Roxby Downs

Roxby Downs has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Roxby Downs' population is approximately 4,094 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 118 people from the 2021 Census total of 3,976, indicating a growth rate of 3.0%. This change is inferred from ABS estimates: Roxby Downs' population was 4,089 in June 2024, with two validated new addresses added since the Census date. The population density is 14.2 persons per square kilometer. Roxby Downs' growth rate of 3.0% since the census is within 1.4 percentage points of the SA3 area's 4.4%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 60.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, based on 2021 data and adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Population projections indicate a decline in overall population over time. By 2041, Roxby Downs' population is expected to decrease by 252 persons according to this methodology. However, specific age cohorts are projected to grow: the 45-54 age group is anticipated to expand by 37 people.

The level of residential development activity in Roxby Downs is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Roxby Downs had minimal construction activity between 2016 and 2020, with fewer than one new dwelling approved annually. There were only three approvals in total during this period. The low development levels reflect the rural nature of the area, where housing needs are typically specific to local demands rather than broader market trends.

Due to these low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities may vary significantly based on individual projects. Roxby Downs had substantially lower development levels compared to the rest of South Australia during this period.

Development levels were also below national averages. Given stable or declining population forecasts for Roxby Downs, housing pressure is expected to remain relatively low, potentially creating favourable conditions for buyers in the future.

Roxby Downs has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 9thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that could impact this region: Roxby Downs Area School Refurbishment, Olympic Dam Underground Growth Projects, Olympic Dam Smelter Refinery Expansion Project, and Woomera Redevelopment Program. The following details those most relevant.

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 exceptional employment performance in Roxby Downs places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Roxby Downs has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 1.1% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.0%.

There were 2,721 residents in work while the unemployment rate was 4.3% lower than Rest of SA's rate of 5.3%. Workforce participation was high at 89.9%, compared to Rest of SA's 58.5%. Only 3.4% of residents worked from home, according to Census responses. Key industries for employment among residents were mining, construction, and accommodation & food services.

Mining had a notable concentration with employment levels at 17.6 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 0.2%. There were 1.6 workers per resident as of the Census, indicating an employment hub status hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and August 2025, employment increased by 3.0% while the labour force grew by 3.5%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA saw employment rise by 0.3%, labour force grow by 2.3%, and unemployment increase by 1.9 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Roxby Downs. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with differing rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Roxby Downs' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.1% over five years and 10.3% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Roxby Downs SA2 has an exceptionally high national income level according to AreaSearch aggregated ATO data for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers is $103,714 and the average income stands at $113,009. This compares to Rest of SA's figures of $48,920 and $58,933 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $112,841 (median) and $122,954 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Roxby Downs, between the 97th and 99th percentiles nationally. The data indicates that 35.1% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, which is consistent with surrounding regions at 27.5%. A substantial proportion, 54.3%, earn above $3,000/week. After housing costs, residents retain 91.6% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Roxby Downs, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.7% houses and 3.4% 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 Roxby Downs stood at 6.8%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (23.0%) or rented (70.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, exceeding Non-Metro SA's average of $1,153. The median weekly rent was $260, higher than Non-Metro SA's figure of $220. Nationally, Roxby Downs' mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Roxby Downs features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.9% of all households, including 39.9% couples with children, 22.5% couples without children, and 7.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.1%, with lone person households at 24.3% and group households making up 4.8%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Rest of SA average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 17.2%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 48.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 7.8% and certificates at 40.2%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 17.6% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 2.7% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Roxby Downs's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Roxby Downs. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 76% of the total population (3,115 people), compared to 48.9% across Rest of SA and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 6.9 and 5.8% of residents respectively. A total of 81.6% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.5% across Rest of SA. There are 2.3% of residents aged 65 and over (92 people), which is lower than the 26.5% in Rest of SA. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Roxby Downs ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Roxby Downs had low cultural diversity, with 80.3% citizens, 84.5% born in Australia, and 90.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion at 35.1%. Buddhism was overrepresented at 1.5%, compared to 0.6% regionally.

Top ancestry groups were Australian (32.4%), English (28.8%), and Scottish (6.5%). Filipino, Maori, and Welsh groups had notable overrepresentation: Filipino at 2.7% vs regional 0.7%, Maori at 1.1% vs 0.2%, Welsh at 0.7% vs 0.5%.

Roxby Downs hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Roxby Downs has a median age of 31 years, which is significantly below the Rest of SA average of 47 years and considerably younger than the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of SA average, the 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 21.6% locally, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 1.9%. This concentration in the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.5%. Following the Census conducted on 28 August 2021, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 18.7% to 20.8% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.8% to 11.5%, and the 15 to 24 year-olds dropped from 11.0% to 9.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that Roxby Downs' age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45 to 54 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 12%, adding 55 residents to reach a total of 525. However, both the 65 to 74 and the 0 to 4 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.