Payneham - Felixstow

Population growth drivers in Payneham - Felixstow are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Payneham - Felixstow's population is around 14,410 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,288 people (9.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,122 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,870 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 95 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,755 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Payneham - Felixstow's 9.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state (9.0%) and Greater Adelaide, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking at population projections moving forward, an above-median population growth of statistical areas across the nation is projected, with the area expected to expand by 3,123 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 17.9% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Payneham - Felixstow among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Payneham - Felixstow has seen around 117 new homes approved annually, totalling 585 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 56 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 1.5 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply and demand seem well-matched, fostering stable market dynamics, while new dwellings are developed at an average value of $345,000—moderately above regional levels—indicating an emphasis on quality construction. There have also been $6.8 million in commercial approvals this financial year, suggesting the area's residential character.

Relative to Greater Adelaide, Payneham - Felixstow shows moderately higher development activity (32.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. New development consists of 63.0% standalone homes and 37.0% attached dwellings, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges, from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. With around 106 people per dwelling approval, Payneham - Felixstow shows characteristics of a growth area.

Population forecasts indicate Payneham - Felixstow will gain 2,583 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Payneham - Felixstow has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 5 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include East Marden Primary School Major Upgrades, Payneham Memorial Swimming Centre Redevelopment, Trinity Valley Stormwater Drainage Upgrade, and Norwood Green, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The labour market in Payneham - Felixstow shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Payneham - Felixstow has a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of only 3.1%, and 5.5% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 7,718 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 0.7% below Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Adelaide's 67.2%. Based on Census responses, a low 12.3% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 5.1% versus the regional average of 7.0%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 5.5% and the labour force increased by 5.4%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. By comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 4.2%, labour force growth of 3.9%, with unemployment falling 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Payneham - Felixstow. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Payneham - Felixstow's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Payneham - Felixstow SA2 is very high nationally, with the median assessed at $55,383 while the average income stands at $75,364. This contrasts to Greater Adelaide's figures of a median income of $54,808 and an average income of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $60,257 (median) and $81,996 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Payneham - Felixstow, between the 34th and 42nd percentiles. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 29.5% of residents (4,250 people), consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 31.8% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 34th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Payneham - Felixstow displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Payneham - Felixstow, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 59.4% houses and 40.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Adelaide metro's 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Payneham - Felixstow was higher than that of Adelaide metro, at 34.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (30.0%) or rented (35.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Adelaide metro average at $1,870, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $330, compared to Adelaide metro's $1,562 and $320. Nationally, Payneham - Felixstow's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Payneham - Felixstow features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 61.3% of all households, comprising 26.1% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.7%, with lone person households at 34.1% and group households comprising 4.6% of the total. The median household size of 2.3 people is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Payneham - Felixstow exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Payneham - Felixstow significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 39.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 25.7% in SA and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 25.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 25.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (15.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.5% in primary education, 7.7% in tertiary education, and 5.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 67 active transport stops operating within Payneham - Felixstow, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 39 individual routes, collectively providing 2,598 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 202 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 82%, with 11% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average. A relatively low 12.3% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 371 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 38 weekly trips per individual stop.

Payneham - Felixstow's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data indicates relatively positive outcomes for Payneham - Felixstow residents. AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and health conditions shows results broadly in line with national benchmarks, with the prevalence of common health conditions being quite low among the general population, though higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~8,156 people), compared to 52.7% across Greater Adelaide.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.8% and 7.3% of residents, respectively, while 69.3% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 21.3% of residents aged 65 and over (3,072 people), which is higher than the 19.3% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Payneham - Felixstow 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

Payneham - Felixstow scores quite highly on cultural diversity, with 35.1% of its population born overseas and 33.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Payneham - Felixstow is Christianity, which makes up 51.4% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Other, which comprises 2.2% of the population, compared to 1.8% across Greater Adelaide.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Payneham - Felixstow are English, comprising 20.7% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 27.8%; Australian, comprising 17.1% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 22.8%; and Italian, comprising 16.5% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 5.2%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Greek is notably overrepresented at 2.9% of Payneham - Felixstow (vs 2.0% regionally), Korean at 0.7% (vs 0.3%), and Chinese at 7.9% (vs 3.1%).

Payneham - Felixstow's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The 40-year median age in Payneham - Felixstow is similar to Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and somewhat older than Australia's 38 years. The 85+ age group shows strong representation at 5.1% compared to Greater Adelaide, whereas the 5 - 14 cohort is less prevalent at 10.0%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 13.3% to 15.0% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.1% to 10.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Payneham - Felixstow. Leading the demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 66% (486 people), reaching 1,227 from 740.