Salisbury North
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Salisbury North are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Salisbury North's population was 18,487 as of August 2021. By August 2025, it is estimated to be around 19,153, reflecting an increase of 666 people (3.6%) since the 2021 Census. This increase is inferred from ABS estimates: 19,032 in June 2024 and 156 validated new addresses post-Census. The population density is approximately 611 persons per square kilometer. Over a decade (2011-2021), the area's compound annual growth rate was 1.2%, outperforming its SA3 region. Overseas migration contributed about 61.6% 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 beyond 2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using a weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. By 2041, Salisbury North is projected to grow by approximately 2,244 persons, representing a total increase of about 10.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Salisbury North has recorded approximately 34 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 174 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY2021 to FY2025, and 7 recorded so far in FY2026. On average, 4 new residents are associated with each home built annually during these years, indicating supply lagging demand, which typically leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost of new dwellings is $245,000, below regional norms, suggesting more affordable housing options for purchasers.

Additionally, commercial development approvals totaling $410.6 million have been recorded this financial year, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Salisbury North has roughly half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person. Nationally, it ranks in the 38th percentile of areas assessed for new dwellings approved, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing properties. Recent periods have seen increased development activity, though this remains below average nationally, likely due to the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

New development in Salisbury North consists of 87% detached dwellings and 13% attached dwellings, preserving its low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. As of recent data, there are estimated to be 596 people per dwelling approval in the area, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Future projections indicate Salisbury North will add approximately 2,088 residents by 2041. Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although growing competition among buyers can be expected as population increases.

Salisbury North has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 34 projects potentially impacting this region. Notable ones include Edinburgh Parks Industrial Estate, Riverscape Paralowie, Delorean Anaerobic Digestion Energy Facility, and Strategic Growth Framework - Waterloo Corner and Bolivar Corridor. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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

Salisbury North has a diverse workforce with white and blue collar jobs, prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors, an unemployment rate of 7.6% as of June 2025, and estimated employment growth of 1.1% over the past year. There are 8,550 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 3.6% higher than Greater Adelaide's 4.0%.

Workforce participation is 57.2%, below Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing has a notable concentration, at 1.7 times the regional average. Professional & technical services show lower representation, at 2.7% compared to the regional average of 7.3%.

The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.8. In the year ending June 2025, employment grew by 1.1%, labour force by 1.3%, increasing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. Comparing with Greater Adelaide: employment growth was 2.1% and unemployment rose marginally. Statewide in South Australia to Sep-25, employment grew by 1.06% year-on-year, adding 9,370 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, aligning with the national average of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Salisbury North's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6% over five years and 12.3% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 indicates Salisbury North had a median income among taxpayers of $47,852 and an average level of $51,491. This is lower than the national average of $52,592 and compares to levels of $64,886 across Greater Adelaide. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, estimated median and average incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $53,034 and $57,067 respectively. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Salisbury North all fall between the 14th and 17th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 32.0% of the population (6,128 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring the region where 31.8% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 16th percentile.

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

As of the latest Census evaluation in Salisbury North, 81.5% of dwellings were houses, with 18.5% being other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. Comparatively, Adelaide metro had 83.9% houses and 16.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Salisbury North stood at 21.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.3% and rented ones at 35.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,275, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,300. Median weekly rent in Salisbury North was recorded at $280, compared to Adelaide metro's $300. Nationally, Salisbury North's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Salisbury North has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 72.0% of all households, consisting of 32.3% couples with children, 18.8% couples without children, and 19.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.0%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which matches the Greater Adelaide average.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates at 10.1% compared to the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 34.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (6.9%) and certificates (27.2%).

Educational participation is high at 31.1%, including 13.3% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education. The five schools in Salisbury North have a combined enrollment of 2,241 students. The educational mix includes three primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. Note: for schools with 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Salisbury North has 78 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus stations. There are 12 different routes serving these stops.

Together, they facilitate 1,177 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents on average located 228 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 168 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Salisbury North is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Salisbury North faces significant health challenges. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across all age groups but are more pronounced among older cohorts.

Private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~8,886 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 9.5 and 9.4% of residents respectively. Conversely, 67.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly lower than the 68.1% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 13.1% of residents aged 65 and over (2,516 people), which is lower than the 16.1% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

Salisbury North was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Salisbury North had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 30.3% of its residents born overseas and 30.6% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Salisbury North, comprising 35.2% of the population. Buddhism was significantly overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, making up 8.1% of Salisbury North's population versus 5.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.6%), Australian (24.3%), and Other (17.5%). Notably, Vietnamese individuals were slightly more represented in Salisbury North at 3.3%, compared to the regional average of 3.1%. Serbian and Polish populations were also slightly higher than the regional averages, with Serbians comprising 0.6% versus 0.5% and Poles making up 1.0% versus 1.1%.

Salisbury North hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

In Salisbury North, the median age is 34 years, which is lower than the Greater Adelaide average of 39 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Salisbury North has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (14.1%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (3.8%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the age group 15-24 has grown from 13.7% to 14.8%, while the age group 25-34 has declined from 15.7% to 14.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Salisbury North's age profile will change significantly. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 30%, adding 640 residents to reach 2,793. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort is projected to grow by a modest 0% (an increase of 10 people).