Peterborough - Mount Remarkable
Statistical Area - sa2

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable's population is around 5,440 as of August 2025. This reflects a 1.9% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,341 people. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 5,409 in June 2024 and an additional 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 0.60 persons per square kilometer. Peterborough - Mount Remarkable's growth positions it within 0.8 percentage points of its SA3 area (2.7%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 67.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population of 93 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group with an increase of 306 people.

The level of residential development activity in Peterborough - Mount Remarkable is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable has seen approximately eight new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, totalling 43 approvals across the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, with one recorded so far in FY26. The population has fallen during this period, indicating adequate development activity relative to population change, which could be beneficial for buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $424,000.

This financial year, $4.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to the Rest of SA, Peterborough - Mount Remarkable has 19.0% less new development per person, placing it among the 22nd percentile of areas assessed nationally, indicating more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This is below the national average, suggesting an established nature with potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 812 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Population projections indicate stability or decline, suggesting reduced housing demand pressures and benefiting potential buyers in Peterborough - Mount Remarkable.

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified four projects that could impact the area significantly due to their potential influence on local infrastructure. These key projects are Silver to Sea Way, Wapma Thura-Southern Flinders Ranges National Park, Mid North South Australia REZ Expansion, and Nyrstar Smelter Redevelopment. The following details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Peterborough - Mount Remarkable face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate as of June 2025 is 7.2%.

There are 2,297 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 2.6% higher than Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation lags at 48.4%, compared to Rest of SA's 54.1%. Key industries employing locals include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employment is notably high, at 1.8 times the regional average.

Manufacturing employs only 4.7% of local workers, below Rest of SA's 9.3%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Between June 2024 and May 2025, labour force increased by 0.2%, while employment declined by 2.5%, raising the unemployment rate by 2.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA saw a 1.2% employment decline and 0.1% labour force growth, with a 1.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Peterborough - Mount Remarkable's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.3% over five years and 11.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2022, Peterborough - Mount Remarkable had a median income among taxpayers of $41,190 with the average level standing at $49,912. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $46,889 and $56,582 across Rest of SA respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $45,651 (median) and $55,317 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Peterborough - Mount Remarkable all fall between the 2nd and 6th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows the predominant cohort spans 32.1% of locals (1,746 people) in the $400 - 799 category, unlike trends the region where 27.5% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. The prevalence of lower-income residents (43.7% under $800/week) indicates constrained household budgets across much of the district. While housing costs are modest with 92.3% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 6th percentile nationally.

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable had 97.1% houses and 3.0% other dwellings as of the latest Census. This compares to Non-Metro SA's 89.8% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Peterborough - Mount Remarkable stood at 58.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.8% and rented ones at 16.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $758, below Non-Metro SA's average of $888 and the national average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Peterborough - Mount Remarkable was $165, lower than Non-Metro SA's $182 and the national figure of $375.

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 62.2% of all households, including 17.8% couples with children, 35.8% couples without children, and 7.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 37.8%, with lone person households at 35.6% and group households making up 2.4%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of SA average of 2.2.

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable 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 13.3%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.2%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.4%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.3%) and certificates (29.5%).

A substantial 24.6% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 11.0% in primary, 7.8% in secondary, and 1.3% in tertiary education. Seven schools operate within Peterborough - Mount Remarkable, educating approximately 557 students. The educational mix includes three primary, one secondary, and three K-12 schools. School places per 100 residents (10.2) are below the regional average (14.7), indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Peterborough - Mount Remarkable is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. The private health cover rate stands at approximately 46%, or around 2,507 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Residents commonly report arthritis (12.9%) and mental health issues (8.8%). About 58.5% claim no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of SA's 59.4%. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 34.6%, or 1,879 people, compared to Rest of SA's 26.5%.

The latest Census data sees Peterborough - Mount Remarkable placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Peterborough-Mount Remarkable had a cultural diversity below average, with 87.8% citizens, 90.8% born in Australia, and 98.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 52.7%, compared to 49.1% across Rest of SA. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.6%), Australian (32.9%), and German (8.3%).

Notably, Welsh represented 0.6% versus 0.5% regionally, Scottish was at 8.2% compared to 6.6%, and Australian Aboriginal remained at 3.0%.

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Peterborough - Mount Remarkable has a median age of 55, which is significantly higher than the Rest of SA figure of 47 and the Australian median of 38. Compared to Rest of SA, Peterborough - Mount Remarkable has a higher concentration of residents aged 65-74 (20.3%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.0%). The percentage of residents aged 65-74 is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 65-74 age group has grown from 17.8% to 20.3%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 9.3% to 10.7%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 20.1% to 18.0%, and the 25-34 group dropped from 7.5% to 6.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Peterborough - Mount Remarkable's age structure. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 49%, adding 284 residents to reach 868. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 100% of the anticipated population growth, while the 45-54 and 0-4 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.