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, according to AreaSearch's analysis, stood at approximately 17,333 as of May 2026. This figure indicates a rise of 698 individuals (4.2%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 16,635 people. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,320 in June 2025 and an additional 369 validated new addresses post-census. This results in a population density ratio of 2,590 persons per square kilometer, placing Toorak Gardens in the upper quartile compared to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 4.2% growth since the census is within 0.8 percentage points of the SA3 area (5.0%), indicating strong population growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver behind this growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years beyond 2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends suggest a growth just below the national median for statistical areas, with Toorak Gardens expected to increase by approximately 1,838 persons by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 10.5% over the 16-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 seen approximately 172 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 860 homes were approved, with an additional 32 approved so far in FY-26. On average, each new home attracts about 0.8 new residents per year over these five years.

This pace of construction is keeping up with or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially driving population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $475,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. This financial year has seen $70.4 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Toorak Gardens has 72.0% higher new home approvals per capita, offering greater choice for buyers. New developments consist of 14.0% standalone homes and 86.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living and providing more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects the reduced availability of development sites and evolving lifestyle demands and affordability needs, marking a significant change from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses (55.0%).

With approximately 73 people per dwelling approval, Toorak Gardens exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Toorak Gardens is projected to gain around 1,823 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Toorak Gardens has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Five infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. These include Glenside Development, Burnside Village Expansion, 12-16 Glen Osmond Road Mixed-Use Development, and SA Water Capital Work Delivery Contracts from 2024 to 2028. The following list details those considered 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 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Toorak Gardens has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate is 1.9%, lower than Greater Adelaide's 3.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.3%.

As of December 2025, there are 9,098 residents employed, with a workforce participation rate of 63.1%. A moderate 17.9% of residents work from home. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a high specialization in professional & technical services, employing twice the regional average.

Construction employs only 5.0% of local workers, below Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating above-average employment opportunities locally. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 5.3%, while labour force and unemployment remained essentially unchanged. By comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 4.2% with a slight decrease in unemployment. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Toorak Gardens' employment mix indicates potential local employment increases of 7.4% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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 national income level according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Its median income among taxpayers was $59,435 and average income stood at $95,650. These figures compared to Greater Adelaide's median of $54,808 and average of $66,852 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $65,480 (median) and $105,378 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data showed household, family and personal incomes in Toorak Gardens clustered around the 68th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicated that the largest segment comprised 27.8% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,818 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 8th decile.

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

Toorak Gardens' dwellings, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 55.2% houses and 44.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 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 at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $339 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 34.9%, with lone person households at 32.5% and group households comprising 2.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which 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

Toorak Gardens' educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 52.7% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. Bachelor degrees are 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% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 10.0%.

Educational participation is 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

Toorak Gardens has 100 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 46 different routes that collectively facilitate 2,594 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 174 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 81%, followed by buses at 8% and walking at 4%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 17.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The average service frequency across all routes is 370 trips per day, 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

Toorak Gardens demonstrates excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 69% of Toorak Gardens' total population (11,907 people) has private health cover, compared to 52.7% in Greater Adelaide and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.8%) and mental health issues (6.7%). A higher proportion of residents, 71.0%, report being completely clear of medical ailments than in Greater Adelaide (67.9%). Toorak Gardens has a larger senior population, with 26.2% aged 65 and over (4,549 people), compared to 19.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align 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 than 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 the population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, comprising 0.2% versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.8%), Australian (19.3%), and Other (9.3%). Some ethnic groups had notable differences in representation: Sri Lankan at 0.6% (versus regional 0.2%), Italian at 5.3% (versus 5.2%), and Chinese at 8.7% (versus 3.1%).

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

The median age in Toorak Gardens is 44 years, notably higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and above Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, the 75-84 age group is over-represented in Toorak Gardens at 10.3%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.4%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.6% to 13.4%, and the 75 to 84 cohort has grown from 8.7% to 10.3%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group has decreased from 12.5% to 11.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Toorak Gardens. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow by 684 people (an increase of 85%), from 809 to 1,494. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 62% of this growth. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group is projected to decrease by 30 people.