Melrose Park (SA)

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Melrose Park (SA) is around 2,368. This figure reflects an increase of 49 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,319. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 2,359 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional validated new address since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,793 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 2.1% growth since the census places it within 2.9 percentage points of the SA3 area (5.0%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth 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 by this data and years post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on projected demographic shifts, the suburb is expected to grow by just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, with an increase of 125 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 5.2% over the 17 years.

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

Melrose Park has seen approximately 10 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 54 homes. In FY26 so far, there have been 5 approvals recorded. This translates to an average of about 0.4 new residents per year per new home between FY21 and FY25.

The average construction cost value for these dwellings is approximately $412,000. Compared to Greater Adelaide's average, Melrose Park has had around 35% more development approvals per person over the past five years. The dwelling mix consists of about 67% detached houses and 33% medium to high-density housing.

With roughly 168 people per dwelling approval, Melrose Park is considered a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Melrose Park is projected to gain around 123 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand adequately, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Melrose Park has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 19thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that may affect this region. Notable projects include SA Health's "Building a Bigger Health System in the South" (Daw Park Urgent Care Hub and other upgrades), the New Hospital and Allied Centre at Repat Health Precinct, Tram Grade Separation Projects, and the River Torrens to Darlington Project - South Road Resurfacing Works.

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

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Employment conditions in Melrose Park rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Melrose Park has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 1.8% as of September 2025, with estimated employment growth of 3.6% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of that date, 1,366 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 2.1% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Melrose Park was higher at 72.0%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. Census responses indicated that only 12.2% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Manufacturing had limited presence with 4.3% employment compared to the regional average of 7.0%. There were 1.4 workers per resident as at the Census, indicating that Melrose Park functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.6% and labour force grew by 3.7%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a slight drop in unemployment rate of 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6%, and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to Melrose Park's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Melrose Park had a median taxpayer income of $52,027 and an average income of $67,163. Nationally, these figures are approximately average, with Greater Adelaide reporting $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on 8.8% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Melrose Park would be around $56,605 (median) and $73,073 (average) by September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Melrose Park rank modestly, between the 40th and 55th percentiles for households, families, and individuals. Income analysis reveals that 28.6% of residents earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (677 residents), similar to the regional average of 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 39th percentile. Melrose Park's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Melrose Park dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 74.4% houses and 25.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Melrose Park was 32.1%, similar to Adelaide metro's figure. Mortgaged dwellings were 41.1%, rented ones 26.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,900, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. Median weekly rent in Melrose Park was $350, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Melrose Park's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,900 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $350 compared to the national figure of $375.

Melrose Park features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 62.4% of all households, including 28.8% couples with children, 21.9% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.6%, with lone person households at 34.1% and group households comprising 3.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

In Melrose Park, 33.6% of residents aged 15 and over hold university degrees, compared to the SA3 area's 43.1%. This gap suggests potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are most common at 23.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 31.7% of residents aged 15 and over holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 11.2% and certificates at 20.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in primary education, 6.4% in tertiary education, and 5.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

Melrose Park has 15 operational public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 20 different routes, offering 1,238 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically situated 211 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily due to its residential nature. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 83%, followed by bus at 7% and walking at 4%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 12.2% of residents work from home, which might be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 176 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 82 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Melrose Park is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

Melrose Park faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are somewhat prevalent across the board but slightly higher among older age cohorts. Private health cover is at approximately 54% of the total population (~1,268 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues impacting 8.8% of residents and arthritis impacting 8.5%. A total of 68.3% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 19.8% of residents aged 65 and over (468 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Melrose Park was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 22.2% of its population born overseas and 21.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Melrose Park, comprising 39.1% of people there, but Hinduism is overrepresented at 4.4%, compared to 2.8% across Greater Adelaide. The top three ancestry groups are English (26.4%), Australian (26.0%), and Other (8.7%).

Notably, Hungarian (0.7%) is more prevalent in Melrose Park than regionally (0.3%), as are German (5.6%) and Greek (4.0%) populations.

Melrose Park's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

Melrose Park has a median age of 38, closely matching Greater Adelaide's figure of 39 and Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide's average, Melrose Park has an over-representation of the 35-44 cohort (16.9% locally) and an under-representation of the 45-54 year-olds (9.4%). From 2021 to present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.6% to 7.3% of the population, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 11.3% to 9.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Melrose Park's age profile. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 57 people (an increase of 78%), reaching a total of 131 individuals. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 73% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Meanwhile, the 35-44 and 15-24 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.