Port Lincoln

Port Lincoln 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 Port Lincoln statistical area (Lv2) is around 15,412. This reflects a growth of 954 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,458. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 15,169 following examination of the ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 187 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 468 persons per square kilometer. Port Lincoln's growth rate of 6.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 5.3%, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 65.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the Port Lincoln (SA2) is expected to grow by 1,315 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 6.7% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Port Lincoln recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Port Lincoln has received approximately 54 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 272 homes were approved, with an additional 22 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, each new home attracts about 1.6 new residents per year over these five years, indicating a balanced supply and demand dynamic.

The average construction cost value of new homes is approximately $435,000, suggesting developers are focusing on the premium market. This financial year has seen $31.0 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting strong commercial development momentum.

The majority of new building activity consists of detached dwellings at 95.0%, with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 5.0%. This preserves the area's low-density nature and caters to space-seeking buyers who prefer detached housing. The estimated population count per dwelling approval is 387 people, reflecting Port Lincoln's quiet development environment. Looking ahead, AreaSearch projects Port Lincoln's population to grow by 1,034 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand adequately, potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Port Lincoln has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. These include Port Lincoln Housing Strategy Implementation, 2025 Port Lincoln Master Plan, Eyre Peninsula Network Road Upgrades, and Porter Street, Liverpool Street and Railway Place Intersection Upgrade. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Port Lincoln recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Port Lincoln has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 5.2% as of September 2025, and employment growth of 2.4% in the past year according to AreaSearch data aggregation. The city's unemployment rate is 0.1% lower than Rest of SA's rate of 5.3%, with workforce participation at 57.8%.

Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. Retail trade has a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 9.5% compared to the regional average of 14.5%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census data comparison. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 2.4% alongside labour force growth of 4.5%, raising the unemployment rate by 1.9 percentage points.

By contrast, Rest of SA had employment growth of 0.3%, labour force growth of 2.3%, and a similar unemployment rate increase of 1.9 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Port Lincoln's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.0% over five years and 12.8% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The suburb of Port Lincoln had a median taxpayer income of $46,723 and an average income of $57,692 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is below the national average, with Rest of SA having a median income of $48,920 and an average income of $58,933. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $50,835 (median) and $62,769 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, household, family and personal incomes in Port Lincoln all fall between the 16th and 31st percentiles nationally. In terms of income distribution, 4,515 individuals, or 29.3% of the community, earn between $1,500 and $2,999, consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 27.5% in the same category. After housing costs, 85.5% of income remains, ranking at the 18th percentile nationally.

Port Lincoln is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with strong rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Port Lincoln, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.9% houses and 18.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Home ownership stood at 32.8%, with 31.7% of dwellings mortgaged and 35.4% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, and the median weekly rent was $240. Nationally, Port Lincoln's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Port Lincoln features high concentrations of lone person households, with a median household size of 2.3 people

Family households constitute 64.5% of all households, including 22.6% couples with children, 28.5% couples without children, and 12.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.5%, with lone person households at 32.3% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 2.3 people.

Port Lincoln faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 14.3%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.6%) and certificates (30.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 26.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.6% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 1.9% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Port Lincoln is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Port Lincoln faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 50% (~7,679 people) of its total population has private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma (8.3%) and arthritis (8.1%). While 67.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, this is lower than the 0% reported across Rest of SA. As of 2019, 22.2% (~3,421 people) of Port Lincoln's population are aged 65 and over. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Port Lincoln are above average and perform better than the general population in health metrics.

Port Lincoln is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Port Lincoln was found to have a low level of cultural diversity, with 90.6 percent of its population being citizens born in Australia who speak English only at home. The dominant religion in Port Lincoln is Christianity, accounting for 42.6 percent of the population. Notably, Judaism is not represented in Port Lincoln's population, unlike other areas where it comprises None percent.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian and English, each comprising 31.5 percent of the population, and Scottish at 7.1 percent. Some ethnic groups show significant differences in representation compared to regional averages: German is overrepresented at 6.9 percent (versus None percent regionally), Croatian at 1.2 percent (versus None percent), and Australian Aboriginal at 4.6 percent (versus None percent).

Port Lincoln's median age exceeds the national pattern

Port Lincoln has a median age of 41 years, which is lower than the Rest of SA's median age of 47 but higher than the national norm of 38 years. The proportion of people aged 25-34 in Port Lincoln is notably higher at 12.7% compared to the Rest of SA average, while those aged 65-74 are under-represented at 11.9%. Between 2021 and the present, the population share of those aged 35-44 has increased from 11.3% to 12.5%, while the proportion of those aged 45-54 has decreased from 12.3% to 10.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Port Lincoln's age profile. The number of people aged 85 and above is projected to increase dramatically by 508 individuals (114%) from 446 to 955. Notably, the combined population growth for those aged 65 and above will account for 75% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 15-24 and 5-14 years.