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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
Sales Activity
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Population
Population growth drivers in McLaren Flat are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends
Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, as of Nov 2025, McLaren Flat's estimated population is around 1,726. This reflects a 6.2% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 1,625 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 1,634 in Jun 2024 and ten new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 61 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, McLaren Flat has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 3.1%, surpassing its SA3 area. Interstate migration contributed approximately 81.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made via weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, above median population growth is expected for McLaren Flat (SA2), with an increase of 355 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 28.2% over the 17 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Recent residential development output has been above average within McLaren Flat when compared nationally
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates McLaren Flat has received around 5 dwelling approvals per year over the past 5 financial years, totalling an estimated 26 homes. In FY-26 so far, 2 approvals have been recorded. This results in approximately 14.2 new residents arriving annually per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction cost of new properties is $302,000.
There has also been $74,000 in commercial approvals this financial year. Compared to Greater Adelaide, McLaren Flat shows around 63% of the construction activity per person, placing it among the 61st percentile nationally. However, recent building activity consists entirely of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing. This results in approximately 243 people per approval.
Looking ahead, McLaren Flat is expected to grow by 487 residents through to 2041, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and price increases if current development rates continue.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
McLaren Flat has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting this region: Willunga Basin Water Infrastructure Expansion. Other notable projects include Onkaparinga Heights development, Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access improvements, and upgrades to Adelaide's Inner And Outer Ring Route Capacity.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Enabling Infrastructure for Hydrogen Production
A national initiative to coordinate and deploy infrastructure supporting large-scale renewable hydrogen production. Following the 2024 National Hydrogen Strategy refresh and the National Hydrogen Infrastructure Assessment (NHIA) to 2050, the program focuses on aligning transport, storage, water, and electricity inputs with Renewable Energy Zones and hydrogen hubs. Key financial drivers include the $4 billion Hydrogen Headstart program (with Round 2 EOI launched in October 2025) and the Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive (HPTI) legislated to provide a $2 per kg credit from July 2027 to 2040.
Bulk Water Supply Security
Nationwide program led by the National Water Grid Authority to improve bulk water security and reliability for non-potable and productive uses. Activities include strategic planning, science and business cases, and funding of state and territory projects such as storages, pipelines, dam upgrades, recycled water and efficiency upgrades to build drought resilience and support regional communities, industry and the environment.
Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access
State-led program work to increase public transport capacity and access to, through and within central Adelaide. Current work is focused on the City Access Strategy (20-year movement plan for the CBD and North Adelaide) and the State Transport Strategy program, which together will shape options such as bus priority, interchange upgrades, tram and rail enhancements, and better first/last mile access.
National EV Charging Network (Highway Fast Charging)
Partnership between the Australian Government and NRMA to deliver a backbone EV fast charging network on national highways. Program funds and co-funds 117 DC fast charging sites at roughly 150 km intervals to connect all capital cities and regional routes, reducing range anxiety and supporting EV uptake.
Network Optimisation Program - Roads
A national program concept focused on improving congestion and reliability on urban road networks by using low-cost operational measures and technology (e.g., signal timing, intersection treatments, incident management) to optimise existing capacity across major city corridors.
High Productivity Vehicle Network (HPVN)
$525 million federal funding for High Productivity Vehicle Network. Duplication of Swanport Bridge and Murray Bridge Township Bypass in Monarto. Enables higher productivity vehicles to bypass Adelaide, reducing trips, carbon emissions, improving freight efficiency and safety. Affects southern corridor transport.
Willunga Basin Water Infrastructure Expansion
Water infrastructure expansion project increasing annual supply capacity from 7,250ML to 8,100ML of recycled water for McLaren Vale region. Critical for supporting wine industry and sustainable water security in face of climate impacts and groundwater depletion.
Onkaparinga Heights
A 235-hectare masterplanned community in Adelaide's southern suburbs delivering approximately 2,000 to 2,300 new homes. The project includes a 67.6-hectare site managed by Renewal SA, partnered with YAS Property & Development to deliver 1,000 homes, alongside adjacent private developments. The community features a minimum of 20% affordable housing, sustainable urban design, and high connectivity via the Southern Expressway. Civil works commenced in late 2025, with first home constructions slated for late 2026.
Employment
Employment conditions in McLaren Flat rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally
McLaren Flat has a skilled labour force with notable representation in the construction sector. Its unemployment rate was 1.1% as of September 2025.
This is lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. The area saw an estimated employment growth of 4.5% over the past year, according to AreaSearch data aggregation. As of September 2025, 1,118 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate of 70.7%, higher than Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance (13.9%), construction (18.4%), and manufacturing (14.7%).
Notably, agriculture, forestry & fishing employment is at 5.2 times the regional average. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparison of working population to local population. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 4.5% alongside labour force growth of 4.5%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 2.8%. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 3.0% and unemployment fall slightly to 3.8%. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 shows South Australia's employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year with an unemployment rate of 4.0%, outperforming the national average of 0.14% and a national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to McLaren Flat's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment
AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows median income in McLaren Flat is $53,702 and average income is $66,375. This is lower than national averages of $54,808 (median) and $66,852 (average). Greater Adelaide's figures are close to these national averages. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income in McLaren Flat would be around $58,428 and average income approximately $72,216. According to Census 2021 income data, household income ranks at the 74th percentile ($2,129 weekly) and personal income at the 57th percentile. Income distribution shows 37.0% of residents (638 individuals) earn between $1,500 - 2,999 annually. After housing costs, residents retain 87.3% of their income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
McLaren Flat is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
McLaren Flat's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted entirely of houses with no other dwellings like semi-detached homes or apartments. This contrasts with Adelaide metro's mix of 89.2% houses and 10.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in McLaren Flat was at 32.7%, similar to Adelaide metro's level, with mortgaged dwellings at 55.9% and rented ones at 11.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,786, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,452. The median weekly rent figure for McLaren Flat was $350, compared to Adelaide metro's $314. Nationally, McLaren Flat's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
McLaren Flat features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households account for 87.8 percent of all households, including 48.5 percent couples with children, 29.2 percent couples without children, and 9.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 12.2 percent, with lone person households at 11.2 percent and group households comprising 0.8 percent of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5 people.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
McLaren Flat performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes
Educational qualifications in McLaren Flat trail regional benchmarks, with 21.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 30.4% in Australia. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 14.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 41.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (30.6%).
Educational participation is notably high, with 33.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.6% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Transport analysis shows six active public transport stops in McLaren Flat, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by one route collectively offering 80 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 178 meters from the nearest stop.
Service frequency averages 11 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
The level of general health in McLaren Flat is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions
McLaren Flat shows superior health outcomes for both younger and older age groups, with low prevalence of common health conditions. Its private health cover rate stands at approximately 53%, comprising about 918 people, compared to Greater Adelaide's 49.1%.
The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (affecting 8.4% of residents) and arthritis (7.6%), while 71.9% report no medical ailments, higher than Greater Adelaide's 62.9%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.9%, totaling 239 people, compared to Greater Adelaide's 21.0%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, mirroring the general population's health profile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
McLaren Flat is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics
McLaren Flat, surveyed in June 2016, had a low cultural diversity with 83.6% of residents born in Australia and 91.3% being citizens. English was the home language for 96.6%. Christianity was the predominant religion at 36.1%.
Judaism was underrepresented at 0.0%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.1%. Top ancestral groups were English (39.0%), Australian (30.1%), and Scottish (8.3%). Welsh (0.9%) and Hungarian (0.4%) were overrepresented, while German (5.2%) was slightly underrepresented regionally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
McLaren Flat's population is slightly older than the national pattern
McLaren Flat has a median age of 39 years, which is equal to Greater Adelaide's average and close to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, McLaren Flat has a higher proportion of individuals aged 5-14 (16.7% vs. the average) and fewer individuals aged 25-34 (8.1%). Post-2021 Census, the population aged 0-4 increased from 5.7% to 7.1%, while those aged 45-54 decreased from 16.7% to 14.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in McLaren Flat's age profile, with the strongest growth expected in the 35-44 age group (29%), adding 78 residents to reach a total of 353.