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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Hillcrest (SA) has an estimated 5,186 residents, up from 3,659 at the 2021 Census — a change of 1,527 people, or 41.7%. Growth has averaged 7.0% a year over five years, faster than 96% of areas nationally. Overseas migration accounts for 74.0% of that increase. That puts 4,510 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to census updates from the ABS for the region and new home addresses verified by AreaSearch, the suburb of Hillcrest (SA) has an estimated population of 5,186 as of May 2026. This indicates a growth of 1,527 residents (41.7%) relative to the 2021 Census, which counted 3,659 individuals. This estimation is based on a resident population of 5,183 calculated by AreaSearch using the June 2025 ABS ERP figures alongside 70 validated new addresses added since the census. The population density is 4,509 persons per square kilometer, placing the suburb in the top 10% of national locations evaluated by AreaSearch, which highlights the high demand for local land.
The 41.7% growth rate since the 2021 census outpaced the state growth of 7.5% and the Greater Adelaide region, positioning the suburb as a regional growth leader. This population rise was mainly supported by overseas arrivals, who accounted for about 74.0% of the overall population gains lately. AreaSearch utilizes the 2024 population projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia, which use 2022 as a base year. In cases where SA2 areas lack this data, or for projections beyond 2032, calculations rely on the 2023 age-specific regional and LGA forecasts from the SA State Government (using 2021 data) adjusted via weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on these projections, the suburb of Hillcrest (SA) is expected to experience population growth slightly below the national median, increasing by 441 residents by 2041, which represents an overall gain of 8.4% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
266 new dwellings have been approved in Hillcrest (SA) over the past five years, an average of 53 a year. That places the area in the 96th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 10 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 63 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 90% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 161, running ahead of that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
AreaSearch assessments of ABS building approvals indicate that Hillcrest averages about 53 approved homes annually, with 266 residential approvals granted over the last 5 financial years (from FY-21 to FY-25) and 148 registered during FY-26. Given that 5.6 people moved to the area for every new dwelling built during the 5 financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, construction is failing to keep pace with demand, which typically intensifies buyer competition and drives up prices. The average cost of new residential builds is $379,000, showing that developers are prioritizing high-end, premium houses.
Meanwhile, commercial development has seen minor interest, with $5.7 million in approved commercial projects this financial year. Construction activity in Hillcrest is elevated, running 43.0% higher per capita than the average for Greater Adelaide over the 5 year period, offering solid options for buyers while reinforcing established property values. This level of activity is significantly higher than the national average, showcasing strong developer confidence. New residential projects consist of 90.0% standalone houses and 10.0% multi-unit dwellings, preserving the suburb's traditional residential feel and catering to families desiring extra space. There are about 57 people per residential approval, indicating a growing local market. Future projections suggest that Hillcrest will add 438 new residents by 2041 based on the most recent quarterly estimate by AreaSearch. If current building volumes persist, the supply of homes should be sufficient to meet demand, creating positive conditions for buyers and potentially allowing growth to outpace current expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Hillcrest (SA)
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 7 current infrastructure and development projects close to Hillcrest (SA), worth an estimated $217 million. 4 are already under construction and 1 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans sports & recreation, residential development and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local infrastructure projects, major works, and planning updates are key drivers of regional change. In total, no projects have been identified by AreaSearch as having an influence on this area. Key regional projects include the final stages of the Lochiel Park Green Village, upgrades to the Klemzig Interchange, Gawler Line Electrification and Level Crossing Removals, and the Valley View Secondary School upgrade, with details provided below for the most relevant items.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Oakden Rise
A 52-hectare master-planned community that will deliver up to 1,500 new homes in Adelaide's north-east. The development will feature a variety of housing options, a new community facility with a pool and gym, extensive parks, and a village centre.
Chain of Trails Master Plan
A strategic master plan endorsed by the City of Campbelltown in 2014 to guide staged upgrades to around 10 km of creek line trails along Third, Fourth and Fifth Creeks, creating a safer and more accessible trail network from the foothills to the River Torrens Linear Park. The plan addresses existing conditions, access and safety issues, proposing new alignments, materials, furniture, biodiversity improvements, and upgraded signage. Implementation continues through multiple staged projects; the Fourth Creek Morialta Parri Trail upgrade at Denis Morrissey Park, Hectorville, was officially launched in February 2024, co-funded by the SA Government Planning and Development Fund Open Space Grant Program ($225,000).Further works are funded through Councils open space strategy and annual business plans.
Campbelltown RSL Development
Redevelopment of Campbelltown RSL facilities including modern club amenities, function spaces, dining facilities, and community meeting rooms. The project enhances services for veterans and the local community with contemporary facilities and improved accessibility.
Laing St, Northfield
Five-building accessible residential project with 60 units designed for people with disabilities. Supported through NDIS.
Lochiel Park
Completed 15 hectare sustainable residential village developed by Renewal SA on the former Lochiel Park education site, about 8 km from the Adelaide CBD. The project created an award-winning green village with over 100 dwellings, parkland, wetlands, recycled stormwater systems, solar technologies and high-efficiency homes, including South Australia's first zero-carbon home.
Klemzig Interchange Upgrade
Major upgrade of the Klemzig O-Bahn guided busway interchange including new sheltered waiting areas, improved accessibility, real-time passenger information, and enhanced park 'n' ride facilities, completed in 2021.
Northern Suburbs High School at Eyre
State-of-the-art Year 7-12 school with capacity for 1,300 students on a 10-hectare site at the corner of Andrews and Petherton Roads, Eyre. Construction is now underway, with the school due to open at the start of 2028. Facilities will include contemporary learning spaces across design, arts, technology and science, a health, fitness and performing arts centre, sports fields and hardcourts. Architecture is a collaboration between Swanbury Penglase Architects and Brown Falconer. The project supports the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan (GARP), which details 82,000 new homes to be built in the Outer North over the next 30 years, and forms part of the Malinauskas Government's 20-Year Infrastructure Plan for Public Education and Care.
2,896 residents of Hillcrest (SA) are employed, from a labour force of 2,980. Unemployment sits at 2.8%, with participation at 70.9%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.6% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth, so in an area growing as fast as this one it understates the likely rise in local jobs. The working-day population is estimated at 4,090, about 79% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local workforce is highly educated with significant employment in essential services, showing an unemployment rate of only 2.8% and an annual job growth rate estimated at 7.3% based on AreaSearch statistical aggregations. As of March 2026, there are 2,896 employed residents, with the local unemployment rate sitting 1.0% lower than the Greater Adelaide average of 3.8%. The workforce participation rate is relatively typical at 70.9%, compared to 66.6% across Greater Adelaide. Census records show that a minor 9.7% of the workforce worked from home, though this may have been influenced by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
The primary employment fields for local residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. The suburb exhibits a concentration of jobs in transport, postal & warehousing, with its share of employment reaching 1.4 times the regional average. In contrast, construction jobs are underrepresented, accounting for 5.9% compared to the regional average of 8.7%. Comparing the count of the Census working population against the resident population suggests that this predominantly residential suburb offers few local employment opportunities. According to AreaSearch evaluations of SALM and ABS statistics aggregated from regional data, the 12 months leading up to March 2026 saw employment rise by 7.3% and the labour force expand by 7.7%, resulting in a 0.4 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate. Over the same period, Greater Adelaide recorded a 4.2% rise in employment and a 4.0% increase in the labour force, alongside a 0.2 percentage point decrease in unemployment. National employment projections from Jobs and Skills Australia released in May-25 provide context for future local demand. Over five and ten-year intervals, national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% and 13.7% respectively, with substantial variations across different industries. Mapping these trends to the local industry composition suggests Hillcrest employment could rise by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a basic weighted extrapolation that does not account for localized population changes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Hillcrest (SA) is $1,599 a week (about $83,000 a year), with median personal income at $759 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $50,364 a year against an average of $56,749. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Taxpayer income records from the ATO for the financial year 2023, compiled by AreaSearch at the postcode level, show a median income of $50,364 and an average of $56,749 in Hillcrest. These figures are below the national average and lower than Greater Adelaide's median of $54,808 and average of $66,852. Adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since the financial year 2023, current estimates for March 2026 are approximately $55,486 for the median and $62,520 for the average. The 2021 Census placed household, family, and personal incomes in Hillcrest within the 40th to 41st percentiles.
The largest income bracket contains 36.6% of residents (1,898 people) who earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, which is similar to the wider region where this group makes up 31.8% of the population. Financial stress from housing costs is high, with residents retaining only 83.4% of their income, which sits in the 41st percentile, while the SEIFA index ranks the area in the 5th decile for income.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Hillcrest (SA) had 1,369 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 81% detached houses and 3% apartments. 42% are owned with a mortgage, 35% rented and 23% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $319 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,602 a month. Rent absorbs 19.9% of household income here and mortgage repayments 23.1%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The housing stock in Hillcrest at the time of the latest Census was composed of 80.8% standalone houses and 19.2% other housing types, such as townhouses and apartments, compared to 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings across metro Adelaide. Home ownership rates in Hillcrest stood at 23.4%, which is lower than the metropolitan average, with the remaining properties occupied by residents with a mortgage (41.6%) or renting (35.0%). The median monthly mortgage payment was higher than the metro Adelaide average at $1,602, while the median weekly rent was $319, compared to metropolitan averages of $1,562 and $320.
Nationally, mortgage costs in Hillcrest are notably lower than the Australian median of $1,863, and rents are also well below the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Hillcrest (SA) counted 1,369 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 1,940 today, averaging 2.6 people each. 35% are couples with children, against 23% couples without children. 27% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.5 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up the majority of households at 70.3%, consisting of couples with children at 34.5%, couples without children at 22.7%, and single parents at 12.0%. Non-family households account for 29.7% of the total, with single person households making up 26.9% and group households representing 2.8%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is slightly larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
38.6% of adults in Hillcrest (SA) hold a university qualification, including 25.1% with a bachelor degree and 10.7% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 84% of areas nationally. A further 15.3% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 416 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,093 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Residents in Hillcrest hold qualifications at rates well above regional averages, with 38.6% of people aged 15+ possessing a university degree, compared to 19.8% in the SA4 area and 25.7% across SA. This education levels position the population well for knowledge-based jobs. Among university qualifications, bachelor degrees are the most common at 25.1%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 10.7% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Vocational education is also common, with 25.9% of residents aged 15+ holding technical qualifications, split between advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 15.3%. Participation in study is high, with 30.7% of the population enrolled in education.
This group includes 10.3% attending primary school, 6.9% in tertiary studies, and 5.8% enrolled in secondary school.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Hillcrest (SA) reaches 9 stops on 5 routes, timetabled for about 650 services a week. The typical home sits about 230 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.2 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transit data shows 9 active transport stops in Hillcrest, consisting of bus services. These stops are connected to 5 routes, which support 651 weekly passenger journeys. Transit access is good, with residents living an average of 232 meters from the nearest stop. Because the area is largely residential, most commuters travel out of the suburb, with private cars being the primary mode of travel at 84% and buses at 12%. Average car ownership is 1.2 vehicles per household, which is lower than the metropolitan average. A relatively small share of residents, 9.7%, work from home, based on 2021 Census records that may reflect pandemic conditions.
Transit service frequency averages 93 daily trips across all routes, which translates to about 72 weekly trips for each transport stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
75.1% of residents in Hillcrest (SA) report no long-term health condition. 6.3% need daily assistance with core activities, and 49.5% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.0 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health indicators in Hillcrest reveal notable difficulties based on AreaSearch assessments of mortality and chronic illnesses, with medical issues present across all ages but significantly more common among senior residents. Private health insurance coverage is low at about 49% of the population (approximately 2,564 people), compared to 52.7% in Greater Adelaide and the national average of 55.7%. Arthritis and mental health conditions are the most prevalent issues, affecting 7.0% and 6.7% of the population respectively, though 75.1% of residents reported having no long-term health conditions, compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide.
Health outcomes for residents under the age of 65 are better than average. Residents aged 65 and older make up 14.9% of the population (772 people), which is below the Greater Adelaide share of 19.2%. Seniors face some health challenges, though these rank lower nationally than the rest of the local demographic.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
42.9% of Hillcrest (SA) residents were born overseas and 46.1% speak a language other than English at home, more culturally diverse than 86% of areas nationally. The largest reported ancestries are English (20.3%) and Australian (17.0%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Hillcrest displays high levels of multiculturalism, with 42.9% of residents born outside Australia and 46.1% speaking a non-English language at home. Christianity is the most common religious affiliation, followed by 34.0% of the population. Hinduism shows a notable local concentration at 14.7%, which is much higher than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.8%. Looking at parent origins, the largest ancestral backgrounds are English at 20.3% (below the regional average of 27.8%), Australian at 17.0% (below the regional average of 22.8%), and Other at 16.0% (above the regional average of 9.7%).
Other specific backgrounds include Indian residents at 12.5% of the population (compared to 2.3% regionally), Polish at 0.9% (compared to 1.0%), and Spanish at 0.6% (compared to 0.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Hillcrest (SA) is 35, younger than 76% of areas nationally. 28.4% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
With a median age of 35, Hillcrest has a younger population than Greater Adelaide, where the median is 39, and sits slightly below the national median of 38. The 35 - 44 demographic is well represented at 18.0% compared to the wider Adelaide area, while the 65 - 74 bracket is smaller at 7.3%. Since 2021, the proportion of residents aged 35 to 44 increased from 17.0% to 18.0%, while the group aged 0 to 4 declined from 8.1% to 6.7%. Projections for 2041 indicate demographic changes, led by a 28% growth in the 45 to 54 cohort, which is expected to rise from 560 to 717 people.
Conversely, the cohorts aged 5 to 14 and 35 to 44 are projected to shrink.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Hillcrest (SA)
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 3 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 70 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (3,659 at the 2021 Census → 5,186 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL40592). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.