Salisbury Downs

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

As of Nov 2025, Salisbury Downs' population is estimated at around 6,401, reflecting an increase of 105 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS ERP estimate for Jun 2024 was 6,378, with an additional 34 validated new addresses contributing to the growth. This results in a population density of 2,286 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Salisbury Downs has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.0%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts 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 are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends indicate lower quartile growth, with the suburb expected to expand by 270 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 4.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Salisbury Downs averaged around 15 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, an estimated 76 homes were approved, with a further 11 approved so far in FY-26. This averages out to approximately 1.9 new residents arriving per new home over these years.

The average construction value of new properties is $265,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In terms of commercial approvals, $4.3 million has been registered in FY-26, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Salisbury Downs has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, placing it among the 41st percentile nationally. This suggests limited choices for buyers and supports demand for existing homes.

New building activity shows 79.0% detached dwellings and 21.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. The population density is around 400 people per approval, indicating a mature market. Looking ahead, Salisbury Downs is expected to grow by 298 residents through to 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Salisbury Downs has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones are Salisbury Park Estate, Salisbury City Centre Redevelopment - Salisbury Square Precinct, Mawson Lakes Road Management Plan, and Public Housing Builds in Parafield Gardens. 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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Employment drivers in Salisbury Downs are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Salisbury Downs has a diverse workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominently represented. Its unemployment rate was 8.3% in June 2025, higher than Greater Adelaide's 4.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.6%. As of June 2025, 2,691 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, and workforce participation at 52.1% compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing, in particular, is notably concentrated with levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services have limited presence, at 3.2% compared to the regional 7.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.6%, while labour force increased by 1.3%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.1%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in Sep-22, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Salisbury Downs's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.9% over ten years.

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

Salisbury Downs's median income among taxpayers was $47,703 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $50,758 during the same period. This compares to figures for Greater Adelaide of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $53,823 (median) and $57,270 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household incomes in Salisbury Downs fall between the 5th and 9th percentiles nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 29.5% of locals (1,888 people) with incomes ranging from $800 to $1,499. This differs from the surrounding region where the $1,500 to $2,999 category predominates at 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Salisbury Downs, with only 81.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.

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

In Salisbury Downs, as per the latest Census evaluation, 79.6% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 20.4% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. This differs slightly from Adelaide metro's figures, which show 83.9% houses and 16.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Salisbury Downs stood at 28.3%, similar to the Adelaide metro average. Of the remaining dwellings, 35.8% were mortgaged and 35.9% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, aligning with the Adelaide metro average, while the median weekly rent was $273, lower than Adelaide metro's $300. Nationally, Salisbury Downs' mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 compared to Australia's average of $1,863. Rents in Salisbury Downs were also substantially below the national figure of $375.

Salisbury Downs has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 68.1% of all households, including 29.9% couples with children, 20.1% couples without children, and 16.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 31.9%, with lone person households at 28.5% and group households making up 3.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 13.4%, substantially lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 32.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas account for 7.3% and certificates for 24.9%. Educational participation is high at 30.0%, including 10.8% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Salisbury Downs has three schools with a combined enrollment of 1,605 students, serving distinct age groups and demonstrating varied educational conditions (ICSEA: 947). The area functions as an education hub with 25.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.9, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Salisbury Downs shows that there are currently 23 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops consist of a mix of train and bus services. They are serviced by 17 individual routes which collectively provide 1,082 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of these transport services is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 241 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are around 154 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 47 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Salisbury Downs is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Salisbury Downs faces significant health challenges with a notably higher prevalence of common health conditions compared to average, particularly among older age groups. The rate of private health cover in the area is low at approximately 47%, covering around 3015 people, while the national average stands at 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 9.0% and 8.7% of residents respectively. However, 66.3% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.1% across Greater Adelaide. As of a recent study (20XX-XX-XX), approximately 17.0% of the population is aged 65 and over, totaling around 1088 people. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population due to the higher prevalence of health issues in this age group.

Salisbury Downs is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Salisbury Downs has a high level of cultural diversity, with 40.3% of its population born overseas and 40.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Salisbury Downs, making up 40.7% of the population. However, Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, comprising 8.1% of Salisbury Downs' population versus 5.1%.

The top three represented ancestry groups are English (23.3%), Other (20.2%), and Australian (19.2%). Notably, Vietnamese (5.5%) and Serbian (0.7%) populations are higher in Salisbury Downs compared to the regional averages of 3.1% and 0.5%, respectively. Polish population is also slightly higher at 1.2%.

Salisbury Downs's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Salisbury Downs is 37 years, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years but close to the national average of 38 years. The 5-14 age group is over-represented locally at 12.9%, compared to Greater Adelaide's average, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 5.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35-44 age group has increased from 13.3% to 14.1% of the population, while the 15-24 cohort has declined from 12.2% to 11.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Salisbury Downs. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 28%, reaching 451 people from 352, with residents aged 65 and older representing 68% of anticipated growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.