Millswood

Millswood is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As per ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation for the suburb of Millswood, the estimated population is around 2,214 as of Feb 2026. This figure shows an increase of 41 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,173. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,195 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024, along with an additional validated new address since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,170 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 99.0% of overall population gains recently.

Population projections for Millswood are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for SA2 areas. For other areas and years post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category from 2023, based on 2021 data, are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods. Future population trends indicate an increase just below the median of Australian statistical areas, with Millswood expected to expand by 209 persons to reach 2,423 by 2041, reflecting a gain of 11.8% over 17 years.

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

Millswood has seen only one residential development approval in the past five years. This indicates a mature, established suburb where available land for new construction is limited. For buyers, this scarcity of new housing stock typically supports property values and means competition may primarily be among existing homes.

When measured against Greater Adelaide, Millswood records markedly lower building activity. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. However, development activity has picked up in recent periods. Nationally, this is below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

Millswood 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 one major project expected to influence the area: Goodwood Oval Sporting Precinct Revitalisation, along with other notable projects such as Tram Grade Separation Projects, Carmelite Retirement Living, and North South Corridor. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Millswood ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Millswood has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.7% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of that date, 1,256 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.7% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Millswood was 70.9%, slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. According to Census responses, 17.4% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Millswood had a particular specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share twice the regional level.

Conversely, construction employed only 4.5% of local workers, lower than Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population and resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 2.7%, while labour force grew by 2.9%, resulting in a slight increase of unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 3.0% and a decrease in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 could provide further insight into potential future demand within Millswood. These projections estimated national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Millswood's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, although these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Millswood suburb has income among top percentile nationally. Median income is $70,748 and average income stands at $103,303. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide's median income of $54,808 and average income of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $76,974 (median) and $112,394 (average). From the 2021 Census, Millswood's household, family and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between 89th and 95th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 33.2% of residents (735 people) fall within the $4000+ bracket, unlike broader area trends where 31.8% fall within $1,500 - 2,999 range. Economic strength is evident with 46.7% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 91.5% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and SEIFA income ranking places Millswood in the 10th decile.

Millswood is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Millswood, as per the latest Census, 89.6% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 10.4% being semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In contrast, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Millswood stood at 50.8%, with mortgaged properties at 35.3% and rented ones at 14.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,253, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent in Millswood was $420, compared to Adelaide metro's $375. Nationally, Millswood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 77.6% of all households, including 38.6% couples with children, 30.5% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 22.4%, with lone person households at 21.3% and group households comprising 1.4%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Educational achievement in Millswood places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Millswood's educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 48.7% have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. University graduates make up the majority at 30.6%, followed by postgraduates (12.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.9%). Vocational pathways account for 20.3%, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 10.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.4% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 8.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Millswood has seven active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by twelve different routes, collectively facilitating 1,420 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 262 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the dominant mode at 76%, with cycling at 8% and walking at 4%. Average vehicle ownership is 1.7 per dwelling, above regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 17.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 202 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 202 weekly trips per individual stop.

Millswood's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Millswood. AreaSearch's assessment found very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population (1,499 people), compared to 52.7% in Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.6 and 7.1% of residents respectively. Notably, 71.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.9% in Greater Adelaide. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 22.5% of residents aged 65 and over (498 people), higher than the 19.3% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

Millswood ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Millswood's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 83.0% of its population born in Australia, 94.8% being citizens, and 89.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Millswood, comprising 49.3% of people, compared to 42.4% across Greater Adelaide. The top three ancestry groups were English (29.2%), Australian (21.7%), and Irish (8.8%).

Notably, Polish (1.4%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 1.0%, Hungarian at 0.6% (regional: 0.3%), and Greek at 4.3% (regional: 2.0%).

Millswood hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Millswood's median age is 45 years, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and exceeds the national average of 38. The 45-54 age group constitutes 14.2%, compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 7.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75-84 age group grew from 7.4% to 8.8% of Millswood's population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort declined from 14.8% to 13.7%. Demographic modeling indicates significant changes in Millswood's age profile by 2041. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 45%, adding 88 residents to reach 283. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 54% of population growth, reflecting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the 0-4 cohort is projected to grow by a modest 9%, with an increase of 6 people.