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 is 19,074 as of August 2025. This shows an increase of 480 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,594. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 19,012 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses post-Census. Population density is 1,771 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Over a decade (2015-2025), Salisbury's population grew at a compound annual growth rate of 1.0%, outperforming its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 89.7% of recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses 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, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Future trends suggest lower quartile growth, with Salisbury expected to grow by 884 persons to 2041, a total gain of 4.3%.

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

Salisbury averaged approximately 67 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis. There were a total of 336 approvals across the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with 34 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, over these five years, there were about 1.3 new residents per year for each dwelling constructed.

This indicates a balanced supply and demand market, supporting stable conditions. The average construction cost of new homes was $265,000, which is below regional norms, suggesting more affordable housing options. In FY-26, $19.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Salisbury has similar development levels per capita, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas.

However, these levels are below the national average, which could reflect the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 75.0% detached dwellings and 25.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 235 people per approval, Salisbury reflects a low density area. By 2041, Salisbury is projected to grow by 822 residents. 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 emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 potential projects that could impact this region. Notable initiatives include Salisbury Park Estate, Salisbury City Centre Redevelopment, Salisbury Park Estate, and Northern Adelaide Transport Study Infrastructure. The following details the most relevant projects.

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

Employment drivers in Salisbury are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Salisbury's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 9.4% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.5%. There are 7,621 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 5.4%, higher than Greater Adelaide's 4.0%. Workforce participation is lower at 50.1% compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade.

Manufacturing has a notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Professional & technical services have limited presence at 3.0%, lower than the regional average of 7.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.5% while labour force grew by 1.3%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 2.1% with a marginal increase in unemployment. State-level data to Sep-25 shows SA employment grew by 1.06% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. National forecasts suggest employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Salisbury's employment mix indicates local growth of approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.8% over ten years.

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

Salisbury's median income among taxpayers was $47,258 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $50,284 during the same period. In comparison, Greater Adelaide had median and average incomes of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggest Salisbury's median income could reach approximately $52,376 and average income $55,730, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.83%. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Salisbury fall between the 5th and 6th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The most common income bracket in Salisbury is $800 - $1,499, with 31.0% of locals earning within this range (5,912 people). In contrast, the broader area has a predominant income category of $1,500 - $2,999 at 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

Salisbury's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 73.2% houses and 26.8% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 83.9% houses and 16.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Salisbury stood at 28.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.9% and rented ones at 38.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,246, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,300. Median weekly rent in Salisbury was $270, compared to Adelaide metro's $300. Nationally, Salisbury's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,246 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below 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 account for 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 constitute the remaining 35.4%, with lone person households at 31.6% and group households comprising 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's university qualification rate is 12.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 9.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are widely held, with 32.7% of residents aged 15+ possessing them - advanced diplomas account for 7.3% and certificates for 25.4%.

Educational participation is high at 30.1%, including 11.0% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education. Salisbury has a network of 7 schools educating approximately 2,804 students, with educational provision balanced between 5 primary and 2 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

The analysis found 104 active public transport stops in Salisbury, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 49 individual routes, collectively facilitating 3,665 weekly passenger trips. The report rated transport accessibility as good, with residents typically located 210 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averaged 523 trips per day across all routes, equating 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, according to health data, faces significant health challenges with a considerably higher prevalence of common conditions compared to averages. This is particularly true for older age cohorts.

Private health cover is extremely low, at approximately 46% of the total population (around 8,812 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions in the area, affecting 9.1 and 8.9% of residents respectively. Conversely, 66.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 68.1% across Greater Adelaide. Salisbury has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 18.1% (3,461 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 includes 41.7% born overseas, with 41.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 42.5%. Islam comprises 9.6%, higher than Greater Adelaide's 8.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (24.2%), English (22.7%), and Australian (19.0%). Notably, Vietnamese (3.2% vs regional 3.1%), Serbian (0.6% vs 0.5%), and Italian (5.1% vs 3.8%) are overrepresented in Salisbury.

Salisbury's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Salisbury is 37 years, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Locally, those aged 5-14 make up 12.8% of the population, higher than Greater Adelaide's average, while those aged 15-24 comprise 11.8%, lower than the citywide average. According to post-Census data in 2021, the 35-44 age group increased from 13.0% to 13.8%, while the 45-54 cohort decreased from 11.8% to 11.1%. By 2041, Salisbury's population is forecasted to experience significant demographic changes. Notably, the 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 28%, reaching 1,524 people from 1,192. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 75% of this growth. Conversely, the 35-44 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decrease in population.