Highbury (SA)

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of May 2026, the estimated population of Highbury (SA) is around 7,394. This figure reflects an increase of 438 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,956. AreaSearch's estimate of 7,365 residents was derived from the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and is inclusive of 26 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 1,703 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Highbury's growth rate of 6.3% since the census is within 1.2 percentage points of the state's 7.5%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 48.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration being positive factors.

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, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made using a weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends project an above median growth for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, with Highbury expected to grow by 968 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 12.7% in total over the 16 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Highbury has seen approximately 25 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 128 homes from FY-21 to FY-25. As of FY-26, 36 approvals have been recorded. On average, each home built accommodates around 3.1 new residents per year during this period.

The demand for housing is substantially outpacing supply, suggesting heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost value of new homes is $412,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $380,000, reflecting the area's residential nature. New building activity comprises 94.0% detached dwellings and 6.0% medium to high-density housing, preserving Highbury's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. With around 218 people per dwelling approval, Highbury exhibits a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to grow by 939 residents by 2041. Development pace appears reasonable in relation to projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers may arise as the population expands.

Highbury has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 39thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects that may affect this region. Notable initiatives include Tea Tree Gully Township North East Road Streetscape Upgrade, Modbury Hospital Redevelopment, Highbury Aqueduct Reserve Master Plan Implementation, and Modbury Sporting Club Redevelopment. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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The exceptional employment performance in Highbury places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Highbury has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 1.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.9%. As of December 2025, there were 4,028 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.4%, lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation was broadly similar to Greater Adelaide's at 66.0%. According to Census responses, only 11.7% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Highbury showed strong specialization in education & training with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level, but under-representation in health care & social assistance at 16.1% compared to Greater Adelaide's 17.7%.

The predominantly residential area offered limited local employment opportunities. In the 12-month period ending May-25, employment increased by 0.9%, labour force by 0.7%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded higher growth rates. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Highbury's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by similar percentages over the same periods.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows that median income in Highbury is $53,602 and average income is $65,110. This is lower than national averages of $54,808 (median) and $66,852 (average). In Greater Adelaide, the figures are $54,808 (median) and $66,852 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% from July 2023 to March 2026, estimated incomes in Highbury would be approximately $59,053 (median) and $71,732 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Highbury cluster around the 63rd percentile nationally. The largest income segment comprises 34.6% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, similar to the surrounding region at 31.8%. After housing costs, residents retain 88.9% of their income. Highbury's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Highbury is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Highbury's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.4% houses and 2.6% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Highbury was 42.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.4% and rented ones at 12.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent in Highbury was $369, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Highbury's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Highbury features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 81.7% of all households, including 38.8% couples with children, 32.5% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.3%, with lone person households at 16.7% and group households comprising 1.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

Highbury residents aged 15+ with university qualifications stand at 30.1%, slightly above South Australia's average of 25.7%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 20.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (22.1%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.5% currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.6% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 6.5% in tertiary education.

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

Highbury has 28 operational public transport stops, offering mixed bus services. These are served by 7 distinct routes, facilitating a total of 480 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically residing 289 meters from the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most Highbury residents commute outward, primarily by car at 87%, and secondarily by bus at 10%. Average vehicle ownership per dwelling stands at 1.8, exceeding regional averages. According to the 2021 Census, only 11.7% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency across all routes averages 68 trips daily, translating to roughly 17 weekly trips per individual stop.

Highbury'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 Highbury.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was approximately 53% of the total population (~3,899 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions were arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.8 and 7.3% of residents respectively. 70.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area had 20.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,508 people), higher than the 19.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Highbury was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Highbury's cultural diversity was above average, with 23.4% of its population born overseas and 16.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Highbury, accounting for 53.2% of people. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprised 1.9% of Highbury's population compared to 1.8% across Greater Adelaide.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (27.1%), Australian (23.3%), and Italian (10.9%), which was significantly higher than the regional average of 5.2%. Specifically, Polish (1.6%) and Russian (0.6%) populations were overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide's averages of 1.0% and 0.3%, respectively. Additionally, Hungarian representation was slightly higher at 0.4% versus 0.3%.

Highbury's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Highbury is 40 years, similar to Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years but slightly older than Australia's average of 38 years. The percentage of individuals aged 15-24 in Highbury is 14.1%, higher than that of Greater Adelaide. However, the percentage of those aged 25-34 is lower at 11.3%. Post-2021 Census data shows the percentage of individuals aged 75-84 has increased from 6.4% to 8.1%, while the 15-24 age group has risen from 12.8% to 14.1%. Conversely, the 65-74 age group has decreased from 11.8% to 9.9%, and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 14.1% to 12.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Highbury, with the 85+ age group projected to grow by 150% (from 177 to 444 individuals). Conversely, the 65-74 age group is projected to decline by 4 individuals.