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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Malvern (SA) has an estimated 2,766 residents, up from 2,713 at the 2021 Census — a change of 53 people, or 2.0%. That puts 2,561 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
Malvern's resident population is projected to be approximately 2,766 as of May 2026, calculated through evaluations of ABS demographic statistics and address checks performed by AreaSearch. Compared to the 2,713 individuals recorded during the 2021 Census, this represents a growth of 53 people (2.0%). This current estimate is based on the 2,766 population figure modeled by AreaSearch using the June 2025 ERP release from the ABS alongside post-Census address verification. Such a population size results in a density of 2,561 persons per square kilometer, which ranks within the top quartile of all nationwide territories evaluated by AreaSearch.
Inward migration from overseas served as the primary source of demographic expansion, representing virtually the sole driver of population growth during the latest intervals. AreaSearch utilizes the demographic projections for SA2 regions published by the ABS and Geoscience Australia in 2024, using 2022 as the baseline. For locations omitted from this database or for projections extending beyond 2032, calculations incorporate the 2023 state government projections by age brackets for LGA and Regional divisions based on 2021 records, adjusted via a weighted consolidation of LGA growth down to SA2 zones. Looking ahead, demographic growth is projected to rank slightly under the national median, with consolidated SA2 data indicating an expansion of 295 persons by 2041, which translates to a total growth of 10.7% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of building approvals data distributed from wider statistical regions, the suburb has averaged approximately 3 residential approvals annually, amounting to an estimated 17 properties over the previous 5 financial years. Thus far during FY-26, 2 building approvals have been logged. As the population has contracted over recent intervals, housing availability has kept pace with demand, resulting in a balanced property market offering reasonable options for purchasers. Additionally, commercial building approvals worth $1.9 million have been logged during this financial year, highlighting the predominantly residential character of the locality.
Compared with Greater Adelaide, building activity in Malvern is markedly depressed, tracking at 60.0% below the metropolitan average on a per capita basis. Such a constrained volume of new builds generally bolsters demand and valuation rates for existing residential assets. Construction rates also fall below national benchmarks, reflecting the mature nature of the suburb and implying potential regulatory or planning limits. Approved construction comprises 75.0% detached houses and 25.0% multi-unit housing options, reinforcing the local suburban character dominated by spacious family residences. Long-term forecasts indicate that Malvern will see its population rise by 295 residents by 2041, based on the latest quarterly modeling from AreaSearch. If residential construction volumes do not accelerate, the supply of homes may fall behind this population expansion, potentially intensifying competition among buyers and supporting upward price trends.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Malvern (SA)
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 2 current infrastructure and development projects inside Malvern (SA), worth an estimated $12 million. A further 16 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $235 million. 5 are already under construction and 2 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and health & medical. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
An area's long-term performance is closely linked to shifts in local infrastructure, major developments, and urban planning schemes. AreaSearch has highlighted 5 specific projects that are expected to influence the local area. Prominent developments include the 322-324 Fullarton Road Townhouses, the 400 Fullarton Road Residential Development, the Ridge Park Master Plan, and Parkside Place, with the list below highlighting the most significant initiatives.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Unley Central
A transformative 150 million dollar mixed-use precinct on the former Target site. The nine-storey development integrates 130 luxury apartments with a diverse commercial hub including a six-screen boutique cinema, supermarkets, cafes, and medical services. As South Australia's first fully integrated mixed-use development on a single site, it provides significant local employment and modernizes the Unley Road corridor.
Regis Aged Care Parkside
Construction of a five-storey residential aged care facility (supported accommodation) comprising 156 accommodation units with ancillary communal areas, solar photovoltaic panels, water tanks, car parking, and landscaping. The site, formerly approved for a mixed-use development, was acquired and repurposed by Regis Aged Care.
322-324 Fullarton Road Townhouses
Collection of 10 luxurious two-storey townhouses with flexible floor plan options, modern design features, and Bosch kitchen appliances. Located in high-demand Fullarton suburb with easy access to amenities.
400 Fullarton Road Residential Development
Construct a three storey residential flat building containing thirteen (13) dwellings, and remove Significant Tree (Fiddlewood)
Belair Road Retaining Walls Maintenance
Essential maintenance works on the retaining walls along Belair Road, below the Windy Point Lookout, to ensure the long-term structural integrity of the road.
Unley 108 Apartments
Catcorp's project features a seven-storey mixed-use tower with residential units and a commercial space in Unley.
Unley Road Public Realm Streetscape Upgrade
Council project to revitalise Unley Road between Park Street and Thomas Street. Works include new street furniture, planting beds, way-finding signage, and renewal of footpaths and kerbing.
Highgate Village Streetscape Upgrade
Stage 1 upgrade of the Highgate Village Business Precinct, including new footpath paving, garden beds, street furniture, shade trees, and improved pedestrian access.
1,477 residents of Malvern (SA) are employed, from a labour force of 1,507. Unemployment sits at 2.0%, with participation at 64.2%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 7.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local workforce is highly educated, featuring substantial employment in professional sectors, an unemployment rate of only 2.0%, and an estimated annual job growth of 3.8% based on AreaSearch's aggregation of local statistical boundaries. As of March 2026, there are 1,477 working residents, and the unemployment rate sits 1.8% lower than the 3.8% recorded for Greater Adelaide, though the workforce participation rate of 64.2% is slightly below the metropolitan benchmark of 66.6%. According to Census data, a moderate 17.9% of employed locals worked from home, though this figure may reflect the influence of pandemic lockdowns.
The primary employment fields for working locals are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and retail trade. The concentration of residents working in professional & technical fields is particularly pronounced, registering at 1.9 times the metropolitan average. Conversely, the construction sector is underrepresented, employing only 4.8% of the local workforce compared to 8.7% across Greater Adelaide. The highly residential character of the suburb appears to limit local employment vacancies, as shown by the relationship between the local working population and the total resident workforce in the Census. Aggregated data from AreaSearch, combining SALM and ABS information from wider statistical regions, shows that over the 12 months to March 2026, employment rose by 3.8% and the labour force also grew by 3.8%, which kept the unemployment rate relatively unchanged. In Greater Adelaide, employment grew by 4.2%, the labour force expanded by 4.0%, and unemployment decreased by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide additional context for anticipated future demand in Malvern. These projections span five and ten-year horizons and have been aligned with the local employment structure to estimate growth trajectories. National employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though expansion varies markedly across industry sectors. When these sector-specific projections are applied to Malvern's employment composition, local employment is expected to rise by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Malvern (SA) is $2,655 a week (about $138,000 a year), with median personal income at $1,117 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $70,601 a year against an average of $111,384. The average runs 58% above the median, a wider spread than most areas and a sign of a concentrated group of high earners. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
According to the financial year 2023 ATO statistics compiled by AreaSearch, tax returns show exceptionally high income levels for the suburb. The median income for local taxpayers is $70,601 and the average is $111,384, contrasting with metropolitan Adelaide figures of $54,808 and $66,852. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since financial year 2023, current estimates correspond to approximately $77,781 for the median and $122,712 for the average as of March 2026. The 2021 Census confirms that household, family, and individual incomes all rank highly, placing in the 86th to 93rd percentiles across the country.
Weekly earnings of $4000+ are recorded for 34.2% of the local population, totaling 945 individuals, whereas the broader metropolitan region sees its highest concentration of 31.8% within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. High income earners are prominent, with 46.0% earning more than $3,000 weekly, which reflects strong financial capacity. Residents retain 89.6% of their income after meeting housing expenses, and the suburb is positioned in the 10th decile on the SEIFA index for income.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Malvern (SA) had 982 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 80% detached houses and 7% apartments. 31% are owned with a mortgage, 19% rented and 49% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $380 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,800 a month. Rent absorbs 14.3% of household income here and mortgage repayments 24.3%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The local housing profile at the most recent Census consisted of 79.9% houses and 20.0% other options such as terraces, flats, and alternative dwellings, compared to the Adelaide metropolitan breakdown of 75.2% houses and 24.9% other options. The home ownership rate of 49.3% was considerably higher than the Adelaide metropolitan average, with the remaining homes being paid off under a mortgage (31.3%) or occupied by tenants (19.4%). The median mortgage payment in the area was significantly higher than the metropolitan average at $2,800, and the median weekly rent was $380, compared to metropolitan figures of $1,562 and $320.
On a national scale, mortgage commitments exceed the Australian average of $1,863, and rental costs also surpass the national benchmark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Malvern (SA) counted 982 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.6 people each. 39% are couples with children, more than in 77% of areas nationally, against 31% couples without children. 19% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.5 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up 79.3% of the local household structure, consisting of 39.0% couples with children, 30.9% couples without children, and 8.5% single parents. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 20.7%, with single-person households representing 19.2% and group households making up 1.3%. The median household size stands at 2.6 residents, which is slightly larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
50.2% of adults in Malvern (SA) hold a university qualification, including 33.0% with a bachelor degree and 12.3% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 88% of areas nationally. A further 8.4% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 461 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,142 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Academic credentials in Malvern are significantly higher than broader geographical levels, with 50.2% of residents aged 15+ holding a university degree compared to 25.7% across SA and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. This academic profile positions the local workforce well for opportunities in knowledge industries. Bachelor degrees represent the most common qualification at 33.0%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 12.3% and graduate diplomas at 4.9%. Vocational qualifications are held by 18.5% of residents aged 15+, consisting of advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 8.4%. Enrolment rates are high, with 29.3% of local residents participating in academic courses.
This student cohort includes 9.3% in primary schooling, 8.2% in secondary colleges, and 8.1% attending university or equivalent institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Malvern (SA) reaches 16 stops on 21 routes, timetabled for about 1,200 services a week. The typical home sits about 160 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.6 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Analysis of the local network reveals 16 active public transport stops within Malvern, all of which are bus stops. These locations are served by 21 separate routes, which combine to support 1,192 passenger services weekly. Local transit access is rated as outstanding, with residents living an average of 156 meters from their nearest stop. Given the suburban residential character of the area, most workers commute out of the suburb, with private cars remaining the primary travel mode at 86%, followed by buses at 7% and bicycles at 3%. Households average 1.6 vehicles, which is above the metropolitan average.
The 2021 Census showed that 17.9% of residents worked from home, which may be linked to pandemic restrictions. Services average 170 journeys per day across the network, which translates to roughly 74 weekly services per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
71.1% of residents in Malvern (SA) report no long-term health condition, a healthier profile than 93% of areas nationally. 5.4% need daily assistance with core activities, and 70.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 3.6 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Local health profiles demonstrate excellent results, with AreaSearch evaluations showing low mortality rates, a very low incidence of chronic illnesses across all demographic brackets, and private health insurance coverage covering approximately 71% of the population, which equals 1,960 people. This compares to coverage rates of 52.7% across Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%. Arthritis and asthma were identified as the most frequent health concerns, affecting 7.4 and 7.2% of the population respectively, while 71.1% of residents reported having no ongoing medical conditions, compared to 67.9% in the wider Adelaide area.
The suburb has 24.7% of its population aged 65 and over, totaling 683 people, which is higher than the 19.2% rate for Greater Adelaide. The wellness profiles of these older residents are strong, with national comparisons reflecting the positive trends observed in the broader local community.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Malvern (SA) is largely Australian-born, at 77.0% of residents, with 18.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (27.5%) and Australian (23.0%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
The suburb exhibits above-average cultural diversity, with 23.0% of the population born outside Australia and 18.4% speaking a non-English language at home. Christianity is the primary religious affiliation, representing 51.7% of residents. The most noticeable deviation from metropolitan patterns is in Judaism, which accounts for 0.1% of the population, matching the 0.1% recorded across Greater Adelaide. Looking at ancestral backgrounds, the three largest groups identified locally are English at 27.5%, Australian at 23.0%, and Other at 6.9%. Notable differences compared to wider metropolitan averages include Welsh ancestry at 0.9% (compared to 0.6% across the region), Greek ancestry at 4.9% (compared to 2.0% regionally), and German ancestry at 5.4% (compared to 5.1% regionally).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Malvern (SA) is 45, older than 82% of areas nationally. That is 1 year younger than at the 2021 Census. 24.2% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The median age of 45 years in Malvern is higher than the Greater Adelaide benchmark of 39 and the national standard of 38. The 65 - 74 age bracket is strongly represented at 13.7% compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 25 - 34 bracket is less common at 8.7%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 15 to 24 age bracket rose from 13.0% to 15.5% of the population, while the 75 to 84 bracket increased from 6.7% to 8.0%. On the other hand, the 45 to 54 bracket fell from 14.9% to 12.2%.
Age projections suggest the local demographic mix will change significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 bracket is expected to grow by 32%, adding 70 residents to reach 292, whereas decreases are anticipated in the 5 to 14 and 65 to 74 cohorts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Malvern (SA)
8 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 8 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 3 sections | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jul 2025 about a year ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jul 2025. | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (2,713 at the 2021 Census → 2,766 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL40814). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.