Unley - Parkside
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Unley - Parkside reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Unley - Parkside's population was around 20,998 as of Nov 2021, according to the Census. By Nov 2025, it is estimated at approximately 22,052, reflecting an increase of about 1,054 people (5.0%) since the Census. This growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 22,020 in June 2024 and an additional 209 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is around 3,119 persons per square kilometer, placing Unley - Parkside in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Its growth rate of 5.0% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA3 area's 4.5%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was primarily responsible for this population increase.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods. Based on latest population numbers, Unley - Parkside is expected to increase by approximately 2,643 persons to around 25,795 by 2041, marking an overall increase of about 11.8% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Unley - Parkside when compared nationally

Unley - Parkside recorded approximately 73 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 367 homes. As of FY26, 28 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY21 and FY25. However, recent data shows this figure has increased to 5.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years. New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $465,000.

In FY26, commercial approvals totalled $39.8 million. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Unley - Parkside shows comparable new home approvals per person, indicating market stability in line with regional patterns. The area's new development consists of 57% detached houses and 43% attached dwellings. Unley - Parkside has approximately 346 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its established nature.

Population forecasts indicate the location will gain 2,610 residents by 2041. Construction pace is maintaining with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as population grows.

Unley - Parkside has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 14thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones include Unley Central, 322-324 Fullarton Road Townhouses, 12-16 Glen Osmond Road Mixed-Use Development, and Unley 108 Apartments. The following list details those 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.

Unley - Parkside ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Unley - Parkside has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate in the area was 2.2% as of June 2025.

There was an estimated employment growth of 1.7% over the past year. As of June 2025, 11,987 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.8% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Unley - Parkside was on par with Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. The key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training.

Unley - Parkside showed particular specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. In contrast, construction employed just 5.3% of local workers, below Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. The ratio of 0.6 workers for each resident indicated a level of local employment opportunities above the norm as at the Census. AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data showed that during the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.7% and labour force increased by 1.7%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. This contrasted with Greater Adelaide where employment rose by 2.1%, the labour force grew by 2.1%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 14.9% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Unley - Parkside's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 7.3% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Unley - Parkside's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Unley - Parkside's median income among taxpayers is $61,184 and average income stands at $96,527, compared to Greater Adelaide's figures of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $69,034 (median) and $108,911 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Unley - Parkside cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows 27.2% of the population (5,998 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring the region where 31.8% occupy this bracket. The substantial proportion of high earners (32.9% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Unley - Parkside. After housing, 86.6% of income remains for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Unley - Parkside, as per the latest Census, consisted of 57.2% houses and 42.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Adelaide metro's 59.2% houses and 40.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Unley - Parkside was at 38.3%, similar to Adelaide metro, with the rest being mortgaged (30.0%) or rented (31.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, aligning with the Adelaide metro average, while the median weekly rent was $370, compared to Adelaide metro's $350. Nationally, Unley - Parkside's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were lower at $370 compared to the national figure of $375.

Unley - Parkside features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 65.5% of all households, including 29.4% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 34.5%, with lone person households at 30.4% and group households comprising 4.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the Greater Adelaide average.

Unley - Parkside shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Unley - Parkside is notably high. As of the latest data available (August 2021), 50.8% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, significantly surpassing broader benchmarks such as South Australia's 25.7% and Greater Adelaide's 28.9%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 31.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%). Vocational pathways account for 20.1% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 10.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.3% in primary education, 8.1% in tertiary education, and 6.9% pursuing secondary education. As of the academic year ending in December 2020, a robust network of 8 schools operates within Unley - Parkside, educating approximately 3,414 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1131. The educational mix includes 7 primary schools and 1 K-12 school.

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

Transport analysis shows 81 active public transport stops operating in Unley-Parkside, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are served by 58 individual routes, providing 4615 weekly passenger trips combined. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 205 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 659 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 56 weekly trips per stop.

Unley - Parkside's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Unley - Parkside's health metrics are close to national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts at a fairly standard level. Approximately 70% of the total population (15,392 people) have private health cover, compared to 67.1% across Greater Adelaide and 55.3% nationally.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, impacting 8.3 and 7.8% of residents respectively. 68.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.9% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 23.7% of residents aged 65 and over (5,237 people), which is higher than the 22.6% in Greater Adelaide. This aligns broadly with the general population's health profile.

Unley - Parkside 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

Unley-Parkside's cultural diversity exceeds most local areas, with 27.5% of residents born overseas and 21.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Unley-Parkside, accounting for 45.2% of its population. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, comprising 0.3% versus 0.2%.

The top three parental birth countries are England (26.8%), Australia (20.8%), and Other (8.2%). Notably, Greek (3.8%) is slightly overrepresented while German (5.5%) and Italian (5.1%) are nearly equal to regional averages.

Unley - Parkside hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Unley - Parkside is 44 years, notably exceeding Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and also above the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Adelaide average, the 75-84 age cohort is over-represented at 8.6% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.8%. Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.1% to 13.1%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 7.6% to 8.6%. Conversely, the 85+ age group has declined from 5.3% to 4.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Unley - Parkside. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to expand by 729 people (38%), from 1,898 to 2,628. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 52% of the population growth. Conversely, the 65-74 and 5-14 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.