Port Pirie South

Port Pirie South has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, as of November 2025, the Port Pirie South statistical area's population is estimated at around 3,958. This reflects an increase of 80 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,878. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 3,922 in June 2024 and an additional 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 256 persons per square kilometer. Port Pirie South's 2.1% growth since census positions it within 2.2 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.3%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Projections indicate a decline in overall population by 11 persons by 2041. However, growth is anticipated for specific age cohorts, notably the 85 and over group, projected to increase by 97 people.

The level of residential development activity in Port Pirie South is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Port Pirie South had 18 dwelling approvals in the past five years, with an average of three new dwellings approved annually. This low activity is typical of rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Port Pirie South has less construction activity than Rest of SA and below national patterns. All approved constructions were detached houses, maintaining the area's rural character with emphasis on space. There were an estimated 985 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. The population is expected to remain stable or decline, reducing pressure on housing and potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Port Pirie South should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Port Pirie South has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 24thth percentile nationally

Ten projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly due to their influence on local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. These include the Port Pirie Masterplan / Yorke Peninsula and Mid North Regional Plan, Green Iron SA Port Pirie Hub, Port Pirie Riverbank Precinct, and Key Worker Housing Initiative. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant:.

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

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Employment conditions in Port Pirie South face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Port Pirie South's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs, with prominent essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 10.5% in September 2025, based on AreaSearch data aggregation.

There were 1,682 residents employed, which was 5.1% higher than Rest of SA's rate of 5.3%. Workforce participation was similar to Rest of SA at 54.1%. Key industries included health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing had a significant share of employment at 1.6 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented at 1.2% compared to Rest of SA's 14.5%.

Labour force levels increased by 2.2% over the year to September 2025, with a 0.5% decrease in employment, leading to a 2.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Port Pirie South's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The suburb of Port Pirie South had a lower than average national income level in financial year 2023. Its median income among taxpayers was $51,305 and the average income stood at $60,209. For comparison, Rest of SA's figures were $48,920 and $58,933 respectively. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $55,820 (median) and $65,507 (average), based on an 8.8% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census 2021 data showed household, family and personal incomes in Port Pirie South all fell between the 9th and 13th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicated that 28.7% of locals (1,135 people) earned within the $400 - $799 category, contrasting with the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket led at 27.5%. Housing costs were modest, with 88.3% of income retained, but total disposable income ranked at just the 14th percentile nationally.

Port Pirie South is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Port Pirie South's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, had 89.0% houses and 11.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro SA's 89.8% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Port Pirie South was 37.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.3% and rented ones at 28.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $975, higher than Non-Metro SA's average of $888. Median weekly rent in Port Pirie South was $200, compared to Non-Metro SA's $182. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863 and rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

Port Pirie South features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 64.2% of all households, including 21.9% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.8%, with lone person households at 33.5% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of South Africa.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.9%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.8%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.8%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 36.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 6.4% and certificates at 29.6%.

A substantial 24.8% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 9.6% in primary, 9.3% in secondary, and 1.7% in tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Port Pirie South 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 Port Pirie South, with high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 51% (around 2,011 people), compared to 48.5% in Rest of SA.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.3%) and mental health issues (9.6%). 60.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 59.4% in Rest of SA. 23.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (930 people), lower than the 26.5% in Rest of SA. Health outcomes among seniors show some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Port Pirie South had low cultural diversity, with 92.0% born in Australia, 93.3% being citizens, and 94.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 49.3%. Islam was overrepresented at 1.2%, compared to 0.5% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.2%), English (31.6%), and Scottish (6.2%). German (5.8%) and Italian (5.0%) were notably overrepresented, while Australian Aboriginal (3.4%) was slightly higher than regional levels (3.0%).

Port Pirie South hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Port Pirie South's median age is 43 years, which is significantly below the Rest of SA average of 47 years but substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 15-24 are particularly prominent at 13.1%, while the 65-74 group is comparatively smaller at 11.6% than in Rest of SA. From 2021 to present, the proportion of the population aged 25-34 has grown from 12.0% to 13.1%. Conversely, the proportion of those aged 45-54 has declined from 12.6% to 11.4%. By the year 2041, Port Pirie South is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The demographic shift will be led by the 85+ group, which is projected to grow by 68%, reaching 240 from a current total of 142 people. This growth will be primarily driven by an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 99% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts.