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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Glenelg East is around 3,901, reflecting an increase of 46 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 1.2% rise from the previously reported population of 3,855. The current estimate is inferred from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, along with an additional three validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,889 persons per square kilometer, placing Glenelg East in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this population growth.

Based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and adjusted using SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections for areas not covered or years post-2032, Glenelg East is projected to increase by 305 persons to reach approximately 4,196 by 2041. This projected growth reflects a 7.8% increase over the 16-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Glenelg East averaged around 14 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past 5 financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, an estimated 73 homes were approved, with a further 16 approved so far in FY-26. On average, 1.9 new residents arrived per new home over these years, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions.

The average construction value of new homes was $631,000, suggesting developer focus on the premium segment. This financial year has seen $3.1 million in commercial development approvals, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential. Against Greater Adelaide, Glenelg East shows approximately 60% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 57th percentile nationally. New building activity comprises 44.0% detached houses and 56.0% attached dwellings, skewed towards compact living which attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

Glenelg East has around 269 people per dwelling approval, characteristic of a low density area. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 303 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Glenelg East has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

Six projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include Tram Grade Separation at Marion Road and Cross Road in Plympton, River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project, 12-Storey Residential Tower In Glenelg, and Morphettville/Glengowrie Horse Related Activities Code Amendment.

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Employment conditions in Glenelg East rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Glenelg East has a well-educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.0%. As of December 2025, 2,347 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 2.1% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation was 70.3%, close to Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. About 14.5% of residents worked from home in Census responses, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment sectors were health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area had a high specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Retail trade had limited presence, at 7.7% compared to the regional 10.0%. Employment opportunities locally might be limited, as indicated by the working population count versus resident population. Between December 2024 and 2025, employment increased by 4.0%, labour force grew by 3.5%, and unemployment fell by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 4.2%, labour force grow by 3.9%, and unemployment fall by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Glenelg East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023 indicates Glenelg East had a median taxpayer income of $60,751 and an average income of $85,676. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Adelaide's median of $54,808 and average of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% from financial year ending June 2023 to March 2026, estimated current incomes would be approximately $66,929 (median) and $94,389 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Glenelg East's personal income ranks at the 76th percentile ($976 weekly), with household income at the 46th percentile. In Glenelg East, 28.4% of individuals (1,107 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the regional figure of 31.8%. After housing expenses, 85.2% of income remains for other costs. Glenelg East'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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 47.7% houses and 52.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glenelg East was higher at 35.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.9% and rented ones at 32.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Glenelg East was $1,950, above Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. Median weekly rent in Glenelg East 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 38.5%, with lone person households at 35.3% and group households making up 3.4%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than Greater Adelaide's average of 2.5.

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

In Glenelg East, the educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 37.0% possess university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.1% in SA4 region. The area's strong educational advantage is led by bachelor degrees at 25.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 7.1% and graduate diplomas at 4.2%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 18.6%.

A substantial 24.9% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, which includes 8.6% in primary education, 6.0% in tertiary education, and 5.6% pursuing 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 lightrail and bus services. These stops are served by 23 routes providing a total of 2,294 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 195 meters to the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 82%, while cycling accounts for 3%. The area has an average vehicle ownership of 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.5% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 327 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 104 weekly trips per individual 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. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (2,371 people), compared to 52.7% across Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.6 and 7.6% of residents respectively. 69.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. The under-65 population demonstrated better than average health outcomes. The area has 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (873 people), which is higher than the 19.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors were 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 had a higher than 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, accounting for 45.6% of the population. Judaism, however, was notably overrepresented, comprising 0.1% compared to the regional average of 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.0%), Australian (23.8%), and Scottish (8.7%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Welsh were more prevalent at 0.8% in Glenelg East versus 0.6% regionally, German at 5.5% compared to 5.1%, and Polish at 0.9% against a regional average of 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 average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Glenelg East has a higher percentage of residents aged 55-64 (14.0%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (11.1%). According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 has increased from 5.6% to 8.0%, while the proportion of those aged 65-74 has decreased from 13.0% to 12.0%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Glenelg East's age structure. The number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 102%, reaching 189 from 93. The combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 61% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0-4 and 55-64 age groups are projected to decrease in number.