West Beach
Statistical Area - sa2

West Beach has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

West Beach's population was approximately 5,447 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 272 people, a 5.3% rise from the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5,175. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,438 in June 2024 and an additional 26 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,207 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. West Beach's growth rate of 5.3% since the census is within 1.8 percentage points of the state's 7.1%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.1% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, West Beach is expected to increase by just below the median of statistical areas across the nation, with an expected population increase of 564 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 10.2% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within West Beach when compared nationally

West Beach averaged approximately 26 new dwelling approvals per year. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25131 homes were approved, with an additional 7 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 2 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions.

The average construction cost of new homes was around $455,000, suggesting developers targeted premium market segments with high-end developments. This year has seen $3.9 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Adelaide, West Beach shows about 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 67th percentile nationally for areas assessed.

Recent construction comprises 76.0% detached houses and 24.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. The location has approximately 234 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. By 2041, West Beach is projected to grow by about 555 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

West Beach has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that may affect this region. Notable projects include Adelaide Airport Industrial Development, West Beach Surf Life Saving Club Rebuild, Apex Park Stage 2 Redevelopment, and River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in West Beach rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

West Beach has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.6% as of June 2025, with estimated employment growth of 3.2% over the past year.

In June 2025, 3,049 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.4% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.

However, health care & social assistance employs only 16.3% of local workers, below Greater Adelaide's 17.7%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 3.2%, alongside labour force growth of 3.2%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. Greater Adelaide recorded employment and labour force growth of 2.1% each, with a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to West Beach's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

West Beach had a median taxpayer income of $54,139 and an average income of $70,158 according to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This was higher than national averages, with Greater Adelaide having a median income of $52,592 and an average income of $64,886 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $61,085 (median) and $79,159 (average). According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranked at the 66th percentile ($896 weekly), while household income was at the 50th percentile. The earnings profile showed that 28.2% of locals (1,536 people) fell into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to the broader area where 31.8% occupied this bracket. After housing costs, 86.2% of income remained for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

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

West Beach's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 66.0% houses and 34.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 63.9% houses and 36.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Beach was 39.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.4% and rented dwellings at 27.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Beach was $2,000, higher than Adelaide metro's $1,745. The median weekly rent in West Beach was $320, compared to Adelaide metro's $310. Nationally, West Beach's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $320 compared to the national figure of $375.

West Beach has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 69.2% of all households, including 31.4% couples with children, 29.4% couples without children, and 7.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.8%, with lone person households at 28.5% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.3.

The educational profile of West Beach exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable with university qualification rates at 33.1% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the South Australian average of 25.7% and Greater Adelaide's rate of 28.9%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 31.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 10.8% and certificates make up 20.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.8% in primary, 6.6% in secondary, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education. West Beach Primary School serves the local community with an enrollment of 317 students as of a recent report. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1083). There is one school focused exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. Local school capacity is limited at 5.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.8, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

West Beach has 50 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 15 different routes that together provide 627 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 133 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 89 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

West Beach'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

West Beach's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks, showing a typical distribution of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 54% (~2963 people) of West Beach residents have private health cover, compared to 51.8% across Greater Adelaide.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 8.6% of residents) and asthma (6.5%), while 69.7% report having no medical ailments, compared to 70.9% in Greater Adelaide. As of 2021, 21.1% (~1148 people) of West Beach residents are aged 65 or over, higher than the 17.6% figure for Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors in West Beach exceed average levels and outperform those of the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in West Beach was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

West Beach's cultural diversity was above average, with 23.7% born overseas and 15.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, at 52.4%. The most notable overrepresentation was in 'Other', at 1.1%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 3.1%.

In terms of ancestry, English (28.5%) and Australian (23.9%) were the top groups, while 'Other' was lower at 7.3%. Some ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Greek (4.2% vs regional 6.1%), Polish (1.1% vs 0.9%), and Russian (0.6% vs 0.3%).

West Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in West Beach is 44 years, which exceeds Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and is also higher than the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide's average, West Beach has a notably higher proportion of people aged 55-64 (13.2%) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (11.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population aged 35 to 44 has increased from 12.3% to 13.5%, while the proportion of people aged 75 to 84 has decreased from 8.3% to 7.4%. By 2041, West Beach's population is projected to see significant growth in the 85+ age cohort, with an increase of 104 people (57%) from 185 to 290. The 0 to 4 age group is expected to grow by 5%, adding only 10 residents during this period.