Henley Beach

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, as of Nov 2025, Henley Beach's estimated population is around 6,927. This reflects a 10.7% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,259 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 6,607 residents in Jun 2024, derived from ABS ERP data, and an additional 49 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,770 persons per square kilometer, placing Henley Beach in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The area's growth exceeded both state (8.7%) and metropolitan averages between 2021 and Nov 2025, primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in Jun 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, based on 2021 data released in 2023, with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead, population projections indicate a growth just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. The Henley Beach (SA2) is expected to increase by approximately 720 persons to reach around 7,647 people by 2041, reflecting an overall gain of about 5.7% over the 17-year period.

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

Henley Beach has seen approximately 39 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 198 dwellings. As of FY26, there have been 18 approvals recorded. On average, each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 accommodates about 1.7 new residents per year. This indicates a balanced supply and demand market, supporting stable conditions in Henley Beach.

The average construction value for new homes is approximately $629,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY26, commercial approvals amounting to $12.1 million have been registered, indicating moderate levels of commercial development in the area. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Henley Beach records around three-quarters of the building activity per person and ranks among the 79th percentile nationally in terms of assessed areas.

New development in Henley Beach consists predominantly of detached dwellings (73.0%) with a smaller proportion of medium and high-density housing (27.0%). This maintains the area's traditional suburban character, focusing on family homes that appeal to those seeking space. The location has approximately 145 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts suggest Henley Beach will gain around 392 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Henley Beach has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

No changes can significantly impact a region's performance like modifications to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that are expected to affect this area. Notable projects include Rivergarden Estate, Charles Sturt Playground Renewal Program, Findon High School Upgrade, and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Redevelopment Stage Three. Below is a list of those likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Henley Beach has a well-educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.7%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.3% over the past year (AreaSearch data aggregation).

As of September 2025, there are 3,901 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 2.3%, lower than Greater Adelaide's 3.9%. Workforce participation is 65.9%, slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key industries for Henley Beach residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, professional & technical services have an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 14.9%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 17.7%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.3% while the labour force grew by a similar rate, keeping unemployment relatively stable at around 2.3%. In comparison, Greater Adelaide had employment growth of 3.0%, labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment falling slightly to 3.8%. State-level data (as of 25-Nov) shows South Australia's employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.0%, outperforming the national average of 4.3%. National employment forecasts (May-25) project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Henley Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, assuming population projections remain constant for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 2023 indicates that median income in Henley Beach suburb was $62,916 and average income was $88,714. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide's median income of $54,808 and average income of $66,852 for the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.8% since financial year ended June 2023, estimated median income as of September 2025 would be approximately $68,453 and estimated average income would be around $96,521. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, personal income ranked at the 75th percentile ($971 weekly) and household income was at the 57th percentile. Income analysis shows that 26.2% of Henley Beach community (1,814 individuals) earn between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, consistent with broader regional trends where 31.8% fall in this category. A substantial proportion, 31.5%, earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating strong economic capacity in Henley Beach. After accounting for housing expenses, 86.4% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Henley Beach's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 57.9% houses and 42.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Adelaide metro's figures of 66.1% houses and 33.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Henley Beach stood at 36.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.9% and rented ones at 31.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, exceeding Adelaide metro's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Henley Beach was $345, compared to Adelaide metro's $325. Nationally, Henley Beach's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $375.

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

Family households account for 65.6% of all households, including 31.0% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.4%, with lone person households at 31.6% and group households comprising 2.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.4.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 34.6%, surpassing the South Australian average of 25.7% and the SA3 area average of 28.8%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 23.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas account for 11.8% and certificates for 18.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.4% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Henley Beach has 44 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 33 different routes that together facilitate 1,572 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 144 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 224 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 35 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Henley Beach is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Henley Beach shows superior health outcomes for both young and elderly residents, with low prevalence rates for common conditions. Approximately 62% of its total population of 4,294 has private health cover, compared to Greater Adelaide's 53.3%. Nationally, the average is 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.1%) and mental health issues (6.6%), with 72.2% reporting no medical ailments, compared to Greater Adelaide's 68.9%. The area has 19.6%, or 1,357 people, aged 65 and over. Seniors' health outcomes are above average, mirroring the general population's profile.

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

Henley Beach, surveyed in 2016, had above-average cultural diversity with 20.6% of its population born overseas and 11.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 51.2%. Judaism, at 0.1%, was slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (28.6%), Australian (23.0%), and Irish (7.8%). Notably, Polish (1.1%) and Serbian (0.7%) were underrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.4% and 1.3%, respectively. Italian, at 7.7%, was also lower than the regional average of 10.2%.

Henley Beach hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Henley Beach's median age is 45, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and exceeds the national average of 38. The 45-54 age group makes up 15.3% of Henley Beach's population, compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 25-34 cohort represents 10.9%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group has increased from 9.9% to 10.9%, and the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 16.7% to 15.3%. By 2041, Henley Beach's age profile is expected to change significantly. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 87%, adding 161 residents to reach 349. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 66% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, populations in the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are projected to decline.