Malvern (SA)

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

Based on analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Malvern's population is estimated at around 2,758 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 45 people (1.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,713 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2,756, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest Effective Regional Population (ERP) data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,553 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Malvern has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.7%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. As we examine future population trends, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation is expected, with the area expected to grow by 318 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 15.1% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Malvern according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Malvern recorded approximately 4 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 21 homes. So far in FY-26, 1 approval has been recorded. This results in an average of 4.3 new residents per year for every home built between FY-21 and FY-25.

Compared to Greater Adelaide, Malvern has significantly less development activity, being 52.0% below the regional average per person. Recent construction comprises 67.0% standalone homes and 33.0% townhouses or apartments. With around 1890 people per dwelling approval, Malvern reflects a highly mature market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Malvern is expected to grow by 416 residents through to 2041.

Looking ahead, Malvern is expected to grow by 416 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Malvern has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified five projects likely impacting the region. Key initiatives include the 322-324 Fullarton Road Townhouses, 400 Fullarton Road Residential Development, Ridge Park Master Plan, and Parkside Place. Details of most relevant projects follow.

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

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The labour market strength in Malvern positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Malvern's workforce is highly educated with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 1.8% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Adelaide's 4.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.1%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance and professional & technical services. The area has a strong specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level.

Construction employs only 4.8% of local workers, below Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. In the 12 months prior, employment and labour force both increased by 2.1%, with unemployment remaining unchanged. By comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded similar employment and labour force growth but saw a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Malvern's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Malvern had a median income among taxpayers of $70,601. The average income stood at $111,384. This places Malvern in the top percentile nationally. In comparison, Greater Adelaide had median and average incomes of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Malvern would be approximately $79,659 (median) and $125,675 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Malvern rank highly nationally, between the 86th and 93rd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 34.2% of Malvern's community (943 individuals) earns $4000 or more per week, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 31.8%. A substantial proportion of residents (46.0%) earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the area. After housing costs, residents retain 89.6% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

In Malvern, as per the latest Census evaluation, 79.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 20.0% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This contrasts with Adelaide metro's figures of 59.2% houses and 40.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Malvern stood at 49.3%, with mortgaged properties at 31.3% and rented dwellings at 19.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,800, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent in Malvern was $380, compared to Adelaide metro's $350. Nationally, Malvern's mortgage repayments ($2,800) were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents ($380) exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 79.3% of all households, including 39.0% couples with children, 30.9% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 20.7%, with lone person households at 19.2% and group households comprising 1.3%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.3.

Malvern shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Malvern is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 50.2% of residents aged 15 years and over hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.9% in the Greater Adelaide area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.3% and graduate diplomas at 4.9%. Vocational pathways account for 18.5% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and over, with advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 8.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.3% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 8.1% pursuing tertiary education. Unley Primary School serves the local educational needs within Malvern, with an enrollment of 461 students as of a recent report. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 16.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.1, indicating that Malvern serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Malvern has 16 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 22 different routes that together facilitate 1,198 weekly passenger trips. The average distance residents live from the nearest stop is 156 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 171 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 74 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Malvern is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Malvern demonstrates above-average health outcomes with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 71% of the total population (1,954 people), compared to 67.1% across Greater Adelaide, and 55.3% nationally. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.4 and 7.2% of residents respectively, while 71.1% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.9% across Greater Adelaide.

As of 2021, the area has 23.6% of residents aged 65 and over (650 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Malvern's population showed above-average cultural diversity, with 23.0% born overseas and 18.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Malvern, comprising 51.7% of its population. Judaism, however, was overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, making up 0.1% versus 0.2%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (27.5%), Australian (23.0%), and Other (6.9%). Notable differences existed in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Welsh (0.9%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.6%, Greek at 4.9% versus 4.0%, and German at 5.4% versus 5.7%.

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

Malvern's median age is 46 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and Australia's national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent at 13.2%, while the 25-34 group is relatively smaller at 8.2%. Between 2021 and now, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 13.0% to 14.9%, while the 85+ cohort has declined from 3.9% to 2.9%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are forecast for Malvern. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 44%, adding 91 residents to reach a total of 298. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age cohort is expected to grow modestly by 1% (an increase of 4 people).