Port Augusta

Port Augusta has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Port Augusta's population is around 14,231 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 716 people (5.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,515 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,114 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 81 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 56 persons per square kilometer. Port Augusta's growth exceeded that of the SA3 area (4.7%) between the 2021 Census and February 2026, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 69.5% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on demographic trends, regional areas across the nation are expected to have lower quartile growth moving forward. The latest annual ERP population numbers project Port Augusta's population to expand by 1 person to reach 2041, reflecting a decline of 0.8% in total over the 17 years from February 2026.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Port Augusta, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Port Augusta has seen approximately 22 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25112 homes were approved, with an additional 4 approved so far in FY-26. On average, 0.4 people have moved to the area each year for every dwelling built during these years.

This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $274,000. In FY-26, $19.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of South Australia, Port Augusta shows moderately higher development activity, with 15.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years.

This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. However, recent periods have seen a moderation in development activity, which is below the national average. This reflects the area's maturity and may indicate possible planning constraints. The new development consists of 95.0% detached dwellings and 5.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes. The estimated population count per dwelling approval in Port Augusta is 1595 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. With population expected to remain stable or decline, there should be reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Port Augusta has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 7thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Eucalypt Village - Stirling North Accommodation Development, Port Augusta Technical College, Port Augusta Wharf Upgrade, and St Eyre Estate. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Port Augusta face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Port Augusta has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented, and the unemployment rate is 11.6%. As of September 2025, there are 5970 employed residents, an unemployment rate of 11.6%, which is 6.2% higher than Rest of SA's rate of 5.3%.

Workforce participation is similar to Rest of SA at 58.5%. According to Census data, only 2.4% work from home. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Public administration & safety has a notable concentration with employment levels at 2.6 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 2.7%, compared to 14.5% regionally. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force increased by 4.5%, employment declined by 0.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 4.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA saw employment grow by 0.3% over the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Port Augusta's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows that median income in Port Augusta SA2 is $54,221 and average income is $63,035. This is lower than the national averages of $67,893 (median) and $72,849 (average). In Rest of SA, median income is $48,920 and average income is $58,933. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% from June 2023 to September 2025, estimated current incomes would be approximately $58,992 (median) and $68,582 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Port Augusta fall between the 18th and 27th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 29.4% of residents earn between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, with a total of 4,183 individuals in this income bracket. Housing costs are modest, with 87.9% of income retained after housing expenses, but the total disposable income ranks at just the 23rd percentile nationally.

Port Augusta is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Port Augusta's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.1% houses and 19.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro SA's 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Port Augusta stood at 31.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.0% and rented ones at 39.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,138, lower than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,153. The median weekly rent in Port Augusta was $200, compared to Non-Metro SA's $220. Nationally, Port Augusta's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,138 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Port Augusta features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 64.0% of all households, including 22.4% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 14.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.0%, with lone person households at 32.9% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of South Africa.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.3%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.4%) and certificates (29.5%). Educational participation is high at 31.8%, comprising 14.5% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 2.5% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.5% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Port Augusta is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Port Augusta faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately half (50%) of Port Augusta's total population (~7,172 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 10.2% and 9.3% of residents respectively. Conversely, 63.5% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 62.5% in the Rest of South Australia. Working-age individuals face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Port Augusta has 18.8% of its population aged 65 and over (2,675 people), lower than the Rest of SA's 27.1%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with national rankings for the broader population.

Port Augusta is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Port Augusta's cultural diversity was found to be below average. It had 83.7% citizens and 90.7% born in Australia, with 92.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 39.7%.

The 'Other' category was overrepresented at 1.5%, compared to 0.8% regionally. In ancestry, Australian was highest at 31.2%, English was lower than regional average at 26.6%, and Australian Aboriginal was higher at 14.4%. German ethnicity was notably overrepresented at 5.2%.

Port Augusta's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Port Augusta's median age is 38 years, significantly lower than the Rest of SA average of 47 but in line with Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that the 25-34 year-old group comprises 14.6% of the population, while the 65-74 year-old group makes up 10.0%, which is smaller than the Rest of SA percentage. Between 2021 and the present, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 12.0% to 14.2% of Port Augusta's population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 12.2% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic forecasts indicate substantial changes in Port Augusta's population. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 96%, adding 293 residents to reach a total of 601. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 81% of the population growth, highlighting the trend towards an aging demographic. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 15-24 age cohorts.