Blair Athol (SA)

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

Blair Athol's population is estimated at around 6,102 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 828 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,274 people in the suburb of Blair Athol (SA). The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 5,697 following examination of ABS data released June 2024 and an additional 86 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,113 persons per square kilometer. Blair Athol's growth of 15.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the state average of 9.0%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered 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. Future population dynamics anticipate an above median growth for Australian statistical areas. The suburb of Blair Athol (SA) is expected to expand by 1,409 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 17.0% over the 17 years.

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

Blair Athol saw approximately 88 new homes approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. From FY-21 to FY-25, around 444 homes were approved, with an additional 37 approved in FY-26. On average, 1.2 new residents arrived per year for each new home over the past five financial years.

The average construction value of new dwellings was $351,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaled $53.3 million, indicating high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Blair Athol exhibited 92.0% higher construction activity per person. Recent years showed a shift in dwelling types: 64.0% detached houses and 36.0% attached dwellings, contrasting with the current 80.0% houses. With around 80 people per dwelling approval, Blair Athol is classified as a growth area. Future projections estimate an addition of 1,036 residents by 2041.

Current development rates suggest new housing supply will comfortably meet demand, benefiting buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Blair Athol has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 19thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified three projects likely impacting the area: The Parks (Enfield) Residential Estate, Northern Adelaide Road Upgrades Program, Prospect Corner, and Enfield Community & Recreation Centre. Relevant details are listed below.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Blair Athol recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Blair Athol has a well-educated workforce with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 6.2% as of September 2025. Employment grew by an estimated 1.5% over the past year, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 2,850 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 2.2% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was lower at 64.2%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. According to Census responses, only 8.2% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Blair Athol has a particularly strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. However, education & training employs just 7.2% of local workers, below Greater Adelaide's 9.3%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, while labour force grew by 1.4%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 3.0%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment fall by 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blair Athol's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The suburb of Blair Athol had lower than average income levels nationally in financial year 2023, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. Its median income among taxpayers was $46,825 and the average was $52,875. Greater Adelaide's figures were $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% would be approximately $50,946 (median) and $57,528 (average). In the 2021 Census, Blair Athol's household income ranked at the 33rd percentile ($1,459 weekly), while personal income was at the 17th percentile. The largest income segment comprised 33.6% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (2,050 residents). Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 81.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 30th percentile.

Blair Athol is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Blair Athol, as per the latest Census, consisted of 79.7% houses and 20.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blair Athol was at 21.9%, with the rest either mortgaged (31.9%) or rented (46.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent figure was $321, similar to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Blair Athol's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,600 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were also lower at $321 compared to the national figure of $375.

Blair Athol features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.1% of all households, including 30.4% couples with children, 19.4% couples without children, and 12.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.9%, with lone person households at 24.9% and group households making up 10.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Blair Athol shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 28.3% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the SA4 region average of 19.8%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 27.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (18.6%).

Educational participation is high at 34.3%, including 9.3% in primary education, 7.8% in tertiary education, and 7.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Blair Athol has 18 active public transport stops offering mixed bus services. These are covered by 25 routes, serving 1,951 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is good, with residents typically 229 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Cars dominate at 86%, while buses account for 9%. Average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.3.

Only 8.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census). Daily service frequency averages 278 trips across all routes, translating to about 108 weekly trips per stop.

Health outcomes in Blair Athol are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Blair Athol's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are higher than the national average, particularly among older cohorts. Private health cover is very low at 48% of the total population (~2925 people), compared to Greater Adelaide's 52.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (8.1%) and asthma (6.1%), with 75.1% reporting no medical ailments, compared to Greater Adelaide's 67.9%. Under-65 residents have better than average health outcomes. Blair Athol has 10.3% of residents aged 65 and over (628 people), lower than Greater Adelaide's 19.3%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Blair Athol has a population where 50.7% were born overseas, and 57.6% speak a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Blair Athol, with 31.4%. Islam comprises 26.4%, significantly higher than the Greater Adelaide average of 3.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (30.5%), English (14.8%), and Australian (14.4%). These figures differ from regional averages: Other is substantially higher, while English and Australian are notably lower. Notably, Vietnamese (4.5%) and Polish (1.1%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.2% and 1.0%, respectively. Serbian also shows an increase at 0.7%.

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

Blair Athol's median age is 32 years, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Blair Athol has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (22.3%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (2.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the percentage of Blair Athol's population in the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 14.3% to 15.4%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are projected for Blair Athol. The 45 to 54 age cohort is expected to grow by 30%, adding 198 residents and reaching a total of 858.