Jamestown

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, Jamestown's population is estimated at around 1,665 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 116 people (7.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,549 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,605 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 9.4 persons per square kilometer. Jamestown's 7.5% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.3%), along with the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking at population projections moving forward, lower quartile growth of Australian non-metropolitan areas is anticipated. The Jamestown statistical area (Lv2) is expected to expand by 27 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a decline of 1.7% in total over the 17 years.

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 on average. This totals 14 dwellings across this period. Such low development levels are typical in 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 SA and below national averages. Recent building activity has consisted solely of detached dwellings, reflecting the area's rural character where larger properties are common. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 402 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment.

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 limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 13thth percentile nationally

No factor impacts a region's performance more than changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially affect this area. Notable 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. The following list outlines those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Jamestown has been broadly consistent with national averages

Jamestown's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 3.3% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.5%.

As of September 2025815 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0% below Rest of SA's rate of 5.3%, and workforce participation at 59.4% compared to Rest of SA's 54.1%. Leading employment industries included agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area had a notable concentration in electricity, gas, water & waste, with employment levels at 3.2 times the regional average. Manufacturing showed lower representation at 6.1% versus the regional average of 9.3%.

Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census working population vs resident population data. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 1.5%, labour force grew by 2.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA saw employment rise by 0.3%, labour force grow by 2.3%, and unemployment rise by 1.9 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Jamestown's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes not accounting for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of Jamestown's income level is approximately average nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Jamestown is $54,017 and the average income stands at $67,575. In comparison, Rest of SA's median income is $48,920 and average income is $58,933. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Jamestown would be approximately $58,770 (median) and $73,522 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals personal income ranks at the 34th percentile ($730 weekly), while household income sits at the 14th percentile. In terms of income distribution, the predominant cohort spans 28.3% of locals (471 people) in the $1,500 - $2,999 category, mirroring the region where 27.5% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are modest with 90.3% of income retained, however, total disposable income ranks at just the 21st percentile nationally.

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

Jamestown's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.7% houses and 3.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro SA had 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 $215, compared to Non-Metro SA's $182. Nationally, Jamestown's mortgage repayments were lower at $982 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $215 compared to 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% of all households, including 22.4% couples with children, 32.8% couples without children, and 6.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.1%, with lone person households making up 34.9% and group households comprising 2.2%. 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 the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the 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 actively engaged in formal education, comprising 9.1% in primary, 6.0% in secondary, and 1.6% in tertiary education.

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. Private health cover stands at approximately 54% (~894 people), higher than the average SA2 area's 48.5%.

The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (10.5%) and mental health issues (8.3%), while 62.1% report no ailments, compared to Rest of SA's 59.4%. Jamestown has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 28.6% (476 people), versus Rest of SA's 26.5%. Health outcomes among seniors show some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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, established in 2006, was found to have a population that is predominantly Australian-born, with 93.7% of its residents having been born in Australia. This figure is lower than the average for South Australia as a whole, which stands at approximately 74%. Additionally, 95.7% of Jamestown's inhabitants are citizens, and 98.0% speak English exclusively at home.

The religious landscape of Jamestown is dominated by Christianity, with 57.7% of the population identifying as Christian. This proportion is higher than that seen in the Rest of SA region, where Christianity accounts for approximately 49.1%. When considering ancestry, the top three represented groups in Jamestown are Australian (36.1%), English (34.9%), and Irish (8.0%). Notably, there is an overrepresentation of German ancestry in Jamestown, with 6.9% compared to the regional average of approximately 6.8%. Similarly, Welsh ancestry is also overrepresented at 0.8%, compared to the Rest of SA's 0.5%, and Maltese ancestry shows a notable divergence as well, with 0.3% in Jamestown versus the regional average of approximately 0.1%.

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 the Rest of SA, Jamestown has a higher concentration of residents aged 85+, at 4.6%, but fewer individuals aged 35-44, at 9.0%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 9.4% to 10.7%, while the 45 to 54 age group has declined from 11.1% to 9.5%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Jamestown's age structure. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 119%, reaching 168 people from the current 76. This growth will be led by those aged 65 and above, who will comprise all of the projected population growth. Conversely, both the 45 to 54 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to decrease in number.