Onkaparinga Hills

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

As of Feb 2026, the population of Onkaparinga Hills is estimated at around 2,622, reflecting an increase of 12 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,610. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,618 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 26 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 104 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Onkaparinga Hills has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.1%, outpacing its SA3 area. Interstate migration contributed approximately 76.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and uses SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category for areas not covered, based on 2021 data and adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation.

Future population growth projects an above median increase for Onkaparinga Hills, expecting it to reach 3,100 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 23.8% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Onkaparinga Hills according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis indicates Onkaparinga Hills averaged approximately 6 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 32 homes. As of FY-26, 3 approvals have been recorded. This results in an average of 8.8 people moving to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand significantly exceeds supply. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $305,000.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $299,000, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Onkaparinga Hills records roughly half the building activity per person and ranks in the 21st percentile nationally, implying limited buyer options and strengthening demand for established properties. New construction has consisted entirely of standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 789 people.

AreaSearch forecasts Onkaparinga Hills will gain 623 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Onkaparinga Hills has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 16thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Onkaparinga Heights, Noarlunga Hospital Expansion, Bains Road Reconstruction, and Woodcroft College Campus Expansions. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in Onkaparinga Hills demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Onkaparinga Hills has a balanced workforce comprising both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented here. The unemployment rate is 2.8%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.9% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, there are 1,584 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. The workforce participation rate in Onkaparinga Hills is 73.0%, higher than Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. Census responses indicate that only 10.4% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Construction stands out with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 5.1% of Onkaparinga Hills' workforce compared to 7.3% in Greater Adelaide. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.9%, while labour force grew by 3.6%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 3.0% and unemployment falling by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Onkaparinga Hills' employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The suburb of Onkaparinga Hills has an income level above the national average, according to the latest Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Onkaparinga Hills is $63,246, while the average income stands at $71,596. These figures compare with those for Greater Adelaide, which are $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $68,812 and the average income $77,896 as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household income ranks at the 70th percentile ($2,078 weekly), while personal income sits at the 54th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 35.8% of the population (938 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region where 31.8% occupy this bracket. After housing costs, residents retain 89.1% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Onkaparinga Hills' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.4% houses and 0.6% other dwellings. This compares to Adelaide metro's 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Onkaparinga Hills stood at 39.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 55.6% and rented ones at 4.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,625, higher than Adelaide metro's $1,562. Median weekly rent in Onkaparinga Hills was $385, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Onkaparinga Hills' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,625 vs Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were higher at $385 vs the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 87.0% of all households, including 42.1% couples with children, 35.9% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 13.0%, with lone person households at 11.5% and group households comprising 2.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.5%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 44.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (32.4%).

Educational participation is high, with 26.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (9.6%), secondary education (8.3%), and tertiary education (4.6%).

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

Public transport analysis shows four active stops operating within Onkaparinga Hills, all serving buses. These stops are covered by five routes that together offer 268 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated moderate, with residents typically located 441 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to the area's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 2.2 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 10.4% of residents work from home, which might reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 38 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 67 weekly trips per individual stop.

Onkaparinga Hills's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data for Onkaparinga Hills shows positive outcomes, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions. Common health issues affect both young and elderly residents similarly.

Private health cover is high at 55% (~1449 people), compared to Greater Adelaide's 52.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (9.7%) and mental health issues (8.3%), with 66.8% reporting no medical ailments, close to Greater Adelaide's 67.9%. Working-age residents have a higher-than-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 18.1% (474 people), lower than Greater Adelaide's 19.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, ranking even higher nationally than the general population.

Onkaparinga Hills ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Onkaparinga Hills had a cultural diversity below average, with 80.7% of its population born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 95.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 40.8%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0%, compared to 0.1% across Greater Adelaide.

For ancestry, the top groups were English (35.7%), Australian (30.7%), and Scottish (6.9%). Dutch (2.2%) and German (5.3%) were notably overrepresented, while Lebanese was slightly higher at 0.5%.

Onkaparinga Hills hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Onkaparinga Hills is 44 years, which is notably higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and also exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, the 55-64 age cohort is significantly over-represented in Onkaparinga Hills at 15.8%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.0%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 9.1% to 11.0%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has risen from 5.4% to 7.0%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group has decreased from 12.1% to 10.8%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 15.7% to 14.5%. Population forecasts for Onkaparinga Hills in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes, with the 45 to 54 age cohort projected to expand by 138 people (37%) from 380 to 519.