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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
Sales Activity
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Population
West Beach has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends
As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of West Beach (SA) is around 5,503 people. This figure reflects a growth of 328 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 5,175 people in the area. The increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,487 following their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, along with an additional 41 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,313 persons per square kilometer, which is higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. West Beach's growth rate of 6.3% since the census places it within 1.2 percentage points of the state's growth rate of 7.5%, indicating strong population fundamentals in the suburb. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth in the area.
AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, they adopt the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, with adjustments made using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future demographic trends suggest that West Beach is expected to grow by approximately 520 persons to reach the year 2041, reflecting an overall increase of around 9.2% over the 16-year period based on aggregated SA2-level projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within West Beach when compared nationally
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in West Beach shows an average of around 26 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 131 homes were approved, with a further 19 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 2 people move to the area for each dwelling built over these past five financial years.
This suggests a balance between supply and demand, contributing to stable market dynamics. The average construction value of new dwellings is $660,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, there have been $3.9 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited focus on commercial development compared to residential.
Compared to Greater Adelaide, West Beach shows approximately 75% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 67th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 74.0% detached dwellings and 26.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 204 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts indicate West Beach will gain 504 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around West Beach (SA)
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
West Beach has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally
Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects expected to impact the region: Adelaide Airport Industrial Development, Project Flight - Adelaide Airport Terminal Expansion, West Beach Surf Life Saving Club Rebuild, and Apex Park Stage 2 Redevelopment. The following details those most relevant.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
SA Water Capital Work Delivery Contracts 2024-28
SA Water's record $3.3 billion capital delivery program for the 2024-28 regulatory period, covering water and wastewater infrastructure across South Australia. The program targets water main replacements, sewerage network upgrades, dam upgrades, water tank refurbishments, and treatment process upgrades across metropolitan and regional areas. A central $1.5 billion component supports the South Australian Premier's Housing Roadmap, expanding network capacity to unlock up to 40,000 new allotments, with major focus on Adelaide's northern growth corridors including Angle Vale, Riverlea, and Roseworthy. Six major framework partners (Fulton Hogan Utilities, John Holland and Guidera O'Connor JV, McConnell Dowell and Diona JV, BMD, Diona, and Leed Engineering and Construction) are delivering works across approximately 120 projects. In Year 1 (to June 2025), $681.6 million in capital was invested. The program runs to June 2028.
Project Flight - Adelaide Airport Terminal Expansion
Project Flight is a 600 million AUD multi-phased upgrade of Adelaide Airport designed to support passenger growth through to 2050. The southern check-in hall is being expanded by more than 1,500 square metres to lift check-in capacity by around 25 per cent, with all existing equipment replaced by new kiosks and bag-drop technology. The northern end of the terminal will grow by approximately 10,000 square metres from early 2026, adding new domestic gate lounges, aerobridges and office accommodation for aviation tenants. The southern end will be expanded by more than 5,500 square metres from early 2027, including two new domestic and three new regional gates. Up to nine additional aircraft parking positions will be delivered progressively over three years. Security screening upgrades, including six new lanes with body scanners and 3D x-ray bag scanners, are being completed across 2025. Other terminal enhancements include a new international departures gate, a sensory room, a play space, business hubs and upgraded gate seating. Construction commenced in mid-2025 with demolition of the southern ramp, and the program is anticipated to complete in mid-2028.
SA Housing Trust Maintenance Contracts Review and Service Program
Statewide maintenance and service contracts for SA Housing Trust public housing properties, covering reactive maintenance, vacancy restoration and minor works across metropolitan and regional South Australia. The program is delivered by Spotless Facility Services, RTC Facilities Maintenance and Torrens Facility Management. A 2024 SA Government review examined payment, timeliness, dispute resolution and contract performance issues, and the government provided additional funding to accelerate maintenance and upgrades on vacant public housing homes.
Adelaide Public Transport Capacity and Access
State-led program work to increase public transport capacity and access to, through and within central Adelaide. Current work is focused on the City Access Strategy (20-year movement plan for the CBD and North Adelaide) and the State Transport Strategy program, which together will shape options such as bus priority, interchange upgrades, tram and rail enhancements, and better first/last mile access.
Adelaide Level Crossing Removal Planning Program
A joint Australian and South Australian Government program to conduct planning studies at priority at-grade level crossing locations across metropolitan Adelaide, and establish a ten-year Level Crossing Removal Program. Adelaide has 126 at-grade level crossings where boom gates can be closed for up to 25% of peak traffic periods. Priority sites under active planning include Cormack Road (Wingfield), Kings Road (Parafield), and Park Terrace (Salisbury). The program commenced in early 2022 and is expected to be completed by late 2026, with the first major removal project - Curtis Road, Munno Para - announced in May 2025 with a $250 million joint funding commitment and construction starting by 2027.
West Beach Surf Life Saving Club Rebuild
$8.5M redevelopment delivering a new two-storey clubhouse with first aid room (with ambulance access), patrol control room, gym, training and conference rooms, accessible change rooms, and expanded storage to house lifesaving equipment. Officially opened May 2024 after works that commenced in late 2022. Jointly funded by Federal and State Governments, City of Charles Sturt, Surf Life Saving SA and West Beach SLSC.
River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project
The River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project delivers the final 10.5 km section of Adelaide's North South Corridor, creating a 78 km non-stop motorway. The project combines southern and northern twin three-lane tunnels with lowered and surface motorways. Major works are underway at the Southern Precinct at Tonsley, which serves as the purpose-built launch site for the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) for the Southern Tunnels. Tunnelling is expected to start in the second half of 2026, and the project is planned for completion by 2031.
Adelaide Airport Industrial Development
27 hectares of developable land release - largest since 2002. Total project value $250 million for freight and logistics companies with direct airside road access to terminals. Multiple sites 1-10 hectares available for industrial development.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees West Beach performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia
West Beach has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 1.2%, with an estimated employment growth of 6.2% over the past year. As of December 2025, 3,141 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.6% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%.
Workforce participation stands at 68.3%, slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. According to Census responses, 14.3% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Major employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.
However, health care & social assistance has a lower presence in West Beach at 16.3%, compared to the regional average of 17.7%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities due to its predominantly residential nature. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 6.2% while the labour force grew by 5.6%, leading to a 0.5 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 4.2%, labour force grow by 3.9%, and unemployment fall by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to West Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis
The suburb of West Beach had a median taxpayer income of $54,139 and an average income of $70,158 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is slightly above the national average, contrasting with Greater Adelaide's median income of $54,808 and average income of $66,852 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since the financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $59,645 (median) and $77,293 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census figures, personal income ranks at the 66th percentile ($896 weekly), while household income sits at the 49th percentile. Looking at income distribution, the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 28.2% of residents (1,551 people). After housing costs, 86.2% of income remains for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
West Beach displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Dwelling structure in West Beach, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 66.0% houses and 34.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Beach was 39.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (33.4%) or rented (27.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Beach was $2,000, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in West Beach was $320, lower than the national figure of $375 but equal to Adelaide metro's average.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
West Beach has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 69.2% of all households, consisting of 31.4% couples with children, 29.4% couples without children, and 7.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 30.8%, with lone person households at 28.5% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
The educational profile of West Beach exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics
The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 33.1% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the South Australian average of 25.7% and that of Greater Adelaide at 28.9%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 31.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 10.8% while certificates make up 20.7%.
Educational participation is notably high at 25.8%, including 8.8% in primary education, 6.6% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
West Beach has 48 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. There are 16 different routes serving these stops, together offering 631 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 133 meters from the nearest stop. As a mainly residential zone, most inhabitants commute outwards using their cars, which remain the dominant mode of transport at 90%. Only 2% of residents cycle to work. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in West Beach.
According to the 2021 Census, 14.3% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, buses run an average of 90 trips per day, equating to roughly 13 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
The level of general health in West Beach is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions
West Beach shows superior health outcomes according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.
Both young and elderly cohorts exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 55% (~3011 people) have private health cover, higher than the average. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.6%) and asthma (6.5%). 69.7% declare no medical ailments, compared to Greater Adelaide's 67.9%. Under-65 residents show better-than-average health outcomes. West Beach has 21.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1194 people), higher than Greater Adelaide's 19.2%. Senior health outcomes are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
The level of cultural diversity witnessed in West Beach was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics
West Beach's population showed above-average cultural diversity, with 23.7% born overseas and 15.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in West Beach, accounting for 52.4%. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprised 1.1%, slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's 1.8%.
In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (28.5%), Australian (23.9%), and Other (7.3%). Some ethnic groups had notable representation differences: Polish at 1.1% vs regional 1.0%, Russian at 0.6% vs 0.3%, and Greek at 4.2% vs 2.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
West Beach hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average
The median age in West Beach is 44 years, which exceeds Greater Adelaide's average of 39 and is also higher than the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Adelaide's average, the 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented in West Beach at 13.1%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.9%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 12.3% to 13.6% of West Beach's population, while the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 10.7% to 11.9%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has declined from 14.0% to 12.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in West Beach. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow substantially, increasing by 105 people (55%) from 192 to 298. The 0 to 4 age group is expected to grow more modestly, adding only 8 residents at a growth rate of 4%.