Unley

Unley is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of the suburb of Unley is around 4,351. This reflects an increase of 354 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,997. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 4,341 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 130 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 2,900 persons per square kilometer, placing Unley in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Unley's growth of 8.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (4.5%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was primarily responsible for population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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 adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 420 persons to reach approximately 4,771 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 6.1% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for Unley shows approximately 14 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 72 homes. As of FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), an average of 1.9 people moved to the area for each dwelling built. This suggests a balanced supply and demand, maintaining stable market conditions while new homes are constructed at an average expected cost value of $879,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY-26, commercial approvals reached $947,000, reflecting Unley's residential nature. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Unley has somewhat elevated construction activity (12.0% above regional average per person over the five-year period), balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. This is below national average, suggesting maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity comprises 56.0% standalone homes and 44.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points from family homes to more affordable compact living.

With around 164 people per approval, Unley reflects a developing area. Latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate forecasts an increase of 265 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Unley has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to impact the area, with key ones including Unley Central, 12-16 Glen Osmond Road Mixed-Use Development, Unley 108 Apartments, and Unley Road Public Realm Streetscape Upgrade. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Unley performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Unley has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 1.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.5%.

As of June 2025, 2,478 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.2%, lower than Greater Adelaide's 4.0%. Workforce participation is high at 66.9%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Unley has a notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average.

Manufacturing is under-represented, with only 3.7% of Unley's workforce compared to Greater Adelaide's 7.0%. There are 1.1 workers for every resident, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, labour force grew by 1.4%, leading to a decrease in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.1%. According to Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22, national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Unley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 15.0% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows Unley's median income among taxpayers was $67,378, with an average of $106,299. Nationally, this places Unley in the top percentile. Compared to Greater Adelaide's median of $52,592 and average of $64,886, Unley's incomes are higher. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $76,023 (median) and $119,937 (average), based on a 12.83% growth in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2022. Census data indicates individual earnings in Unley stand at the 84th percentile nationally ($1,066 weekly). The earnings profile shows that 27.3% of the community (1,187 individuals) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 31.8% occupy this range. Unley demonstrates affluence with 34.0% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 13.5% of income, ranking residents within the 72nd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Unley displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Unley, as per the latest Census evaluation, 52.4% of dwellings were houses while 47.6% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In contrast, Adelaide metro had 59.2% houses and 40.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Unley stood at 35.8%, with mortgaged properties at 27.9% and rented ones at 36.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, aligning with Adelaide metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $372 compared to Adelaide metro's $350. Nationally, Unley's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 versus Australia's average of $1,863; however, rents in Unley were lower than the national figure of $375.

Unley features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.9% of all households, including 25.0% couples with children, 26.6% couples without children, and 7.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 39.1%, with lone person households at 32.8% and group households making up 6.1%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.3.

Unley shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Unley is notably high, with 53% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications. This compares to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.9% in the Greater Adelaide area. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 15.7% and graduate diplomas at 5.1%. Vocational pathways account for 19.2% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and over, with advanced diplomas at 9.2% and certificates at 10.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.6% in primary education, 8.1% in tertiary education, and 6.0% pursuing secondary education. Saint Spyridon College provides local educational services within Unley, with an enrollment of 53 students as of the latest data available. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1091. There is one school in Unley that focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. School capacity is limited locally at 1.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.1, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

The Unley public transport analysis shows 21 active stops in operation, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are served by 20 individual routes, collectively facilitating 2,905 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 194 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 415 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 138 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Unley is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Unley exhibits above-average health outcomes, with both younger and older age groups showing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover in Unley is notably high at approximately 69% of its total population (2,997 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.8% and 6.9% of residents respectively. A significant portion of Unley's residents, 71.4%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 69.9% across Greater Adelaide. The percentage of seniors aged 65 and over in Unley is 19.5% (848 people), which is lower than the 22.6% recorded in Greater Adelaide. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Unley are particularly strong, largely aligning with the general population's health profile.

Unley was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Unley's population showed higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 28.2% born overseas and 22.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Unley, accounting for 41.3%. Judaism was slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, making up 0.3% of Unley's population.

The top three ancestry groups were English (26.1%), Australian (19.8%), and Other (7.7%). Notably, Welsh (1.0%) and Greek (5.2%) ethnicities were more prevalent in Unley than regionally, while Polish was similarly represented at 1.1%.

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

The median age in Unley is 41 years, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and slightly exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 45-54 are most prominent at 13.7%, while those aged 85+ are relatively small at 0.9%. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 10.8% to 12.6%, while those aged 75-84 have increased from 6.5% to 7.8%. Conversely, the 85+ age group has decreased from 1.9% to 0.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Unley's age structure. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to increase by 113 people (33%), from 339 to 453. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are expected to decrease in number.