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

As of August 2025, Unley - Parkside's population is approximately 22,042. This figure represents a growth of 1,044 people from the 2021 Census total of 20,998, marking an increase of 5.0%. The estimated resident population of 22,019 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date support this inference. This results in a population density ratio of 3,117 persons per square kilometer, placing Unley - Parkside in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The area's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 region (4.5%) post-2021 Census, indicating it as a growth leader within the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver behind this population increase.

AreaSearch projections for Unley - Parkside align with ABS/Geoscience Australia figures released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered or years beyond 2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted and adjusted using a weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. By 2041, Unley - Parkside's population is projected to increase by approximately 2,643 persons, representing an overall growth of 11.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Unley - Parkside has recorded approximately 73 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totaling 367 approvals over the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, and 16 so far in FY26. An average of 1.9 new residents per year has been arriving per new home over the past five financial years, indicating balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions. However, recent data shows this figure has increased to 5.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential supply constraints in the area. New properties are constructed at an average value of $879,000, reflecting a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This year, $39.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Unley - Parkside shows comparable new home approvals per person, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. However, this activity is below the national average, suggesting an established area and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 57% detached houses and 43% attached dwellings, offering a range of medium-density options across various price brackets.

The location has approximately 346 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its established nature. Population forecasts indicate Unley - Parkside will gain 2,620 residents by 2041, with construction maintaining a reasonable pace to accommodate projected growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as population increases.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects that could affect this 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 likely to be relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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

Unley - Parkside has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% in June 2025, below Greater Adelaide's 4.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.7%. As of June 2025, 11,987 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate matching Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical services, employing 1.9 times the regional average.

Construction employs only 5.3% of local workers, compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.6, indicating above-normal employment opportunities locally. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.7%, while the labour force grew by 1.7%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 1.8%. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 2.1% and unemployment increase marginally. State-level data for Sep-25 shows SA employment growth of 1.06% year-on-year, adding 9,370 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, in line with the national average. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Unley - Parkside's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.3% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, although these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only 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 AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers in Unley-Parkside is $61,184 and the average income stands at $96,527, compared to Greater Adelaide's figures of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively. By March 2025, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $67,810 for median income and $106,981 for average income. Census data reveals that incomes in Unley-Parkside cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. In this area, 27.2% of the population (5,995 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, mirroring the region where 31.8% occupy this bracket. A substantial proportion of high earners (32.9%) are above the $3,000/week threshold, indicating strong economic capacity throughout Unley-Parkside. After housing costs, 86.6% of income remains for other expenses. 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

Dwelling structure in Unley - Parkside, as per the latest Census, comprised 57.2% houses and 42.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 59.2% houses and 40.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Unley - Parkside was 38.3%, with the rest either mortgaged or rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, aligning with Adelaide metro's average. The median weekly rent figure was $370, compared to Adelaide metro's $350. Nationally, Unley - Parkside's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167, while rents were lower at $370.

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 34.5%, comprising 30.4% lone person households and 4.1% group households. The median household size is 2.3 people, aligning 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. As of 2021, 50.8% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. Bachelor degrees lead 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+ – advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (10.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2021. This includes 9.3% in primary education, 8.1% in tertiary education, and 6.9% pursuing secondary education. A robust network of 8 schools operates within Unley - Parkside, educating approximately 3,414 students as of 2021. Unley - Parkside 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 in Unley - Parkside shows 81 active public transport stops operating. These are served by a mix of buses along 58 routes, totalling 4,615 weekly passenger trips. The area has good transport accessibility; residents are 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 individual 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 align closely to national benchmarks, with typical health conditions prevalent across both young and elderly residents. Private health cover stands at approximately 70% of the total population (15,385 people), higher than Greater Adelaide's 67.1%, and significantly above the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 8.3% of residents, while arthritis impacts 7.8%.

A significant majority, 68.7%, report being free from medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Adelaide's 69.9%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.7% (5,234 people), compared to Greater Adelaide's 22.6%. Overall, the health profile is largely consistent with that of the general population.

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 has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 27.5% of its population 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 the population. Judaism, however, is more prevalent here compared to Greater Adelaide, making up 0.3% versus 0.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (26.8%), Australian (20.8%), and Other (8.2%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Greeks are slightly overrepresented at 3.8% (versus 4.0% regionally), Germans at 5.5% (versus 5.7%), and Italians at 5.1% (versus 4.7%).

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

The median age in Unley - Parkside was 44 years as of a certain date, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and also above Australia's median age of 38 years. Comparing this with the Greater Adelaide average, it is notable that the 75-84 age group made up 8.6% of Unley-Parkside's population, while the 25-34 age group constituted only 11.8%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the percentage of the population aged 15 to 24 increased from 11.1% to 13.1%, and the 75 to 84 cohort grew from 7.6% to 8.6%. Conversely, the proportion of people aged 85 or above decreased from 5.3% to 4.4%. Looking ahead to population forecasts for the year 2041, Unley-Parkside is expected to see significant demographic changes. The number of individuals in the 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 730 people (a 38% increase) from 1,897 to 2,628. This aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 52% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 65-74 age group and the 5-14 age group are both expected to experience population declines.