Adelaide

Adelaide lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Adelaide is around 22,705, reflecting a 4,503 person increase since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 24.7% rise from the previous population count of 18,202 people. The current resident population estimate of 22,657 by AreaSearch is based on an examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and includes an additional 840 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,166 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 24.7% since the 2021 census exceeds both the state's growth rate of 7.5% and that of Greater Adelaide, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 98.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving this primary demographic trend.

AreaSearch adopts 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 by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead with demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is expected for the suburb of Adelaide. By 2041, the area is projected to expand by 2,787 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 12.1% over the 16-year period based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Adelaide among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Adelaide recorded approximately 227 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1,135 homes. As of FY-26107 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.1 people moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand exceeding supply. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $588,000, targeting the premium market segment.

In FY-26, there have been $865.6 million in commercial approvals. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Adelaide has comparable new home approvals per person, suggesting market stability. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. Nationally, Adelaide's new home approvals are substantially higher, indicating strong developer confidence. New development consists of 4.0% detached houses and 96.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

The location has approximately 245 people per dwelling approval, leaving room for growth. Future projections estimate Adelaide adding 2,739 residents by 2041, with current development patterns suggesting new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Adelaide has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Area infrastructure performance is significantly influenced by local changes. AreaSearch identified 57 projects potentially impacting the area. Notable projects include SA Water Capital Work Delivery Contracts 2024-28, Keystone Tower, Best Life Angas Street, and Market Square and Central Market Expansion. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Adelaide has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 7.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 6.3%. As of December 2025, 13,030 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 3.7% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation was similar to Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. According to Census responses, 14.1% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries include accommodation & food, professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. The area specializes in accommodation & food, with an employment share 2.4 times the regional level, but construction employs only 4.1% of local workers compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.7%.

There were 6.6 workers per resident as at the Census, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 6.3%, while the labour force grew by 5.5%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 4.2% and unemployment fall by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Adelaide. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Adelaide's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localized population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023 shows Adelaide suburb had median taxpayer income at $42,296 and average level at $61,773. These figures are lower than national averages of $54,808 and $66,852 respectively across Greater Adelaide. With a 10.17% increase since financial year ending June 2023 based on Wage Price Index growth, estimated current incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $46,598 (median) and $68,055 (average). Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Adelaide rank modestly between the 25th and 33rd percentiles. Income distribution shows 29.1% of individuals earning between $1,500 - $2,999. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 76.1% of income remaining, ranking at the 16th percentile. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Adelaide features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Adelaide, as per the latest Census evaluation, dwelling structures comprised 4.4% houses and 95.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Adelaide was at 18.3%, with the rest either mortgaged (15.7%) or rented (66.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Adelaide's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 40.2% of all households, including 7.0% couples with children, 26.6% couples without children, and 4.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 59.8%, with lone person households at 45.4% and group households comprising 14.5%. The median household size is 1.8 people, smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Adelaide shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Adelaide residents aged 15 and above have a higher educational attainment compared to broader benchmarks. Specifically, 52.8% of Adelaide's residents hold university qualifications, surpassing the state average of 25.7% and Greater Adelaide's average of 28.9%. This high level of educational attainment positions Adelaide strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%).

Vocational pathways account for 19.2% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.5% and certificates 9.7%. Educational participation is notably high in Adelaide, with 42.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 30.7% in tertiary education, 3.0% in primary education, and 2.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Adelaide has 241 active public transport stops serving a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops are covered by 282 individual routes, offering a total of 28,609 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 142 meters to the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, outward commuting is prevalent. Car remains the dominant mode of transportation at 38%, followed by walking at 36% and bus at 14%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.3, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 4,087 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 118 weekly trips per individual stop. The provided map illustrates the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Adelaide's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Adelaide.

AreaSearch's assessment indicates very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~11,677 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.1 and 5.5% of residents respectively. Seventy-seven point one percent of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 13.8% of residents aged 65 and over (3,133 people), which is lower than the 19.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Adelaide is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Adelaide has one of the most culturally diverse populations in Australia, with 46.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 55.8% born overseas as of 2021. Christianity is the predominant religion in Adelaide, comprising 26.6% of its population. However, Buddhism has a higher representation in Adelaide compared to the Greater Adelaide average, with 5.6% versus 2.4%.

The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents are Chinese (21.4%), English (20.0%), and Australian (12.0%). Notably, Chinese ancestry is substantially higher than the regional average of 3.1%, while English and Australian ancestries are lower compared to their respective averages of 27.8% and 22.8%. Other ethnic groups with notable divergences include Korean at 1.5% in Adelaide versus 0.3% regionally, Vietnamese at 1.9% versus 1.2%, and French at 0.7% versus 0.4%.

Adelaide hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Adelaide's median age is 30 years, which is younger than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and also lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Adelaide has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (31.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (2.4%). This concentration of 25-34-year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the proportion of Adelaide's population aged 25-34 has grown from 27.3% in the previous census to 31.0%, while the proportion of those aged 75-84 has increased from 3.3% to 5.2%. Conversely, the proportions of residents aged 55-64 and 45-54 have declined from 8.5% to 7.0% and 9.1% to 7.7%, respectively. Demographic projections suggest that Adelaide's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow the strongest, with an increase of 12% adding 847 residents to reach a total of 7,886. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 15-24 age groups.