Victor Harbor

Victor Harbor has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of Nov 2025, the estimated population of Victor Harbor is around 5,224. This reflects an increase of 704 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,520. The change is inferred from the resident population of 5,018, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 131 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 610 persons per square kilometer. Victor Harbor's growth of 15.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area's growth of 6.8%. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 86.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as 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 by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to expand by 643 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 3.9% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Victor Harbor among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Victor Harbor has seen approximately 72 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, around 361 homes were approved, with an additional 59 in FY-26 to date. The population growth per dwelling built averaged 1.1 people per year over the past five financial years but moderated to 0.6 people per dwelling over the last two years. The average construction value for development projects was $391,000.

This financial year has seen $2.4 million in commercial approvals. Compared to the Rest of SA, Victor Harbor had a 20.0% higher construction rate per person over the five-year period, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New building activity comprised 97.0% standalone homes and 3.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density character. The location has about 44 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Future projections estimate Victor Harbor to add 205 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Victor Harbor has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects potentially impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Best Life Canterbury-Victor Harbor, McKinlay Street Car Parking Precinct, Victor Retail Depot, and Flinders Parade Townhouse Development. The following list details those likely 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.

The employment landscape in Victor Harbor presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.0%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Victor Harbor has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, well-represented essential services sectors, and an unemployment rate of 3.0%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of June 2025, there are 1,689 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 1.5% lower than the Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%.

Workforce participation is significantly lower at 39.8%, compared to Rest of SA's 54.1%. Residents' employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area has a strong specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 2.6%, compared to the regional level of 14.5%.

The predominantly residential area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.0% and employment decreased by 2.7%, causing a rise in unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and labour force growth of 0.1%, with a 1.2 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Victor Harbor's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

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

Victor Harbor's median income among taxpayers was $38,548 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $49,250 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of SA which were $46,889 and $56,582 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $43,494 (median) and $55,569 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Victor Harbor all fall between the 1st and 5th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 37.6% of locals (1,964 people) have incomes in the $400 - $799 category, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 27.5%. A significant portion, 46.0%, earns below $800 weekly, indicating affordability pressures for many residents. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 3rd percentile nationally.

Victor Harbor is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Victor Harbor's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 73.7% houses and 26.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro SA had 92.1% houses and 7.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Victor Harbor was at 47.3%, similar to Non-Metro SA's figure. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (22.7%) or rented (30.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,203, lower than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,300 and significantly below the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $267, compared to Non-Metro SA's $280 and substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 57.3% of all households, including 14.8% couples with children, 31.2% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 42.7%, with lone person households at 40.6% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of SA average of 2.2.

Educational outcomes in Victor Harbor fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 16.1%, substantially lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 39.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.6% and certificates at 27.8%. School and university attendance is 19.8%, including 8.6% in primary education, 5.4% in secondary education, and 1.9% in tertiary education.

Victor Harbor's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,815 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1002) offering balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes one primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 34.7 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 11.1, attracting students from surrounding communities.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Victor Harbor is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Victor Harbor faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 47% (~2,430 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (13.7%) and mental health issues (10.0%). Conversely, 52.8% report no medical ailments, compared to 58.3% in Rest of SA. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 42.4% (2,214 people), compared to 37.0% in Rest of SA.

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

Victor Harbor was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 80.6% of its population born in Australia, 92.2% being citizens, and 96.4% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion in Victor Harbor is Christianity, comprising 43.9% of the population. Notably, Judaism makes up 0.0% of the population, which is consistent with the percentage across Rest of SA.

Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (37.5%), Australian (29.3%), and Scottish (8.1%). There are notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: German is overrepresented at 6.1% compared to 6.7% regionally, Welsh at 0.7% versus 0.6%, and Dutch at 1.5% compared to 1.6%.

Victor Harbor ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Victor Harbor's median age is 59 years, notably exceeding the Rest of SA average of 47 years and substantially exceeding the national average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of SA average, the 75-84 cohort is notably over-represented at 16.8% locally, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 6.7%. This 75-84 concentration is well above the national average of 6.0%. Following the Census conducted on 24 August 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 13.0% to 16.8% of the population. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 20.0% to 18.2%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 15.6% to 14.3%. Demographic modeling suggests that Victor Harbor's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Leading this demographic shift, the 85+ group is projected to grow by 104%, reaching 787 people from 386. This growth is anticipated as residents aged 65 and older represent 98% of the population growth expected during this period. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 25-34 age cohorts.