Jamestown

Jamestown has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

The population of Jamestown, as estimated by AreaSearch based on analysis of ABS updates and new addresses validated since the 2021 Census, was around 1,658 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 109 people from the previous count of 1,549 in 2021, marking a growth rate of 7.0%. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 1,598 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 9.4 persons per square kilometer. Jamestown's growth rate exceeded that of both its SA3 area (4.5%) and non-metro areas during this period, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration was the primary driver of population gains for the suburb.

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 by age category released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. According to population projections, lower quartile growth is anticipated for Australian non-metropolitan areas, with Jamestown expected to expand by 29 persons to reach a total of 1,687 by the year 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections. This reflects an overall decline rate of 1.1% over the 17-year period from 2025 to 2041.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Jamestown, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Jamestown has seen minimal construction activity over the past five years, with only two new dwellings approved annually. This totals ten approvals in that period. Such low development levels are typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity.

It should be noted that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics. Jamestown's construction activity is significantly lower than the rest of South Australia and also below national averages. All recent building activity has consisted of detached dwellings, reflecting the area's rural character where larger properties are typical. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 536 people, indicating a quiet development environment with low activity.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Jamestown should see reduced pressure on housing in the future, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

No factors influence a region's performance more than changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially impact this area. Key projects include Mid North South Australia REZ Expansion, Silver to Sea Way, SA Public Housing Maintenance and Services Contracts, and SA Water Capital Work Delivery Contracts, with the following list detailing those most relevant.

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

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.

Employment performance in Jamestown exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Jamestown has a balanced workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% as of June 2025.

This is below Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Jamestown was 59.4%, higher than Rest of SA's 54.1%. Leading employment industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Notably, electricity, gas, water & waste has an employment level 3.2 times the regional average.

Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 6.1% compared to the regional average of 9.3%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population data. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, Jamestown's employment increased by 0.5%, labour force grew by 1.6%, and unemployment rose by 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA saw employment contract by 1.2%, labour force grow by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 1.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (Sep-22) project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Jamestown's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Jamestown's median income among taxpayers was $54,017 during financial year 2022. The average income stood at $67,575 in the same period. These figures compared to Rest of SA's median and average incomes of $46,889 and $56,582 respectively. By September 2025, current estimates project Jamestown's median income to be approximately $60,947 and average income around $76,245 based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022. Census data indicates personal income ranks at the 34th percentile ($730 weekly) and household income at the 14th percentile in Jamestown. Income distribution shows that 28.3% of locals (469 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, mirroring the regional trend where 27.5% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are modest with 90.3% of income retained post-housing expenses. However, total disposable income ranks at just the 21st percentile nationally and Jamestown's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Jamestown's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.7% houses and 3.3% other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro SA's composition of 89.8% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Jamestown stood at 47.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.5% and rented ones at 20.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $982, higher than Non-Metro SA's average of $888. The median weekly rent in Jamestown was recorded as $215, compared to Non-Metro SA's $182. Nationally, Jamestown's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 61.9 percent of all households, including 22.4 percent that are couples with children, 32.8 percent that are couples without children, and 6.9 percent that are single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.1 percent, with lone person households making up 34.9 percent and group households comprising 2.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of SA average of 2.2.

Educational outcomes in Jamestown fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 13.8%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.0%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.5%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 36.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (27.5%). A total of 21.1% of the population is engaged in formal education, comprising 9.1% in primary, 6.0% in secondary, and 1.6% in tertiary education.

Jamestown Community School and St James School serve a combined 308 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1012) offering balanced educational opportunities. The area has one primary and one K-12 school, with a higher-than-average school capacity of 18.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.4, indicating it serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Jamestown is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Jamestown faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 54% (~890 people) have private health cover, compared to 47.8% in the rest of South Australia (SA).

The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (10.5%) and mental health issues (8.3%), while 62.1% report no medical ailments, compared to 59.4% in the rest of SA. As of 2021, 28.6% of residents are aged 65 and over (474 people), higher than the 26.5% in the rest of SA. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors perform better than the general population.

The latest Census data sees Jamestown placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Jamestown had a cultural diversity score below average, with 93.7% of its residents born in Australia, 95.7% being citizens, and 98.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Jamestown, comprising 57.7% of its population, compared to 49.1% across Rest of SA. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (36.1%), English (34.9%), and Irish (8.0%).

Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 6.9%, Welsh at 0.8%, and Maltese at 0.3%.

Jamestown hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Jamestown's median age is 49, which is higher than the Rest of South Africa figure of 47 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of SA, Jamestown has a higher concentration of residents aged 85 and above (4.6%) but fewer individuals aged 35-44 (9.0%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 75-84 has grown from 9.4% to 10.7%, while the 45-54 age group has declined from 11.1% to 9.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Jamestown's age structure. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 120% (from 76 to 168 people), reflecting the aging population trend where those aged 65 and above will account for all projected growth. Conversely, both the 45-54 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decrease in number.