Murray Bridge Surrounds
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Murray Bridge Surrounds' population is approximately 4,041 as of Aug 2025. This figure shows an increase of 309 people (8.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,732 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,936 in June 2024 and an additional 91 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2.1 persons per square kilometer. Murray Bridge Surrounds' growth of 8.3% since the 2021 census exceeds the SA3 area's (5.7%) and non-metro area's growth, indicating it is a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 47.5% of overall population gains recently.

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 are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023 with adjustments made using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends project an above median growth for national non-metropolitan areas, with Murray Bridge Surrounds expected to expand by 654 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 13.6% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Murray Bridge Surrounds recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Murray Bridge Surrounds has recorded approximately 25 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 128 homes were approved. In FY-26, so far, three residential properties have been approved.

On average, over these five financial years, about 0.9 new residents arrived per new home built. This indicates that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth above projections. The average construction cost value of new homes over this period was $351,000.

In FY-26, $73.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the Rest of SA, Murray Bridge Surrounds has slightly more development activity, with 14.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period from FY-21 to FY-25. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. New building activity shows that 95.0% of approved dwellings are detached houses, and 5.0% are townhouses or apartments. This preserves the area's low density nature, with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The population per dwelling approval is around 169 people, indicating characteristics of a growth area. Looking ahead, Murray Bridge Surrounds is expected to grow by approximately 549 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Murray Bridge Surrounds has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 0thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can be significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 15 projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable among these are the Sturt Reserve Master Plan, Murray Bridge Residential Growth Areas, Murray Bridge South Primary School Infrastructure Upgrade, and Murray Bridge Soldiers Memorial Hospital Emergency Department Redevelopment. The following list details those projects most likely to be relevant.

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

The labour market in Murray Bridge Surrounds demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Murray Bridge Surrounds has an inclusive workforce with a balance of white and blue-collar jobs across various sectors. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.6%.

In this month, 2,079 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.0% lower than Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation stands at 61.5%, higher than Rest of SA's 54.1%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Agriculture, forestry & fishing dominate with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Health care & social assistance has a limited presence at 11.7%, compared to 13.9% regionally. Many residents may commute for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and May 2025, labour force decreased by 2.3%, employment declined by 3.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of SA saw employment fall by 1.2% and unemployment rise by 1.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Murray Bridge Surrounds' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.2% over five years and 11.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 indicates that Murray Bridge Surrounds has an income below the national average. The median income is $43,888 and the average income stands at $49,939. This contrasts with Rest of SA's figures where the median income is $46,889 and the average income is $56,582. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Murray Bridge Surrounds would be approximately $48,641 (median) and $55,347 (average) as of March 2025. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Murray Bridge Surrounds all fall between the 18th and 20th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 31.3% of the community (1,264 individuals), which is similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 27.5%. While housing costs are modest with 88.7% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 26th percentile nationally.

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

Murray Bridge Surrounds' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.5% houses and 2.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro SA had 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Murray Bridge Surrounds was at 44.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.7% and rented ones at 13.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,250, higher than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,083. The median weekly rent in the area was $200, compared to Non-Metro SA's figure of $220. Nationally, Murray Bridge Surrounds' mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Murray Bridge Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.4% of all households, consisting of 29.0% couples with children, 34.1% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.6%, with lone person households at 24.4% and group households making up 2.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Rest of SA average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.8%, 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 8.4%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.8%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.0% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 8.3% and certificates at 33.7%.

A substantial 24.9% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 11.5% in primary, 7.7% in secondary, and 1.8% in tertiary education. Educational provision includes Mypolonga Primary School and Jervois Primary School, serving a total of 232 students. Murray Bridge Surrounds has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 963) with balanced educational opportunities. Both primary schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited at 5.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.6, leading many families to travel for schooling.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Murray Bridge Surrounds faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~1,862 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.7 and 8.4% of residents respectively, while 66.0% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 61.8% across Rest of SA. The area has 22.6% of residents aged 65 and over (914 people), which is lower than the 26.2% in Rest of SA. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Murray Bridge Surrounds' population showed low diversity, with 91.6% being citizens and 91.1% born in Australia. Most residents spoke English only at home (96.7%). Christianity was the prevalent religion, comprising 41.8%.

Notably, 'Other' religions were underrepresented compared to Rest of SA (0.6% vs 1.5%). In terms of ancestry, English (33.2%) and Australian (32.1%) were the most common, followed by German (10.6%). Some ethnic groups had varying representations: Welsh was overrepresented at 0.6%, Australian Aboriginal was slightly underrepresented at 2.3% vs regional 3.0%, and Dutch were similarly represented at 1.2%.

Murray Bridge Surrounds hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Murray Bridge Surrounds' median age in 2016 was 47 years, matching the Rest of South Australia average but considerably older than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of SA average, the 55-64 cohort was notably over-represented at 18.6% locally, while the 25-34 year-olds were under-represented at 8.3%. This 55-64 concentration was well above the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data showed the 75 to 84 age group had grown from 5.7% to 7.3%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 10.4% to 11.9%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 14.7% to 12.1%, and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 9.9% to 8.3%. By 2041, Murray Bridge Surrounds is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 52%, reaching 450 from 296. The aging population dynamic was clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 63% of projected growth. Conversely, the 55 to 64 group is expected to contract by 24 residents.