Stirling (SA)

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, the suburb of Stirling's population is estimated at around 3,149 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 82 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,067. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 3,141 residents following examination of ABS' June 2024 ERP data release and six additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 478 persons per square kilometer, indicating significant space per person with potential for further development. Recent population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 71.0% of overall gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and for areas not covered or years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Looking ahead with current demographic trends, a population increase just below the national median is expected for Stirling, with projections indicating an increase of 307 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 11.1% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Stirling averaged approximately 13 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 67 homes. So far in FY26, 3 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of 2.2 people moved to the area per new home constructed.

New homes are built at an average expected construction cost value of $651,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. In FY26, $5.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Stirling records lower building activity compared to Greater Adelaide, with 59.0% fewer approvals per person. Recent development has comprised entirely standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature with approximately 181 people per dwelling approval.

Stirling is expected to grow by 349 residents by 2041, according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Stirling has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 15thth percentile nationally

No infrastructure changes identified by AreaSearch will influence the area's performance. Zero projects are expected to impact the region. Notable initiatives include South Eastern Freeway Upgrade, South Eastern Freeway Upgrade, Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access, and Adelaide's Inner And Outer Ring Route Capacity Improvements. Relevant details for these projects are listed below.

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The labour market strength in Stirling positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Stirling has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.0% in September 2025, below Greater Adelaide's 3.9%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.1%.

Workforce participation was broadly similar to Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. Approximately 23.2% of residents worked from home, based on Census responses. Major employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Stirling specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level, but construction is under-represented at 5.2% compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.7%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1%, labour force by 2.5%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In Greater Adelaide, employment grew by 3.0%, labour force expanded by 2.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Stirling's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The suburb of Stirling had a median taxpayer income of $64,753 and an average income of $91,657 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is notably high compared to Greater Adelaide's median income of $54,808 and average income of $66,852 during the same period. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $70,451 (median) and $99,723 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023. Stirling's household, family, and personal incomes rank high nationally, between the 83rd and 86th percentiles according to census data. Income distribution shows that the largest segment comprises 27.9% earning $4000+ weekly (878 residents), differing from the regional norm where the $1,500 - 2,999 category dominates at 31.8%. A substantial proportion of high earners (40.7% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the area. After housing costs, residents retain 88.5% of their income, reflecting robust purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Stirling's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 94.3% houses and 5.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Stirling was at 49.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (40.2%) or rented (10.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Stirling was $2,448, compared to Adelaide metro's $1,562. The median weekly rent figure in Stirling was recorded at $450, while Adelaide metro had a figure of $320. Nationally, Stirling's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Stirling has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households are 76.4% of all households, including 36.2% couples with children, 31.9% couples without children, and 7.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up 23.6%, comprising 22.5% lone person households and 1.0% group households. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Stirling demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Stirling's educational attainment exceeds broader standards significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 51.6% possess university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.9% in Greater Adelaide. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 30.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.7%) and graduate diplomas (6.5%). Vocational pathways account for 23.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 12.4%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 6.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Stirling has 30 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 31 different routes that collectively facilitate 659 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically living within 322 meters of the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward from Stirling. Car remains the primary mode of transport for 89% of residents, while only 6% use buses. On average, there are 1.7 vehicles per dwelling in Stirling, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 23.2% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 94 trips per day, resulting in approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

Stirling's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Stirling's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 63% of Stirling's total population (1,988 people) have private health cover, compared to 52.7% in Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.0 and 7.7% of residents respectively. 69.0% of Stirling's residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.9% in Greater Adelaide. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 26.2% of residents aged 65 and over (825 people), higher than the 19.3% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Stirling ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Stirling's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 79.3% of its population born in Australia, 94.6% being citizens, and 94.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Stirling, comprising 43.2% of people. Judaism is overrepresented, making up 0.1% compared to the Greater Adelaide average of 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (34.2%), Australian (25.6%), and Scottish (9.1%). Notably, German (7.3%) and Welsh (0.8%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 5.1% and 0.6%, respectively. Russian is also slightly overrepresented at 0.6%.

Stirling hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Stirling's median age is 48 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Adelaide's 39 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Stirling has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (13.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (5.8%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 10.3% to 12.1%, while the 75-84 age group has risen from 8.2% to 9.7%. Conversely, the 65-74 age group has decreased from 15.0% to 13.7% and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 14.0% to 12.8%. By 2041, Stirling's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 146%, reaching 217 people from the current 88. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 55% of the anticipated population growth. However, the 65-74 age group is expected to decrease by 19 residents.