Brighton (SA)

Brighton has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Brighton's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 3925 people. This figure reflects an increase of 91 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3834 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3906 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of six new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2565 persons per square kilometer, placing Brighton in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Brighton has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.1%, outpacing its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Brighton is expected to grow by 448 persons to reach 2041, reflecting an increase of 11.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Brighton had approximately 12 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 63 homes. As of FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.3 new residents were associated with each home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating significant demand exceeding supply.

New properties are constructed at an average cost of $713,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Brighton has about half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person but ranks in the 65th percentile nationally. This suggests established nature and potential planning limitations. Building activity consists of 75% standalone homes and 25% attached dwellings, preserving suburban character with detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

With around 217 people per dwelling approval, Brighton shows low density characteristics. Future projections estimate an addition of 461 residents by 2041, with construction maintaining a reasonable pace despite growing competition as population increases.

Brighton has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

No factor influences an area's performance more than changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could impact this area. Notable projects include Tram Grade Separation at Morphett Road, Morphettville; River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project; Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access; and Adelaide's Inner And Outer Ring Route Capacity Improvements. The following list details those most relevant:.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Brighton performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Brighton has a well-educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.5%.

As of June 2025, 2,097 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.3% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Brighton is 58.1%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety, with notable concentration in education & training at 1.3 times the regional average. Manufacturing shows lower representation at 4.2% versus the regional average of 7.0%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population data. In the 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 2.5%, labour force by 2.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 14.2% over ten years for Brighton, applying industry-specific projections to its current employment mix.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Brighton had a median income among taxpayers of $57,591 with the average at $76,602. This is above national averages of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively in Greater Adelaide. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $64,980 (median) and $86,430 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 63rd percentile ($875 weekly), while household income is at the 46th percentile. Income analysis shows 28.5% of the population, or 1,118 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the region where 31.8% occupy this bracket. Housing costs allow for retention of 86.8%, but disposable income is below average at the 50th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Brighton's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 62.3% houses and 37.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 52.9% houses and 47.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brighton was at 45.4%, with the remaining dwellings being mortgaged (30.3%) or rented (24.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brighton was $1,939, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,950. The median weekly rent figure in Brighton was $360, compared to Adelaide metro's $340. Nationally, Brighton's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

Brighton features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 65.3% of all households, including 24.7% couples with children, 31.8% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.7%, with lone person households at 32.2% and group households at 2.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which aligns with the Greater Adelaide average.

The educational profile of Brighton exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Brighton's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 37.1% have university qualifications compared to South Australia's (SA) 25.7% and the SA4 region's 28.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 24.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas (12.4%) and certificates (17.0%).

Currently, 24.5% of Brighton's population is engaged in formal education, including 7.6% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 5.7% in tertiary education. Brighton Primary School serves the local community with an enrollment of 717 students as of a recent report. The school focuses solely on primary education, with ICSEA score of 1071 indicating above-average socio-educational conditions. Secondary educational options are available in surrounding areas.

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

Brighton has 21 active public transport stops operating currently. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 16 individual routes serving these stops, collectively providing 1,326 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 204 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 189 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 63 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Brighton faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Approximately 57% (~2,247 people) of Brighton's total population has private health cover. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (10.2%) and mental health issues (7.3%). About 66.0% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 65.9% in Greater Adelaide. Around 27.3% (1,071 people) of Brighton's population is aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Brighton's cultural diversity is above average, with 8.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 24.5% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Brighton at 48.6%. Judaism is overrepresented in Brighton at 0.2%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (34.3%), Australian (24.1%), and Irish (8.7%). Notable ethnic group divergences include Welsh at 0.8% (vs regional 0.7%), Polish at 1.0% (vs 0.9%), and German at 4.9% (vs 5.5%).

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

Brighton's median age is 49 years, which is notably higher than Greater Adelaide's median age of 39 and considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the Greater Adelaide average, Brighton has a notably over-represented cohort of 65-74 year-olds (13.5% locally), while 25-34 year-olds are under-represented (9.3%). Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.6% to 10.0% of Brighton's population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 10.4% to 11.6%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 16.1% to 14.7%. Demographic modeling suggests that Brighton's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 145 people (98%) from 149 to 295. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 62% of total population growth, reflecting Brighton's aging demographic profile. In contrast, numbers in the 35 to 44 age range are expected to fall by 4%.