Goolwa Beach

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of November 2025, the estimated population of Goolwa Beach is around 2,323. This reflects an increase of 101 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,222. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,271 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional three validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 575 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Goolwa Beach has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.6%, outpacing the SA4 region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023, with adjustments made using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking at population projections moving forward, the suburb is expected to grow by 275 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 15.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Goolwa Beach has seen approximately 4 dwelling approvals annually over the past 5 financial years, totalling around 22 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26. On average, each home built between FY-21 and FY-25 accommodated about 11.1 new residents per year.

New homes are constructed at an average cost of $401,000. Compared to the Rest of SA, Goolwa Beach has significantly less development activity, with only 14% of the regional average per person. This limited construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. Recent development in the area is exclusively detached houses, maintaining its low-density character. There are approximately 265 people per dwelling approval in Goolwa Beach, indicating a low-density market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the location is expected to grow by 358 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to meet population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Goolwa Beach has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 24thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects expected to affect the region. Key initiatives include Airpark Estate, Riverhaven Estate, Goolwa Wharf Precinct, and Goolwa Oval Recreation Precinct. The following details projects likely to have the greatest relevance:.

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The labour market performance in Goolwa Beach lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Goolwa Beach has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, notably in lifestyle and retail sectors. Its unemployment rate is 4.8%, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of June 2025860 residents are employed, an unemployment rate of 4.8% which is 0.2% higher than Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation is lower at 41.8%, compared to Rest of SA's 54.1%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Retail trade is particularly prominent with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 3.0% compared to the regional 14.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census working population vs resident population counts. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.3%, while employment declined by 3.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of SA where employment contracted by 1.2%, the labour force grew by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 1.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer insight into potential future demand within Goolwa Beach. These projections suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Goolwa Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 2022 shows Goolwa Beach had a median income among taxpayers of $36,881 and an average level of $49,522. These figures are below the national averages of $46,889 and $56,582 respectively for Rest of SA. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, estimated median and average incomes in Goolwa Beach as of September 2025 would be approximately $41,613 and $55,876 respectively. Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Goolwa Beach fall between the 1st and 5th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 34.4% of individuals earn between $400 - $799 weekly, contrasting with metropolitan regions where the leading bracket is $1,500 - $2,999 at 27.5%. With 41.5% earning under $800 per week, income constraints significantly impact local spending patterns. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Goolwa Beach, with only 84.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 3rd percentile nationally.

Goolwa Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Goolwa Beach, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.6% houses and 10.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro SA had 92.1% houses and 7.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Goolwa Beach was at 46.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.1% and rented ones at 21.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, lower than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,300. The median weekly rent in Goolwa Beach was $275, compared to Non-Metro SA's $280. Nationally, Goolwa Beach's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,083 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 63.9% of all households, including 16.8% couples with children, 37.3% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 36.1%, with lone person households at 34.3% and group households making up 1.9% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of South Africa average of 2.2.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 15.1%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (31.6%). Currently, 20.0% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, with 8.4% in primary, 5.5% in secondary, and 1.4% in tertiary education.

Educational facilities seem to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Critical health challenges are evident across Goolwa Beach. A range of health conditions impact both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~1,083 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (impacting 13.8%) and mental health issues (10.1%). However, 53.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 58.3% across Rest of SA. The area has 40.6% of residents aged 65 and over (943 people), which is higher than the 37.0% in Rest of SA. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Goolwa Beach is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Goolwa Beach, as per data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016, showed a lower level of cultural diversity compared to the national average. The majority of its population were born in Australia (81.5%) and held citizenship (92.4%), with English being the primary language spoken at home for 97.6% of residents. Christianity was the prevalent religion in Goolwa Beach, making up 40.4% of the population.

Notably, Buddhism was overrepresented compared to the rest of South Australia, comprising 1.5% versus 0.7%. The top three ancestry groups were English (38.3%), Australian (28.5%), and Scottish (8.2%). Other ethnic groups with notable representation included German at 7.2%, Welsh at 0.8%, and Dutch at 1.8%, each slightly higher than the regional averages of 6.7%, 0.6%, and 1.6% respectively.

Goolwa Beach ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Goolwa Beach has a median age of 58 years, which is higher than the Rest of SA average of 47 years and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of SA, Goolwa Beach has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (15.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.5%). This concentration of 75-84 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 6.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 has grown from 13.3% to 15.4%, while those aged 15 to 24 have increased from 6.6% to 7.7%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55 to 64 has decreased from 15.7% to 13.9%. By 2041, Goolwa Beach is projected to experience significant changes in its age composition. The number of residents aged 85 and above is expected to increase dramatically by 180 people (156%), from 116 to 297. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 81% of total population growth, reflecting Goolwa Beach's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the age groups of 35 to 44 and 55 to 64 are projected to decrease in number.