Parafield Gardens

Population growth drivers in Parafield Gardens are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Parafield Gardens is around 18,631, reflecting an increase of 164 people since the 2021 Census. The resident population was estimated at 18,614 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024. This increase includes 81 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population translates to a density ratio of 2,650 persons per square kilometer, placing Parafield Gardens in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Parafield Gardens has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.3%, outpacing the SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 65.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For future projections until 2032, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. After 2032 and for areas not covered by this data, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth in Australian statistical areas. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Parafield Gardens is expected to expand by 846 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 4.5% in total over the 17 years.

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

Parafield Gardens has recorded around 65 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 325 homes. So far in FY-26, 17 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.5 people per year move to the area for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests that new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options while enabling population growth.

The average construction value of new properties is $279,000, below the regional average, indicating affordable housing options. There have been $13.6 million in commercial approvals this financial year, reflecting steady investment activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Parafield Gardens shows comparable new home approvals per person, supporting market stability in line with regional patterns. This activity is under the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations.

New development consists of 85.0% detached houses and 15.0% attached dwellings, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. The location has approximately 384 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its established nature. Population forecasts indicate Parafield Gardens will gain 829 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Parafield Gardens has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified fifteen projects that could affect this particular region. Notable projects include The Glades, Parafield Gardens (Stage 8+), Mawson Lakes Road Management Plan, Public Housing Builds in Parafield Gardens, and Gardenia Drive Aged Care Expansion. Below is a list of those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Parafield Gardens has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Parafield Gardens has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominently represented. The unemployment rate was 5.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4%.

As of June 2025, 8,555 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 1.5% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Parafield Gardens is lower at 57.1%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key industries of employment among residents include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing employs a significantly higher share of the workforce than the regional level, while professional & technical services employ a smaller proportion at 3.6% compared to Greater Adelaide's 7.3%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.4%, and labour force grew by 1.3%, leading to a slight decrease in the unemployment rate of 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment and labour force growth of 2.1% each, with a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Parafield Gardens' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though these estimates are based on simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localised population projections.

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

Parafield Gardens had a median income among taxpayers of $46,236 and an average level of $50,323 in financial year 2022. This is below the national average of $67,891 and compares to levels of $52,592 and $64,886 across Greater Adelaide respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $52,168 (median) and $56,779 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household income ranks at the 27th percentile with a weekly income of $1,384, while personal income sits at the 10th percentile. Distribution data shows that 34.4% of the community falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band (6,409 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the region showing 31.8% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 27th percentile.

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

Dwelling structure in Parafield Gardens, as evaluated at the 2016 Census, comprised 89.5% houses and 10.5% other dwellings. In Adelaide metro, this was 83.9% houses and 16.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Parafield Gardens was 28.8%, similar to Adelaide metro's 28.7%. The remainder of dwellings were mortgaged (41.9%) or rented (29.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Parafield Gardens was $1,382, higher than Adelaide metro's $1,300. Median weekly rent was $300, the same as Adelaide metro. Nationally, Parafield Gardens' mortgage repayments were lower ($1,382 vs $1,863) and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Parafield Gardens has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.8% of all households, including 38.1% couples with children, 21.9% couples without children, and 15.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 23.2%, composed of 20.4% lone person households and 2.7% group households. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.7.

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

The area has educational challenges with university qualification rates at 18.9%, significantly below 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 13.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 29.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (7.5%) and certificates (22.1%).

Educational participation is high at 31.1%, including 11.8% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education. There are six schools operating within Parafield Gardens educating approximately 3,594 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 976) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes four primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 19.3 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.9, indicating Parafield Gardens serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Parafield Gardens has 70 operational public transport stops, offering a combination of train and bus services. These stops are served by 18 different routes, collectively facilitating 1,100 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents on average located 206 meters from the nearest stop.

On an average day, there are 157 trips across all routes, translating to approximately 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Parafield Gardens are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Parafield Gardens shows below-average health outcomes with common conditions among its general population somewhat typical but higher than national averages among older cohorts. Private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~8,745 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 8.0% and 7.8% of residents respectively. A majority, 70.2%, report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's 68.1%. The area has 15.8% of residents aged 65 and over (2,943 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention due to presenting challenges beyond those seen in the broader population.

Parafield Gardens is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Parafield Gardens has a high level of cultural diversity, with 42.5% of its population born overseas and 46.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Parafield Gardens, making up 36.4% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, comprising 7.6% versus 5.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (22.4%), English (20.2%), and Australian (19.3%). Notably, Vietnamese (5.9%) and Indian (6.1%) populations are higher than the regional averages of 3.1% and 3.2%, respectively. Polish representation is also slightly higher at 1.3%.

Parafield Gardens's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Parafield Gardens 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, Parafield Gardens has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 years (13.3%), but fewer residents aged 75-84 years (5.3%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the percentage of residents aged 75-84 years has increased from 4.7% to 5.3%, while the proportion of those aged 5-14 years has decreased from 14.0% to 13.3%. By 2041, Parafield Gardens is projected to experience significant changes in its age composition. Notably, the 45-54 year age group is expected to grow by 14%, increasing from 2,068 to 2,366 people. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 68% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 25-34 year age group and the 0-4 year age cohort.