Prospect (SA)

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of November 2025, the estimated population of the suburb of Prospect (SA) is around 15,611. This reflects an increase of 1,027 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,584. The change was inferred from the resident population of 15,372 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 220 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,141 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Prospect's growth of 7.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth of 6.2%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 85.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Moving forward, an above median population growth is projected for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. The suburb of Prospect (SA) is expected to increase by 3,372 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 20.7% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Prospect among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Prospect shows approximately 118 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 592 homes from FY-20 to FY-24. As of FY-25, 41 approvals have been recorded. On average, two people move to the area per new home constructed during this period, indicating solid demand supporting property values.

The average construction cost value for these new homes is $382,000. In FY-25, there have been $38.5 million in commercial approvals, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Prospect has moderately higher new home approvals, 11.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. This maintains reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. The new building activity consists of 18.0% detached dwellings and 82.0% medium and high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Currently, Prospect has a population density of around 110 people per dwelling approval, characteristic of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Prospect is expected to grow by approximately 3,233 residents through to 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Prospect has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects that may impact this area. Key projects include Prospect Corner, 110 Hawker Street, Ridleyton, Prospect Lifestyle Precinct, and Prospect 1838. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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The labour market in Prospect shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Prospect has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 2.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.6%.

As of June 2025, 9,402 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1%, lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was higher at 69.9% compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical. Prospect had a particular employment specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

However, construction was under-represented at 6.8% compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.7%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.6% while labour force increased by 1.7%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 2.1% with a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 projected national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Prospect's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

Prospect median taxpayer income is $57,778, average is $76,711 based on latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is higher than national averages of $52,592 (median) and $64,886 (average) in Greater Adelaide. As of September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $65,191, average is $86,553, accounting for a 12.83% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census data shows Prospect incomes cluster around the 69th percentile nationally. Income distribution reveals 32.6% (5,089 individuals) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, consistent with surrounding region's 31.8%. After housing costs, 86.2% of income remains for other expenses. Prospect's SEIFA income ranking is in the 8th decile.

Prospect displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Prospect's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 68.0% houses and 32.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Adelaide metro's 66.2% houses and 33.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Prospect stood at 30.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.4% and rented ones at 35.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,929, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Prospect was $350, slightly higher than Adelaide metro's figure of $345. Nationally, Prospect's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,929 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $350 against the national figure of $375.

Prospect features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 67.4% of all households, including 32.2% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.6%, with lone person households at 26.4% and group households comprising 6.3%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which matches the Greater Adelaide average.

Prospect shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Prospect is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 43.6% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.5% and graduate diplomas at 4.3%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 15.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 8.6% in tertiary education, and 6.3% pursuing secondary education. There are six schools operating within Prospect, educating approximately 2,387 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1063. The educational mix includes three primary schools, two secondary schools, and one K-12 school.

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

Prospect has 56 active public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 28 different routes, offering a total of 2,454 weekly passenger trips. The transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average located 196 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 350 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 43 weekly trips per individual stop.

Prospect's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Prospect. Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 57% of the total population (around 8,943 people), compared to 64.0% across Greater Adelaide. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 7.8 and 6.7% of residents respectively. 73.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Adelaide. Prospect has 14.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,279 people), which is lower than the 17.9% in Greater Adelaide.

Prospect 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

Prospect's population is more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 30.4% born overseas and 30.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Prospect, accounting for 45.2% of its population. However, the category 'Other' is notably overrepresented, comprising 2.2% compared to 1.9% across Greater Adelaide.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (21.7%), Australian (18.9%), and Other (10.5%). Some ethnic groups have notable divergences: Greek at 5.2% (vs regional 4.3%), Polish at 1.2% (vs 1.1%), and Vietnamese at 3.5% (vs 2.7%).

Prospect's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Prospect is 37 years, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age cohort is over-represented in Prospect at 17.4%, compared to Greater Adelaide's average. Conversely, the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented in Prospect at 4.0%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.5% to 13.5% of Prospect's population, while the 55-64 cohort has declined from 11.7% to 10.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate that the 45-54 age group will grow by 31%, reaching 2,498 people from 1,904.