Northgate (SA)

Northgate has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Northgate SA2's population was estimated at 3,678 as of Nov 2025, reflecting a 494 person increase since the 2021 Census. This growth, from 3,184 to 3,678 people, represents a 15.5% rise. AreaSearch estimated this population based on ERP data released by ABS in June 2024 and address validation post-Census. The area's density ratio was 3,641 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Northgate SA2's growth exceeded state (8.7%) and metropolitan averages since 2021, making it a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 71% of overall population gains during recent periods.

Population projections for the area are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category from 2023 (using 2021 data) are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering these projections, an above median population growth is expected for the area, with a projected expansion of 839 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 15.3% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Northgate had approximately 16 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 80 homes. As of FY26, there have been 13 approvals recorded. The average population increase per year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25 was 5.1 people. This indicates a significant demand exceeding new supply, which typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition.

Developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties, as evidenced by an average construction value of $402,000 per dwelling. Commercial development approvals for FY26 totalled $105,000, suggesting minimal commercial development activity in the area. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Northgate records about 57% of building activity per person and ranks among the 73rd percentile nationally.

New building activity comprises 80.0% detached houses and 20.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban character while attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 173 people per dwelling approval, Northgate exhibits growth area characteristics. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 563 residents by 2041 (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Given current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Northgate has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting this region. Key projects include Northern Suburbs High School at Eyre, Oakden Rise, Laing Street in Northfield, and Walkleys Road Corridor. The following details those projects expected to have the most relevance.

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 of employment trends sees Northgate performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Northgate has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 0.9% and there was estimated employment growth of 1.5% over the year up to September 2025, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of September 2025, 1,908 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.1% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Northgate is high at 70.6%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety. Notably, public administration & safety has a strong specialization with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, retail trade shows lower representation at 7.5% compared to the regional average of 10.0%. 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 September 2025, employment increased by 1.5% while labour force increased by 1.3%, leading to a unemployment rate decrease of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a 0.1 percentage point drop in unemployment. State-level data up to 25-Nov shows SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 10,710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.0%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%, with SA's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Northgate. These projections suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Northgate's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Northgate had a median income among taxpayers of $55,847 and an average level of $63,050. These figures are below the national average, with Greater Adelaide having levels of $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Northgate would be approximately $60,762 (median) and $68,598 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Northgate cluster around the 71st percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 38.3% of residents (1,408 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 31.8% in the same category. Economic strength is evident through 31.7% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.3% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Northgate is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Northgate's dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 89.2% houses and 10.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 74.6% houses and 25.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Northgate was 30.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.8% and rented at 23.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,742, higher than Adelaide metro's $1,603. Median weekly rent was $395, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Northgate's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Northgate features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 84.4% of all households, including 48.7% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 15.6%, with lone person households at 13.3% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

Northgate's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 36.8% hold university qualifications, compared to 19.8% in the SA4 region and 25.7% across South Australia (SA). This significant educational advantage positions Northgate favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. University qualifications are held by a substantial proportion of residents: - Bachelor degrees: 24.4% - Postgraduate qualifications: 9.6% - Graduate diplomas: 2.8% Vocational credentials are also prevalent among residents aged 15+, with 27.6% holding such qualifications: - Advanced diplomas: 10.7% - Certificates: 16.9% Educational participation is notably high in Northgate, with 33.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes: - Primary education: 12.1% - Secondary education: 8.6% - Tertiary education: 6.7%.

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

Northgate has 12 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 unique routes that together facilitate 809 weekly passenger journeys. The accessibility of these services is deemed good, with residents on average being located 206 meters from their nearest transport stop.

The overall service frequency across all routes averages 115 trips per day, which translates to approximately 67 weekly trips per individual stop.

Northgate's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Northgate. Younger cohorts in particular see very low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~1,909 people), slightly lagging that of the average SA2 area at 48.6% across Greater Adelaide. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 6.8 and 6.3% of residents respectively. 75.2% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.8% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 13.0% of residents aged 65 and over (478 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, requiring more attention than the broader population.

Northgate 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

Northgate's population shows high cultural diversity, with 36.5% born overseas and 38.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Northgate, accounting for 46.2%. The 'Other' religious category comprises 4.6%, slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's 5.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are English (19.3%), Australian (18.9%), and Other (13.1%). Some ethnic groups have notable disparities: Polish is overrepresented at 1.9% compared to the regional average of 1.1%, Vietnamese at 3.3% versus 2.2%, and Hungarian at 0.4% compared to 0.3%.

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

Northgate's median age in 2021 was 38 years, closely matching Greater Adelaide's figure of 39 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide's average, Northgate had an over-representation of the 5-14 age group (15.4% locally) and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group (9.8%). Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 16.0% to 17.1% of Northgate's population, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 11.0% to 9.8%. By 2041, demographic projections suggest significant changes in Northgate's age profile. The 45-54 age group is expected to expand by 177 people (32%), growing from 562 to 740 individuals. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age cohort is projected to grow modestly by 7% (15 people).