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

As of Nov 2025, Blair Athol's population is estimated at around 5761 people. This reflects an increase of 487 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5274 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population as 5697 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release (June 2024), along with an additional 76 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2939 persons per square kilometer, placing Blair Athol in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 9.2% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state (7.1%) and metropolitan area averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods for Blair Athol.

AreaSearch is adopting 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. Future population dynamics anticipate an above median growth for Australian statistical areas, with Blair Athol expected to expand by 1412 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 23.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Blair Athol has seen approximately 90 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 451 homes were approved, with an additional 23 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, each new home accommodates about 1.2 new residents per year over these five years, suggesting a balanced supply and demand dynamic.

The average construction cost of new dwellings is $351,000, aligning with regional patterns. In the current financial year, commercial approvals have reached $151.7 million, indicating high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Blair Athol exhibits 95.0% higher construction activity per person but has recently seen a decrease in construction activity. This level of activity is notably above the national average, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. Building approvals data shows 66.0% detached houses and 34.0% attached dwellings, suggesting an expanding range of medium-density housing options that cater to various price brackets.

Blair Athol's population density, with around 92 people per dwelling approval, indicates growth area characteristics. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Blair Athol is projected to add approximately 1,377 residents by 2041. Given current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Blair Athol has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely to affect this region. Key projects are The Parks (Enfield) Residential Estate, Northern Adelaide Road Upgrades Program, Prospect Corner, and Enfield Community & Recreation Centre. Relevant details follow.

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

Blair Athol's workforce is well-educated with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 6.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.3%.

As of June 2025, 2,862 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 6.0%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 4.0%. Workforce participation is 59.2%, below Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade, with a strong specialization in construction at 1.3 times the regional level. Education & training employs only 7.2% of local workers, lower than Greater Adelaide's 9.3%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Blair Athol's employment levels increased by 1.3%, with the labour force also growing by 1.3%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 6.0%. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 2.1% and the labour force grow by 2.1%, with a marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall 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, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Blair Athol's median income among taxpayers was $46,825 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $52,875 during the same period. These figures are lower than those for Greater Adelaide, which were $52,592 and $64,886 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest Blair Athol's median income will be approximately $52,833 and average income $59,659, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, Blair Athol's household income ranked at the 33rd percentile ($1,459 weekly), while personal income was at the 17th percentile. Income analysis showed that the largest segment comprised 33.6% of residents earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,935 residents). This is consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region, where 31.8% fell into the same income category. Blair Athol faces severe housing affordability pressures, with only 81.8% of income remaining after housing costs, 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

Blair Athol's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 79.7% houses and 20.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Adelaide metro's 74.6% houses and 25.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blair Athol was at 21.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.9% and rented ones at 46.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,603. The median weekly rent figure was recorded as $321, similar to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Blair Athol's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 34.9%, with lone person households at 24.9% and group households comprising 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 of 28.3% among residents aged 15+, surpassing 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%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 27.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (18.6%).

Educational participation is high at 34.3%, including primary education (9.3%), tertiary education (7.8%), and secondary education (7.5%). St Paul Lutheran School and Blair Athol North B-6 School serve a total of 687 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 988) indicating balanced educational opportunities. Both schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas.

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

Public transport analysis in Blair Athol shows 18 active transport stops operating, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 23 individual routes, collectively providing 1942 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 229 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 277 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 107 weekly trips per individual stop.

Blair Athol's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Blair Athol. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average for older, at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 48% of the total population (~2761 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in Blair Athol, impacting 8.1 and 6.1% of residents respectively. A total of 75.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.8% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 10.2% of residents aged 65 and over (587 people), lower than the 14.0% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention 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's population is culturally diverse, with 50.7% born overseas and 57.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Blair Athol, accounting for 31.4%. Islam, however, is significantly overrepresented at 26.4%, compared to Greater Adelaide's average of 8.9%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (30.5%), English (14.8%), and Australian (14.4%). Notably, Vietnamese (4.5% vs regional 2.2%), Polish (1.1% vs 1.1%), and Serbian (0.7% vs 0.4%) groups are overrepresented in Blair Athol.

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

Blair Athol's median age is 32, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and Australia's national median age of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Blair Athol has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (22.4%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (2.8%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of Blair Athol's population aged 35 to 44 has increased from 14.3% to 15.2%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are projected for Blair Athol, with the 45-54 age group expected to grow by 38%, adding 237 residents and reaching a total of 860.