Salisbury

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Salisbury's population is around 19,114 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 520 people (2.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,594 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,012 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 178 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,774 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Salisbury has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a 1.0% compound annual growth rate, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 89.7% of overall 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. As we examine future population trends, lower quartile growth of Australian statistical areas is anticipated, with the area expected to grow by 884 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 4.1% in total over the 17 years.

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

Salisbury has averaged around 67 new dwelling approvals each year, totalling 336 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26122 approvals have been recorded. At an average of 1.3 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply and demand seem well-matched, fostering stable market dynamics, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $201,000—below the regional average—suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. There have also been $19.2 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development.

When measured against Greater Adelaide, Salisbury has similar development levels (per person), preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. This is likewise lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and pointing to possible development constraints. New development consists of 75.0% detached dwellings and 25.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. At around 235 people per approval, Salisbury reflects a low density area.

Future projections show Salisbury adding 782 residents by 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.

Salisbury has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 4thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 24 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Salisbury City Centre Redevelopment - Salisbury Square Precinct, Salisbury Park Estate, and Salisbury City Centre Redevelopment, 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 performance in Salisbury lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Salisbury has a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 9.6%, and 1.6% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 7,536 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 5.8% above Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation lags significantly (54.1% compared to Greater Adelaide's 67.2%). Based on Census responses, a low 4.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in manufacturing, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Meanwhile, professional & technical services have a limited presence with 3.0% employment compared to 7.3% regionally. 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 1.6% and the labour force increased by 1.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.5 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide, where employment rose by 4.2%, the labour force grew by 3.9%, and unemployment fell 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Salisbury. 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 Salisbury's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.8% 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 levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The Salisbury SA2's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Salisbury SA2's median income among taxpayers is $48,913 and the average income stands at $52,229, which compares to figures for Greater Adelaide's of $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $53,217 (median) and $56,825 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Salisbury all fall between the 5th and 5th percentiles nationally. Looking at income distribution, 31.0% of the population (5,925 individuals) fall within the $800 - 1,499 income range, differing from patterns across the surrounding region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 6th percentile.

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

Dwelling structure within Salisbury, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 73.2% houses and 26.8% 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 Salisbury lagged that of Adelaide metro, at 28.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (32.9%) or rented (38.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Adelaide metro average at $1,246, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $270, compared to Adelaide metro's $1,562 and $320. Nationally, Salisbury's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 64.6% of all households, comprising 27.7% couples with children, 19.7% couples without children, and 15.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.4%, with lone person households at 31.6% and group households comprising 3.8% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people matches the Greater Adelaide average.

Salisbury 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 (12.8%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 9.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 32.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (7.3%) and certificates (25.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 104 active transport stops operating within Salisbury, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 50 individual routes, collectively providing 3,667 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 210 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 90%, with 6% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 4.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 523 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 35 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Salisbury is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Salisbury, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A range of health conditions have marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~8,754 people). This compares to 52.7% across Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 9.1% and 8.9% of residents, respectively, while 66.0% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 18.5% of residents aged 65 and over (3,541 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general 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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 41.7% of its population born overseas and 41.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Salisbury is Christianity, which makes up 42.5% of the people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Islam, which comprises 9.6% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Adelaide average of 3.0%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Salisbury are Other, comprising 24.2% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 9.7%, English, comprising 22.7% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 27.8%, and Australian, comprising 19.0% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Vietnamese is notably overrepresented at 3.2% of Salisbury (vs 1.2% regionally), Serbian at 0.6% (vs 0.4%) and Italian at 5.1% (vs 5.2%).

Salisbury's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The 37-year median age in Salisbury is somewhat lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and similarly very close to the 38-year national average. Compared to the Greater Adelaide average, the 5 - 14 cohort is notably over-represented (12.7% locally), while 15 - 24 year-olds are under-represented (11.8%). Post-2021 Census data shows the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 13.0% to 13.8% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.8% to 10.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Salisbury. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 25% (300 people), reaching 1,524 from 1,223. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 72% of anticipated growth. On the other hand, the 35 to 44 and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.