Alberton (SA)

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Alberton's population is estimated at around 1,841 as of May 2026. This reflects a decrease of 19 people (1.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,860 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,834 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 15 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,917 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 56% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. Examining future population trends projects an above median population growth for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, with the suburb expected to grow by 347 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 18.5% in total over the 16 years.

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

Alberton has seen approximately 20 new home approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling around 100 homes. As of FY-26, 10 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25 accommodates about 1.2 new residents annually, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. The average construction value for new homes is $363,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting focus on quality developments.

This financial year has seen $7.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Alberton records elevated construction activity, with 28.0% more approvals per person over the past five years. This preserves buyer options and sustains property demand, despite a recent slowdown in building activity. New development consists of 42.0% detached dwellings and 58.0% medium to high-density housing, marking a shift from the current housing mix of 69.0% houses. This density creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

The location has approximately 227 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Population forecasts suggest Alberton will gain 340 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Alberton has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. Two projects, identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area, are key: Rosewater Loop Project, Our Port, St Clair, and Findon Road Upgrade. Details about these projects can be found below.

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

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Employment performance in Alberton exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Alberton has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.0%. As of December 2025, 1,049 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.4% below Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation is 68.5%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. Only 10.8% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Education & training has a particularly high share at 1.2 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services are under-represented at 5.2% compared to Greater Adelaide's 7.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.0% while labour force grew by 3.1%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 4.2%, labour force growth of 3.9%, with unemployment falling by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Alberton. These projections estimate national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Alberton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 2023 shows that median income in Alberton suburb is $60,351 and average income is $66,159. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide's figures of a median income of $54,808 and an average income of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 10.17% from financial year ended June 2023 to March 2026, estimated median income is approximately $66,489 and average income is $72,887 as of March 2026. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, personal income ranks at the 44th percentile with weekly earnings of $779, while household income sits at the 24th percentile. Income distribution data shows that 30.1% of individuals (554 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band, similar to the regional trend of 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 83.8% of income remaining post housing costs, ranking at the 24th percentile. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Alberton's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 69.1% houses and 30.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Alberton stood at 33.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.6% and rented ones at 28.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,602, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent in Alberton was $279, lower than Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Alberton's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 58.1 percent of all households, including 23.2 percent couples with children, 23.6 percent couples without children, and 9.7 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 41.9 percent, with lone person households at 39.4 percent and group households comprising 2.6 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

Alberton's educational qualifications trail Australian benchmarks, with 24.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the national average of 30.4%. This difference suggests potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common, held by 15.9% of residents, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 33.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 9.3% and certificates at 24.3%.

A significant proportion of the population is actively pursuing formal education, with 7.6% in primary, 4.6% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

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

Alberton has ten active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by nine different routes, collectively facilitating 950 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 161 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Alberton's predominantly residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport, used by 88% of residents. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 10.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 135 trips per day, equating to approximately 95 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Alberton is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Alberton faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high among younger and older age cohorts alike. Private health cover is more prevalent here than average, at approximately 53% of the total population (~978 people). Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 10.7 and 9.3% of residents respectively. However, 63.6% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 67.9% in Greater Adelaide. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. Alberton has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over, at 22.2% (408 people), than Greater Adelaide's 19.2%. National rankings for these conditions are even higher than the general population.

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

Alberton's population showed higher-than-average cultural diversity, with 20.6% born overseas and 17.3% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Alberton, accounting for 45.0% of its population. The 'Other' religious category had a slightly higher representation in Alberton at 1.1%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 1.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (26.8%), Australian (21.2%), and Irish (7.8%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Russian was overrepresented at 2.5% in Alberton versus 0.3% regionally, Welsh at 0.9% compared to 0.6%, and Polish at 1.2% versus 1.0%.

Alberton hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Alberton is 44 years, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and also exceeds the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, the cohort aged 55-64 is notably over-represented in Alberton at 13.9%, while those aged 15-24 are under-represented at 8.4%. Between the 2021 Census and present day, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 12.9% to 14.8%, and the cohort aged 75 to 84 has increased from 5.9% to 7.0%. Conversely, the percentage of those aged 55 to 64 has declined from 15.6% to 13.9%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Alberton. The cohort aged 75 to 84 is projected to grow substantially by 80 people, increasing from 128 to 209. The group aged 5 to 14 is expected to grow more modestly at 5%, adding only 7 residents.