Elizabeth South

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Elizabeth South is around 3,150. This figure reflects an increase of 217 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,933. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,130 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 48 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 884 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 7.4% growth since census positions it within 0.1 percentage points of the state (7.5%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 85.0% 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, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population dynamics anticipate a significant increase in the top quartile of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, with the suburb expected to expand by 969 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 30.1% in total over the 16 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Elizabeth South recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Elizabeth South has recorded approximately 13 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 66 homes were approved, with a further 15 approved in FY-26. On average, each new home accommodates about 1.8 new residents per year.

The average construction value of new dwellings is $282,000. This financial year has seen $108.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Elizabeth South has significantly less development activity, at 75.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties.

However, there has been an increase in development activity recently. The current new development consists of 81.0% detached houses and 19.0% medium to high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 157 people per approval, Elizabeth South reflects a developing area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by approximately 949 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Elizabeth South has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 35thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Playford Health Hub, Lionsgate Business Park, Northern Suburbs Primary School, and Lyell McEwin Hospital Expansion. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Elizabeth South face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Elizabeth South has a balanced workforce consisting of both white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominently represented. The unemployment rate in the area was 25.2% as of December 2025. This figure shows an increase from the previous year, during which employment grew by an estimated 1.4%.

Compared to Greater Adelaide's unemployment rate of 3.8%, Elizabeth South's rate is significantly higher at 21.4%. The workforce participation rate in Elizabeth South is also lower than that of Greater Adelaide, standing at 42.8% compared to 66.0%. As of the Census, only 3.7% of residents worked from home in Elizabeth South. However, it should be noted that this figure may have been influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns.

The key industries employing residents are health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing is particularly strong in the area, with an employment share 1.8 times higher than the regional level. Conversely, education & training is under-represented, with only 3.1% of the workforce compared to Greater Adelaide's 9.3%. The worker-to-resident ratio in Elizabeth South is 1.2, indicating that there are more jobs available than residents, making it an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 1.4%, while the labour force grew by 0.7%. This resulted in a decrease in unemployment of 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded higher growth rates during this period: employment increased by 4.2% and labour force grew by 3.9%, leading to a reduction in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. Looking ahead, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Elizabeth South's current employment mix indicates that local employment should increase by approximately 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years. It is important to note that these estimates are based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and do not take into account localized population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Elizabeth South had a median taxpayer income of $43,500 and an average of $47,701. Nationally, these figures are lower than the averages of $54,808 and $66,852 in Greater Adelaide respectively. As of March 2026, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $47,924 and $52,552 based on a 10.17% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. The 2021 Census indicates Elizabeth South's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 0th and 1st percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 34.3% of individuals earn within the $400 - 799 range, unlike regional trends where 31.8% fall in the $1,500 - 2,999 band. Economic pressures are evident with 51.5% of households having modest weekly budgets below $800. Housing affordability is severe, with only 76.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 2nd percentile nationally.

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

Elizabeth South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 41.6% houses and 58.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Elizabeth South was at 16.3%, with the rest being mortgaged (17.8%) or rented (65.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $867, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,562 and Australia's national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Elizabeth South was $220, substantially lower than Adelaide metro's $320 and the national average of $375.

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

Family households constitute 55.9% of all households, including 16.8% couples with children, 13.1% couples without children, and 24.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 44.1%, with lone person households at 39.7% and group households making up 4.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Elizabeth South faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 7.1%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 5.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.4%) and graduate diplomas (0.4%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 35.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (5.4%) and certificates (29.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 32.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.2% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Elizabeth South has 24 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 14 different routes that together facilitate 746 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is considered good, with residents typically living 221 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars are the primary mode of transport, used by 86% of residents, while buses account for 9%. On average, there are 0.7 vehicles per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 3.7% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 106 trips per day, equating to approximately 31 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Elizabeth South is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Elizabeth South faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and prevalence of chronic conditions are high, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at 46% (~1,446 people), compared to Greater Adelaide's 52.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common conditions, impacting 13.9% and 10.4% of residents respectively. Only 57.3% report no medical ailments, lower than Greater Adelaide's 67.9%. The working-age population has notably high chronic condition rates. The area has 13.4% (422 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Adelaide's 19.2%. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly in line with national rankings.

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

Elizabeth South had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 27.5% of its residents born overseas and 23.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Elizabeth South as of 20XX, accounting for 35.0% of the population. Islam, however, was more prevalent in Elizabeth South compared to Greater Adelaide, with 7.1% versus 3.0%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (29.6%), Australian (25.7%), and Other (16.6%), which was significantly higher than the regional average of 9.7%. Notably, Australian Aboriginal (5.0%) and Vietnamese (0.7%) populations were overrepresented in Elizabeth South compared to regional averages of 1.2% each.

Elizabeth South's population is younger than the national pattern

Elizabeth South has a median age of 34, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Elizabeth South has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (15.5%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (7.1%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 35-44 has grown from 11.6% to 13.0%, while the 0-4 age group increased from 6.5% to 7.6%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group declined from 12.3% to 11.1%, and the 45-54 age group dropped from 12.2% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Elizabeth South's age profile. The 45-54 cohort is expected to grow by 53%, adding 182 residents to reach a total of 529.