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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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South Plympton has an estimated 4,881 residents, up from 4,721 at the 2021 Census — a change of 160 people, or 3.4%. Growth has averaged 0.7% a year over five years. That puts 3,109 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
Demographic assessments by AreaSearch, combining broader ABS updates with post-Census address validations, place the population of the suburb of South Plympton at approximately 4,881 as of Aug 2026. This represents an addition of 160 people (3.4%) above the 4,721 people counted in the 2021 Census. Such growth builds upon an estimated resident population of 4,868 derived from the June 2025 ABS ERP figures alongside 87 validated new addresses registered since Census night. Population density stands at 3,108 persons per square kilometer, positioning the suburb of South Plympton in the highest quartile among nationally evaluated areas.
Over the preceding ten years, the suburb of South Plympton expanded at a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%, exceeding the broader SA3 area, with overseas migration serving as the primary driver by generating roughly 75.0% of recent population increases. Projections utilize 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 modelling anchored to a 2022 baseline, supplemented where necessary by 2023 SA State Government LGA forecasts (based on 2021 numbers) aggregated to the SA2 tier through weighted growth distributions for periods beyond 2032. Long-term outlooks indicate the suburb of South Plympton will outpace median growth across AreaSearch statistical territories, expanding by 793 persons to 2041 via combined SA2 estimates, which equals a cumulative 16.0% gain across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
107 new dwellings have been approved in South Plympton over the past five years, an average of 21 a year. That is 4.2 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 22, broadly in line with that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Analysis of ABS building approvals indicates that South Plympton registers an average of roughly 21 residential approvals annually, totaling an estimated 107 dwellings across the preceding 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) with 22 sanctioned during FY-25 to date. Over that 5 financial years span (between FY-21 and FY-25), the influx averaged 1.6 people per constructed dwelling, reflecting balanced supply and demand conditions, while easing to 0.5 people per dwelling over the past 2 financial years to highlight an even healthier equilibrium. Residential projects carry an average expected construction cost of $354,000.
Meanwhile, non-residential building activity remains subdued, with $2.2 million in commercial development approvals logged throughout the current financial year. Per capita building activity in South Plympton represents roughly 58% of the Greater Adelaide benchmark, placing the suburb in the 63rd percentile nationally. Recent residential delivery shows 58.0% standalone houses alongside 42.0% medium-density formats including apartments and townhouses, expanding affordable choices alongside traditional family stock across diverse budget levels. The development environment maintains lower density characteristics, recording approximately 206 people per dwelling approval. According to the latest quarterly forecasts from AreaSearch, South Plympton is slated to gain 780 residents by 2041. While ongoing residential construction currently aligns with demographic expansion, heightened buyer competition could emerge as the local population increases.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around South Plympton
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 4 current infrastructure and development projects close to South Plympton, worth an estimated $15 million. 1 are already under construction and 1 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Strategic planning and major infrastructure ventures fundamentally shape local growth and connectivity. AreaSearch has identified 1 key project positioned to influence the area. Significant initiatives surrounding the precinct include the Tram Grade Separation Projects, Tram Grade Separation Project (Glenelg Line), River Torrens to Darlington Project (T2D) - South Road Resurfacing Works, and the Morphettville Racecourse Redevelopment.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Mooringe Avenue Development, North Plympton
Renewal SA is offering a prime 3,650my development-ready site in Adelaide's western suburbs, ideal for a small-scale medium density residential development. Located 7 km from Adelaide's CBD and close to Kurralta Park Shopping Centre, the corner allotment at 70-74 Mooringe Ave, North Plympton, features 128 m of street frontage, allowing for flexible and innovative development options. The site is zoned General Neighbourhood under South Australia's Planning and Design Code, supporting a streamlined development timeline, and is offered as a direct sale with a requirement for residential development and timely commencement post-settlement.The area is a high-demand residential suburb with significant property price growth, with the median house price rising 15.5% in the past 12 months to $930,000.
Tram Grade Separation Project (Glenelg Line)
Removal of the Glenelg tram line level crossings at Marion Road and Cross Road, Plympton, by constructing a tram overpass across both roads to reduce congestion and improve safety and travel times. This project is part of the larger effort to create a non-stop South Road. The project will also include a new tram stop, an elevated Mike Turtur Bikeway, and revitalized open space.
Fig Tree Terraces
A residential development in Melrose Park delivering 36 new homes, including 21 homes sold off the plan and 15 social housing apartments. The project is located in a leafy neighbourhood, offering walkability to key amenities such as shops and transport. It contributes to housing supply in the Adelaide South Growth Areas.
River Torrens to Darlington Project (T2D) - South Road Resurfacing Works
Resurfacing works on a 3km section of South Road between Glengarry Avenue, Glandore, and Bennet Avenue, Melrose Park, delivering a smoother and safer ride for motorists. Further works were undertaken from Daws Road to Lloyd Street, St Marys. These works involve removing the existing pavement and replacing it with asphalt to ensure long-term safety and integrity. This is part of a package of 13 infrastructure upgrades designed to support and complement the revitalised T2D Project.
2,854 residents of South Plympton are employed, from a labour force of 2,959. Unemployment sits at 3.5%, with participation at 71.1%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.9% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 3,701, about 76% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
South Plympton features an educated labour pool with strong participation in essential service industries, maintaining a low jobless rate of 3.5% alongside a 5.2% estimated rise in workforce numbers over the preceding twelve months. As of March 2026, employed locals tally 2,854 residents, keeping unemployment 0.3% under the Greater Adelaide mark of 3.8%, whilst local labour participation reaches 71.1% against 66.4% across the broader metropolitan region. Census findings recorded just 11.1% of employees working remotely, though pandemic measures during that period may have influenced this figure. Local workers are predominantly engaged in health care & social assistance, education & training, as well as retail trade.
Conversely, industrial sectors show a smaller footprint, with manufacturing engaging 5.6% of local personnel versus 7.0% across the wider region. Given the disparity between Census counts of resident workers and locally situated jobs, the surrounding residential enclave offers relatively few internal employment positions. Statistical tracking of ABS and SALM figures indicates that during the 12 months to March 2026, resident employment rose 5.2% and the active workforce grew 4.4%, delivering a 0.7 percentage points drop in the local jobless rate. By comparison, Greater Adelaide experienced a 4.2% employment rise, 4.0% labour pool expansion, and a 0.2 percentage points reduction in unemployment. Looking forward from Mar-26, national industry projections from Jobs and Skills Australia model workforce expansion of 6.6% across five years and 13.7% across ten years. Applying these sector-specific trajectories to the local occupational structure suggests South Plympton could see job numbers grow by 6.9% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, representing an illustrative weighted extrapolation independent of local demographic forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in South Plympton is $1,552 a week (about $81,000 a year), with median personal income at $805 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $53,790 a year against an average of $62,126. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO postcode statistics released for financial year 2023 report a median taxpayer income of $53,790 and an average of $62,126 in South Plympton, sitting below Greater Adelaide benchmarks of $54,808 (median) and $66,852 (average), as well as national figures. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since financial year 2023 brings estimated earnings to $59,260 (median) and $68,444 (average) as of March 2026. Across personal, family, and household levels in the 2021 Census, earnings ranked modestly between the 38th and 50th percentiles. The primary income band is $1,500 - 2,999, taking in 32.8% of residents (1,600 people), mirroring the regional concentration of 31.8%.
Household budgets experience notable housing strain, retaining only 83.7% of income to place in the 39th percentile, with an overall SEIFA income score in the 5th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
South Plympton had 1,963 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 61% detached houses and 22% apartments. 37% are owned with a mortgage, 32% rented and 31% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $340 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,700 a month. Rent absorbs 21.9% of household income here and mortgage repayments 25.3%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the time of the latest Census, residential accommodation in South Plympton was divided between 60.9% standalone houses and 39.2% other formats including apartments, semi-detached, and alternative dwellings, compared to 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings across the Adelaide metro area. Outright ownership aligned with the metropolitan rate at 31.2%, while remaining residences were either being purchased under a mortgage (36.8%) or occupied by tenants (32.0%). Typical monthly mortgage obligations reached $1,700 and weekly rental costs were $340, exceeding the Adelaide metro medians of $1,562 and $320 respectively. In a national context, local mortgage servicing remains under the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents sit below the countrywide benchmark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
South Plympton counted 1,963 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.3 people each. 26% are couples with children, against 24% couples without children. 33% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.3 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute 61.8% of local domestic arrangements, comprising couples with children at 26.4%, couples without children at 24.2%, and single-parent arrangements at 9.6%. The remaining 38.2% consists of non-family living situations, led by single-person residences at 32.6% and shared group dwellings at 5.7%. Average household occupancy sits at 2.3 people, tracking below the Greater Adelaide benchmark of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
36.1% of adults in South Plympton hold a university qualification, including 24.7% with a bachelor degree and 8.0% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 18.9% hold a vocational qualification. 3 schools serve the area, with 1,279 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,058 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Tertiary attainment among South Plympton residents aged 15+ is substantial, with 36.1% holding higher education degrees compared to 25.7% across SA and 28.1% throughout the SA4 region. Leading this knowledge-focused demographic are bachelor degree holders at 24.7%, alongside postgraduate degrees at 8.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.4%. Vocational qualifications are likewise prominent, held by 29.3% of individuals aged 15+, divided into certificates (18.9%) and advanced diplomas (10.4%). A significant proportion of the community is actively engaged in learning, with 27.1% of residents enrolled in an educational course. This demographic comprises 8.3% attending primary school, 7.4% undertaking tertiary studies, and 5.1% in secondary schooling.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in South Plympton reaches 22 stops on 24 routes, timetabled for about 2,000 services a week. The typical home sits about 160 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.2 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Commuters in South Plympton are served by 22 active public transit boarding points spanning bus and lightrail networks. These stops connect to 24 distinct transit routes that deliver a combined 1,997 weekly passenger trips. Transit access is highly convenient, with typical walking distances to the nearest stop averaging 163 meters. Given the suburb's residential role, outgoing work trips predominate, with private vehicle travel representing 81% of journeys, alongside 7% by bus and 2% cycling. Household vehicle availability averages 1.2 per dwelling, below broader regional figures, while 11.1% of workers recorded working remotely during the 2021 Census under possible pandemic influences.
Transit services operate across the network at a combined volume of 285 trips per day, which provides approximately 90 weekly trips across each boarding location.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
72.3% of residents in South Plympton report no long-term health condition. 5.8% need daily assistance with core activities, and 51.6% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.6 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Overall wellness metrics in South Plympton reflect encouraging trends, with local mortality and illness statistics generally aligning with nationwide standards. While general health conditions exhibit low frequency across the wider community, elevated rates appear among older, vulnerable demographics, and private medical insurance coverage encompasses approximately 52% of the local population (~2,517 people). Arthritis and mental health conditions represent the most prevalent diagnoses, affecting 7.6 and 7.2% of locals respectively, whereas 72.3% of the community reported having no medical conditions at all, surpassing the 67.9% recorded for Greater Adelaide. Working-age cohorts display strong vitality with minimal chronic health issues.
Seniors aged 65 and over make up 20.2% of the population (985 people), outpacing the Greater Adelaide proportion of 19.1% while remaining comparatively lower against broader national elderly distributions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
33.3% of South Plympton residents were born overseas and 31.2% speak a language other than English at home, more culturally diverse than 76% of areas nationally. The largest reported ancestries are English (22.3%) and Australian (20.6%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural variety is pronounced in South Plympton, where 33.3% of the population was born abroad and 31.2% utilize a non-English language at home. Christianity stands as the primary religious affiliation, encompassing 42.8% of the community. Hinduism exhibits notable local concentration, representing 5.6% of residents compared to 2.8% across Greater Adelaide. Evaluating ancestral backgrounds, the most frequently reported parental lineages include English at 22.3% (below the wider regional mark of 27.8%), Australian at 20.6%, and Other at 11.0%. Specific European heritages show varying concentrations relative to metropolitan norms, with Hungarian accounting for 0.5% (versus 0.3% regionally), Polish at 1.0% (versus 1.0%), and Greek comprising 2.8% (versus 2.0%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of South Plympton is 37. 29.2% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The age profile in the suburb of South Plympton skews younger than regional norms. Demographic estimates updated to August 2026 show that 34.1% of locals are aged 25 - 44, compared to 28.9% throughout Greater Adelaide, whereas children and youth aged 0 - 24 represent 25.9% against a metropolitan share of 29.0%. As at August 2026, the estimated median age is 37, matching the 2021 Census level and sitting 2 years below the Greater Adelaide Census benchmark of 39. The most significant shift since the Census occurred across the 65+ cohort, expanding from 17.9% to an estimated 20.2% of the population.
By 2041, senior demographics are projected to drive the bulk of expansion, increasing by 289 residents (29%) to reach 1,275.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for South Plympton
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 87 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (4,721 at the 2021 Census → 4,881 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL41356). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.