Nailsworth

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

As of May 2026, AreaSearch estimates the population of the suburb of Nailsworth at around 2,243 people. This figure represents an increase of 8 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 2,235 persons. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2025) and address validation following the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,839 persons per square kilometer, placing Nailsworth in the upper quartile relative to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 72.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 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 used, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth is anticipated for statistical areas across the nation, with Nailsworth expected to increase by 73 persons to reach 2,316 by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 3.2% in total over the 16-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Nailsworth, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Nailsworth shows an average of approximately one new dwelling approval per year. Between the financial years 2021 (FY-21) and 2025 (FY-25), around nine homes were approved, with six more approved by June 2026 (FY-26). Each new dwelling built over these five years has resulted in an average of 2.7 new residents, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $460,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $818,000, indicating minimal commercial development activity compared to Greater Adelaide, where Nailsworth has 89.0% less development activity per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The area's population density is around 1497 people per dwelling approval, reflecting a highly mature market. Future projections estimate Nailsworth will add 73 residents by 2041, potentially leading to housing supply lagging behind population growth if current construction levels persist, intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. This focus on detached housing (69.0% at Census) demonstrates ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures.

Nailsworth has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

No changes can influence an area's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. A total of zero projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could potentially impact this area. Notable projects include Prospect Lifestyle Precinct, Northern Adelaide Road Upgrades Program, New Women's and Children's Hospital, and Adelaide Level Crossing Removal Planning Program, with the following list providing details on those likely to be 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.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Nailsworth significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Nailsworth has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 2.7% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.7%, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

In December 2025, 1,353 residents were in work with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was 74.9%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. According to Census responses, 11.3% of residents worked from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Nailsworth had a particular specialization in education & training with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance was under-represented at 15.7% compared to Greater Adelaide's 17.7%. Many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on the count of Census working population to local population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.7% while labour force increased by 5.3%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In Greater Adelaide, employment grew by 4.2%, labour force expanded by 3.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Nailsworth. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Nailsworth's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch reported median taxpayer income in Nailsworth at $54,466 and average income at $76,624 for financial year 2023. This was higher than national averages of $54,808 and $66,852 across Greater Adelaide respectively. By March 2026, estimated median income would be $60,005 and average income $84,417 based on a 10.17% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census 2021 data showed incomes in Nailsworth clustered around the 69th percentile nationally. Income analysis revealed that 28.6% of residents (641 people) fell into the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, mirroring the surrounding region at 31.8%. High weekly earnings exceeding $3,000 were achieved by 31.3% of households, indicating strong consumer spending power. After housing costs, residents retained 86.8% of income, reflecting robust purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Nailsworth, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 27 August 2016, comprised 69.3% houses and 30.7% other dwellings including semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Adelaide metropolitan area's dwelling structure of 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Nailsworth stood at 29.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.2% and rented dwellings at 33.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,995, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent figure for Nailsworth was recorded at $300, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Nailsworth's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

Nailsworth features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 69.8% of all households, including 37.4% couples with children, 22.2% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 30.2%, with lone person households at 26.3% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Nailsworth is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of a recent study, 41.9% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. This educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.8%.

Trade and technical skills also feature prominently, with 25.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 15.7%. Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 31.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in primary education, 7.6% in tertiary education, and 7.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates three active public transport stops operating within Nailsworth. These stops are served by a mix of buses, with eleven individual routes providing a total of 688 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 323 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 84%, while bus accounts for 8% and cycling 2%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 11.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 98 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 229 weekly trips per individual stop.

Nailsworth's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Nailsworth. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover was found to be very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~1,284 people), compared to 52.7% across Greater Adelaide. The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues (7.6%) and asthma (7.1%). A total of 72.4% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 17.7% of residents aged 65 and over (397 people), which is lower than the 19.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Nailsworth was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Nailsworth's population, as per the 2016 Census, showed higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas with 25.9% born overseas and 23.7% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Nailsworth at 44.9%, while Hinduism had a higher representation at 6.1% compared to Greater Adelaide's 2.8%. The top three ancestry groups were English (23.5%), Australian (21.6%), and Other (8.4%).

Notable disparities existed for Polish (1.4% vs regional 1.0%), Serbian (0.8% vs 0.4%), and Vietnamese (2.4% vs 1.2%) groups.

Nailsworth's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

Nailsworth's median age is 39 years, aligning with Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and closely matching Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Nailsworth has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (14.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.2%). Post the 2021 Census, the population aged 65-74 grew from 9.2% to 11.1%, while those aged 75-84 increased from 3.3% to 4.9%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55-64 decreased from 13.3% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Nailsworth's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 49%, adding 54 residents to reach 164. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 83% of the population growth. Conversely, declines are anticipated for those aged 0-4 and 25-34.