Meadows

Meadows lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the estimated population of Meadows as of May 2026 is around 1,886. This reflects an increase of 169 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,717. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 1,876 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, along with an additional 51 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 44 persons per square kilometer. Meadows's growth rate of 9.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the state average of 7.5%. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth, contributing approximately 48.0% of overall 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, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Future population dynamics anticipate a growth rate just below the national median statistical area average, expecting an increase of 180 persons to reach 2,041 by 2041, reflecting a gain of 9.0% over the 16-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Meadows when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Meadows shows around 26 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 131 homes. As of FY-26, 15 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.6 people move to the area per new home constructed annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating healthy demand for property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $387,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year, $3.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating Meadows' primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Meadows has seen 46.0% more development per person over the past five years, offering reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. However, recent development activity has moderated. Nationally, developer confidence in Meadows is strong, as indicated by its substantially higher development activity compared to national averages.

Recent building activity consists entirely of standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. The location has approximately 164 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Meadows is expected to grow by 170 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Meadows has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

No changes can influence a region's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that are expected to significantly impact this area. Notable projects include High Productivity Vehicle Network (HPVN), New Mount Barker Hospital, Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access, and Adelaide's Inner And Outer Ring Route Capacity Improvements, with the following list outlining those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Meadows ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Meadows has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being particularly prominent. Its unemployment rate is 2.5%, having seen an estimated employment growth of 5.2% in the past year according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of December 2025, 1,082 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.3% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%.

The workforce participation rate in Meadows is 74.4%, higher than Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. Only 11.2% of residents work from home, as per Census responses, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. Key industries employing residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Meadows has a notable employment specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 5.4 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance employs only 13.8% of local workers, lower than Greater Adelaide's 17.7%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the Census working population count compared to resident population. In the 12-month period ending in December 2025, employment increased by 5.2%, while labour force grew by 5.7%, leading to a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide where employment rose by 4.2%, labour force grew by 3.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Meadows' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

The income level in Meadows suburb is higher than the national average, as per the latest Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data compiled by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Meadows is $57,264, while the average income stands at $72,284. In comparison, Greater Adelaide's figures are $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on a 10.17% growth in wages since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $63,088 (median) and $79,635 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Meadows cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. The income analysis shows that the majority of residents, 45.8% or 863 people, fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket after housing costs, which aligns with the regional trend where this cohort represents 31.8%. After accounting for housing costs, Meadows residents retain 87.0% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Meadows is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The latest Census evaluation showed that dwelling structures in Meadows comprised 98.3% houses and 1.6% other dwellings (including semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Adelaide metro's figures of 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership within Meadows was recorded at 31.4%, aligning with Adelaide metro's figure. Dwellings were either mortgaged (56.8%) or rented (11.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,645, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent figure for Meadows was recorded at $343, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Meadows's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 83.1% of all households, including 37.3% couples with children, 34.9% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 16.9%, with lone person households at 15.5% and group households comprising 1.2%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Educational attainment in Meadows aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 20.5%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 42.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.3%) and certificates (33.6%). Educational participation is high, with 27.0% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 13.4% in primary, 6.2% in secondary, and 2.3% in tertiary education.

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

Meadows has five operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are served by one route collectively offering ten weekly passenger trips. Transport access is rated good, with residents typically 367 meters from the nearest stop. Most Meadows residents commute outward, predominantly using cars at a rate of 96%. Average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 2.1, above the regional average. Only 11.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census).

Service frequency averages one trip per day across all routes, equating to about two weekly trips per stop.

Meadows's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Meadows' health data shows positive results, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions. Common health conditions are low across all age groups.

Private health cover is high at 56% (~1047 people), compared to Greater Adelaide's 52.7%. The most prevalent conditions are asthma (9.8%) and mental health issues (8.5%), with 68.8% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to Greater Adelaide's 67.9%. Working-age residents have a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions. Meadows has 16.9% of residents aged 65 and over (318 people), lower than Greater Adelaide's 19.2%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

Meadows is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Meadows' cultural diversity was found to be below average. As of a certain date, 90.4% of its population were citizens, 88.5% were born in Australia, and 96.9% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 31.0% of Meadows' population.

However, Judaism's representation was notably lower than the regional average, with 0.0% compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.1%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (34.4%, substantially higher than the regional average of 27.8%), Australian (33.0%, also significantly higher than the regional average of 22.8%), and Scottish (8.0%). Other notable divergences included German (7.3% vs regional 5.1%), Hungarian (0.4% vs regional 0.3%), and Dutch (1.7% vs regional 1.2%) groups being overrepresented in Meadows compared to the region as a whole.

Meadows's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

Meadows's median age is 39 years, aligning with Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and closely matching Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide's average, Meadows has a notably higher proportion of the 55-64 cohort (13.9% locally) and a lower proportion of 15-24 year-olds (8.5%). Post-2021 Census, the 75-84 age group grew from 3.7% to 5.9%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 15.1% to 16.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 12.7% to 10.8%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 15.0% to 13.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Meadows's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 54%, adding 59 residents to reach 171. Meanwhile, both the 65-74 and 35-44 age groups are expected to decrease.