Glenelg East

An assessment of population growth drivers in Glenelg East reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the population of Glenelg East is estimated at around 4,191 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 336 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,855. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 4,055 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level results in a density ratio of 3,104 persons per square kilometer, placing Glenelg East in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The suburb's population growth of 8.7% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (7.4%) and SA3 area, indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration was primarily responsible for this growth during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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 via weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, Glenelg East is expected to increase by 371 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 5.5% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Glenelg East according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, derived from statistical area data, shows Glenelg East has averaged approximately 13 residential properties granted approval annually. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, around 69 homes were approved, with an additional 10 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of about 1.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

The market balance between supply and demand supports stable conditions. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $631,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, $3.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting Glenelg East's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Glenelg East shows approximately 56% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 55th percentile of areas assessed nationally, suggesting possible planning constraints due to its maturity. New development consists of 44.0% standalone homes and 56.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living and offering more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Glenelg East has approximately 287 people per dwelling approval, indicating room for growth. Future projections estimate Glenelg East to add around 229 residents by 2041, suggesting that current development patterns should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Glenelg East has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Six projects identified by AreaSearch may impact the area: Tram Grade Separation at Marion Road and Cross Road, Plympton (expected completion 2025), River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project (commenced April 2018), 12-Storey Residential Tower In Glenelg (planned for 2023), Morphettville/Glengowrie Horse Related Activities Code Amendment (adopted May 2021).

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Glenelg East performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Glenelg East has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% as of September 2025. The area experienced an employment growth of 4.1% over the past year according to AreaSearch's statistical data aggregation.

As of September 2025, 2,439 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 2.1%, which is below Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Glenelg East was 70.6% compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. A moderate 14.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training sectors.

Notably, the area has a high concentration in professional & technical jobs, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Conversely, retail trade is under-represented with only 7.7% of Glenelg East's workforce compared to Greater Adelaide's 10.0%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 4.1% while labour force grew by 3.7%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 2.9% with a drop in unemployment rate of 0.1 percentage point. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Glenelg East's employment mix indicates potential local employment growth of 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch released its latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023. Glenelg East's median income among taxpayers was $60,751 with an average of $85,676. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Greater Adelaide's median of $54,808 and average of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Glenelg East would be approximately $66,097 (median) and $93,215 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, personal income ranks at the 76th percentile ($976 weekly), while household income sits at the 46th percentile. In Glenelg East, 28.4% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort represents 31.8%. After housing costs, 85.2% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Glenelg East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 47.7% houses and 52.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glenelg East was 35.5%, with the rest either mortgaged (31.9%) or rented (32.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, above Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. Median weekly rent was $325, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Glenelg East's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $375.

Glenelg East features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 61.5% of all households, including 24.5% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.5%, with lone person households at 35.3% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

Glenelg East's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. 37.0% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.1% in the SA4 region. University graduates make up 25.7%, followed by postgraduates at 7.1% and graduate diplomas at 4.2%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them.

Advanced diplomas account for 11.7%, while certificates make up 18.6%. A significant 24.9% of the population is currently engaged in formal education. This includes 8.6% in primary, 6.0% in tertiary, and 5.6% in secondary education.

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

Glenelg East has 22 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 23 individual routes, collectively facilitating 2,294 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 195 meters from the nearest stop. The area, predominantly residential, sees most residents commuting outward. Car remains the dominant mode at 82%, while 3% cycle. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 327 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 104 weekly trips per stop.

Glenelg East's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Glenelg East based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (2,548 people), compared to 52.7% across Greater Adelaide and the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.6 and 7.6% of residents respectively, while 69.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide.

The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (938 people), which is higher than the 19.3% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Glenelg East records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Glenelg East exhibited above-average cultural diversity, with 21.9% of its population born overseas and 12.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Glenelg East, comprising 45.6% of the population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Glenelg East compared to Greater Adelaide, with 0.1% versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.0%), Australian (23.8%), and Scottish (8.7%). Some ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Welsh at 0.8% (versus 0.6% regionally), German at 5.5% (versus 5.1%), and Polish at 0.9% (versus 1.0%).

Glenelg East hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Glenelg East is 43 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Glenelg East has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (13.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.6%). According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group increased from 5.6% to 7.9%, while the 55 to 64 cohort decreased from 14.9% to 13.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that the 75 to 84 age group will grow by 28%, reaching 425 people from 331. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 69% of total population growth in Glenelg East, reflecting its aging demographic profile. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are projected to decrease in number.