Millicent
Statistical Area - sa2

Millicent has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Millicent's population is around 5452 as of August 2025. This reflects an increase of 207 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5245 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5411 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 52 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 30 persons per square kilometer. Millicent's growth rate of 3.9% since census positions it within 1.5 percentage points of the SA3 area which had a growth rate of 5.4%, demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 73.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Moving forward with demographic trends, lower quartile growth of national regional areas is anticipated. The area is expected to grow by 157 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 2.1% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Millicent, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Millicent has averaged around 13 new dwelling approvals each year. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 66 approvals across the past five financial years between FY21 and FY25. As of FY26, there has been 1 approval so far. Over these past five years, an average of 0.3 new residents per year per dwelling constructed was recorded.

This supply meets or surpasses demand, offering greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth above projections. New properties are constructed at an average value of $369,000. In FY26, $4.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to the Rest of SA, Millicent has significantly less development activity, 50.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes.

This level is also below the national average, reflecting the area's maturity and suggesting possible planning constraints. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 675 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Millicent will gain 116 residents through to 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.

Millicent has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely to impact the area: Stringy Bark Drive Residential Subdivision, Wattle Range Council General Code Amendment, Limestone Coast Hydrogen Hub (LCH2), and Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan. These are key projects with potential relevance.

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

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

Millicent's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominently featured. The unemployment rate stands at 4.1%.

As of June 2025, 2,298 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.6% compared to Rest of SA's 4.6%. Workforce participation is lower at 49.0%, versus Rest of SA's 54.1%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing stands out, employing 27.8% of local workers, significantly higher than the regional average of 16.3%.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 8.8%, lower than Rest of SA's 14.5%. Analysis over the year to June 2025 shows labour force levels decreased by 2.2% and employment fell by 3.6%, leading to a 1.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of SA saw employment fall by 1.2% with minimal labour force change and a similar unemployment increase. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Millicent's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.4% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Millicent's median income was $45,065 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $56,371 during the same period. By comparison, Rest of SA had median and average incomes of $46,889 and $56,582 respectively. As of March 2025, estimated median and average incomes in Millicent are approximately $49,946 and $62,476 based on a 10.83% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Millicent fall between the 3rd and 7th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 30.0% of locals (1,635 people) predominantly earn within the $400 - $799 category, unlike regional trends where 27.5% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Lower income households are prevalent with 40.5% earning below $800 weekly, suggesting affordability pressures for many residents. While housing costs are modest, with 88.7% of income retained, total disposable income ranks at just the 7th percentile nationally.

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

Millicent's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 86.2% houses and 13.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro SA had 87.6% houses and 12.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Millicent was at 42.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.0% and rented ones at 25.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $910, compared to Non-Metro SA's average of $1,083. The median weekly rent in Millicent was $175, while Non-Metro SA's figure was $205. Nationally, Millicent's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 63.0% of all households, including 20.6% couples with children, 30.8% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 37.0%, with lone person households at 35.7% and group households making up 1.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of SA average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 9.7%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common (7.4%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (7.1%) and certificates (32.1%).

A substantial 24.6% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 10.5% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 1.7% in tertiary education. Millicent's four schools have a combined enrollment of 814 students, serving distinct age groups with three primary and one secondary school.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Millicent is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Millicent faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 48% (~2,616 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.5%) and asthma (9.6%). Conversely, 58.0% report no medical ailments compared to 65.5% in Rest of SA. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 28.8% (1,570 people), compared to the Rest of SA's 23.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Millicent's population was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 88.9%. Citizenship stood at 91.9%, and English-only speakers at home were 96.5%. Christianity was the prevalent religion, comprising 39.6% of Millicent's population.

The 'Other' category, however, showed an overrepresentation in Millicent at 0.6%, compared to Rest of SA's 0.5%. In terms of ancestry, Australian was the top group at 34.2%, followed by English at 33.1% and Scottish at 7.9%. Notably, Dutch (2.2%) and German (5.1%) were overrepresented in Millicent compared to regional figures of 1.7% and 6.4%, respectively. Italian speakers also showed higher representation at 3.0% versus the region's 2.0%.

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

Millicent's median age is 49, which is higher than the Rest of South Africa figure of 47 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of SA, Millicent has a higher concentration of residents aged 15-24 (12.4%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (8.5%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.2% to 9.6%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 9.8% to 8.5%, and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 13.1% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Millicent's age structure. The 75 to 84 group is projected to grow by 45%, reaching 758 from 521. Those aged 65 and above will comprise 91% of the projected growth. Conversely, both the 5 to 14 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to decrease in number.