Parafield Gardens
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Parafield Gardens are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Parafield Gardens' population is approximately 18,628 as of August 2025. This shows an increase of 161 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 18,467. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates of 18,614 in June 2024 and 80 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,649 persons per square kilometer, placing Parafield Gardens in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Over the past decade, Parafield Gardens has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.3%, outperforming its SA3 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 65.5% 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, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods. Future population projections indicate lower quartile growth nationally, with Parafield Gardens expected to expand by 846 persons to 2041, a 4.5% increase over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Parafield Gardens according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Parafield Gardens has averaged approximately 65 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that between financial year 2021 (FY-21) and FY-25, there were 325 dwellings approved, with a further 5 approved in FY-26 to date. Over these years, an average of 0.5 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built. This indicates that new supply has been keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $279,000, which is under regional levels, suggesting more accessible housing choices for buyers. This financial year, there have been $13.6 million in commercial development approvals recorded, indicating balanced commercial development activity in Parafield Gardens. Relative to Greater Adelaide, the area has similar development levels per person, maintaining market balance consistent with the broader area. This level is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

In terms of building activity, 85.0% are detached dwellings, and 15.0% are townhouses or apartments. This preserves the area's suburban nature, with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 478 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its established status. Future projections estimate Parafield Gardens will add 832 residents by 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.

Parafield Gardens has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified a total of 14 projects likely to impact the area, significantly influencing its performance through changes to local infrastructure. Key projects include Mawson Lakes Road Management Plan, Saab Australia Sovereign Combat Systems Collaboration Centre, Public Housing Builds in Parafield Gardens, and Enhanced Bus Services Parafield Gardens. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

Parafield Gardens shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Parafield Gardens has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 5.5% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4% over the past year.

As of that date, 8,555 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 6.5%, 2.5 percentage points higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4%. Workforce participation was lower at 57.1% compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing showed particularly high concentration with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical services had lower representation at 3.6%, compared to the regional average of 7.3%. Over a 12-month period ending in June 2025, employment increased by 1.4% while the labour force grew by 1.3%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 2.1% and the labour force grow by 2.1%, with a slight increase in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 showed SA employment grew by 1.06% year-on-year, adding 9,370 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, matching the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts for Parafield Gardens, based on Jobs and Skills Australia projections for May 2025, suggest local employment growth of approximately 6.0% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, applying industry-specific projections to the local employment mix.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that median income in Parafield Gardens is $46,236 and average income is $50,323. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide's figures of a median income of $52,592 and an average income of $64,886. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $51,243 (median) and $55,773 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household income ranks at the 27th percentile ($1,384 weekly), while personal income sits at the 10th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 34.4% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 (6,408 individuals). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 28th percentile.

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

The dwelling structure in Parafield Gardens, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.5% houses and 10.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Adelaide metro's 89.5% houses and 16.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Parafield Gardens was 28.8%, aligning with Adelaide metro. Mortgaged dwellings were 41.9% and rented dwellings were 29.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,382, higher than Adelaide metro's $1,300. Weekly rent was $300, similar to Adelaide metro's figure. Nationally, Parafield Gardens' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,382 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Parafield Gardens were also below the national figure of $375 at $300.

Parafield Gardens has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households are 76.8% of all households, including 38.1% couples with children, 21.9% couples without children, and 15.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.2%, with lone person households at 20.4% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.7.

Educational outcomes in Parafield Gardens fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 18.9%, substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 13.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 4.4% and graduate diplomas at 1.3%. Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 29.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 7.5% and certificates at 22.1%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education. A robust network of 6 schools operates within Parafield Gardens, educating approximately 3,594 students as of a recent report. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 976) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 4 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs at 19.3 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.9, indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Parafield Gardens has 70 operational public transport stops, offering a combination of train and bus services. These stops are served by 18 different routes that collectively facilitate 1,100 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these services is deemed good, with residents generally residing around 206 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 157 daily trips across all routes, translating to roughly 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Parafield Gardens are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Parafield Gardens shows below-average health outcomes with common conditions prevalent at levels higher than the national average among older residents. Approximately 46% (~8,606 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Asthma and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 8.0 and 7.8% of residents respectively. 70.2% report no medical ailments, compared to 68.1% in Greater Adelaide. The area has 15.8% (2,943 people) aged 65 and over, with health outcomes among seniors requiring more attention than the broader population.

Parafield Gardens is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Parafield Gardens has high cultural diversity, with 42.5% of its population born overseas and 46.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Parafield Gardens, making up 36.4%. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, comprising 7.6% versus 5.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other at 22.4%, English at 20.2%, and Australian at 19.3%. Notably, Vietnamese (5.9%), Polish (1.3%), and Indian (6.1%) ethnicities have higher representation in Parafield Gardens compared to regional averages of 3.1%, 1.1%, and 3.2% respectively.

Parafield Gardens's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Parafield Gardens was 36 years old as of the 2021 Census, which is slightly lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years old and also lower than Australia's median age of 38 years old. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Parafield Gardens had a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14, at 13.3%, but fewer residents aged 75-84, at 5.3%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the percentage of residents aged 75 to 84 increased from 4.7% to 5.3%, while the percentage of those aged 5 to 14 decreased from 14.0% to 13.3%. By 2041, Parafield Gardens is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. The number of residents aged 85 and above is expected to grow by 84%, reaching 644 people from the current figure of 350. This growth will contribute significantly to the overall increase in the proportion of residents aged 65 and above, which is projected to reach 69% of the total population growth. Conversely, declines are projected for the populations aged 25-34 and 0-4 years old.