Waikerie
Statistical Area - sa2

Waikerie is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Waikerie's population is 6,827 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 181 people, or 2.7%, since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,646. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 6,772 in June 2024 and an additional 63 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1.2 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods.

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 post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections based on 2021 data are adopted with adjustments made via weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth is anticipated for Australia's non-metropolitan areas. Waikerie is expected to expand by 63 persons to 2041, with an increase of 0.1% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Waikerie recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Waikerie has averaged approximately 44 new dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data for Waikerie is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 224 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with 12 recorded so far in FY-26. The average expected construction cost value of new homes being built in Waikerie is around $380,000. There have also been $7.8 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating the area's primarily residential nature.

Compared to Rest of SA, Waikerie shows moderately higher building activity, with 13.0% more dwelling approvals per person over the past five years, offering reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached dwellings, preserving Waikerie's low density character and attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 130 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

According to projections, Waikerie is expected to grow by 8 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Waikerie has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally

Five projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance: Morgan Whyalla Pipeline Renewal, Solar River Energy Project, Robertstown Solar Project, and Project EnergyConnect. These projects could significantly influence local infrastructure.

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

Employment performance in Waikerie has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Waikerie's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with varied sector representation. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 4.1%.

In Waikerie, 3,032 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.5% lower than Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Waikerie is somewhat below standard at 50.2%, compared to Rest of SA's 54.1%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has strong specialization with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 9.9% versus the regional average of 13.9%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and May 2025, labour force decreased by 2.3%, employment declined by 3.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.9 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of SA where employment contracted by 1.2%, labour force grew by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 1.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national growth in employment by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Waikerie's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.7% over five years and 10.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

Waikerie's median income among taxpayers was $44,104 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $50,624 during the same period. These figures are lower than those for Rest of SA, which were $46,889 and $56,582 respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggest that Waikerie's median income will be approximately $48,880 and average income around $56,107, assuming a Wage Price Index growth of 10.83%. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Waikerie fall between the 4th and 11th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 30.5% of individuals earn between $400 and $799, while this band captures only 21.8% across Australia. In contrast, the $1,500 to $2,999 earnings band dominates in Waikerie's surrounding region with 27.5%. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 89.1% income retention, total disposable income ranks at just the 8th percentile nationally.

Waikerie is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Waikerie, as per the latest Census, 92.1% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 7.8% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This is compared to Non-Metro SA's 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Waikerie stood at 46.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.4% and rented ones at 22.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $953, lower than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,083. The median weekly rent in Waikerie was $200, compared to Non-Metro SA's $220. Nationally, Waikerie's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $953 versus Australia's average of $1,863. Similarly, rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 64.7% of all households, including 21.2% couples with children, 33.9% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for 35.3%, with lone person households at 32.7% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of SA average of 2.3.

Waikerie faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 9.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.5%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.2%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (30.7%).

Educational participation is notably high at 26.1%, including 12.3% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 1.1% pursuing tertiary education. Waikerie has a robust network of 7 schools educating approximately 718 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 964) offering balanced educational opportunities. There are 6 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents are lower at 10.5 compared to the regional average of 13.6, possibly leading some students to attend schools in adjacent areas.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Waikerie is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Waikerie faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, affecting around 3,154 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (impacting 11.8% of residents) and asthma (affecting 8.0%). Notably, 62.2% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of SA's 61.8%. Waikerie has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 29.5%, or approximately 2,011 people, compared to the Rest of SA's 26.2%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Waikerie are above average, outperforming the general population in various health metrics.

Waikerie is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Waikerie, as per the findings, exhibited lower cultural diversity with 85.2% of its population being citizens, 87.9% born in Australia, and 94.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 49.8%. The category 'Other' showed an overrepresentation in Waikerie at 1.8%, compared to 1.5% regionally.

In terms of ancestry, Australian was the highest at 31.6%, followed by English at 30.8% and German at 13.6%. Notable differences were observed in Hungarian (0.3% vs 0.2%), Welsh (0.5% vs 0.4%) and Australian Aboriginal (1.9% vs 3.0%).

Waikerie ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Waikerie is 50 years, slightly higher than the Rest of South Australia average of 47 and considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of SA average, the cohort aged 65-74 is notably over-represented at 17.3% in Waikerie, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 8.0%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 9.4%. Between June 2021 and June 2026, the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 7.9% to 9.7%, while the 25 to 34 age cohort has decreased from 9.4% to 8.0%. By 2041, Waikerie is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition, with the 75 to 84 age group projected to grow by 319 people (a 48% increase) from 658 to 978. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 91% of total population growth, reflecting Waikerie's aging demographic profile. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 and 15 to 24 age groups are projected to have reduced numbers by 2041.