Wakefield - Barunga West

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

Wakefield - Barunga West's population, as of February 2026, is approximately 9,988, showing a growth of 488 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 9,500. This increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,756 in June 2024 and an additional 145 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is around 1.9 persons per square kilometer. Wakefield - Barunga West's growth rate of 5.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.5%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 51.5% of overall population gains 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, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median of regional areas nationally, with an expected expansion of 943 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 7.1% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Wakefield - Barunga West according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Wakefield - Barunga West has averaged approximately 35 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25175 homes were approved, with a further 13 approved in FY26 as of now. On average, 0.6 new residents have arrived per new home over these five years, indicating that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $252,000. This financial year has seen $25.9 million in commercial approvals, signifying moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the Rest of SA, Wakefield - Barunga West maintains similar construction rates per person, preserving market balance consistent with the broader area. However, these activity levels are below the national average, suggesting an established nature and potential planning limitations for the area.

All new construction has been detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. With approximately 257 people per approval, Wakefield - Barunga West reflects a low-density area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is projected to gain 711 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Wakefield - Barunga West 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 16 projects that could affect the region. Notable initiatives include Blyth Battery, Kulpara Quarry Operations, Kadina Northeastern Fringe Rezoning (Daddow Court / Abbott Drive), and Daddow Court and Abbott Drive Residential Development. The following list outlines those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Wakefield - Barunga West face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Wakefield - Barunga West has a balanced workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 6.9% as of September 2025. This is 1.6% higher than the Rest of SA's rate of 5.3%.

Workforce participation in the area is lower at 54.6%, compared to Rest of SA's 58.5%. According to Census responses, 13.8% of residents work from home. Dominant employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area has a specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Retail trade is under-represented at 7.3%, compared to Rest of SA's 9.9%. There appears to be limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 1.8% while employment declined by 0.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 1.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA experienced employment growth of 0.3% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a 1.9 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wakefield - Barunga West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.0% over five years and 11.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Wakefield - Barunga West SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $48,675. The average level stood at $62,593. This was lower than the national average and compared to levels of $48,920 and $58,933 across Rest of SA respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $52,958 (median) and $68,101 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data showed household, family and personal incomes in Wakefield - Barunga West all fell between the 6th and 11th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicated that the largest segment comprised 28.7% earning $400-$799 weekly (2,866 residents), differing from patterns across the broader area where $1,500-$2,999 dominated with 27.5%. Housing costs were modest with 89.4% of income retained, but total disposable income ranked at just the 12th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Wakefield - Barunga West, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.3% houses and 6.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro SA's 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wakefield - Barunga West stood at 47.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.6% and rented ones at 21.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $965, lower than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,153. Weekly rent in the area was $220, matching Non-Metro SA's figure but significantly lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Wakefield - Barunga West's mortgage repayments were notably lower at $965 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

Wakefield - Barunga West features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 65.7% of all households, including 23.5% couples with children, 32.2% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.3%, consisting of 31.8% lone person households and 2.4% group households. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of South Africa.

Wakefield - Barunga West faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 11.6%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.8%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.5%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (28.8%). Educational participation is high, with 25.2% currently enrolled in formal education, comprising primary (12.0%), secondary (7.4%), and tertiary (1.8%) levels.

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Wakefield - Barunga West faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~5,033 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis (11.8%) and mental health issues (9.5%). Conversely, 59.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 62.5% across Rest of SA. Working-age population health challenges include elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 28.2% (2,820 people), compared to the Rest of SA's 27.1%. Health outcomes among seniors present notable challenges, with national rankings even higher than those for the general population.

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

Wakefield-Barunga West, surveyed in June-August 2016, had a culturally diverse population with 8.7% citizens born overseas, 10.3% born outside Australia, and 3.4% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 50.1%, compared to 45.2% in Rest of SA. Ancestry-wise, Australian (34.9%), English (34.4%), and German (7.8%) were the top groups.

Notably, Filipino representation was higher at 1.3% than regional average of 0.7%, while Australian Aboriginal was lower at 1.9% compared to 3.3%.

Wakefield - Barunga West hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Wakefield - Barunga West is 48 years, which is similar to the Rest of SA's average of 47 but well above the national norm of 38. Compared to the Rest of SA average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented at 16.1% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.2%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national figure of 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 14.9% to 16.1%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 8.1% to 9.2%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.4% to 11.1%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 15.8% to 14.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Wakefield - Barunga West, with the 85+ cohort projected to grow by 99%, adding 290 residents to reach 583. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 66% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, both the 65-74 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.