Mount Barker

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 around 27,558 as of Nov 2025. This reflected an increase of 5,445 people (24.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,113 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 25,703 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 1,948 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 509 persons per square kilometer. Mount Barker's growth exceeded the state (7.1%) and metropolitan area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 67.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 were adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. By 2041, based on latest annual ERP population numbers, the area was forecasted to increase by 9,331 persons, reflecting an increase of 27.1% in total over the 17 years.

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 has seen approximately 591 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years, totalling 2,957 homes. As of FY-26249 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 new residents arrive per new home annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $247,000.

In FY-26, there have been $69.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Mount Barker has 151.0% higher building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, construction activity has recently eased. This level is notably above the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the area. New building activity comprises 92.0% detached dwellings and 8.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining Mount Barker's traditional low density character focused on family homes.

With approximately 51 people per approval, Mount Barker reflects a developing area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the town is expected to grow by 7,476 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Mount Barker has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 24 projects likely impacting the region. Notable projects include New Mount Barker Hospital, Clover Park, Mount Barker Interchange Upgrade, and Adelaide Hills Rail Extension (Mount Barker) Planning Study. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

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Employment performance in Mount Barker has been broadly consistent with national averages

Mount Barker has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate in the area was 4.0% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 3.8% over the past year.

In September 2025, 14,116 residents were employed, aligning with Greater Adelaide's unemployment rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was at 66.0%, slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. The key industries for employment among Mount Barker residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented in Mount Barker compared to Greater Adelaide, with only 16.2% of the workforce compared to 17.7%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparisons. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.8% while labour force grew by 3.7%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at around 4.0%. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 3.0% with a 0.1 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows South Australia's employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 10,710 jobs, and the state unemployment rate was at 4.0%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%, with SA's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Mount Barker's local employment should increase by approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the current local employment mix.

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

The Mount Barker SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $53,509 and an average income of $64,622 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is roughly national average, differing from Greater Adelaide's median income of $52,592 and average income of $64,886. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $60,374 (median) and $72,913 (average), considering a 12.83% growth since financial year 2022. Mount Barker's household, family, and personal incomes clustered around the 50th percentile nationally, with 35.5% of its population (9,783 individuals) earning between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the surrounding region's 31.8%. Housing affordability was severe, with only 84.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 47th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed 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, consisted of 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. Median weekly rent in Mount Barker was $350, matching Adelaide metro's figure. Nationally, Mount Barker's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 account for the remaining 26.4%, with lone person households at 23.9% and group households comprising 2.6%. 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 the 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, including 11.0% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 4.9% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 36 different routes that together facilitate 1,517 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as moderate, with residents on average being located 417 meters from their nearest stop.

Each day, an average of 216 trips occur across all routes, which translates to approximately 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 had below-average health outcomes, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover was at approximately 52%, compared to 55.2% in Greater Adelaide.

Mental health issues impacted 9.6% of residents, while asthma affected 8.9%. Around 67.1% reported no medical ailments, compared to 68.5% in Greater Adelaide. The area had 17.8% of residents aged 65 and over (4,902 people), lower than the 19.9% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors were challenging but 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, as per data from the 2016 Census, had a low cultural diversity with 82.9% of its population born in Australia and 91.8% being citizens. English was spoken at home by 93.4%. Christianity was the predominant religion at 41.3%.

The 'Other' religious category was slightly overrepresented at 0.8%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.6%. In terms of ancestry, English (33.2%) and Australian (27.6%) were the top groups, followed by German (8.3%). Notably, Dutch (1.9%), South African (0.6%), and Welsh (0.6%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages.

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 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The 5-14 cohort is over-represented at 13.2% compared to Greater Adelaide's average, while the 55-64 age group is under-represented at 10.1%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group grew from 5.4% to 6.6%, and the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 13.3% to 14.4%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group declined from 9.8% to 9.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Mount Barker, with the 45 to 54 age group projected to grow by 45%, reaching 4,840 people from 3,348.