Morphettville

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

As of November 2025, the population of Morphettville is estimated at around 4,126 people. This reflects an increase of 440 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,686. AreaSearch's analysis of ABS ERP data from June 2024 and additional validated new addresses indicates this growth. The resulting population density is approximately 2,073 persons per square kilometer, exceeding national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Morphettville's 11.9% growth since the 2021 Census surpassed both its SA4 region (5.4%) and SA3 area, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 65.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and adjusts them using weighted aggregation methods for years post-2032 or areas not covered by this data. Looking ahead, Morphettville's population is projected to expand by 806 persons to reach 5,932 by 2041, reflecting a 17-year increase of 13.9%.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Morphettville had approximately 47 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 238 homes. As of FY-26, 17 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.4 people moved to the area per dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, suggesting balanced supply and demand with stable market dynamics. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $373,000.

This financial year has seen $3.0 million in commercial development approvals, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Morphettville has 78.0% more new home approvals per person, offering buyers ample choice and reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New development consists of 72.0% standalone homes and 28.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's suburban nature with a focus on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (55.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. Morphettville reflects a developing area, with around 77 people per approval.

Population forecasts indicate Morphettville will gain approximately 574 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Morphettville has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

AreaSearch has identified two projects that could impact the area significantly due to changes in local infrastructure. These key projects are: Morphettville/Glengowrie Horse Related Activities Code Amendment, Morphettville Racecourse Redevelopment, Tram Grade Separation Projects, and Westfield Marion Expansion. The following list details those most relevant.

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.

Employment conditions in Morphettville remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Morphettville's workforce is well-educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.5% as of June 2021, with an estimated employment growth of 2.3% over the past year based on AreaSearch data aggregation.

As of June 2025, there were 2,057 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 4.5%, 0.5% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4%. Workforce participation in Morphettville was 59.3%, below Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. The dominant employment sectors among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Health care & social assistance had a particularly strong specialization with an employment share of 1.2 times the regional level, while manufacturing showed lower representation at 3.9% compared to the regional average of 7%.

Employment opportunities locally appeared limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.3% while labour force increased by 2.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that Morphettville's employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Morphettville has an income median of $50,536 and average income of $62,731. This is below Greater Adelaide's median income of $52,592 and average income of $64,886. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $57,020 (median) and $70,779 (average), based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census ranks Morphettville's household, family, and personal incomes modestly, between the 30th and 37th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 30.5% of residents (1,258 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, consistent with metropolitan trends at 31.8%. Morphettville faces severe housing affordability pressures, with only 81.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 27th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Morphettville displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Morphettville's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 55.1% houses and 44.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 70.8% houses and 29.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Morphettville stood at 25.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.3% and rented ones at 38.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,667, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,700. Median weekly rent in Morphettville was $300, compared to Adelaide metro's $330. Nationally, Morphettville's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 58.1% of all households, including 21.7% couples with children, 22.6% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for 41.9%, with lone person households making up 36.6% and group households comprising 5.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.4.

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

In Morphettville, 29.1% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, slightly higher than the South Australia average of 25.7%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 20.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 9.5% while certificates make up 20.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.5% in primary education, 6.6% in tertiary education, and 5.2% pursuing secondary education. Dara School serves Morphettville, enrolling 86 students as of an unspecified date. The school's Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) is 1191, indicating it is among the most socio-educationally advantageous nationally. All one school in Morphettville offers integrated K-12 education, providing continuity throughout students' academic journey. However, local school capacity is limited at 2.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 10.8, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Morphettville has 24 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 different routes that together facilitate 775 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of public transport in Morphettville is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 171 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 110 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 32 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Morphettville is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Morphettville faces significant health challenges, as indicated by data revealing a variety of conditions affecting both younger and older age groups.

The area has approximately 52% private health cover, slightly lower than the average SA2 area. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, impacting 11.4% and 8.0% of residents respectively. Conversely, 64.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 68.1% in Greater Adelaide. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 21.8%, compared to 19.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

Morphettville was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Morphettville has a higher cultural diversity compared to most local markets, with 27.3% of its population born overseas and 21.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Morphettville, making up 42.6% of people. Judaism, however, is overrepresented in Morphettville compared to Greater Adelaide, comprising 0.3% versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (27.8%), Australian (23.4%), and Other (10.1%). Certain ethnic groups show notable differences: German is slightly overrepresented at 5.5% in Morphettville compared to the regional average of 5.0%, Russian is also overrepresented at 0.5% versus 0.3%, and Spanish shows a small increase from 0.3% regionally to 0.6% in Morphettville.

Morphettville's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Morphettville's median age is 39 years, matching the Greater Adelaide average of 39 and closely aligned with Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age cohort is notably over-represented in Morphettville at 18.0%, compared to the Greater Adelaide average. Conversely, the 45-54 age group is under-represented locally at 9.3%. Post the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has increased from 6.7% to 7.4% of Morphettville's population, while the 85+ cohort has decreased from 5.8% to 4.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Morphettville's age profile. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 72%, adding 131 residents to reach a total of 313. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is projected to contract by zero residents.