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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Unley - Parkside has an estimated 22,231 residents, up from 20,998 at the 2021 Census — a change of 1,233 people, or 5.9%. Growth has averaged 0.7% a year over five years. 220 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Overseas migration accounts for 100.0% of that increase. That puts 3,144 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
As of Aug 2026, the resident population of Unley - Parkside stands at approximately 22,231 according to research by AreaSearch. Compared with the 20,998 residents recorded in the 2021 Census, this represents a net expansion of 1,233 people (5.9%). This demographic shift is derived by combining the ABS estimated resident population figure of 22,225 recorded in June 2025 with 220 validated new addresses added following the Census. With 3,144 persons per square kilometer, the locality ranks in the top quartile for population density among all nationwide locations evaluated by AreaSearch.
Furthermore, the district's 5.9% expansion rate outpaced the wider SA3 region (5.4%), establishing it as a local growth pacesetter. Net overseas arrivals served as virtually the exclusive catalyst powering recent population additions. Projections prepared by ABS/Geoscience Australia, published in 2024 using 2022 baseline figures, are utilized by AreaSearch across SA2 locations. Where SA2 coverage is absent or for periods extending past 2032, figures incorporate the SA State Government's 2023 Regional/LGA age-cohort models (anchored on 2021 numbers), applying weighted aggregation methodologies to convert LGA projections into SA2 geographic units. Anticipated demographic trends indicate that the area will register growth slightly beneath the median of AreaSearch benchmarks, accumulating an additional 2,363 persons by 2041 relative to contemporary annual ERP metrics, which amounts to an overall 16-year increase of 10.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
403 new dwellings have been approved in Unley - Parkside over the past five years, an average of 80 a year. That places the area in the 70th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 4 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 81 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 47% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential planning approvals across Unley - Parkside run at roughly 80 dwellings per annum, totaling 403 approved dwellings throughout the 5 financial years spanning FY-22 to FY-26. With an average of 1.8 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over these same 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26), housing supply aligns tightly with incoming demand to maintain steady conditions, while residential projects carry an average expected construction cost of $684,000, underscoring an emphasis among builders on higher-tier, upscale properties. Meanwhile, commercial project authorizations have reached $39.8 million during this financial year, pointing to vigorous capital deployment by local enterprises.
Per-capita construction volumes in Unley - Parkside parallel those across Greater Adelaide, sustaining broader regional equilibrium even as local building velocity has accelerated of late. Newly approved residential inventory is divided between 47.0% detached houses and 53.0% attached dwellings. This orientation toward higher-density dwelling types delivers accessible purchase thresholds well suited to downsizers, property investors, and first-time buyers. Registering roughly 212 people per approval, the district is characterized as a low density environment. Projections indicate that Unley - Parkside will take on 2,357 additional community members by 2041, based on recent quarterly AreaSearch calculations. Current residential construction continues to match anticipated population gains, though prospective purchasers may face heightened competition as local headcounts expand.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Unley - Parkside
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 16 current infrastructure and development projects inside Unley - Parkside, worth an estimated $235 million. A further 50 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $19.9 billion. 25 are already under construction and 27 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and tourism. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Major infrastructure developments, planning schemes, and prominent capital works exert a profound effect on local area performance. AreaSearch has pinpointed 19 separate projects poised to influence the immediate surroundings, led by prominent undertakings such as Unley Central, the 12-16 Glen Osmond Road Mixed-Use Development, 322-324 Fullarton Road Townhouses, and Unley 108 Apartments, with key initiatives detailed in the accompanying overview.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Unley Central
A transformative 150 million dollar mixed-use precinct on the former Target site. The nine-storey development integrates 130 luxury apartments with a diverse commercial hub including a six-screen boutique cinema, supermarkets, cafes, and medical services. As South Australia's first fully integrated mixed-use development on a single site, it provides significant local employment and modernizes the Unley Road corridor.
Regis Aged Care Parkside
Construction of a five-storey residential aged care facility (supported accommodation) comprising 156 accommodation units with ancillary communal areas, solar photovoltaic panels, water tanks, car parking, and landscaping. The site, formerly approved for a mixed-use development, was acquired and repurposed by Regis Aged Care.
Unley 108 Apartments
Catcorp's project features a seven-storey mixed-use tower with residential units and a commercial space in Unley.
Unley Road Public Realm Streetscape Upgrade
Council project to revitalise Unley Road between Park Street and Thomas Street. Works include new street furniture, planting beds, way-finding signage, and renewal of footpaths and kerbing.
322-324 Fullarton Road Townhouses
Collection of 10 luxurious two-storey townhouses with flexible floor plan options, modern design features, and Bosch kitchen appliances. Located in high-demand Fullarton suburb with easy access to amenities.
Highgate Village Streetscape Upgrade
Stage 1 upgrade of the Highgate Village Business Precinct, including new footpath paving, garden beds, street furniture, shade trees, and improved pedestrian access.
Glen Osmond Road Pedestrian Crossing Safety Upgrade
Safety improvements at the pedestrian crossing on Glen Osmond Road near Parkside Primary School to enhance pedestrian safety and traffic flow management for school children and families.
Best Life Angas Street
An 18-storey vertical land lease village providing affordable retirement living for over 50s in the Adelaide CBD. The development features 155 one and two-bedroom apartments with premium finishes, designed to facilitate aging in place. Amenities include three levels of secure parking, a community terrace, gym, library, and dedicated activities rooms.
12,282 residents of Unley - Parkside are employed, from a labour force of 12,559. Unemployment sits at 2.2%, with participation at 65.9%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 7.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Featuring an unemployment rate of only 2.2% alongside an estimated 5.1% rise in employment over the preceding year, Unley - Parkside maintains a highly skilled local labor pool with prominent professional services participation. By March 2026, employed residents reached 12,282, keeping local joblessness 1.6% lower than the 3.8% recorded for Greater Adelaide, while labor participation mirrors the metropolitan rate of 66.4%. Census figures showed 16.4% of workers operating from home, an outcome potentially shaped by Covid-19 restrictions. Local workers are primarily concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training.
The community exhibits a distinct specialization within professional & technical roles, capturing an employment proportion 1.9 times greater than the regional benchmark. Conversely, construction engages a modest 5.3% of the resident workforce, trailing Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. A ratio of 0.6 workers per resident at the Census points to local job availability that exceeds typical levels. AreaSearch assessment of ABS and SALM metrics shows that over the twelve months leading into March 2026, local employment grew by 5.1% while the workforce expanded by 5.1%, leaving local unemployment essentially flat. Across Greater Adelaide over the identical timeframe, jobs expanded by 4.2%, the labor base enlarged by 4.0%, and unemployment contracted by 0.2 percentage points. Broader perspective on future labor requirements stems from Jobs and Skills Australia national forecasts from Mar-26. By overlaying these five-year and ten-year nationwide forecasts onto the local industry footprint, localized trajectories can be modeled. Across the nation, total employment is anticipated to climb 6.6% across five years and 13.7% over ten years, albeit with wide divergence across individual industries. Calibrating these sectoral trends against Unley - Parkside's employment profile indicates that local jobs could expand by 7.3% over five years and 14.9% across ten years (noting this represents an illustrative weighted extrapolation that excludes localized demographic projections).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Unley - Parkside is $1,998 a week (about $104,000 a year), with median personal income at $968 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $62,189 a year against an average of $97,610. The average runs 57% above the median, a wider spread than most areas and a sign of a concentrated group of high earners. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Based on AreaSearch's compilation of ATO postcode records for financial year 2023, taxpayers in the Unley - Parkside SA2 generated a median income of $62,189 and an average income of $97,610. These outcomes place the locality within the highest percentile nationwide, contrasting with Greater Adelaide figures of $54,808 (median) and $66,852 (average). Factoring in a 10.17% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, updated estimates suggest figures around $68,514 (median) and $107,537 (average) by March 2026. Data from Census 2021 reveals that individual, family, and household earnings hover around the 70th percentile across the country.
In terms of weekly earnings, 27.2% of residents (6,046 individuals) earn between $1,500 - 2,999, mirroring the 31.8% regional proportion in this bracket. A substantial 32.9% take home more than $3,000 per week, indicating affluent pockets that underpin local commercial vibrancy. After covering accommodation, households retain 86.6% of income for remaining living costs, securing the area an 8th decile position on the SEIFA income index.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Unley - Parkside had 8,333 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 57% detached houses and 20% apartments. 30% are owned with a mortgage, 32% rented and 38% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $370 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,167 a month. Rent absorbs 18.5% of household income here and mortgage repayments 25.0%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to the most recent Census, the housing stock in Unley - Parkside consists of 57.2% separate houses alongside 42.7% other dwellings, including apartments and semi-detached properties, whereas Adelaide metro recorded 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Outright home ownership stood at 38.3%, significantly above metropolitan Adelaide, while the remaining properties were divided between mortgaged homes (30.0%) and rental accommodation (31.7%). Median monthly mortgage commitments reached $2,167, well above the Adelaide metro figure of $1,562, while median weekly rent was $370 compared to $320 regionally. Compared to nationwide benchmarks, local mortgage obligations exceed the Australian median of $1,863, whereas rental costs remain beneath the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Unley - Parkside counted 8,333 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 8,822 today, averaging 2.3 people each. 29% are couples with children, against 27% couples without children. 30% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.4 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units constitute the majority of local living arrangements at 65.5%, made up of couples with children (29.4%), couples without children (26.5%), and single parent families (8.6%). Non-family dwellings comprise the remaining 34.5%, with single-person households representing 30.4% and shared group homes accounting for 4.1%. The area's median household size is 2.3 people, tracking below the Greater Adelaide benchmark of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
50.8% of adults in Unley - Parkside hold a university qualification, including 31.8% with a bachelor degree and 14.0% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 85% of areas nationally. A further 10.2% hold a vocational qualification. 8 schools serve the area, with 3,414 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,131 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Academic credentials among Unley - Parkside residents significantly exceed standard benchmarks, as 50.8% of individuals aged 15+ hold tertiary degrees compared with 25.7% across SA and 28.9% throughout Greater Adelaide. This pronounced educational edge underpins strong capacity for knowledge-sector employment. Bachelor degrees comprise the largest segment at 31.8%, followed by postgraduate awards at 14.0% and graduate diplomas at 5.0%. Technical and vocational training accounts for 20.1% of qualifications among residents aged 15+, divided between certificates (10.2%) and advanced diplomas (9.9%). Participation in study is exceptionally strong, with 28.8% of the community actively undertaking formal coursework.
This encompasses 9.3% attending primary school, 8.1% engaged in tertiary studies, and 6.9% enrolled in secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Unley - Parkside reaches 79 stops on 57 routes, timetabled for about 3,900 services a week. The typical home sits about 210 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.2 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transport services in Unley - Parkside operate across 79 dedicated stops covering a network of buses and lightrail. Across these access points, 57 separate routes combine to deliver 3,930 weekly passenger trips. Network coverage is favorable, with residents generally residing 205 meters from their nearest transit stop. Given its predominantly residential profile, the vast majority of workers travel outbound, with private vehicle transport serving as the primary choice at 77%, alongside 8% commuting via bus and 6% walking. Vehicle availability sits at 1.2 per dwelling, trailing the regional benchmark.
Approximately 16.4% of workers conducted their duties from home at the 2021 Census, a figure that may reflect prevailing COVID-19 settings. Across all transit routes, scheduling delivers an average of 561 trips per day, which translates to roughly 49 weekly trips for each transit stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
68.7% of residents in Unley - Parkside report no long-term health condition. 7.1% need daily assistance with core activities, and 69.7% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.1 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Resident health outcomes across Unley - Parkside are generally positive, with AreaSearch evaluations of mortality statistics and medical diagnoses tracking close to national benchmarks, alongside typical prevalence of general health conditions across both older and younger age groups. Private medical insurance coverage is remarkably high at roughly 70% of all residents (15,495 people), substantially higher than Greater Adelaide's 52.7% and the national benchmark of 55.7%. The leading medical conditions reported within the district are mental health issues and arthritis, diagnosed in 8.3 and 7.8% of the populace, while 68.7% reported having no medical ailments whatsoever, compared with 67.9% across Greater Adelaide.
Working-age cohorts show high vitality with low rates of chronic illness. Seniors aged 65 and over account for 23.3% of the community (5,173 people), exceeding the 19.1% share recorded for Greater Adelaide, with overall health standing closely aligned to broader national figures.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
27.5% of Unley - Parkside residents were born overseas and 21.3% speak a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (26.8%) and Australian (20.8%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Unley - Parkside outpaces most comparable markets, with 27.5% of residents born abroad and 21.3% speaking a language other than English in their households. Christianity represents the primary religious affiliation, accounting for 45.2% of the local population. Meanwhile, Judaism shows a notable local concentration at 0.3%, compared to 0.1% across Greater Adelaide. Looking at parental lineage, the three most prominent ancestry groups are English (26.8%), Australian (20.8%), and Other (8.2%). Distinct variances also emerge among several other backgrounds, including Greek at 3.8% of the populace (compared with 2.0% regionally), German at 5.5% (against 5.1%), and Italian at 5.1% (versus 5.2%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Unley - Parkside is 44. 26.2% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The demographic structure of Unley - Parkside leans heavily toward mature age groups. Updated estimates to August 2026 indicate that retiree and elderly cohorts (65+) make up 23.3% of the local population, compared to 19.1% across Greater Adelaide, while younger to mid-career adults (25 - 44) comprise only 25.0% of residents versus 28.9% regionally. AreaSearch assesses the local median age at 44 as at August 2026, remaining unchanged from the 2021 Census and sitting 5 years higher than Greater Adelaide's Census median of 39, as well as above the national Census median of 38.
Since the Census, the elderly and retiree share has edged down from 24.3% to an estimated 23.3%. By 2041, senior cohorts are projected to drive the bulk of local population expansion, increasing by 1,206 residents (23%) to reach a total of 6,379.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Unley - Parkside
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Sep 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Sep 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Sep 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jun 2026 3 months ago all 16 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jun 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 6 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 2 months ago all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 220 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (20,998 at the 2021 Census → 22,231 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (401071024). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.