Elizabeth South

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

Elizabeth South's population is estimated at 3129 as of Feb 2026, reflecting an increase of 196 people since the 2021 Census. The suburb had a population of 2933 in 2021. This growth represents a 6.7% increase and is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3090 following examination of ABS data released in June 2024, along with an additional 44 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is approximately 878 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Elizabeth South's growth rate of 6.7% since the census is within 2.3 percentage points of the state's growth rate of 9.0%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 85.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the suburb.

AreaSearch adopts 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, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted with adjustments made using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future demographic trends forecast a significant population increase in the top quartile of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. Elizabeth South is expected to expand by 1024 persons to reach a total population of approximately 4157 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 31.3% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Elizabeth South when compared nationally

Elizabeth South recorded approximately 12 residential properties granted approval per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Around 62 homes were approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 8 approved so far in FY-26. On average, 2.4 people moved to the area per new home constructed during these years.

New homes had an average construction cost value of $282,000. In FY-26, $108.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Elizabeth South has significantly lower building activity, at 77.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity can strengthen demand and prices for existing properties.

Recent periods have seen increased development activity, with new developments consisting of 80.0% detached dwellings and 20.0% medium to high-density housing. The area's population is estimated to grow by 980 residents by 2041, potentially leading to increased competition among buyers if current development rates do not keep pace with population growth.

Elizabeth South has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that may impact the region. Notable projects include Playford Health Hub, Lionsgate Business Park, Northern Suburbs Primary School, and Lyell McEwin Hospital Expansion. The following list details those considered 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 with both white and blue collar jobs, prominently featuring manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate in September 2025 was 24.4%. Employment grew by an estimated 3.4% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's statistical aggregation.

As of that date, 785 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 20.4%, significantly higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Elizabeth South was 43.3%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. A low percentage (3.7%) of residents worked from home, as per Census responses. Key industries for employment include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade.

Manufacturing is particularly strong, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, education & training is under-represented at 3.1%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 9.3%. The area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents, with a ratio of 1.2 workers per resident. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.4% while labour force grew by 1.0%, leading to a decrease in unemployment by 1.8 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 Elizabeth South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years.

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. These figures are lower than national averages of $54,808 in Greater Adelaide and $66,852 nationally. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 8.8%, median income is estimated at $47,328 and average at $51,899. The 2021 Census places Elizabeth South's household, family, and personal incomes between the 0th and 1st percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that 34.3% of individuals earn between $400 - $799, unlike regional trends where 31.8% earn between $1,500 - $2,999. Economic circumstances indicate financial pressure, with 51.5% of households having weekly budgets below $800. Housing affordability is severe, with only 76.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 2nd percentile.

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

In Elizabeth South, as per the latest Census evaluation, 41.6% of dwellings were houses while 58.4% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This differs from Adelaide metro's dwelling structure which was 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Elizabeth South stood at 16.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 17.8% and rented ones at 65.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $867, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent figure for Elizabeth South was recorded at $220, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Elizabeth South's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 44.1%, with lone person households at 39.7% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is 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%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 5.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.4%) and graduate diplomas (0.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 35.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (5.4%) and certificates (29.7%). Educational participation is high at 32.9%, comprising primary education (14.2%), secondary education (8.4%), and tertiary education (3.2%).

Educational participation is notably 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 rated as good, with residents typically located 221 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 86%, 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 might be due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 106 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual 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 indicated by AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high across various health conditions that affect both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46% of the total population (around 1,436 people), compared to 52.7% in Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 13.9% and 10.4% of residents respectively. Conversely, 57.3% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 67.9% in Greater Adelaide. Working-age adults face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 13.8% of residents aged 65 and over (431 people), lower than the 19.3% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings roughly matching those of the general population.

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's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 27.5% born overseas and 23.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Elizabeth South, comprising 35.0% of its population. However, Islam was notably overrepresented at 7.1%, compared to Greater Adelaide's regional average of 3.0%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (29.6%), Australian (25.7%), and Other (16.6%), which was significantly higher than the regional average of 9.7%. There were notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal at 5.0% (vs regional 1.2%), Vietnamese at 0.7% (vs regional 1.2%), and Croatian at 0.5% (vs regional 0.5%).

Elizabeth South's population is younger than the national pattern

Elizabeth South has a median age of 34 years, 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 percentage of residents aged 5-14 (15.6%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (7.3%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 5-14 has increased from 14.4% to 15.6%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 15.1% to 14.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Elizabeth South's age profile, with the strongest growth projected for the 45-54 cohort, which is expected to increase by 51%, adding 182 residents to reach a total of 542.