Toorak Gardens

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

Toorak Gardens' population is approximately 17,202 as of February 2026. This represents an increase of 567 people from the 2021 Census figure of 16,635, reflecting a growth rate of 3.4%. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 17,170 in June 2024 and an additional 368 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,571 persons per square kilometer, placing Toorak Gardens in the upper quartile relative to other areas assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate since the census is competitive with its SA3 region, being within 1.5 percentage points (4.9%). Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods.

For future projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia estimates for each SA2 area released in 2024 using a base year of 2022. By 2041, Toorak Gardens is expected to have increased by approximately 2,009 persons, reflecting an increase of about 11.5% over the 17-year period based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Toorak Gardens has received approximately 172 dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 860 homes were approved, with an additional 22 approved in FY-26 to date. On average, each new home attracted about 0.8 new residents per year over the past five financial years.

This indicates that new construction is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost of these new properties was around $475,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment. In FY-26 alone, there have been approximately $70.4 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Toorak Gardens has experienced 71.0% higher new home approvals per capita since FY-21, offering greater choice for buyers. The new developments predominantly consist of attached dwellings (86.0%), with standalone homes making up the remainder (14.0%). This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

The current housing mix in Toorak Gardens is 55.0% houses, indicating a significant shift towards attached dwellings due to reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands and affordability needs. With approximately 73 people per dwelling approval, the area displays characteristics of low-density living. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Toorak Gardens is projected to gain around 1,977 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects that may affect this region. Notable ones are Glenside Development, UniSA Magill Campus Redevelopment (Magill Project), Burnside Village Expansion, and 12-16 Glen Osmond Road Mixed-Use Development. The following details those likely to be most relevant.

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 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Toorak Gardens has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% as of September 2025. This rate is below Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%.

Employment growth in the area over the past year was estimated at 3.0%. There were 8,955 residents employed while workforce participation was 62.8%, slightly below Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. According to Census responses, 17.9% of residents worked from home. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The area has a particular specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 2.0 times the regional level. In contrast, construction employs just 5.0% of local workers compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicates a higher than average level of local employment opportunities. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.0% while labour force increased by 3.0%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. By comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 3.0%, labour force growth of 2.9%, and a fall in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Toorak Gardens' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though it's important to 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 had an exceptionally high income level nationally according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $59,435 and the average income stood at $95,650. These figures compared to Greater Adelaide's of $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $64,665 (median) and $104,067 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data showed household, family and personal incomes in Toorak Gardens cluster around the 68th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicated the largest segment comprised 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 represented a substantial presence with 31.6% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retained 87.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 9th decile.

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

Toorak Gardens' dwelling structures, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 55.2% houses and 44.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Toorak Gardens stood at 44.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.0% and rented ones at 28.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. Median weekly rent in Toorak Gardens was $339, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Toorak Gardens' mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $375.

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

Family households constitute 65.1% of all households, including 30.4% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 7.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.9%, with lone person households at 32.5% and group households making up 2.4%. The median household size is 2.3 people, 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

Toorak Gardens' residents aged 15+ have a higher university qualification rate of 52.7%, compared to South Australia's (SA) 25.7% and Greater Adelaide's 28.9%. This is due to bachelor degrees being the most common at 32.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 15.2% and graduate diplomas at 4.7%. Vocational pathways account for 19.5%, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 10.0%. Educational participation is high, with 29.5% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.5% in primary, 7.8% in secondary, and 7.5% in tertiary education.

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

Toorak Gardens has 100 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 46 individual routes, facilitating 2,594 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 174 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 81%, followed by bus at 8% and walking at 4%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 17.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 370 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 25 weekly trips per stop.

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

Toorak Gardens' health outcomes show notable results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 69% of the total population (11,817 people), compared to 52.7% in Greater Adelaide and 55.7% nationally. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.8% and 6.7% of residents respectively, while 71.0% report being completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 67.9% in Greater Adelaide.

The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 26.6%, with 4,570 people, compared to 19.3% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for 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 had a higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 31.6% of its population born overseas and 26.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Toorak Gardens, accounting for 45.2% of its population. However, Judaism showed the most significant overrepresentation, comprising 0.2% compared to 0.1% across Greater Adelaide.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.8%), Australian (19.3%), and Other (9.3%). Notably, Sri Lankan (0.6%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.2%, Italian (5.3%) matched the regional figure of 5.2%, and Chinese (8.7%) was higher than the regional average of 3.1%.

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

The median age in Toorak Gardens was 44 years as of the 2021 Census, exceeding Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and the Australian median of 38 years. The 75-84 age cohort constituted 10.4% of the population in Toorak Gardens, compared to the Greater Adelaide average, while the 25-34 age group made up only 10.0%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Census periods, the 15-24 age group grew from 11.6% to 13.4%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 8.7% to 10.4%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 12.4% to 11.2%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 12.5% to 11.5%. Population forecasts for Toorak Gardens in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes, with the 85+ age cohort projected to grow by 704 people (an increase of 87%) from 813 to 1,518. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 61% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age cohort is projected to decline by 13 people.