Paralowie
Statistical Area - sa2

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

As of August 2025, Paralowie's population is approximately 18,740, reflecting a growth of 924 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 5.2% rise from the previously recorded population of 17,816. The estimated resident population as of June 2024 was 18,477, with an additional 113 validated new addresses contributing to the growth since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,252 persons per square kilometer, which is higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Paralowie's growth rate of 5.2% since the 2021 census surpassed the SA3 area's growth rate of 3.7%, indicating it as a region with significant population growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 50.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving much of this growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and adopts the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category for areas not covered by this data or for years post-2032. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth nationally, with Paralowie expected to expand by 755 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, reflecting a total increase of 2.6% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Paralowie among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Paralowie has averaged approximately 57 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows 286 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with 100 already approved in FY-26. Each dwelling built has resulted in an average of 3 new residents per year during these five financial years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $285,000, which is below regional levels, offering more affordable housing options for buyers.

This year has seen $9.7 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating moderate commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Paralowie records 13.0% less building activity per person but ranks at the 67th percentile nationally, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations. New developments consist of 92.0% standalone homes and 8.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban character with a focus on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The current population density is approximately 264 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market.

Future projections estimate Paralowie to add 492 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Paralowie has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that could affect this region. Notable initiatives include Riverscape Paralowie, Lot C Paralowie Land Development, Salisbury Park Estate, and Mawson Lakes Road Management Plan. The following details projects expected to have the most influence.

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

AreaSearch analysis reveals Paralowie recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Paralowie has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar employment, strongly represented by manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate is 5.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 0.9% over the past year.

As of June 2025, there are 9,264 residents employed, while the unemployment rate is 1.3% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation aligns with Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing has a particularly strong presence, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Professional & technical services have limited presence at 2.8%, compared to the regional average of 7.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.9% while labour force grew by 1.3%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment grow by 2.1%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows South Australia's employment grew by 1.06% year-on-year, adding 9,370 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.5%, aligned with the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May 2025, project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Paralowie's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.7% over five years and 12.4% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year ending June 2022 shows Paralowie's median income was $46,904 and average income was $49,501. This is lower than Greater Adelaide's median income of $52,592 and average income of $64,886. By March 2025, estimates based on 10.83% Wage Price Index growth suggest Paralowie's median income could be around $51,984 and average income approximately $54,862. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Paralowie rank modestly, between the 24th and 33rd percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Most locals (7,046 people, or 37.6%) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, similar to the metropolitan region's 31.8%. Housing affordability is severe in Paralowie, with only 84.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 34th percentile.

Paralowie is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in Paralowie, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 91.9% houses and 8.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 83.9% houses and 16.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Paralowie was 25.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.7% and rented dwellings at 25.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Paralowie was $1,300, aligning with Adelaide metro's average. Median weekly rent in Paralowie was $300, matching Adelaide metro's figure. Nationally, Paralowie's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 75.1% of all households, including 35.6% couples with children, 21.8% couples without children, and 16.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 24.9%, comprising 21.9% lone person households and 3.0% group households. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is significantly lower than the Australian average at 11.1% compared to 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common among qualifications at 8.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 1.8% and graduate diplomas at 1.0%. Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 35.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.9%) and certificates (27.2%). Educational participation is high, with 31.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.8% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education. Paralowie's four schools have a combined enrollment of 2,663 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 951) with balanced educational opportunities, including two primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school.

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

Paralowie has 67 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses along 11 individual routes, offering a total of 707 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically located 221 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 101 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Paralowie 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

Paralowie's health indicators show below-average results. The prevalence of common health conditions among its general population is somewhat typical but higher than the national average for older cohorts.

Private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~8,639 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. Asthma and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 9.1 and 8.8% of residents respectively. 68.7% of Paralowie's residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to Greater Adelaide's 68.1%. The area has 12.8% of residents aged 65 and over (2,396 people), lower than Greater Adelaide's 16.1%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

Paralowie was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Paralowie's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 31.3% born overseas and 32.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Paralowie, comprising 35.5%. Buddhism, however, is overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, making up 8.1% of Paralowie's population against the regional average of 5.1%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (24.7%), Australian (23.2%), and Other (18.2%). Notably, Vietnamese (3.8%) and Polish (1.2%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 3.1% and 1.1%, respectively, while Serbian remains proportionate at 0.5%.

Paralowie's population is younger than the national pattern

Paralowie has a median age of 35, which is younger than Greater Adelaide's figure of 39 and slightly below Australia's median age of 38. The percentage of residents aged 5-14 is notably high at 13.4%, compared to the Greater Adelaide average. Conversely, the proportion of those aged 75-84 is lower at 3.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 2.6% to 3.5% of Paralowie's population. During this period, the 45-54 cohort decreased from 13.5% to 12.3%, and the 5-14 age group dropped from 14.4% to 13.4%. Looking forward to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Paralowie's age structure. Notably, the 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 65%, reaching 1,086 people from its current figure of 659. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 82% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 55-64 and 25-34 age groups are expected to experience population declines.