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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
O'Sullivan Beach is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends
As of November 2025, the estimated population of the O'Sullivan Beach statistical area (Lv2) is around 2,043. This reflects a growth of 199 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,844. The increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,005 residents following examination of ABS data released in June 2024 and an additional 16 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 1,098 persons per square kilometer. The growth rate of 10.8% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (6.2%) and the SA4 region, making it a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed around 71.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch's projections for the O'Sullivan Beach (SA2) are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, South Australian Government Regional/LGA projections by age category released in 2023 are adopted, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends indicate a growth just below the national median for statistical areas. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the O'Sullivan Beach (SA2) is expected to increase by approximately 281 persons to reach around 2,324 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of about 8.9% over the 17-year period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Recent residential development output has been above average within O'Sullivan Beach when compared nationally
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows O'Sullivan Beach averaged approximately 19 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling about 97 homes. As of FY26, 17 approvals have been recorded. This averages to around 1.5 new residents per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions. However, this has decreased to one person per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting more balanced supply conditions. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $350,000, reflecting quality-focused development.
This year, $3.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Adelaide, O'Sullivan Beach has 110% more development activity per person. Recent construction comprises 68% detached houses and 32% medium and high-density housing, marking a significant shift from existing patterns of 94% houses. The location has approximately 94 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, O'Sullivan Beach is expected to grow by 182 residents by 2041.
With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
O'Sullivan Beach has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally
Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 0 projects likely impacting this area. Notable projects include Port Stanvac Precinct, Noarlunga Residential Development, Noarlunga Master Planning Housing Project, and Sunset Residential Development.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Port Stanvac Precinct
Redevelopment of the 230-hectare former Port Stanvac oil refinery into a coastal masterplanned community. The project includes approximately 3,600 new homes with a 15% affordable housing mandate, a 40-hectare protected coastal reserve, and public beach access. The masterplan features a mixed-use precinct with a shopping centre, sporting fields, and 64 hectares dedicated to employment uses including retail, commercial, and industrial hubs. First residents are estimated to move in by 2028.
Noarlunga Master Planning Housing Project
A 22-hectare master-planned residential development delivering 626 new homes with a diverse mix of dwelling types including detached homes, townhouses and apartments. The project features a minimum of 28% affordable and social housing (including 80 social housing dwellings), and 12.5% new public open space. Designed by Holmes Dyer, the development targets a 5-Star Green Star Communities rating and emphasizes sustainability, extensive tree canopy coverage, and enhanced connectivity to nearby amenities including Colonnades Shopping Centre, Noarlunga TAFE, Noarlunga Hospital and Noarlunga Railway Station. Civil works by Winslow Constructors are underway with the first sales releases now on market. The community will become home to approximately 1,200 residents over a 7-10 year delivery period.
Majors Road Interchange
$120 million jointly funded project by Australian and South Australian governments creating new grade-separated interchange providing access to Southern Expressway from Majors Road. Features new on/off ramps, widening of Majors Road bridge from two lanes to six lanes with dedicated right turn lanes, signalised intersection improvements, new bike lanes and shared user paths, new underpasses for Patrick Jonker Veloway, upgraded traffic signals, widening of Majors Road from Southern Expressway to Lonsdale Highway/Ocean Boulevard to provide two through lanes in both directions, underground power lines, tree planting for 50% shade coverage, and realignment of the Patrick Jonker Veloway. Expected to support 245 full-time jobs during construction and provide improved access to Glenthorne National Park, Sam Willoughby International BMX Facility and Southern Soccer Facility. Construction by Acciona Construction Australia, completion expected end of 2025.
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.
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.
Sunset Residential Development
A 42-hectare master-planned residential community featuring 644 allotments with land sizes up to 540m2. The development includes 15% affordable and social housing outcomes, extensive green spaces including a major north-south walking trail connecting to Onkaparinga River Recreation Park. Located in a prime coastal position with proximity to South Australian beaches and McLaren Vale wine region.
Noarlunga Residential Development
Noarlunga is a 22 hectare master planned residential community on land east and west of Lovelock Drive in Noarlunga Downs. The project will deliver more than 626 new homes including detached houses, townhomes, apartments and at least 28 percent affordable and social housing, including new SA Housing Authority homes. The plan provides new streets, public open space, green links and improved connections to Colonnades Shopping Centre, Noarlunga TAFE, Noarlunga Hospital and the rail station, and is targeting a 5 Star Green Star Communities rating. Civil works are underway, with house construction planned to commence from 2026 and full build out expected by around 2031.
Onkaparinga Heights
A 235-hectare masterplanned community in Adelaide's southern suburbs delivering approximately 2,000 to 2,300 new homes. The project includes a 67.6-hectare site managed by Renewal SA, partnered with YAS Property & Development to deliver 1,000 homes, alongside adjacent private developments. The community features a minimum of 20% affordable housing, sustainable urban design, and high connectivity via the Southern Expressway. Civil works commenced in late 2025, with first home constructions slated for late 2026.
Employment
Employment drivers in O'Sullivan Beach are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia
O'Sullivan Beach has a diverse workforce with both white and blue-collar jobs, with essential services well represented. The unemployment rate is 8.2%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.7% over the past year, as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.
As of September 2025, there are 843 residents employed while the unemployment rate stands at 4.2%, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation lags behind Greater Adelaide at 52.0% compared to their 61.7%. Resident employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Notably, construction employment levels are at 1.8 times the regional average.
Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 3.6%, compared to the regional average of 7.3%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.6, indicating a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. In the past year, employment increased by 3.7% while labour force grew by 2.9%, leading to a 0.7 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. This compares to Greater Adelaide where employment grew by 3.0%, labour force expanded by 2.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows SA employment growth of 1.19% year-on-year, 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 insight into potential future demand within O'Sullivan Beach. These projections suggest 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 projections to O'Sullivan Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis
According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, the suburb of O'Sullivan Beach had a median income among taxpayers of $43,761 with the average level standing at $50,224. This is lower than the national average and compares to levels of $54,808 and $66,852 across Greater Adelaide respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $47,612 (median) and $54,644 (average) as of September 2025. From the Census conducted in August 2021, household incomes in O'Sullivan Beach fall between the 5th and 11th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 30.7% of the population (627 individuals) fall within the $800 - $1,499 income range, contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in O'Sullivan Beach, with only 82.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
O'Sullivan Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
The dwelling structure in O'Sullivan Beach, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.5% houses and 6.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 89.2% houses and 10.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in O'Sullivan Beach stood at 34.5%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (35.7%) or rented (29.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,200, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,452, and the median weekly rent figure was $300, compared to Adelaide metro's $314. Nationally, O'Sullivan Beach's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
O'Sullivan Beach features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households account for 62.3% of all households, including 19.5% couples with children, 25.6% couples without children, and 16.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 37.7%, with lone person households at 32.9% and group households comprising 4.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Educational outcomes in O'Sullivan Beach fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment
The area's university qualification rate is 11.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (32.9%). A total of 22.5% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, with 9.1% in primary, 6.1% in secondary, and 3.0% in tertiary education.
A substantial 22.5% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 6.1% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Transport analysis shows 16 active stops operating in O'Sullivan Beach, with a mix of bus services. These stops are served by two individual routes, offering a total of 264 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 205 meters from the nearest stop.
Service frequency averages 37 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 16 weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health performance in O'Sullivan Beach is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts
Critical health challenges are evident across O'Sullivan Beach, with a range of health conditions impacting both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~958 people), compared to 49.1% across Greater Adelaide and the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.0% and 11.0% of residents respectively.
However, 54.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.9% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 23.9% of residents aged 65 and over (488 people), higher than the 21.0% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
O'Sullivan Beach ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics
O'Sullivan Beach had a cultural diversity index below average, with 79.9% of its population born in Australia, 89.8% being citizens, and 95.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 33.0% of people in O'Sullivan Beach. The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, comprising 0.8% compared to the Greater Adelaide average of 0.7%.
In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (35.5%), Australian (28.7%), and Scottish (6.8%). Notably, German (6.1%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 5.4%, as were Welsh (0.7% vs 0.8%) and South African (0.5% vs 0.4%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
O'Sullivan Beach hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average
The median age in O'Sullivan Beach is 43 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, O'Sullivan Beach has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (13.6%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (9.4%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 35-44 grew from 13.1% to 14.6%, while the 45-54 age group declined from 12.4% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that the 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 15%, reaching 260 people from 226. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by a modest 2% (4 people).