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 for the Morphett Vale statistical area (Lv2) is around 24,939. This figure represents an increase of 937 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 24,002. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 24,647 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 131 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,954 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Morphett Vale's growth rate of 3.9% since the census places it within 2.3 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 6.2%, indicating strong 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 a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead, population projections indicate an increase just below the median for national areas. The Morphett Vale (SA2) is expected to grow by 2,405 persons to reach a total population of approximately 27,344 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 8.5% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, derived from statistical area data, indicates Morphett Vale has received approximately 76 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 382 homes were approved, with an additional 82 approved in FY26 as of current figures. On average, each dwelling accommodates about 2.5 new residents per year over these five years, suggesting consistent demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes is approximately $301,000. This financial year has seen around $31.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Morphett Vale exhibits roughly 64% of the construction activity per person and falls within the 55th percentile nationally when assessed against other areas. This lower-than-average national figure suggests possible planning constraints due to the area's maturity.

New developments in Morphett Vale comprise approximately 84.0% detached houses and 16.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the suburb's low-density character with a focus on detached housing that appeals to space-seeking buyers. With around 283 people per approval, Morphett Vale reflects its status as a low-density area. Future projections estimate an increase of approximately 2,113 residents by 2041, aligning with current development levels and suggesting stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Morphett Vale has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that may affect this region. Major initiatives include 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.

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Employment performance in Morphett Vale has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Morphett Vale's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs. Key sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Unemployment rate in September 2025 was 7.0%. Employment grew by 3.7% over the past year. Compared to Greater Adelaide, unemployment is higher (3.1% vs 3.9%), and workforce participation is lower (56.2% vs 61.7%). Retail trade is dominant with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Professional & technical services have limited presence at 3.5%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.7% and labour force grew by 3.2%, reducing unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 3.0%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment fall by 0.1 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.0%. National unemployment is 4.3%, but SA's employment growth outpaces the national average of 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Morphett Vale's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, assuming constant population growth for illustrative purposes.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The suburb of Morphett Vale has a lower income level compared to national averages, as per latest Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data compiled by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Morphett Vale is $48,903, with an average income of $53,486. This compares to figures for Greater Adelaide of $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $53,206 (median) and $58,193 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Morphett Vale all fall between the 13th and 17th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicates that the $800 - $1,499 earnings band captures 30.7% of the community (7,656 individuals), unlike regional trends where 31.8% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Morphett Vale, with only 82.3% of income remaining, 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

Morphett Vale's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.9% houses and 15.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Adelaide metro's 89.2% houses and 10.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Morphett Vale was at 28.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.5% and rented ones at 28.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,452. Median weekly rent in Morphett Vale was $295, compared to Adelaide metro's $314. Nationally, Morphett Vale's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,300 versus Australia's 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 account for 66.0% of all households, consisting of 23.7% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 15.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.0%, with lone person households at 30.8% and group households comprising 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 Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.9%) and certificates (33.1%). Educational participation is high, with 25.4% currently enrolled in formal education, including primary (9.7%), secondary (6.5%), and tertiary (3.8%) levels.

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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 these are bus stops. They are served by 26 different routes that together provide 1,424 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in Morphett Vale is rated as good. Residents typically live 208 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 203 trips per day across all routes. This means each stop gets about 10 weekly trips.

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. Private health cover is low, at approximately 48% of the total population (~12,015 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 11.3% and 10.4% of residents respectively. In contrast, 58.5% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 62.9% across Greater Adelaide. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.3% (5,312 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some 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 population was found to be roughly similar to the wider region in terms of cultural diversity, with 78.5% born in Australia, 89.7% being citizens, and 90.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Morphett Vale, comprising 37.5% of its population. However, there was an overrepresentation in Other religions, which made up 1.0% compared to 0.7% across Greater Adelaide.

The top three ancestry groups were English (34.2%), Australian (28.4%), and Scottish (6.9%). Notably, German (5.0%) and Polish (0.9%) were overrepresented, while Hungarian was proportionally similar at 0.3%.

Morphett Vale's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Morphett Vale was 40 years as of the Census conducted on 9 August 2021, similar to Greater Adelaide's average age of 39 years but somewhat older than Australia's average age of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constituted 8.0% of Morphett Vale's population compared to Greater Adelaide's figure, while the 15-24 cohort made up 10.9%. Comparing data from the Census and post-Census, the 75-84 age group grew from 6.7% to 8.0%, whereas the 65-74 cohort declined from 12.2% to 11.1%. Population forecasts for Morphett Vale indicate significant demographic changes by 2041. Notably, the 85+ age group is projected to grow by 119%, reaching 1,202 people from its current figure of 548. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort is expected to decline by 20 people.