Kilburn

Population growth drivers in Kilburn are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

As of May 2026, the population of the suburb of Kilburn is estimated at around 5,824. This figure reflects an increase of 191 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,633. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,791 following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2025 and validation of an additional 68 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,008 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 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. Future population trends project an above median growth for statistical areas across the nation. By 2041, the suburb of Kilburn is expected to increase by 1,049 persons, reflecting a gain of 17.4% over the 16-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Kilburn among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis, Kilburn averaged approximately 56 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 284 homes were approved, with an additional 57 in FY-26. This results in about 1.7 people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years.

The market shows balance between supply and demand, supporting stable conditions. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $351,000, indicating quality construction. In FY-26, $58.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting robust local business investment.

Compared to Greater Adelaide, Kilburn has moderately higher new home approvals, preserving buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. New development consists of 67.0% standalone homes and 33.0% attached dwellings, offering options across different price points. With around 84 people per dwelling approval, Kilburn is a low density area. Population forecasts indicate Kilburn will gain approximately 1,016 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Kilburn has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

Six projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance: Northern Adelaide Road Upgrades Program, 414-418 Prospect Road, Kilburn Development, Enfield Community & Recreation Centre, and 110 Hawker Street, Ridleyton.

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Employment drivers in Kilburn are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Kilburn has a well-educated workforce with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate is 6.6%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 2,454 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.8% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Kilburn lags at 54.0%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. According to Census responses, only 6.1% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. Kilburn has a strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

However, education & training has limited presence at 5.5% compared to the regional 9.3%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.9%, alongside a 2.2% employment decline, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 4.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Kilburn. Applying these projections to Kilburn's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The suburb of Kilburn's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Kilburn is $39,655 and the average income stands at $44,779. These figures compare to Greater Adelaide's median of $54,808 and average of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Kilburn would be approximately $43,688 (median) and $49,333 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Kilburn all fall between the 6th and 11th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 27.9% of Kilburn's community earns between $1,500 - 2,999 annually, with 1,624 individuals falling into this category. This is consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region where 31.8% fall within the same earnings band. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Kilburn, with only 79.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 10th percentile nationally.

Kilburn displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Kilburn's dwellings, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 46.0% houses and 54.1% other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kilburn stood at 18.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.7% and rented ones at 56.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,472, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent in Kilburn was $270, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Kilburn's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Kilburn features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 59.6% of all households, including 26.6% couples with children, 18.4% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 40.4%, with lone person households at 30.4% and group households comprising 10.0%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 27.4% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 19.8%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 17.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational pathways account for 24.5% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 8.5% and certificates at 16.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% in primary education, 8.9% in tertiary education, and 6.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Kilburn shows that there are 27 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a mix of train and bus services. There are 13 individual routes providing service to these stops, collectively facilitating 1,287 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good with residents typically located approximately 203 meters from the nearest transport stop. As Kilburn is primarily residential, most residents commute outward for work. The car remains the dominant mode of transportation at 79%, while bus use stands at 13%.

Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 6.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect conditions related to COVID-19. Service frequency across all routes averages 183 trips per day, equating to approximately 47 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Kilburn is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Kilburn faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantially higher than average, particularly among older age cohorts. Private health cover is extremely low at approximately 45% of the total population (~2,607 people), compared to 52.7% across Greater Adelaide and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 9.1 and 6.5% of residents respectively. However, 72.4% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. Kilburn has 13.6% of residents aged 65 and over (792 people), lower than Greater Adelaide's 19.2%. While health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Kilburn is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Kilburn has one of the highest levels of cultural diversity in the country, with 58.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 54.0% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Kilburn, comprising 29.6% of the population. However, Islam is significantly overrepresented compared to the Greater Adelaide average, making up 24.8% of Kilburn's population.

In terms of ancestry, 'Other' is the largest group at 32.4%, substantially higher than the regional average of 9.7%. English ancestry comprises 14.2%, notably lower than the regional average of 27.8%. Australian ancestry also has a lower representation in Kilburn at 14.1%, compared to the regional average of 22.8%. Certain ethnic groups have notable differences: Vietnamese is overrepresented at 5.7% (regional average 1.2%), Serbian at 0.6% (regional average 0.4%), and Indian at 5.4% (regional average 2.3%).

Kilburn hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Kilburn's median age is 34, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Kilburn has a higher percentage of 25-34 year-olds (21.3%) but fewer 65-74 year-olds (7.4%). This 25-34 concentration is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the percentage of 25 to 34 year-olds has increased from 20.7% to 21.3%, while the percentage of 5 to 14 year-olds has decreased from 10.8% to 10.2%. By 2041, Kilburn's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 45-54 cohort is expected to grow by 31%, adding 210 residents and reaching a total of 886.