Port Willunga

Port Willunga has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of November 2025, the estimated population of Port Willunga is around 1,631. This reflects a decrease of 154 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,785. The change is inferred from an estimated resident population of 1,614 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and additional 17 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 765 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Port Willunga has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.1%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, 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. Moving forward with demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation is expected. The suburb is expected to increase by 169 persons to reach 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 25.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Port Willunga has received around 7 dwelling approvals per year. From FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 35 homes were approved, with one more in FY-26. On average, each new dwelling adds about 2.9 residents annually over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost of new homes is $445,000. This year, $7.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Port Willunga has around 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks at the 32nd percentile nationally.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, maintaining the area's low-density nature with an estimated 533 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, Port Willunga is projected to grow by 423 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Port Willunga has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

AreaSearch has identified two projects that are expected to impact the area significantly. These key projects include Aldinga Master Planned Community by Villawood Properties, Aldinga - A New Community, Main South Road Duplication Project (Stage 2) from Aldinga to Sellicks Beach, and Aldinga Payinthi College. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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Employment performance in Port Willunga has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Port Willunga has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 5.4% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 3.2% over the past year based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

In June 2025929 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 1.4% above Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was somewhat below standard at 57.2%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Construction showed notable concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, retail trade had lower representation at 7.1% versus the regional average of 10.0%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in June 2025, employment increased by 3.2% alongside labour force increasing by 2.9%, resulting in unemployment falling by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer further insight into potential future demand within Port Willunga. These projections suggest national employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with significant variations between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Port Willunga's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

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

Port Willunga had a median taxpayer income of $47,843 and an average of $55,582 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was below the national average, contrasting with Greater Adelaide's median income of $52,592 and average income of $64,886 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth figures from financial year 2022 to September 2025, estimated incomes for Port Willunga would be approximately $53,981 (median) and $62,713 (average). The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in Port Willunga falling between the 21st and 26th percentiles nationally. Income analysis revealed that 32.0% of locals (521 people) had incomes ranging from $1,500 to $2,999, which was consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 31.8% in the same category. After housing costs, 85.3% of income remained, ranking at the 23rd percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Port Willunga, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.2% houses and 4.8% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 89.2% houses and 10.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Port Willunga was at 38.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.0% and rented ones at 23.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,452, while the median weekly rent was $328, compared to Adelaide metro's $314. Nationally, Port Willunga's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Port Willunga features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 66.4% of all households, including 25.0% couples with children, 23.3% couples without children, and 16.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 33.6%, with lone person households at 30.1% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

Port Willunga has lower university degree holders than Australia's national average: 22.9% versus 30.4%. The most common qualifications are bachelor degrees (16.4%), followed by postgraduate degrees (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (30.0%). Educational participation is high, with 28.1% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (11.4%), secondary (6.7%), and tertiary (4.7%).

Aldinga Payinthi College serves Port Willunga, enrolling 815 students. The area offers balanced educational opportunities, typical of Australian schools (ICSEA: 965), with all one school providing integrated K-12 education. Port Willunga functions as an education hub, offering 50.0 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 13.6.

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

Port Willunga has 14 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses running along six individual routes. Together, these routes facilitate 311 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in Port Willunga is rated excellent, with residents typically located just 184 meters from the nearest transport stop. The service frequency averages 44 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 22 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Port Willunga faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 49% of its total population (~799 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues affect 10.6% of residents, while arthritis impacts 9.4%. A total of 65.3% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.9% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 21.5% of residents aged 65 and over (350 people). Health outcomes among seniors in Port Willunga are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Port Willunga's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 83.9% of its population born in Australia and 90.8% being citizens. English was spoken exclusively at home by 97.4%. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 28.0%.

Buddhism, however, was overrepresented at 1.1%, compared to 0.8% across Greater Adelaide. The top three ancestry groups were English (35.6%), Australian (27.5%), and Scottish (8.6%). Notably, Welsh (1.0%) and German (6.2%) were also overrepresented, while Serbian was slightly higher at 0.4%.

Port Willunga hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Port Willunga is 44 years, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Port Willunga has a notably higher proportion of people aged 65-74 (13.1% vs 9.0%) but fewer people aged 25-34 (9.0% vs 12.0%). According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of people aged 75-84 has increased from 5.4% to 6.4%, while the proportion of those aged 5-14 has decreased from 13.5% to 12.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate that Port Willunga's 65-74 age cohort is expected to grow by 69 people (from 213 to 283), indicating substantial demographic changes in the area.