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 November 2025, the estimated population of the Salisbury Downs statistical area (Lv2) is around 6,391. This figure represents an increase of 95 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,296. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 6,365 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 34 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,282 persons per square kilometer, which is 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%, outperforming the SA3 area. 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 by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023, with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends indicate lower quartile growth for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, with the Salisbury Downs (SA2) expected to expand by 271 persons to reach a total of 6,662 by 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 4.8% over the 17-year period.

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 using ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Salisbury Downs averaged approximately 14 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 73 homes were approved, with an additional 22 approvals so far in FY-26. This indicates an average of about 2 people moving to the area per new home constructed over the past five financial years, reflecting robust demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value of new homes was approximately $265,000. In comparison to Greater Adelaide, Salisbury Downs has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, placing it among the 35th percentile nationally, suggesting limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. New building activity shows 79.0% detached dwellings and 21.0% townhouses or apartments, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. This results in around 474 people per approval, indicating a mature market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Salisbury Downs is expected to grow by approximately 309 residents through to 2041. Based on 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 43rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified ten projects potentially impacting the region. Notable initiatives include 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.

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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 both white and blue collar jobs, prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors, an unemployment rate of 8.5% as of September 2025, and an estimated employment growth of 1.9% over the past year. This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

The area has a total of 2,665 residents in work, with an unemployment rate that is 4.6% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation lags behind Greater Adelaide at 52.1%, compared to the region's 61.7%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing has a particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services have limited presence with only 3.2% of employment compared to the regional average of 7.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 1.9% while labour force increased by 1.4%, resulting in a fall in unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a drop in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov shows SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 10,710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.0%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%, with the state's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.14%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for five and ten-year periods suggest that while national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. 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, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The suburb of Salisbury Downs had an income level below the national average according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year ended June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Salisbury Downs was $47,703 and the average income stood at $50,758. In comparison, Greater Adelaide's figures were $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $51,901 (median) and $55,225 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since June 2023. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Salisbury Downs fell between the 5th and 9th percentiles nationally. The predominant income cohort in Salisbury Downs spanned 29.5% of locals (1,885 people) with incomes between $800 and $1,499, unlike the surrounding region where the $1,500 to $2,999 category was most common at 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures were severe in Salisbury Downs, with only 81.9% of income remaining after housing costs, 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

Salisbury Downs' dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 79.6% houses and 20.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Adelaide metro had 83.9% houses and 16.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Salisbury Downs was 28.3%, similar to Adelaide's 28.5%. Mortgaged dwellings were 35.8% and rented ones 35.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, aligning with Adelaide's average. Median weekly rent was $273, compared to Adelaide's $300. Nationally, Salisbury Downs' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,300 vs Australia's $1,863, and rents were substantially lower at $273 vs 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 constitute the remaining 31.9%, with lone person households at 28.5% and group households comprising 3.3%. 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%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 32.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas make up 7.3%, while certificates account for 24.9%. Educational participation is high, with 30.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.8% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Salisbury Downs shows that there are currently 23 operational transport stops. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 17 different routes serving these stops, which together facilitate 1,085 weekly passenger trips.

The report indicates good accessibility to transport for residents, with an average distance of 241 meters to the nearest stop. On average, there are 155 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 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 conditions compared to averages. Among older age groups, these issues are even more pronounced.

Private health cover is low, at approximately 47% (around 3,010 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 9.0% and 8.7% of residents respectively. Conversely, 66.3% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Adelaide's 68.1%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors, with 17.0% (around 1,086 people) aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among this age group require particular attention due to the increased prevalence of health issues.

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 significant 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, comprising 40.7% of the population. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented, making up 8.1% of the population compared to 5.1% across Greater Adelaide.

The top three represented ancestry groups are English (23.3%), Other (20.2%), and Australian (19.2%). There are also notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Vietnamese is overrepresented at 5.5%, Polish at 1.2%, and Serbian at 0.7%.

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 comprises 12.9% of Salisbury Downs' population, higher than Greater Adelaide's average, while the 75-84 age group makes up 5.5%, lower than the Greater Adelaide average. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 13.3% to 14.1% of the population, whereas the 15 to 24 age group has decreased from 12.2% to 11.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Salisbury Downs. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 29%, reaching 452 people from 351, with residents aged 65 and older accounting for 67% of the anticipated growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are expected to experience population declines.