Salisbury East

An assessment of population growth drivers in Salisbury East reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, the Salisbury East statistical area's population is estimated at around 9,758. This reflects an increase of 485 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,273. The change is inferred from AreaSearch estimates based on ERP data release by ABS (June 2024) and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,420 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Salisbury East's growth rate of 5.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.0%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 59.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends project an above median growth for Australian statistical areas, with Salisbury East expected to expand by 1,362 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 12.9% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Salisbury East recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Salisbury East averaged around 28 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 141 homes were approved, with a further 40 approved in FY-26 to date. This results in an average of about 3.5 new residents arriving per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

The demand for housing significantly exceeds new supply, which typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition. New properties are constructed at an average value of $374,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating a focus on quality developments. In FY-26, around $2.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Comparatively, Salisbury East has 17.0% less new development per person than Greater Adelaide and ranks among the 39th percentile of areas assessed nationally.

This limited supply supports demand for existing homes and reflects market maturity, potentially indicating development constraints. Recent building activity comprises entirely detached houses, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (80.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With around 436 people per dwelling approval, Salisbury East shows a developed market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by approximately 1,257 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Salisbury East has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Salisbury East Urban Renewal Precinct, Salisbury Park Estate, Coomurra Rise Land Division, and Advanced Manufacturing and Retail Hub. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment drivers in Salisbury East are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Salisbury East has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

The unemployment rate is 6.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.2% in the past year. As of September 2025, 4,203 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.3% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation lags at 53.5%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing.

Manufacturing is particularly strong, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 3.9% of Salisbury East's workforce compared to Greater Adelaide's 7.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.2%, with labour force growth also at 1.2%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment grow by 3.0% and labour force increase by 2.9%, with a 0.1 percentage point drop in unemployment. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows SA employment grew by 1.19%, adding 10,710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.0%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Salisbury East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider local population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Salisbury East's median income among taxpayers is $45,171. The average income in the suburb is $50,176. Nationally, this is lower than average. In Greater Adelaide, the median income is $54,808 and the average is $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% from July 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes for Salisbury East would be approximately $49,146 (median) and $54,591 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Salisbury East fall between the 10th and 11th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that 30.3% of individuals earn between $800 and $1,499, unlike broader trends where 31.8% earn between $1,500 and $2,999. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Salisbury East, with only 83.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 11th percentile nationally.

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

Salisbury East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.4% houses and 19.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 83.9% houses and 16.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Salisbury East was at 33.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.3% and rented ones at 25.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, aligning with Adelaide metro's average. The median weekly rent was $290, compared to Adelaide metro's $300. Nationally, Salisbury East's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 66.1% of all households, including 25.6% couples with children, 25.0% couples without children, and 14.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 33.9%, with lone person households at 31.4% and group households making up 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.1%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.9%) and certificates (28.1%). Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.8% in primary, 7.1% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis conducted in Salisbury East indicates 47 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 24 different routes that together facilitate 1,489 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically residing within 206 meters of the nearest transport stop.

On average, there are 212 daily trips across all routes, equating to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Salisbury East, with both younger and older age groups experiencing a notable prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 47% (~4,575 people) have private health cover, which is lower than the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (10.4%) and mental health issues (9.6%). Conversely, 62.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 68.1% in Greater Adelaide. Salisbury East has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 22.4% (~2,185 people), compared to 16.1% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors largely mirror the general population's health profile.

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

Salisbury East had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 22.3% speaking languages other than English at home and 31.7% born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 43.5%. Islam was overrepresented at 7.0%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.0%.

Top three ancestry groups were English (30.9%), Australian (23.4%), and Other (12.7%). Welsh (0.7% vs regional 0.4%), German (4.7% vs 4.0%), and Serbian (0.4% vs 0.5%) were notably overrepresented.

Salisbury East's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Salisbury East is 40 years, similar to Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years but somewhat older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constitutes 8.4% of the population, higher than Greater Adelaide's percentage, while the 35-44 cohort makes up 12.3%, which is less prevalent compared to Greater Adelaide. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15 to 24 age group grew from 11.5% to 12.9% of the population, while the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 11.6% to 10.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Salisbury East. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 83%, adding 324 people and reaching a total of 715. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 54% of the total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort is projected to decline by 0 people.