thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects potentially impacting the region. Notable ones are Mannum Waters Residential Marina in Mannum, South Australia; Regional North-South Freight Route Upgrade; Summerfield Battery; and Tanunda Recreation Park Redevelopment. The following details those most 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.

Employment drivers in Mannum are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Mannum's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with diverse sector representation. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate was 5.0%. Over the past year, employment remained relatively stable.

Compared to Rest of SA, Mannum had an unemployment rate 0.3% lower at 5.3%, but workforce participation lagged significantly at 51.3%. According to Census responses, 13.9% of residents worked from home. Dominant employment sectors were agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Mannum had a particular specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, education & training had limited presence at 5.5% compared to the regional 8.2%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the working population count versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Mannum's labour force increased by 1.6%, while employment decreased by 0.4%, leading to a 2.0 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In comparison, Rest of SA saw employment grow by 0.3% and unemployment rise by 1.9 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mannum's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.3% over five years and 11.8% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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 for financial year 2023, Mannum SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $43,193. The average income stood at $51,408. This was below the national average. It compared to levels of $48,920 and $58,933 across Rest of SA respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $46,994 (median) and $55,932 (average) as of September 2025. Census data revealed household, family and personal incomes in Mannum all fell between the 1st and 4th percentiles nationally. The predominant income cohort spanned 34.2% of locals (2,495 people) in the $400 - $799 category, unlike trends in the surrounding region where 27.5% fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. The concentration of 45.3% in sub-$800 weekly brackets highlighted economic challenges facing a significant portion of the community. While housing costs were modest with 87.1% of income retained, total disposable income ranked at just the 4th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Mannum, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.2% houses and 5.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro SA had 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mannum was at 51.1%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (31.3%) or rented (17.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Mannum was $1,083, below Non-Metro SA's average of $1,153 and significantly lower than the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Mannum was recorded at $215, compared to Non-Metro SA's $220 and substantially below the national figure of $375.

Mannum features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 62.8 percent of all households, including 17.2 percent couples with children, 35.6 percent couples without children, and 9.0 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.2 percent, with lone person households at 34.8 percent and group households comprising 2.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Rest of South Africa average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 10.7%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.8%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.5%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 8.5% and certificates at 33.8%.

A substantial 23.4% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 10.0% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 1.7% in tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Mannum faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~3,363 people), compared to 48.9% across Rest of SA and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (12.7%) and mental health issues (9.7%). 57.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.5% across Rest of SA. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 35.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,586 people), higher than the 27.1% in Rest of SA. National rankings for this age group are even higher than the general population.

The latest Census data sees Mannum placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Mannum's cultural diversity was below average, with 88.8% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (87.9%), and speaking English only at home (98.1%). Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 46.3% of Mannum's population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to 0% across the Rest of South Australia.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (33.7%), Australian (31.2%), and German (12.6%). Other ethnic groups showed notable differences: Dutch were equally represented at 1.3%, Welsh were also similarly represented at 0.5%, while Polish were slightly overrepresented at 0.6%.

Mannum ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Mannum's median age is 55, notably higher than Rest of SA's figure of 47 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Rest of SA, Mannum has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (19.6%) but fewer individuals aged 25-34 (6.9%). This concentration in the 65-74 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 9.5%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 9.6% to 12.4% of Mannum's population, while the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 13.5% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Mannum's age structure. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 109%, adding 273 residents to reach a total of 525. This growth is driven entirely by the aging population, with residents aged 65 and older representing all anticipated growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 15 to 24 age groups are expected to experience population declines.