Ridgehaven

Population growth drivers in Ridgehaven are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, the Ridgehaven statistical area's population is estimated at around 4,705. This figure reflects an increase of 401 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,304. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 4,534 following examination of ABS data up to June 2024, along with an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 2,229 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Ridgehaven's growth rate of 9.3% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (7.2%) and the state average, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 86.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs 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 by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median of national areas, with the Ridgehaven (SA2) expected to expand by 554 persons to reach approximately 5,269 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 5.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Ridgehaven when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates Ridgehaven averaged around 38 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 191 homes were approved, with an additional 29 so far in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, on average, only 1 person moved to the area for each dwelling built, suggesting new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand.

The average construction value of new homes was $320,000. This year, $1.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Ridgehaven has 85.0% more construction activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers despite a recent slowdown in building activity. New development consists of 82.0% standalone homes and 18.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character focused on family homes.

With around 144 people per dwelling approval, Ridgehaven exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Ridgehaven is projected to gain 257 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Ridgehaven has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects likely impacting this region. Major initiatives include Tea Tree Gully Sustainable Sewers Program, Hope Valley Sporting Club Amenities Improvements, Golden Grove Neighbourhood Code Amendment, and Northern Adelaide Transport Study. The following details those most relevant.

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Employment conditions in Ridgehaven remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Ridgehaven has a skilled workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.8% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.1% over the past year.

This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 2,074 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.1% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Ridgehaven lagged behind Greater Adelaide at 56.4% compared to 61.7%. Leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Other services had notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services employed only 5.4% of local workers, lower than Greater Adelaide's 7.3%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.1% and labour force grew by 1.0%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged in Ridgehaven. In contrast, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 3.0%, labour force growth of 2.9%, and a fall in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from November 25 showed SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 10,710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.0%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%, with SA's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ridgehaven's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

The suburb of Ridgehaven had a median taxpayer income of $48,642 and an average income of $54,618 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is lower than national averages, with Greater Adelaide's median income being $54,808 and average income being $66,852. By September 2025, estimates based on an 8.8% Wage Price Index growth suggest the median income will be approximately $52,922 and the average income will be around $59,424. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Ridgehaven fall between the 20th and 26th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominates Ridgehaven with 32.1% of residents (1,510 people), similar to regional levels where 31.8% fall into this bracket. Housing affordability is a significant issue in Ridgehaven, with only 83.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 20th percentile nationally.

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

In Ridgehaven, as per the latest Census evaluation, 73.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 26.5% being other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This contrasts with Adelaide metro's dwelling structure, which was 88.6% houses and 11.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ridgehaven stood at 33.5%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 42.7% and rented ones comprising 23.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,436, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure for Ridgehaven was recorded at $320, compared to Adelaide metro's $330. Nationally, Ridgehaven's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 66.7% of all households, including 25.5% couples with children, 28.2% couples without children, and 12.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 33.3%, with lone person households at 31.6% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

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

Ridgehaven Trail's residents aged 15+ have 20.5% with university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This indicates potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 37.8% holding them - advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 28.0%.

A significant 23.6% of the population is actively pursuing formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary, 5.0% in secondary, and 4.2% in tertiary education.

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

Ridgehaven has 27 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 24 distinct routes that together facilitate 1,695 weekly passenger journeys. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 176 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 242 trips per day across all routes, which translates to about 62 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Ridgehaven is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Ridgehaven faces significant health challenges, as indicated by data revealing high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Only approximately 49% of Ridgehaven residents have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in Ridgehaven are arthritis (10.3%) and mental health issues (8.5%), while 62.4% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Adelaide's 66.3%. Ridgehaven has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 25.7% (1,209 people), compared to Greater Adelaide's 21.2%. Health outcomes among seniors in Ridgehaven are broadly similar to those of the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Ridgehaven was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ridgehaven's population shows higher-than-average cultural diversity, with 24.9% born overseas and 14.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ridgehaven, accounting for 46.5%. The category 'Other' shows slight overrepresentation in Ridgehaven (2.5%) compared to Greater Adelaide (2.1%).

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (32.1%), Australian (24.9%), and Other (7.6%). Notably, German (6.0% vs 5.8%), Russian (0.4% vs 0.3%), and Dutch (1.6% vs 1.5%) ethnicities are slightly overrepresented in Ridgehaven compared to regional averages.

Ridgehaven hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Ridgehaven is 43 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Ridgehaven has a higher percentage of residents aged 75-84 (11.1%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (9.9%). This concentration of 75-84 year-olds is well above the national average of 6.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the percentage of Ridgehaven's population aged 35-44 has increased from 12.5% to 13.6%, while the percentage of those aged 45-54 has decreased from 12.3% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Ridgehaven's age structure. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 86 people, reaching 412 from 221. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 80% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 35-44 and 25-34 age groups are projected to decrease in number.