Mount Gambier - East
Statistical Area - sa2

Mount Gambier - East is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Mount Gambier - East's population, as of Aug 2025, is approximately 15,597. This figure shows an increase of 650 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,947. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates; the resident population was 15,490 in June 2024, with 192 new addresses validated after the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 233 persons per square kilometer. Mount Gambier - East's 4.3% growth since the census is close to the SA3 area's growth rate of 5.4%, indicating competitive growth trends. Overseas migration contributed approximately 81.1% of recent population gains in this area.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median for Australian non-metropolitan areas. By 2041, Mount Gambier - East is expected to gain 850 persons, resulting in a total growth of approximately 4.8% over these 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Mount Gambier - East recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Mount Gambier - East has experienced approximately 77 dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 387 approvals across the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, with 12 recorded so far in FY26. On average, over these five years, 0.4 new residents per year were attributed to each dwelling constructed. This supply meets or exceeds demand, offering greater buyer choice and potential for population growth above projections.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $385,000. In FY26 alone, $89.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of SA, Mount Gambier - East has similar development levels per capita, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns.

New building activity comprises 97% standalone homes and 3% medium to high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 228 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Looking ahead, Mount Gambier - East is projected to grow by 743 residents by 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.

Mount Gambier - East has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely impacting the region. Notable ones include Mount Gambier Hospital Redevelopment, Mount Gambier Technical College & Research Education Training Precinct, TAFE SA Mount Gambier Campus Upgrades, and Evergreen Built Medium Density Housing Project. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.3%, Mount Gambier - East has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Mount Gambier - East has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, well-represented essential services sectors, and an unemployment rate of 3.3% as of June 2025. In this period, 7,946 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.3% lower than Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%.

Workforce participation stands at 60.6%, exceeding Rest of SA's 54.1%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Retail trade has a particularly high share with 1.3 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 7.5% compared to the regional 14.5%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population comparison.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 2.2%, employment fell by 3.1%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.9 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of SA where employment fell by 1.2% and labour force expanded by 0.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mount Gambier - East's employment mix indicates potential local growth of approximately 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 30, 2022 shows Mount Gambier - East's median income among taxpayers was $48,956 with an average of $58,375. This is lower than the national average and compares to Rest of SA's median of $46,889 and average of $56,582. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since June 30, 2022, current estimates would be approximately $54,258 (median) and $64,697 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Mount Gambier - East rank modestly, between the 24th and 36th percentiles. Income analysis shows 31.7% of the population (4,944 individuals) fall within the $1,500 to $2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 27.5% similarly occupy this range. Housing costs are modest with 87.5% of income retained, resulting in a total disposable income ranking at just the 29th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Mount Gambier - East, as per the latest Census, consisted of 83.7% houses and 16.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Non-Metro SA had 87.6% houses and 12.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Gambier - East was at 32.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.8% and rented ones at 29.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,200, higher than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,083. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $220, compared to Non-Metro SA's $205. Nationally, Mount Gambier - East's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Mount Gambier - East has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 67.9% of all households, consisting of 25.5% couples with children, 28.9% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 32.1%, with lone person households at 29.6% and group households making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of SA average of 2.3.

Mount Gambier - East faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 14.6%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 2.0% and graduate diplomas also at 2.0%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 8.2% and certificates at 30.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education. A robust network of six schools operates within Mount Gambier - East, educating approximately 2,376 students. Mount Gambier - East demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 959) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes three primary, one secondary, and two K-12 schools. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

The analysis indicates one active public transport stop operating within Mount Gambier - East. This stop serves a mix of bus routes, with six individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes offer 41 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as limited, with residents typically located 1602 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes is five trips per day, resulting in approximately 41 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Mount Gambier - East faces significant health challenges, as indicated by health data. Common health conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population, around 7,626 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 9.0 and 8.9% of residents respectively. About 63.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.5% across Rest of SA. The area has 21.2% of residents aged 65 and over, approximately 3,306 people, which is lower than the 23.3% in Rest of SA. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Mount Gambier-East has low cultural diversity, with 90.4% being citizens born in Australia speaking English only at home (88.7%, 93.8% respectively). Christianity is the primary religion (41.5%). Judaism, absent regionally, comprises 0.1%.

Top ancestral groups are Australian (31.8%), English (31.1%), and Scottish (8.1%). Dutch representation is higher at 2.1%, German slightly lower at 6.0%, Polish notably higher at 0.7% compared to regional averages of 1.7%, 6.4%, and 0.4% respectively.

Mount Gambier - East's median age exceeds the national pattern

Mount Gambier - East has a median age of 41 years, which is less than Rest of SA's 47 but higher than Australia's national norm of 38. The 15-24 cohort makes up 12.6% of the population in Mount Gambier - East, significantly more than the Rest of SA average. Conversely, those aged 65-74 make up only 11.5%, which is less than the Rest of SA average. Between 2021 and the present, the percentage of people aged 15 to 24 has increased from 11.5% to 12.6%. During this period, the proportion of those aged 5 to 14 has decreased from 13.2% to 11.7%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 13.2% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Mount Gambier - East's age profile. The number of people aged 75 to 84 is projected to grow by 565 (53%), from 1,069 to 1,635. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 87% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. In contrast, population declines are projected for those aged 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 years old.