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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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Sales Detail
Population
Population growth drivers in Payneham are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends
Payneham's population is estimated at 2,582 as of Nov 2025. This reflects a growth of 144 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,438. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 2,475 residents following examination of ABS data released in June 2024, and an additional 6 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,227 persons per square kilometer, placing Payneham in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Payneham's growth rate of 5.9% since the census is within 2.8 percentage points of South Australia's state average of 8.7%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods.
AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Projected demographic shifts indicate an above median population growth for Payneham, with an expected increase of 561 persons by 2041, reflecting a gain of 22.2% over the 17 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Recent residential development output has been above average within Payneham when compared nationally
Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Payneham had around 12 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 63 homes were approved, with an additional 2 in FY-26 to date. This indicates an average of 2.9 people moving to the area per new home constructed over these years.
New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $505,000, targeting the premium market segment. In FY-26, commercial approvals registered totalled $713,000, reflecting Payneham's residential nature. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Payneham has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 79th percentile nationally in terms of building activity.
Recent construction consists of 67.0% detached dwellings and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, offering choices across price ranges from family homes to compact options. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than suggested by current Census data (42.0%), indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. Payneham has approximately 143 people per dwelling approval, indicative of a low-density market. Future projections estimate Payneham adding 573 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
Payneham has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 27thth percentile nationally
The influence of local infrastructure changes on an area's performance is significant. A single project has been identified by AreaSearch that may impact this particular region. Notable projects include Trinity Valley Stormwater Drainage Upgrade, Felixstow Intergenerational Community initiative, Adelaide Level Crossings Congestion and Safety improvement plan, and SA Public Housing Maintenance and Services Contracts. The following details those likely to have the most relevance.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
New Women's and Children's Hospital
A $3.2 billion state-of-the-art facility being developed as Australia's first all-electric public hospital. As of January 2026, construction of the 1,300-space multi-storey car park is approximately 75% complete, with schematic design underway for the main clinical building. The hospital will feature 414 overnight beds (with capacity for 20 more), a larger emergency department with 43 treatment spaces, a dedicated on-site helipad, and co-location of all critical care services (birthing, theatres, PICU, NICU) on a single floor. Integrated facilities include a 4-bed women's ICU co-located with the Paediatric ICU, ensuring specialized care remains on-site.
Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme (NAIS)
The Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme (NAIS) is a massive recycled water initiative delivering high-quality water from the Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Northern Adelaide Plains. The project provides over 12 gigalitres of recycled water annually to support high-tech agribusiness, greenhouse production, and open space irrigation for 25,000+ homes. It is a critical component of SA Water's broader $1.5 billion infrastructure program, which aims to unlock 40,000 new housing allotments by expanding trunk water mains, pump stations, and storage across Adelaide's northern growth front.
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.
Northern Adelaide Transport Study
A comprehensive transport study managed by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport to inform future investment across Northern Adelaide's inner and outer suburbs. The study area spans from Prospect to Roseworthy and Buckland Park to One Tree Hill, focusing on road safety, freight efficiency, and public transport integration to support a projected population increase of over 140,000 residents by 2041. It specifically evaluates the resilience of strategic road corridors and identifies improvements to active transport networks to accommodate rapid urban expansion.
North South Corridor
The North-South Corridor in Australia, a 78 km non-stop motorway from Gawler to Old Noarlunga through Adelaide, includes several projects like the Southern Expressway and Darlington Upgrade. Completion expected by 2031.
Our Port
Port Adelaide will be a place of discovery, energy, culture and diversity - an eclectic, vibrant reflection of the South Australian character more broadly. The project is a renewal effort to rejuvenate Port Adelaide, aiming to create a vibrant, diverse area with 2,000-4,000 homes and 4,000-8,000 people.
Trinity Valley Stormwater Drainage Upgrade
A multi-stage project involving the installation of new stormwater drainage infrastructure across St Morris, Trinity Gardens, Maylands, and Stepney. Designed to reduce flood risk, increase capacity for 1-in-100-year storm events, and utilise Council reserves for temporary stormwater detention. Stages 2 and 3 completed May 2024. Stages 1 and 4 are scheduled for 2025.
Felixstow Intergenerational Community
A six-storey intergenerational community with retirement, aged care, disability, family housing and build-to-rent apartments.
Employment
Employment conditions in Payneham demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally
Payneham has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.2% as of September 2025, lower than Greater Adelaide's 3.9%.
Employment grew by 3.6% in Payneham over the past year, compared to 3.0% in Greater Adelaide. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Construction is underrepresented at 6.4%, compared to 8.7% in Greater Adelaide.
Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Payneham's employment levels increased by 3.6% and labour force grew by 3.4%, reducing unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. Statewide in South Australia, employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year to November 25, 2025, with an unemployment rate of 4.0%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Payneham's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis
Payneham suburb's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 indicates median income at $60,949 and average income at $84,079. These figures contrast with Greater Adelaide's median income of $54,808 and average income of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $66,313 (median) and $91,478 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows personal income ranks at the 63rd percentile ($874 weekly), while household income is at the 30th percentile. Income distribution reveals 30.7% of Payneham's population falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, similar to metropolitan Adelaide's 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 83.1% of income remaining, ranking at the 28th percentile. Payneham's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Payneham displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
Payneham's dwelling structure, as assessed in the latest Census, consisted of 41.5% houses and 58.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 51.7% houses and 48.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Payneham was at 29.2%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (29.1%) or rented (41.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Payneham was $1,700, below Adelaide metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Payneham was $300, compared to Adelaide metro's $340. Nationally, Payneham's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Payneham features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households account for 54.9% of all households, including 20.3% couples with children, 24.0% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 45.1%, with lone person households at 40.7% and group households comprising 4.6%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.2.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Payneham demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics
Payneham's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 42.9% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) as a whole and 28.9% in the Greater Adelaide area. This significant educational advantage suggests strong preparation for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 27.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%).
Trade and technical skills are also prominent, with 25.7% of residents aged 15 years and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (14.9%). Educational participation is notably high in Payneham, with 25.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.8% in primary education, 7.1% in tertiary education, and 4.3% pursuing secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Payneham has seven active public transport stops, all serving buses. Seventeen different routes operate through these stops, offering a total of 985 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average being 222 meters away from the nearest stop.
On average, there are 140 daily trips across all routes, which amounts to around 140 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Payneham's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts
Payneham's health data shows positive results with low prevalence of common conditions among its general population, although this figure is higher than the national average for older and at-risk cohorts. Approximately 60% (1,553 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Adelaide's 62.2%.
The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis affecting 8.2% of residents and mental health issues impacting 7.4%. A total of 70.2% of Payneham residents report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Adelaide's 70.4%. The area has 18.0% (464 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Adelaide's 20.9%. However, health outcomes among seniors require more attention compared to the broader population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Payneham 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
Payneham has a high level of cultural diversity, with 36.1% of its population born overseas and 32.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Payneham, making up 49.7% of the population. However, there is an overrepresentation of people identifying as 'Other', which comprises 3.0% of Payneham's population compared to 1.6% across Greater Adelaide.
The top three ancestry groups in Payneham are English at 21.9%, Australian at 17.9%, and Italian at 14.2%. There are notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups, with German overrepresented at 4.9% (compared to 5.0% regionally), Korean at 0.6% (compared to 0.5%), and Croatian at 0.8% (compared to 0.5%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Payneham's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms
The median age in Payneham is 37 years, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and close to the national average of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in Payneham at 21.0%, compared to Greater Adelaide's average of 20%. Conversely, the 15-24 age group is under-represented at 9.4% locally. Post-2021 Census data shows that between 2016 and 2021, the 25-34 age group grew from 19.5% to 21.0%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 14.7% to 15.9%. Meanwhile, the 45-54 cohort declined from 10.8% to 9.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Payneham, with the 25-34 age group projected to grow by 18%, reaching 640 people from 542.