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 ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, Malvern's population is estimated at around 2,890 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 177 people (6.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,713 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2,793 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS on Jun 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,675 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.

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 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. The area is expected to grow by 321 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 9.9% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Malvern recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Malvern recorded approximately four residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 24 homes. As of FY-26, one approval has been recorded. On average, 3.8 new residents have been associated with each home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand outpacing supply. The average construction value of new homes is $879,000, reflecting a focus on the premium market.

In FY-26, $1.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Malvern has approximately half the construction activity per person and ranks at the 54th percentile nationally. However, recent intensification of construction activity has been observed. New development consists of 67% detached houses and 33% townhouses or apartments, offering a mix of housing options across price brackets.

Malvern reflects low density with around 298 people per approval. Future projections estimate an increase of 287 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Malvern has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly, including key developments such as 322-324 Fullarton Road Townhouses, 400 Fullarton Road Residential Development, Ridge Park Master Plan, and Parkside Place.

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The exceptional employment performance in Malvern places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Malvern has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 2.0%, lower than Greater Adelaide's 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.5% based on AreaSearch data aggregation. As of September 2025, 1,558 residents are employed with a workforce participation rate similar to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. Professional & technical services have particularly notable concentration, being 1.9 times the regional average.

Construction is under-represented, with only 4.8% of Malvern's workforce compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.5% while labour force increased by 3.6%, maintaining a stable unemployment rate. In comparison, Greater Adelaide saw employment grow by 3.0% and labour force expand by 2.9%, with unemployment falling slightly. State-level data from 25-Nov shows SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.0%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase 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 extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Malvern has an exceptionally high national income level according to the latest Australian Taxation Office data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year ended June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Malvern is $70,601 and the average income stands at $111,384. These figures compare to those for Greater Adelaide which are $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.8% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $76,814 and the average income would be around $121,186 as of September 2025. According to data from the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Malvern rank highly nationally, between the 86th and 93rd percentiles. Income analysis shows that 34.2% of the community (988 individuals) fall within the $4000+ earnings band, unlike trends in the surrounding region where 31.8% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 46.0% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 89.6% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and 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

The dwelling structure in Malvern, as per the latest Census, consisted of 79.9% houses and 20.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 59.2% houses and 40.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Malvern was at 49.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.3% and rented ones at 19.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,800, compared to Adelaide metro's $2,167. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $380, whereas Adelaide metro had $350. Nationally, Malvern's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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

Malvern's residents aged 15+ have a higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. 50.2% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. Bachelor degrees are the 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, with advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 8.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.3% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.3% in primary, 8.2% in secondary, and 8.1% in tertiary education.

Transport servicing is good 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 21 different routes that together offer 1,192 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent access to these stops, with an average distance of 156 meters to the nearest one.

On average, there are 170 trips per day across all routes, which works out to about 74 weekly trips per 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 approximately 71% of the total population (2,048 people), compared to 68.0% across Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.4 and 7.2% of residents respectively, while 71.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.9% across Greater Adelaide.

The area has 23.6% of residents aged 65 and over (682 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 slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Malvern's population shows above-average cultural diversity, with 23.0% born overseas and 18.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Malvern, accounting for 51.7%. Judaism, however, is overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide (0.1% vs 0.2%).

The top three ancestry groups are English (27.5%), Australian (23.0%), and Other (6.9%). Notably, Welsh (0.9%) is more prevalent than regionally (0.6%), as are Greek (4.9%, compared to 4.0%) and German (5.4%, vs 5.7%) populations.

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 years, and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, making up 13.2% of the population, while the 25-34 age group is comparatively smaller at 8.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 13.0% to 14.9%, while the 85+ cohort has declined from 3.9% to 2.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Malvern. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow by 37%, adding 81 residents to reach 298. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 65 to 74 and 5 to 14 age cohorts.