Blackwood (SA)

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, as of Nov 2025, Blackwood (SA) statistical area (Lv2) has an estimated population of around 4,507. This reflects a growth of 241 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,266. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 4,492 residents following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release (June 2024), along with validation of 9 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,078 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across other areas assessed by AreaSearch. Blackwood's growth rate of 5.6% since the 2021 census exceeded its SA3 area's growth rate of 5.0%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 55.00000000000001% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

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 released in 2023. Projecting demographic trends, an above median population growth is expected for the area, with a projected increase of 674 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 15.2% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Blackwood when compared nationally

Blackwood has received approximately 15 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling around 76 homes. In FY26 so far, there have been 7 approvals. This results in an average of 4.7 new residents per year for every home built between FY21 and FY25. The average construction cost value of these dwellings is $557,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment.

Commercial approvals this financial year amount to $545,000, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Blackwood has similar development levels per person, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas. However, these activity levels are below average nationally, possibly due to the area's maturity and planning constraints. New developments consist of 88% standalone homes and 12% townhouses or apartments, preserving the suburban nature of the location with low density markets, at approximately 195 people per dwelling approval.

By 2041, Blackwood is projected to grow by 685 residents based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Blackwood has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified two projects likely impacting the area. Key projects are Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access, Adelaide's Inner And Outer Ring Route Capacity Improvements, Springbank Secondary College upgrade, and River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project. Below is a list of most relevant projects.

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.

The exceptional employment performance in Blackwood places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Blackwood has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.5%, with estimated employment growth of 3.7% over the past year.

As of September 2025, 2,455 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 2.4% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Education & training has a particularly strong presence, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Manufacturing, however, is under-represented at 4.1% compared to Greater Adelaide's 7.0%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 3.7%, labour force by 3.5%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Adelaide's employment grew by 3.0%, labour force expanded by 2.9%, with unemployment falling by 0.1 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 10,710 jobs, and the state unemployment rate is 4.0%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%, with SA's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.14%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackwood's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.6% over ten years.

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

The suburb of Blackwood had an average national income level according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Blackwood was $54,389 and the average income stood at $67,856. These figures compare to those for Greater Adelaide which were $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $59,175 (median) and $73,827 (average) as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Blackwood clustered around the 54th percentile nationally. In terms of income distribution, the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominated with 28.6% of residents (1,289 people), mirroring the broader area where 31.8% occupied this bracket. After housing costs, residents retained 87.4% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Blackwood, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 80.0% houses and 20.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 78.8% houses and 21.2% other dwellings. The level of home ownership within Blackwood was 43.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.3% and rented ones at 15.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, lower than Adelaide metro's $1,992 and Australia's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Blackwood was $330, substantially below the national figure of $375 and slightly lower than Adelaide metro's $335.

Blackwood has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 69.5% of all households, including 30.6% couples with children, 28.5% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for 30.5%, with lone person households at 28.4% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.6.

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

Blackwood's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 42.4% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.3% and graduate diplomas at 5.7%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 28.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 18.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 6.6% in secondary education, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 32 active transport stops in Blackwood, including train and bus services. These stops are served by 31 routes, offering 954 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically 279 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 136 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 29 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Blackwood faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover in Blackwood is approximately 54% of the total population (~2,425 people), compared to 59.3% across Greater Adelaide.

Mental health issues impact 9.5% of residents, while arthritis affects 9.3%. Approximately 64.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.3% in Greater Adelaide. As of 2016 data, Blackwood has 24.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,095 people), higher than the 21.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors in Blackwood are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Blackwood records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Blackwood's population was found to be roughly in line with the wider region's average in terms of cultural diversity, with 78.1% born in Australia, 93.6% being citizens, and 92.0% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Blackwood is Christianity, comprising 35.3% of people, compared to an overall regional average. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.1% of the population, compared to a regional average of 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups in Blackwood are English at 35.6%, Australian at 24.2%, and Scottish at 8.5%. Notably, Polish is overrepresented at 1.1% in Blackwood compared to the regional average of 1.0%, German at 6.3% versus 5.9%, and French at 0.6% matching the regional average.

Blackwood hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Blackwood's median age is 45 years, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constitutes 8.8% of Blackwood's population, compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 25-34 age group makes up 8.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 10.1% to 11.5%, and the 65-74 age group has decreased from 12.7% to 11.5%. By 2041, Blackwood's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 139%, adding 249 residents to reach 430. Conversely, the number of people in the 65-74 age range is anticipated to decrease.