Edwardstown

Population growth drivers in Edwardstown are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Edwardstown's population was estimated at 5,251 as of Nov 2025, reflecting a 737 person increase since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 16.3% rise from the previous population of 4,514 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,199 following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 38 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,244 persons per square kilometer, higher than average national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Edwardstown's growth exceeded that of its SA4 region (5.4%) and SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 75.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For future projections, ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 is adopted for SA2 areas. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are used, adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future trends project an above median population growth for statistical areas across the nation, with Edwardstown expected to grow by 792 persons to reach a total of 6,043 by 2041, reflecting a 5.1% increase over the 17-year period.

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

Edwardstown averaged approximately 43 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 216 homes. As of FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.3 new residents arrived per year for each new home between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand dynamic in the area. The average construction value of new properties was $326,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms.

In FY-26, $2.2 million in commercial development approvals were recorded, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Edwardstown exhibited moderately higher construction activity, with 32.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. New developments consisted of 62.0% standalone homes and 38.0% townhouses or apartments, offering varied housing options across different price points.

With around 94 people per dwelling approval, Edwardstown demonstrated characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add approximately 266 residents by 2041, suggesting that current construction levels should adequately meet demand and create favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Edwardstown has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects expected to influence this region. Notable initiatives include Tram Grade Separation Projects, Tonsley Innovation District, River Torrens to Darlington Project (T2D) - South Road Resurfacing Works, and SA Health - Building a Bigger Health System in the South (Daw Park Urgent Care Hub & other upgrades). The following details projects likely most relevant.

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Edwardstown has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Edwardstown has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.8% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.3%.

As of June 2025, 2,633 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.8% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Edwardstown was 63.7%, slightly above Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. Notably, health care & social assistance has a particularly high concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.7% compared to the regional average of 8.7%. As per Census data, Edwardstown hosts more jobs than residents, functioning as an employment hub and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over a 12-month period ending in Sep-22, employment increased by 2.3%, labour force grew by 2.6%, resulting in a slight rise in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Edwardstown's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Edwardstown had a median taxpayer income of $49,714 and an average income of $57,419. Nationally, the averages were $52,592 (median) and $64,886 (average). By September 2025, estimates suggest these figures will be approximately $56,092 (median) and $64,786 (average), based on a 12.83% Wage Price Index growth since 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Edwardstown rank modestly, between the 24th and 37th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution data shows 31.2% of Edwardstown's population (1,638 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to regional levels at 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Edwardstown, with only 81.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 22nd percentile.

Edwardstown displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Edwardstown's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 60.2% houses and 39.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Adelaide metro's 70.8% houses and 29.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Edwardstown stood at 22.9%, with the rest either mortgaged (32.1%) or rented (44.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,690, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,700. Median weekly rent in Edwardstown was $275, compared to Adelaide metro's $330. Nationally, Edwardstown's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Edwardstown features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 55.6% of all households, including 22.6% couples with children, 21.7% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 44.4%, with lone person households at 37.6% and group households comprising 6.7%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.4.

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

The area's educational qualification rates are notably high compared to regional averages. Among residents aged 15+, 33.7% have university qualifications, exceeding the South Australian (SA) average of 25.7%. This is also higher than the SA4 region's rate of 28.1%, indicating a strong emphasis on higher education in the area.

Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.9%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications. Advanced diplomas account for 10.2%, while certificates make up 19.7%. Educational participation is high in the area, with 28.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% pursuing tertiary education, 8.0% in primary education, and 4.8% in secondary education. St Anthony's School serves the educational needs within Edwardstown, with an enrollment of 115 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions, with an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 1092. There is one school in the area that focuses exclusively on primary education. Secondary educational options are available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited, with only 2.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 10.8. Consequently, many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

Edwardstown has 33 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 31 different routes, together accommodating 2,139 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average located 194 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 305 trips per day, translating to around 64 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Edwardstown is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

Edwardstown faces significant health challenges with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~2,611 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 9.6% and 7.7% of residents respectively, while 67.9% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.1% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 16.9% of residents aged 65 and over (887 people), which is lower than the 19.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

Edwardstown was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Edwardstown had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 32.0% of its population born overseas and 30.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Edwardstown, comprising 37.3% of people. Hinduism showed significant overrepresentation, making up 6.7% compared to 4.1% across Greater Adelaide.

The top three ancestry groups were English (24.9%), Australian (22.0%), and Other (13.0%). Notably, Hungarian was slightly overrepresented at 0.4%, Polish at 1.0%, and German at 5.2%.

Edwardstown's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Edwardstown is 37 years, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age cohort is over-represented in Edwardstown at 19.3%, compared to Greater Adelaide's average, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 5.1%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35-44 age group has increased from 15.2% to 16.1% of the population, while the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 11.8% to 10.4%. By 2041, the population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Edwardstown. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 17%, reaching 647 people from 551. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 53% of this growth. Conversely, the 25-34 and 65-74 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.