Morphett Vale

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Morphett Vale is around 24,686 people. This reflects an increase of 684 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 24,002. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of resident population at 24,655 based on latest ABS ERP data release (June 2024) and an additional 131 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,934 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Morphett Vale's growth rate of 2.8% since census is within 2.1 percentage points of its SA3 area (4.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration being positive factors.

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 employing a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead, population projections indicate an increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation, with Morphett Vale expected to expand by 2,405 persons to reach 27,091 people by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 9.6% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Morphett Vale among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Morphett Vale had around 76 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 382 homes were approved, with an additional 52 in FY-26 so far. This resulted in an average of 2.5 new residents per dwelling over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost value for new homes was $301,000, below the regional average. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $31.8 million. Compared to Greater Adelaide and nationally, Morphett Vale records about 64% of building activity per person, placing it in the 55th percentile of areas assessed. The area's new building activity comprises 84.0% standalone homes and 16.0% attached dwellings, with approximately 283 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

Future projections estimate Morphett Vale will add 2,366 residents by 2041, keeping pace with growth projections. However, increased competition among buyers is expected as the population grows.

Morphett Vale has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects potentially impacting this region. Key projects are Woodcroft College Campus Expansions, YAS Property Development - Morphett Vale Project, The Green at Woodcroft, and Noarlunga Hospital Expansion.

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

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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Morphett Vale faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Morphett Vale has a balanced workforce encompassing both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented in the area.

The unemployment rate was 7.4% as of June 2025. Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 2.5%. This figure is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In June 2025, 11,673 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Morphett Vale is lower at 56.2% compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. The dominant employment sectors among Morphett Vale residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area has a significant specialization in retail trade, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 3.5% compared to the regional average of 7.3%. Morphett Vale appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between the Census working population and resident population counts. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels in Morphett Vale increased by 2.5%, while the labour force grew by 2.7%. This resulted in a rise of 0.2 percentage points in the unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment grow by 2.1% and the labour force increase by 2.1%, with a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 provide insights into potential future demand within Morphett Vale. These projections suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Morphett Vale's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years. It is important to note that these figures are based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and do not take into account localised population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Morphett Vale's median taxpayer income in financial year 2022 was $48,903. The average income for the same period was $53,486. This is lower than the national average of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively for Greater Adelaide. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $55,177 and average income $60,348, based on a 12.83% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Morphett Vale fall between the 13th and 17th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The earnings profile shows that 30.7% of residents earn between $800 - 1,499, compared to metropolitan trends where 31.8% earn between $1,500 - 2,999. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Morphett Vale, with only 82.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 13th percentile nationally.

Morphett Vale is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Morphett Vale, as evaluated at the 2016 Census, comprised 84.9% houses and 15.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 89.2% houses and 10.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Morphett Vale was 28.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.5% and rented dwellings at 28.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Adelaide metro's $1,452. Median weekly rent was $295, compared to Adelaide metro's $314. Nationally, Morphett Vale's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Morphett Vale features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 66.0% of all households, including 23.7% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 15.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.0%, with lone person households at 30.8% and group households making up 3.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Morphett Vale fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 12.5%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.9% and certificates at 33.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary, 6.5% in secondary, and 3.8% in tertiary education. The area has 13 schools serving 5,499 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 991) offering balanced educational opportunities. There are 8 primary, 1 secondary, and 4 K-12 schools. As an education hub, the area offers 22.3 school places per 100 residents, above the regional average of 13.6, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Morphett Vale has 132 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 25 different routes that together facilitate 1,420 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 208 meters to the nearest stop.

Across all routes, there are approximately 202 daily trips and 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Morphett Vale is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Morphett Vale faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. The private health cover rate is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~11,893 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, impacting 11.3% and 10.4% of residents respectively. Conversely, 58.5% of residents report no medical ailments, lower than the Greater Adelaide average of 62.9%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.3% (5,258 people). Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Morphett Vale records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Morphett Vale's cultural diversity aligns with its region, as 78.5% were born in Australia, 89.7% are citizens, and 90.6% speak English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, with 37.5%. The 'Other' category is slightly overrepresented at 1.0%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.7%.

Top ancestry groups include English (34.2%), Australian (28.4%), and Scottish (6.9%). Notably, German (5.0%) and Polish (0.9%) are proportionally similar to regional levels, while Hungarian is also present at 0.3%.

Morphett Vale's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Morphett Vale is 40 years, similar to Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years but somewhat older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constitutes 8.0% of the population in Morphett Vale, compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 15-24 cohort makes up 10.9%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.7% to 8.0% of the population. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group has decreased from 12.2% to 11.1%. Population forecasts for Morphett Vale indicate significant demographic changes by 2041. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 121%, reaching 1,202 people from 543. In contrast, the 65 to 74 cohort shows minimal growth of just 0% (an increase of only 7 people).