Salisbury
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Salisbury's population was approximately 19,092 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 498 people, a 2.7% rise since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 18,594. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 19,012 in June 2024 and validated new addresses totalling 173 since the Census date. This results in a population density of 1,772 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Salisbury has shown resilient growth with a 1.0% compound annual growth rate, outperforming the SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 89.7% 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 weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth for Australian statistical areas, with Salisbury expected to grow by 884 persons to 2041, recording a total gain of 4.2% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Salisbury when compared nationally

Salisbury averaged approximately 67 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 336 homes. As of FY2025-26, 51 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.3 new residents arrived per year per new home between FY2020-21 and FY2024-25. The average construction cost of new properties was $201,000.

In FY2025-26, commercial approvals totalled $19.2 million. Salisbury's development levels per person are similar to Greater Adelaide's, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas but lower than national levels, indicating market maturity and potential development constraints. Detached dwellings accounted for 75% of new developments, while townhouses or apartments made up the remaining 25%, preserving Salisbury's suburban character. With around 235 people per approval, Salisbury reflects a low-density area.

Future projections estimate an addition of 804 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Salisbury has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 24 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Salisbury Park Estate, Salisbury City Centre Redevelopment - Salisbury Square Precinct, Salisbury City Centre Redevelopment, and Salisbury Park Estate. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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The labour market performance in Salisbury lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Salisbury has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar employment, strongly represented manufacturing and industrial sectors, an unemployment rate of 9.4%, and estimated employment growth of 1.5% over the past year as of June 2025. There are 7,621 residents in work, with an unemployment rate at 5.4%, above Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is lower at 50.1% compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade, particularly notable in manufacturing which is at 1.8 times the regional average. Professional & technical employment is limited at 3.0%, compared to the regional average of 7.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population data.

From June 2024 to June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.5% and labour force increased by 1.3%, reducing unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 2.1%, labour force grow by 2.1%, and marginal unemployment increase. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Salisbury's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Salisbury's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $47,258. The average income stood at $50,284 during the same period. In comparison, Greater Adelaide had a median income of $52,592 and an average income of $64,886. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Salisbury would be approximately $53,321 (median) and $56,735 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Salisbury all fall between the 5th and 6th percentiles nationally. In terms of income distribution, 31.0% of Salisbury's population (5,918 individuals) have incomes within the $800 - $1,499 range, differing from surrounding regions where the $1,500 - $2,999 range dominates with 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Salisbury, with only 81.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.

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

The latest Census evaluated Salisbury's dwelling structure as 73.2% houses and 26.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 83.9% houses and 16.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Salisbury was 28.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.9% and rented dwellings at 38.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,246, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,300. The median weekly rent figure in Salisbury was $270, compared to Adelaide metro's $300. Nationally, Salisbury's median monthly mortgage repayments were lower at $1,246 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and median weekly rents were substantially lower at $270 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 64.6% of all households, including 27.7% couples with children, 19.7% couples without children, and 15.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 35.4%, with lone person households at 31.6% and group households at 3.8%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.7.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates at 12.8%, compared to the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 32.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (7.3%) and certificates (25.4%).

Educational participation is high at 30.1%, including primary education (11.0%), secondary education (7.6%), and tertiary education (4.4%). Seven schools operate within Salisbury, educating approximately 2,804 students. The area has five primary and two secondary schools serving distinct age groups.

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

Transport analysis shows 104 active transport stops in Salisbury. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. There are 49 individual routes serving these stops, collectively providing 3,665 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have good accessibility to public transport, with an average distance of 210 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 523 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 35 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Salisbury is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Salisbury's health data shows significant health challenges, with a considerably higher prevalence of common conditions compared to average. This is particularly true for older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 46%, covering around 8,820 people, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (9.1%) and arthritis (8.9%). However, 66% of residents report being free from medical ailments, compared to 68.1% in Greater Adelaide. Salisbury has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 18.1% (3,465 people), compared to Greater Adelaide's 16.1%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Salisbury is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Salisbury's population is culturally diverse, with 41.7% born overseas and 41.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Salisbury, comprising 42.5%. Islam comprises 9.6%, higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 8.0%.

In terms of ancestry, Other groups are most represented at 24.2%, substantially higher than the regional average of 17.4%. English and Australian groups follow at 22.7% and 19.0% respectively. Vietnamese are notably overrepresented at 3.2%, Serbian at 0.6%, and Italian at 5.1%.

Salisbury's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Salisbury is 37 years, lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years, which is very close to Australia's national average of 38 years. In comparison to Greater Adelaide, the 5-14 age cohort is notably higher at 12.8% locally, while the 15-24 age group is under-represented at 11.8%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35-44 age group has increased from 13.0% to 13.8%, and conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 11.8% to 11.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Salisbury. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 28%, reaching 1,524 people from 1,193. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 75% of the population growth, while the 35-44 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.