Mount Barker
Statistical Area - sa2

Mount Barker lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Mount Barker's population was approximately 26,968 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 4,855 people (22.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,113 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 25,703 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 1,713 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 498 persons per square kilometer, indicating significant space per person and potential room for further development. Mount Barker's growth rate of 22.0% since the 2021 census surpassed both the state (6.7%) and metropolitan area figures, positioning it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 67.9% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all factors including natural growth and overseas migration were positive drivers.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023, with adjustments employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future demographic trends forecast a significant population increase in the top quartile of statistical areas across the nation. Mount Barker is expected to increase by 9,331 persons to reach 2041 based on the latest population numbers, indicating an overall increase of 29.9% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Mount Barker was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Mount Barker saw approximately 591 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 2,957 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with 64 approvals recorded so far in FY-26. On average, about 1.9 new residents arrived per year per new home over these five years, suggesting a balanced supply and demand dynamic. The average construction cost value of new dwellings was $382,000.

This financial year has seen $69.6 million in commercial approvals, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Mount Barker records 151% more new home approvals per person, offering greater choice for buyers. However, construction activity has recently eased. Nationally, this figure is above average, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New building activity comprises 92% detached houses and 8% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Mount Barker's low-density character and attracting space-seeking buyers with an expanding market of approximately 51 people per dwelling approval.

Population forecasts indicate Mount Barker will gain 8,066 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Mount Barker has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include New Mount Barker Hospital Development, Clover Park, Mount Barker Interchange Upgrade, and Adelaide Hills Rail Extension (Mount Barker) Planning Study. Below is a list detailing those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Mount Barker maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Mount Barker has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.2%.

As of June 2025, there were 13,609 residents employed, matching Greater Adelaide's unemployment rate of 4.0%, and a workforce participation rate of 66.0%. Major industries for employed residents are health care & social assistance (16.2%), retail trade, and education & training. However, health care & social assistance shows lower representation compared to the regional average of 17.7%.

Employment opportunities appear limited locally, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 2.2% and labour force by 1.7%, reducing unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Adelaide had employment growth of 2.1%. 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%, aligning with the national rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mount Barker's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4%% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Mount Barker had a median income among taxpayers of $53,509 and an average level of $64,622. These figures align with national averages and compare to levels of $52,592 and $64,886 across Greater Adelaide respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $59,304 (median) and $71,621 (average) as of March 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Mount Barker cluster around the 50th percentile nationally. The largest income segment comprises 35.5% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (9,573 residents), mirroring the metropolitan region where 31.8% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 48th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Mount Barker is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Mount Barker's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census evaluation, comprised 92.3% houses and 7.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 95.2% houses and 4.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Barker stood at 26.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.1% and rented ones at 27.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,647, lower than Adelaide metro's $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was $350, matching Adelaide metro's figure. Nationally, Mount Barker's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Mount Barker has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.6% of all households, including 32.1% couples with children, 28.0% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.4%, with lone person households at 23.9% and group households comprising 2.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 24.6%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 42.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are held by 38.9% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.9% and certificates at 27.0%. Educational participation is high, with 28.8% currently enrolled in formal education: 11.0% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 4.9% in tertiary education.

Mount Barker has a robust network of 9 schools educating approximately 4,399 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1048) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 4 primary, 2 secondary, and 3 K-12 schools. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Mount Barker has 79 active public transport stops, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 36 different routes, offering a total of 1,517 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is moderate, with residents on average being 417 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 216 trips per day across all routes, which translates to about 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Mount Barker are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Mount Barker shows below-average health indicators. Common conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 52% of the total population (~13,996 people), compared to Greater Adelaide's 55.2%. Mental health issues affect 9.6% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.9%. A total of 67.1% report no medical ailments, compared to 68.5% in Greater Adelaide. The area has 17.8% of residents aged 65 and over (4,797 people), lower than Greater Adelaide's 19.9%. Senior health outcomes present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

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

Mount Barker showed lower cultural diversity, with 82.9% born in Australia, 91.8% being citizens, and 93.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 41.3%. The category 'Other' was slightly overrepresented, at 0.8% compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.6%.

In ancestry, English (33.2%), Australian (27.6%), and German (8.3%) were the top groups. Some notable differences existed for Dutch (1.9%, vs regional 1.8%), South African (0.6%, vs 0.4%), and Welsh (0.6%, vs 0.7%).

Mount Barker's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Mount Barker is 37 years, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and close to the national average of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, the 5-14 age group is over-represented in Mount Barker at 13.2%, while the 55-64 age group is under-represented at 10.1%. According to data from the post-2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.4% to 6.6% of Mount Barker's population, and the 35-44 cohort has risen from 13.3% to 14.4%. Meanwhile, the 65-74 age group has declined from 9.8% to 9.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Mount Barker, with the 45-54 age group projected to grow by 48%, reaching 4,840 people from the current 3,276.