Blackwood (SA)

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

As of Nov 2025, Blackwood's population is estimated at around 4,482, reflecting a growth of 216 people since the 2021 Census. The population was reported as 4,266 in the 2021 Census. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 4,475 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024, and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,072 persons per square kilometer, aligning with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Blackwood's growth rate of 5.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.4%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 55% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration being 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, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Blackwood is expected to grow by 673 persons to reach 5,155 by 2041, reflecting a gain of 15.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Blackwood shows approximately 17 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 87 homes. As of FY26, four approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.1 new residents per year are associated with each home built between FY21 and FY25, indicating a significant demand outpacing supply. The average construction value for new dwellings is $557,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment.

In FY26, commercial approvals totalled $700,000, predominantly reflecting residential development. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Blackwood has 18.0% more development per person over the past five years, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. Recent construction comprises 90.0% detached dwellings and 10.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's suburban character with a focus on family homes.

The population density is approximately 299 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. AreaSearch forecasts Blackwood will gain 709 residents by 2041. Development pace keeps up with projected growth, but increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

Blackwood has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects likely affecting this region: Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access, and Adelaide's Inner And Outer Ring Route Capacity Improvements. Other notable projects include Springbank Secondary College upgrade and River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project. Relevant details are listed below.

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Employment performance in Blackwood ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Blackwood has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.6%.

As of June 2025, 2,402 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 2.3% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%, while workforce participation is broadly similar at 61.7%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Notably, education & training employs 1.6 times the regional average. Manufacturing, however, employs only 4.1% of local workers, below Greater Adelaide's 7.0%.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.6%, while labour force grew by 2.6%, keeping unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment and labour force growth both at 2.1%, with a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 indicates Blackwood's median income among taxpayers is $54,389, with an average of $67,856. This is higher than the national average. Greater Adelaide's median income during this period was $52,592 and the average was $64,886. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $61,367 (median) and $76,562 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, Blackwood residents' incomes cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominates with 28.6% of residents (1,281 people), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 31.8% in the same category. After housing costs, residents retain 87.4% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Blackwood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.0% houses and 20.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Adelaide metro's 78.8% houses and 21.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackwood stood at 43.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (41.3%) or rented (15.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,992. The median weekly rent was $330, compared to Adelaide metro's $335. Nationally, Blackwood's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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 the remaining 30.5%, with lone person households at 28.4% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is 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

Educational attainment in Blackwood is notably high, with 42.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 25.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.3% and graduate diplomas at 5.7%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - 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. Concordia College (St Peters Campus, Blackwood) serves the local educational needs within Blackwood, with an enrollment of 84 students as of a recent report. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1097. There is one school in Blackwood focusing exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. Local school capacity is limited at 1.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 21.2, indicating that many families may travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

Blackwood has 32 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 31 unique routes, resulting in 952 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to these stops, with an average distance of 279 meters to the nearest one.

The service frequency is 136 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 29 weekly trips per 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 is approximately 54% of the total population (around 2,412 people), compared to 58.5% across Greater Adelaide.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 9.5% and 9.3% of residents respectively. Approximately 64.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.3% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 24.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,089 people), which is 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 approximately aligned with the broader area'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. Christianity was identified as the primary religion in Blackwood, comprising 35.3% of its population. Notably, Judaism was found to be slightly overrepresented in Blackwood at 0.1%, compared to 0.1% across Greater Adelaide.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups in Blackwood were English at 35.6%, Australian at 24.2%, and Scottish at 8.5%. Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Polish was slightly overrepresented at 1.1% versus 1.0% regionally, German at 6.3% compared to 5.9%, and French remained consistent at 0.6%.

Blackwood hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

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 makes up 8.8% of Blackwood's population, compared to a lower percentage in Greater Adelaide. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age cohort comprises 8.4%, which is less prevalent than in Greater Adelaide. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.1% to 11.5%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group has decreased from 12.7% to 11.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Blackwood's age profile. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 140%, adding 250 residents to reach 430. In contrast, the number of people aged 65 to 74 is expected to decrease by 18%.