Toorak Gardens

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Toorak Gardens's population is around 17,202 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 567 people (3.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,635 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,170 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 368 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,571 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Toorak Gardens's 3.4% growth since the census positions it within 1.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of 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. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation is expected, with the area expected to increase by 2,009 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 11.5% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Toorak Gardens among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Toorak Gardens has experienced around 172 dwellings receiving development approval each year, with 860 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 24 so far in FY-26. At an average of just 0.8 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $475,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. There have also been $70.4 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

When measured against Greater Adelaide, Toorak Gardens shows 71.0% higher new home approvals (per person), creating greater choice for buyers. New development consists of 14.0% standalone homes and 86.0% attached dwellings. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shows a considerable change from the current housing mix (currently 55.0% houses), reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 73 people per dwelling approval, Toorak Gardens shows characteristics of a low density area.

Population forecasts indicate Toorak Gardens will gain 1,977 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Toorak Gardens has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 6 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Glenside Development, UniSA Magill Campus Redevelopment (Magill Project), Burnside Village Expansion, and 12-16 Glen Osmond Road Mixed-Use Development, 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Toorak Gardens performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Toorak Gardens features a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 1.9%, and 5.3% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 9,098 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.9% below Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (63.8% compared to Greater Adelaide's 67.2%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 17.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area has particular employment specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 2.0 times the regional level. In contrast, construction employs just 5.0% of local workers, below Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. The ratio of 0.7 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 5.3% while labour force increased by 5.3%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. By comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 4.2%, labour force growth of 3.9%, with unemployment falling 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Toorak Gardens. 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 Toorak Gardens's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 15.1% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The Toorak Gardens SA2's income level is exceptionally high nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Toorak Gardens SA2's median income among taxpayers is $59,435 and the average income stands at $95,650, 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 $64,665 (median) and $104,067 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Toorak Gardens cluster around the 68th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate the largest segment comprises 27.8% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,782 residents), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 31.8% in the same category. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 31.6% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 87.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Toorak Gardens displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Toorak Gardens, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 55.2% houses and 44.8% 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 Toorak Gardens was well beyond that of Adelaide metro, at 44.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (28.0%) or rented (28.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Adelaide metro average at $2,167, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $339, compared to Adelaide metro's $1,562 and $320. Nationally, Toorak Gardens's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

Toorak Gardens features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 65.1% of all households, comprising 30.4% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 7.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.9%, with lone person households at 32.5% and group households comprising 2.4% of the total. The median household size of 2.3 people is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Toorak Gardens shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Toorak Gardens significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 52.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 25.7% in SA and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 32.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.2%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 19.5% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (10.0%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 7.5% 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 100 active transport stops operating within Toorak Gardens, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 46 individual routes, collectively providing 2,594 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 174 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 81%, with 8% by bus and 4% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. Some 17.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 370 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 25 weekly trips per individual stop.

Toorak Gardens's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Toorak Gardens, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 69% of the total population (11,817 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 arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 7.8% and 6.7% of residents, respectively, while 71.0% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 26.6% of residents aged 65 and over (4,570 people), which is higher than the 19.3% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Toorak Gardens 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

Toorak Gardens is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 31.6% of its population born overseas and 26.2% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Toorak Gardens is Christianity, which makes up 45.2% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.2% of the population, compared to 0.1% across Greater Adelaide.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Toorak Gardens are English, comprising 25.8% of the population, Australian, comprising 19.3% of the population, and Other, comprising 9.3% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Sri Lankan is notably overrepresented at 0.6% of Toorak Gardens (vs 0.2% regionally), Italian at 5.3% (vs 5.2%) and Chinese at 8.7% (vs 3.1%).

Toorak Gardens hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The 44-year median age in Toorak Gardens is notably higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and similarly well above the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Greater Adelaide average, the 75 - 84 cohort is notably over-represented (10.4% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (10.0%). Since the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.6% to 13.4% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 8.7% to 10.4%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.4% to 11.2% and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 12.5% to 11.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Toorak Gardens. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 704 people (87%) from 813 to 1,518. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 61% of projected growth. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort is projected to decline by 13 people.