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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
Population growth drivers in Mount Compass are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends
Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the estimated population of Mount Compass as of May 2026 is around 1,879. This reflects an increase of 299 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,580. The latest estimate by AreaSearch, following examination of ERP data released by the ABS in June 2025 and additional validated new addresses, is 1,866. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 43 persons per square kilometer. Mount Compass's growth since the 2021 Census, at 18.9%, exceeded both the Rest of SA (5.9%) and the SA4 region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 48.0% of overall population gains.
AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and uses SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections adjusted to SA2 levels for areas not covered by this data and years post-2032. According to these projections, the suburb is expected to increase by 242 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 12.2% over the 16-year period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Mount Compass among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide
Mount Compass has seen approximately 14 new homes approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Around 70 homes have been approved in the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with an additional nine approved so far in FY26. On average, 3.6 new residents arrive per year for each dwelling constructed over the same period, indicating supply lagging behind demand and potential buyer competition leading to price pressures.
The average construction value of new homes is $367,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $3.8 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited focus on commercial development compared to residential. Mount Compass records around 65% of building activity per person compared to Rest of SA and ranks among the 80th percentile nationally for areas assessed.
Recent development has consisted entirely of standalone homes, maintaining the area's low-density character with a focus on family homes. The location has approximately 137 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts estimate Mount Compass will gain 229 residents by 2041 based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Mount Compass
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Mount Compass has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally
No factors influence an area's performance more than local infrastructure changes. AreaSearch identified zero projects impacting the area. Key initiatives include Fleurieu Connections - Main South Road and Victor Harbor Road Duplication, Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access, Adelaide's Inner And Outer Ring Route Capacity Improvements, SA Water Capital Work Delivery Contracts 2024-28.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Enabling Digital Health Services for Regional and Remote Australia
A national digital infrastructure program under the Digital Health Blueprint 2023-2033 designed to provide equitable healthcare access for regional and remote Australians. The initiative is currently rolling out the 'Share by Default' legislative framework, which mandates the uploading of pathology and diagnostic imaging reports to My Health Record starting July 2026. Current 2026 milestones include the launch of the Digital Health Implementer Hub to accelerate software conformance and the implementation of the National Allied Health Digital Uplift Plan to integrate allied health practitioners into the national digital ecosystem.
Enabling Infrastructure for Hydrogen Production
A national program to coordinate and deploy the enabling infrastructure required to support large-scale renewable hydrogen production across Australia. Building on the 2024 National Hydrogen Strategy and the National Hydrogen Infrastructure Assessment (NHIA), the program aligns electricity transmission, water supply, transport corridors, port and storage infrastructure with Renewable Energy Zones and prospective hydrogen hubs (Bell Bay, Darwin, Eyre Peninsula, Gladstone, Latrobe Valley, Hunter Valley, Pilbara). Two key federal mechanisms underpin delivery. The Hydrogen Headstart program provides up to 4 billion AUD in long-term revenue support via production credits, with Round 2 (2 billion AUD administered by ARENA) opening for Expressions of Interest in October 2025 with EOIs closing 8 December 2025. The Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive (HPTI), legislated through the Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credits and Other Measures) Act 2025 which received Royal Assent on 14 February 2025, provides an uncapped refundable tax offset of 2 AUD per kilogram of eligible renewable hydrogen for up to 10 years between 1 July 2027 and 30 June 2040 for projects reaching final investment decision by 2030. The HPTI is jointly administered by the ATO and Clean Energy Regulator and requires certification under the Guarantee of Origin scheme. Round 1 of Hydrogen Headstart shortlisted six projects representing more than 3.5 GW of electrolyser capacity, with 814 million AUD ultimately awarded.
SA Water Capital Work Delivery Contracts 2024-28
SA Water's record $3.3 billion capital delivery program for the 2024-28 regulatory period, covering water and wastewater infrastructure across South Australia. The program targets water main replacements, sewerage network upgrades, dam upgrades, water tank refurbishments, and treatment process upgrades across metropolitan and regional areas. A central $1.5 billion component supports the South Australian Premier's Housing Roadmap, expanding network capacity to unlock up to 40,000 new allotments, with major focus on Adelaide's northern growth corridors including Angle Vale, Riverlea, and Roseworthy. Six major framework partners (Fulton Hogan Utilities, John Holland and Guidera O'Connor JV, McConnell Dowell and Diona JV, BMD, Diona, and Leed Engineering and Construction) are delivering works across approximately 120 projects. In Year 1 (to June 2025), $681.6 million in capital was invested. The program runs to June 2028.
Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access
State-led program work to increase public transport capacity and access to, through and within central Adelaide. Current work is focused on the City Access Strategy (20-year movement plan for the CBD and North Adelaide) and the State Transport Strategy program, which together will shape options such as bus priority, interchange upgrades, tram and rail enhancements, and better first/last mile access.
SA Housing Trust Maintenance Contracts Review and Service Program
Statewide maintenance and service contracts for SA Housing Trust public housing properties, covering reactive maintenance, vacancy restoration and minor works across metropolitan and regional South Australia. The program is delivered by Spotless Facility Services, RTC Facilities Maintenance and Torrens Facility Management. A 2024 SA Government review examined payment, timeliness, dispute resolution and contract performance issues, and the government provided additional funding to accelerate maintenance and upgrades on vacant public housing homes.
Bulk Water Supply Security
Nationwide program led by the National Water Grid Authority to improve bulk water security and reliability for non-potable and productive uses. Activities include strategic planning, science and business cases, and funding of state and territory projects such as storages, pipelines, dam upgrades, recycled water and efficiency upgrades to build drought resilience and support regional communities, industry and the environment.
National EV Charging Network (Highway Fast Charging)
Partnership between the Australian Government and NRMA to deliver a backbone EV fast charging network on national highways. Program funds and co-funds 117 DC fast charging sites at roughly 150 km intervals to connect all capital cities and regional routes, reducing range anxiety and supporting EV uptake.
Network Optimisation Program - Roads
A national program concept focused on improving congestion and reliability on urban road networks by using low-cost operational measures and technology (e.g., signal timing, intersection treatments, incident management) to optimise existing capacity across major city corridors.
Employment
AreaSearch assessment positions Mount Compass ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance
Mount Compass has a balanced workforce with representation from both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent in the area's economy. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of December 2025.
In the past year, employment growth was estimated at 4.9%. This is based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025969 residents were employed in Mount Compass. The unemployment rate was 2.2% lower than Regional SA's rate of 5.7%.
Workforce participation was higher at 67.7%, compared to Regional SA's 58.3%. According to Census responses, a low 10.6% of residents worked from home. However, Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries among Mount Compass residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area has a notable concentration in construction, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 8.7% of Mount Compass's workforce compared to 14.5% in Regional SA. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.9%, while labour force increased by 5.9%. This caused the unemployment rate to rise by 1.1 percentage points in Mount Compass. In comparison, Regional SA saw employment grow by 0.7%, labour force expand by 3.1%, and unemployment rise by 2.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Mount Compass. These projections suggest national employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Mount Compass's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years. However, it is important to note that this extrapolation does not take into account localised population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment
AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Mount Compass had a median taxpayer income of $46,492 and an average income of $57,989. Nationally, these figures are lower than the average. In Regional SA, the median is $48,920 with an average of $58,933. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Mount Compass would be approximately $51,220 (median) and $63,886 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Mount Compass rank modestly, between the 33rd and 44th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution shows that 39.2% of residents (736 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort represents 27.5%. After housing costs, 85.0% of income remains for other expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Mount Compass is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region
Mount Compass had 100.0% houses and 0.0% other dwellings in its latest Census evaluation, compared to Regional SA's 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Compass was 28.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 60.0% and rented ones at 11.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, higher than Regional SA's average of $1,153. Median weekly rent in Mount Compass was $340, compared to Regional SA's $220. Nationally, Mount Compass's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $340 compared to the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Mount Compass features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households compose 82.0% of all households, including 39.0% couples with children, 35.1% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.0%, with lone person households at 14.8% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Regional SA average of 2.3.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Educational outcomes in Mount Compass fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment
The area's university qualification rate is 14.0%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.5%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.8%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 46.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (34.7%).
Educational participation is high, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 10.8% in primary, 10.3% in secondary, and 2.8% in tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
No public transport data available for this catchment area.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Mount Compass's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts
Mount Compass's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are seen at a standard level across both young and old age cohorts.
Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~938 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.9 and 8.5% respectively of residents. 67.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.5% across Regional SA. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 18.5% of residents aged 65 and over (347 people), which is lower than the 27.1% in Regional SA. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking higher than the general population nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Mount Compass ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Mount Compass, as per the data, shows a lower-than-average cultural diversity level with 82.6% of its population born in Australia and 90.2% being citizens. English is spoken exclusively at home by 95.1% of residents. Christianity dominates religious affiliations, making up 34.5% of Mount Compass' population.
Notably, Judaism's representation is equal to the regional average at 0%. The top three ancestral groups are English (35.6%), Australian (31.7%), and Scottish (6.9%). Some ethnic groups have distinct representations: French (0.9%, compared to Regional SA's 0.3%), German (5.6% vs 8.2%), and South Australian (0.9% vs 0.2%) are relatively more prominent in Mount Compass.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Mount Compass's population is slightly older than the national pattern
Mount Compass has a median age of 39, which is younger than Regional SA's figure of 47 and comparable to Australia's national average of 38. The age profile indicates that children aged 5-14 are notably prominent at 14.5%, while those aged 75-84 are comparatively smaller at 6.2% compared to Regional SA. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 3.4% to 6.2%, and the 15-24 cohort has increased from 11.8% to 13.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 14.6% to 12.0%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Mount Compass's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 group is expected to grow by 21%, adding 47 people and reaching a total of 273 from 225. Meanwhile, the 15-24 cohort shows minimal growth of just 2%, with an increase of only 3 people.