Yorke Peninsula - North

An assessment of population growth drivers in Yorke Peninsula - North reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Yorke Peninsula - North's population is around 7,918 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 460 people (6.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,458 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,719 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 120 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2.2 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Over the past decade, Yorke Peninsula - North has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a 0.7% compound annual growth rate, outpacing the Rest of SA. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 91.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted with adjustments made using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking at population projections moving forward, a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 520 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 4.0% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Yorke Peninsula - North when compared nationally

Yorke Peninsula - North has averaged around 55 new dwelling approvals each year, with 275 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 28 so far in FY-26. With an average of only 0.9 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is meeting or surpassing demand, providing greater buyer choice and supporting potential for population growth above projections, while new homes are being built at an average value of $268,000. There have also been $14.3 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development.

When measured against the Rest of SA, Yorke Peninsula - North records about 66% of the building activity per person and ranks within the 76th percentile of areas assessed nationally. Furthermore, recent building activity consists entirely of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 160 people per dwelling approval, Yorke Peninsula - North shows characteristics of a low-density area.

Looking ahead, Yorke Peninsula - North is expected to grow by 321 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Yorke Peninsula - North has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 3 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Riverbend Port Hughes, The Dunes Port Hughes, Kulpara Quarry Operations, and SA Public Housing Maintenance and Services Contracts, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment drivers in Yorke Peninsula - North are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Yorke Peninsula - North features a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with diverse sector representation, an unemployment rate of 6.7%, and 1.7% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 2,934 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.0% above Regional SA's rate of 5.7%, and workforce participation lags significantly (47.7% compared to Regional SA's 58.8%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 17.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, manufacturing is under-represented, with only 5.4% of the Yorke Peninsula - North workforce compared to 9.3% in Regional SA. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.7% and the labour force increased by 3.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.3 percentage points. This compares to Regional SA, where employment grew by 0.7%, the labour force expanded by 3.1%, and unemployment rose 2.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Yorke Peninsula - North. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Yorke Peninsula - North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.0% over five years and 11.4% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Yorke Peninsula - North SA2 is below the national average, with the median assessed at $45,181 while the average income stands at $64,414. This contrasts with Regional SA's figures of a median income of $48,920 and an average income of $58,933. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $49,157 (median) and $70,082 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Yorke Peninsula - North all fall between the 3rd and 7th percentiles nationally. Looking at income distribution, the predominant cohort spans 31.6% of locals (2,502 people) in the $400 - 799 category, unlike trends at regional levels where 27.5% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. The prevalence of lower-income residents (40.8% under $800/week) indicates constrained household budgets across much of the area. While housing costs are modest with 91.0% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 8th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure within Yorke Peninsula - North, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 93.2% houses and 6.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional SA's 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Yorke Peninsula - North was well beyond that of Regional SA, at 58.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (22.8%) or rented (18.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Regional SA average at $1,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $200, compared to Regional SA's $1,153 and $220. Nationally, Yorke Peninsula - North's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 65.0% of all households, comprising 18.1% couples with children, 40.3% couples without children, and 5.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.0%, with lone person households at 33.3% and group households comprising 1.7% of the total. The median household size of 2.1 people is smaller than the Regional SA average of 2.3.

Yorke Peninsula - North 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 (11.2%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 8.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 39.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (30.5%).

A substantial 22.2% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 10.4% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 1.5% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Yorke Peninsula - North, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~4,054 people), compared to 48.9% across Regional SA.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 13.7 and 8.5% of residents, respectively, while 56.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 62.5% across Regional SA. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 38.5% of residents aged 65 and over (3,049 people), which is higher than the 27.1% in Regional SA. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

The latest Census data sees Yorke Peninsula - North placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Yorke Peninsula - North was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 91.6% of its population being citizens, 91.0% born in Australia, and 98.2% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Yorke Peninsula - North is Christianity, which makes up 53.7% of people in the area. This compares to 45.2% across Regional SA.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Yorke Peninsula - North are English, comprising 34.9% of the population, Australian, comprising 34.5% of the population, and German, comprising 8.0% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal is notably overrepresented at 3.8% of Yorke Peninsula - North (vs 3.3% regionally).

Yorke Peninsula - North ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Yorke Peninsula - North's median age of 57 years stands materially older than Regional SA's 47 and is significantly higher than the 38-year national average. Compared to the Regional SA average, the 65 - 74 cohort is notably over-represented (20.0% locally), while 15 - 24 year-olds are under-represented (6.5%). This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. Following the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 11.2% to 14.5% of the population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 17.4% to 15.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Yorke Peninsula - North's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to surge dramatically, expanding by 322 people (102%) from 317 to 640. Senior residents (65+) will drive 85% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 5 to 14 and 25 to 34 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.