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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.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Wallaroo has an estimated 5,019 residents, up from 4,426 at the 2021 Census — a change of 593 people, or 13.4%. Growth has averaged 2.4% a year over five years, faster than 81% of areas nationally. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 95.0% of that increase. Density is about 34 people per 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
According to the analysis by AreaSearch, the population of Wallaroo stands at approximately 5,019 in May 2026. This represents a growth of 593 people (13.4%) from the 2021 Census, which documented 4,426 residents. This shift is calculated from the ABS estimated resident population of 4,971 in June 2025 and 89 validated new addresses confirmed since the Census. Such a population size results in a density of 34 persons per square kilometer, indicating low density. The 13.4% expansion rate of Wallaroo since the 2021 census outpaced the Rest of SA (5.9%) and its SA4 region, positioning it as a regional growth leader.
This population rise was mainly supported by interstate migration, which accounted for roughly 95.0% of the population gains in recent times. Projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia, issued in 2024 with a 2022 baseline, are utilized by AreaSearch for each SA2 region. For SA2 territories lacking this data, and for any projections past 2032, the 2023 SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, using 2021 figures, are applied with adjustments via weighted aggregation from the LGA to the SA2 level. Based on these anticipated demographic changes, population growth is expected to land slightly below the median for non-metropolitan areas in Australia, with the locality projected to add 406 residents by 2041 relative to the most recent annual ERP data, marking an overall increase of 7.1% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
345 new dwellings have been approved in Wallaroo over the past five years, an average of 69 a year. That places the area in the 79th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 14 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 54 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 100% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 112, running ahead of that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Wallaroo has seen approximately 69 residential building approvals per year, totaling 345 home approvals during the last 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 103 during the current FY-26. A ratio of 1.6 people moving to the region for every new dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) indicates a balanced relationship between supply and demand, promoting stability, with new dwellings carrying an average building cost of $290,000. Additionally, $3.3 million in commercial development approvals have been logged in the current financial year, highlighting the predominantly residential character of the area.
Relative to the Rest of SA, Wallaroo displays a somewhat higher rate of construction (39.0% above the regional average per capita over the 5 year period), which provides choices for buyers while protecting current property values, even though construction momentum has decelerated recently. This activity level is notably higher than the national average, indicating substantial developer focus on the locality. Additionally, all new developments have consisted of standalone houses, reinforcing the low-density landscape with detached dwellings that appeal to buyers seeking spaciousness. With roughly 90 residents per approved dwelling, Wallaroo exhibits the qualities of a developing area. Demographic forecasts point to Wallaroo gaining 358 residents by 2041 (compared to the most recent quarterly estimate from AreaSearch). Under current construction trends, the addition of new housing is poised to comfortably satisfy demand, providing favorable conditions for purchasers and potentially supporting population expansion beyond these forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Wallaroo
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 4 current infrastructure and development projects inside Wallaroo, worth an estimated $19 million. A further 60 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $17.4 billion. 19 are already under construction and 13 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, ports, marinas, fisheries & aquaculture and communities, precincts & urban renewal. 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
Local infrastructure projects, major developments, and urban planning decisions can significantly influence the performance of a region. AreaSearch has identified 16 key projects expected to influence the locality. Notable developments include the Wallaroo Roads Rehabilitation, the Copper Cove Marina Wallaroo, the Wallaroo Shores Masterplanned Community (specifically the Aspen Group Stages), and the Wallaroo Grain Export Facility (Port Narungga), with the following list highlighting those of greatest local significance.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Wallaroo Roads Rehabilitation
Pavement rehabilitation and resurfacing work on multiple roads within Wallaroo township, jointly funded by the State Government and Copper Coast Council, to improve safety, access, and road amenity for all users, enhancing transport efficiency and sustainability. The $5.2 million project commenced in September 2025 and is expected to be completed in mid-2026.
Copper Cove Marina Wallaroo
A world-class marina development in Wallaroo, SA located on the Spencer Gulf. The project encompasses approximately 500 housing allotments, up to 154 marina berths, a resort area, medium-density cluster housing, a boat ramp, and a commercial precinct. A key residential component of the marina is 'Seapoint', which is being marketed and overseen by Dellta Projects.
Wallaroo Grain Export Facility (Port Narungga)
Grain export facility, also known as Port Narungga, developed by T-Ports. It includes steel silos with 20,500 tonnes capacity, a 500-metre rock causeway with a ship loader, and a nearby bunker site with a total of 240,000 tonnes capacity (an earlier estimate of 340,000 tonnes was also published). The facility was built to improve efficiencies for local growers on the Yorke Peninsula and Mid North. The port silos and bunker storage were completed for grain receival in the 2022/2023 harvest, and the full build was completed in 2023.
Aspen Living Wallaroo Sands
Aspen Group acquired the final stages of the Wallaroo Shores masterplanned community in late 2025, rebranding it to Aspen Living Wallaroo Sands. The 13.45-hectare coastal site will feature over 300 sites, including 200 lifestyle land lease homes, residential build-to-rent (BTR) units, townhouses, residential land lots, and a commercial and retail precinct.
Copper Coast Sport & Leisure Centre Redevelopment
A $10.3 million redevelopment of the 40-year-old Kadina and District Recreation Centre into a modern sport and leisure facility. The new hub includes a program pool, multiple indoor courts, squash courts, a gymnasium, upgraded outdoor facilities, a playground, caf,, and community spaces.
Kadina Central Expansion
Major mixed-use masterplanned community on the eastern side of Kadina comprising more than 115 residential allotments, a 14-home retirement village, supported disability housing, a 1000sqm medical centre, a 112-place childcare centre, commercial land and a smart park with public Wi-Fi and smart city infrastructure. Construction is progressing in stages with residential land actively being marketed.
Gawler Street Flood Mitigation
A flood mitigation project to address stormwater issues in the Gawler Street area of Kadina. The project is scheduled to begin in early 2024.
Kadina Town Hall Restoration
Restoration of the heritage-listed Kadina Town Hall to address structural and safety issues, including roof and interior works. The hall officially reopened to the public in June 2019 and is now back in regular community use and hosts Council meetings.
1,776 residents of Wallaroo are employed, from a labour force of 1,909. Unemployment sits at 7.0%, with participation at 43.8%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.4% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth, so in an area growing as fast as this one it understates the likely rise in local jobs. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The workforce in Wallaroo exhibits a mix of white-collar and blue-collar roles, with a solid representation of essential service industries, a 7.0% rate of unemployment, and an estimated annual employment expansion of 4.0%. As of March 2026, there are 1,776 employed residents, with the unemployment rate tracking 1.5% higher than the 5.5% rate in Regional SA, and participation in the labour force remaining low (43.8% relative to 58.4% in Regional SA). According to the Census, a modest 9.5% of working residents operated from home, though this figure was likely influenced by Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
The primary employment fields for local workers are health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and construction. The region shows a strong concentration in health care & social assistance, where the employment proportion is 1.4 times that of the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is less represented at 7.0% compared to the regional rate of 14.5%. Comparing the Census working population against the resident workforce suggests that local employment opportunities are limited. Analysis of SALM and ABS statistics by AreaSearch shows that during the 12 months ending March 2026, the number of employed persons grew by 4.0% and the labour force expanded by 3.5%, leading to a 0.5 percentage point drop in the unemployment rate. This stands in contrast to Regional SA, where employment expanded by 1.2%, the labour force increased by 2.6%, and unemployment rose by 1.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia dated May-25 offer additional perspective on potential employment trends in Wallaroo. These five and ten-year projections have been applied to the local workforce structure to model future growth. Nationally, employment is predicted to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though rates vary significantly by sector. Applying these sectoral growth rates to the job structure of Wallaroo suggests local employment could grow by 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years (this represents a direct weighting calculation for demonstration purposes and does not incorporate local population forecasts).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Wallaroo is $916 a week (about $48,000 a year), with median personal income at $521 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $43,672 a year against an average of $56,886. 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
According to the latest postcode-level ATO data released by AreaSearch for financial year 2023, taxpayers in the Wallaroo SA2 have a median income of $43,672 and an average income of $56,886. This sits below the national average and compares to a median of $48,920 and average of $58,933 in Regional SA. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since financial year 2023, the updated figures are estimated at approximately $48,113 (median) and $62,671 (average) as of March 2026. The 2021 Census reveals that household, family, and individual incomes in Wallaroo rank between the 1st and 4th percentiles across Australia.
The statistics show the largest bracket consists of 34.6% of residents (1,736 people) earning $400 - 799 weekly, which differs from the metropolitan area where the $1,500 - 2,999 range is largest at 27.5%. The high share of lower-income households (43.4% below $800/week) points to limited household budgets throughout the area. Affordability pressures are notable, with only 84.2% of income remaining after housing costs, placing the area in the 3rd percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Wallaroo had 1,888 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 92% detached houses and 0% apartments. 24% are owned with a mortgage, 31% rented and 45% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $250 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,213 a month. Rent absorbs 27.3% of household income here and mortgage repayments 30.6%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Residential structures in Wallaroo at the time of the latest Census consisted of 91.9% houses and 8.2% other housing types (such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and alternative dwellings), compared to 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings in Regional SA. The rate of home ownership in Wallaroo reached 44.9%, exceeding the Regional SA rate, while the remaining homes were mortgaged (23.9%) or rented (31.2%). The median monthly mortgage cost in the area was higher than the Regional SA average at $1,213, while the median weekly rental cost was $250, compared to Regional SA averages of $1,153 and $220.
Nationally, the monthly mortgage repayments in Wallaroo are much lower than the Australian median of $1,863, and rents are also significantly below the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Wallaroo counted 1,888 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 2,141 today, averaging 2.1 people each. 15% are couples with children, fewer than in 94% of areas nationally, against 38% couples without children. 33% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.1 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family households make up 64.6% of the local area, consisting of 15.2% couples with children, 37.8% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent households. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.4%, with single-person households at 32.6% and group housing making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Regional SA average of 2.3.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
9.5% of adults in Wallaroo hold a university qualification, including 7.2% with a bachelor degree and 1.1% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 96% of areas nationally. A further 30.9% hold a vocational qualification. 2 schools serve the area, with 212 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 930 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
Educational outcomes in the area present challenges, with the proportion of residents holding a university qualification (9.5%) falling well below the national rate of 30.4%. This represents both a hurdle and an opening for focused learning programs. Bachelor degrees are the most common higher education credential at 7.2%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.2%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.1%). Vocational and technical skills are highly prevalent, with 39.8% of residents aged 15+ holding a vocational qualification, including advanced diplomas (8.9%) and certificates (30.9%). A significant portion of the population is engaged in formal studies, representing 20.7% of residents.
This cohort includes 10.0% in primary school, 5.6% in secondary school, and 1.7% enrolled in higher education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Wallaroo means driving: households keep an average of 1.3 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
53.3% of residents in Wallaroo report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 89% of areas nationally. 9.8% need daily assistance with core activities, and 47.6% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.8 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health indicators highlight notable difficulties for Wallaroo, based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality statistics and the prevalence of chronic illnesses, with common conditions observed in both younger and older cohorts, and the rate of private health insurance coverage sitting very low at about 48% of the population (~2,389 people) compared to a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical issues reported in the region are arthritis and mental health conditions, affecting 14.1% and 9.8% of the population, respectively, while 53.3% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 62.5% in Regional SA.
The working-age cohort experiences significant health pressures with high rates of chronic illness. Residents aged 65 and over make up 37.2% of the local population (1,867 people), exceeding the 27.1% share in Regional SA. Health trends among older residents show some difficulties, with national rankings aligning generally with the broader population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Wallaroo is largely Australian-born, at 89.8% of residents, with 2.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (35.6%) and Australian (35.0%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Wallaroo shows relatively low levels of cultural diversity, with citizens making up 91.1% of the population, 89.8% of residents born in Australia, and 97.1% of households speaking only English at home. The predominant religion is Christianity, which is practiced by 46.8% of local residents, compared to 45.2% across Regional SA. Looking at ancestral backgrounds (parents' country of birth), the three most common ancestries in Wallaroo are English at 35.6%, Australian at 35.0%, and Scottish at 6.5%. Notable differences in the representation of other backgrounds include German at 5.6% (compared to 8.2% across the region), Dutch at 1.3% (compared to 1.3%), and Spanish at 0.4% (compared to 0.2%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Wallaroo is 56, older than 97% of areas nationally. 13.8% 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 median age in Wallaroo is 56 years, which is higher than Regional SA's median of 47 years and the national median of 38 years. The demographic profile reveals a high concentration of residents aged 65 - 74 years (20.2%), while the 25 - 34 age bracket is smaller (6.1%) than in Regional SA. The proportion of residents in the 65 - 74 group is much higher than the national average of 9.4%. Since 2021, the share of people aged 75 to 84 years has increased from 11.2% to 13.2% of the population, while the 55 to 64 cohort has dropped from 18.4% to 17.2%.
Looking forward to 2041, demographic models point to notable changes in the age profile, with the 85+ bracket expected to grow by 233 people (120%), rising from 193 to 427. Residents aged 65 and over are projected to account for 77% of the total population growth, highlighting the aging trend, while population numbers for the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 groups are expected to decline.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Wallaroo
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 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) | May 2026 3 months ago 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 May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 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 Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jun 2026 2 months ago all 4 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 5 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 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month 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 — 89 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (4,426 at the 2021 Census → 5,019 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 May 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 (405041126). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.