Para Hills

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

The population of Para Hills is estimated at around 6,774 as of May 2026. This reflects a decrease of 19 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,793. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of ABS data from June 2025, indicating a resident population of 6,742. This results in a population density of approximately 2,110 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed around 62% of overall population gains recently.

Population projections for Para Hills are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. 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 through weighted aggregation. According to these projections, Para Hills is expected to increase by approximately 341 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of about 4.6% over the 16-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Para Hills when compared nationally

Para Hills has received approximately 42 dwelling approvals per year on average over the past five financial years, totalling around 210 homes. In FY-26 so far, there have been 38 approvals. Each year between FY-21 and FY-25, about one person moved to Para Hills for each dwelling built. This suggests that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering buyers more choice while supporting potential population growth above projections.

The average construction value of new homes in the area is $329,000. In this financial year alone, there have been $3.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited commercial development focus. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Para Hills has recorded 71.0% more new home approvals per person. Recent construction consists of 91.0% standalone homes and 9.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

With around 127 people per approval, Para Hills reflects a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Para Hills is projected to gain 309 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Para Hills has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects expected to influence the area. Notable projects include Springbank Waters Residential Estate, Keswick Gardens Retirement Village Expansion, The Heights Estate Para Hills, and Para Hills West Urban Renewal Precinct. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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The employment landscape in Para Hills shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Para Hills has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.1% as of December 2025, which is 0.3% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was lower at 63.6%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.0%.

According to Census responses, a low 6.9% of residents worked from home. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction stands out with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 4.1%, compared to the regional average of 7.3%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 0.2% while labour force remained stable, leading to a 0.2 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 4.2% and labour force growth of 3.9%, with a 0.3 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Para Hills' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Para Hills' latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows median income at $48,438 and average income at $54,925. This is below Greater Adelaide's median income of $54,808 and average income of $66,852. By March 2026, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 10.17%, estimated incomes are approximately $53,364 (median) and $60,511 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Para Hills rank modestly, between the 25th and 30th percentiles. Income data reveals that 36.9% of Para Hills' population earns within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to the regional average of 31.8%. After housing costs, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Para Hills' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.5% houses and 2.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Para Hills was 32.3%, similar to Adelaide metro's figure. Mortgaged dwellings constituted 45.8% and rented ones made up 21.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Para Hills was $1,300, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. Median weekly rent in Para Hills was recorded at $325, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Para Hills' mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Para Hills has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.3% of all households, including 29.7% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 16.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.7%, with lone person households at 23.0% and group households comprising 3.6%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Para Hills fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 16.9%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 11.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 38.0% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.2% and certificates at 28.8%. Educational participation is high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.0% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 4.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 58 active transport stops operating within Para Hills, consisting of a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 25 individual routes, collectively providing 1,853 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 155 meters from the nearest transport stop. As primarily residential, most residents commute outward - car remains dominant at 89%, with 8% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 6.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 264 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Para Hills is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Para Hills. AreaSearch's assessment shows notable prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 49% of the total population (~3,302 people), compared to 52.7% across Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.8%) and mental health issues (8.5%). 67.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 67.9% in Greater Adelaide. Working-age residents have a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions than average. The area has 16.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,104 people), lower than Greater Adelaide's 19.2%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but are broadly in line with national rankings.

Para Hills 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

Para Hills, surveyed in June 2021, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 32.9% of its population born overseas and 27.8% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 38.1%. However, Islam was significantly overrepresented, making up 9.6%, compared to Greater Adelaide's average of 3.0%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (27.3%), Australian (22.0%), and Other (15.3%), which was notably higher than the regional average of 9.7%. Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Hungarian at 0.5% in Para Hills versus 0.3% regionally, Serbian at 0.5% versus 0.4%, and Lebanese at 1.0% versus 0.3%.

Para Hills's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Para Hills is 36 years, which is slightly lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and also lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Para Hills has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (16.1%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (7.8%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 35-44 has increased from 14.0% to 15.3%, while the population aged 5-14 has decreased from 13.3% to 12.5%. By 2041, Para Hills is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. Notably, the population aged 85 and above is expected to grow by 87% (129 people), reaching a total of 279 from 149. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 62% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 65-74 age groups.