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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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Whyalla has an estimated 3,692 residents, up from 3,609 at the 2021 Census — a change of 83 people, or 2.3%. That puts 873 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
Drawing on ABS updates and 14 validated new addresses identified by AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of Whyalla reached an estimated resident population of around 3,692 as of Aug 2026. This marks an expansion of 83 people (2.3%) from the 3,609 people recorded in the 2021 Census, building on the June 2025 ABS ERP baseline of 3,687 residents. The resulting density stands at 872 persons per square kilometer, aligning closely with typical benchmarks. With a 2.3% gain, the suburb sits within 1.9 percentage points of the broader SA4 region (4.2%), underpinned by robust fundamentals where overseas migration supplied roughly 91.0% of recent population additions.
Projections for the suburb of Whyalla utilize 2024 ABS and Geoscience Australia SA2 modeling with a 2022 baseline, supplemented beyond 2032 and across unmapped zones by 2023 SA State Government LGA cohorts based on 2021 data, converted via weighted aggregation. Across the 16 years leading to 2041, the locality is anticipated to add 156 persons, representing a 4.1% increase that places its demographic trajectory just under the national median for regional non-metropolitan communities.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Residential building approvals in Whyalla remain quiet, recording 1 new dwellings on an annualized basis and a total of 7 across the past five years. This constrained development volume aligns with its rural setting, where construction responds to bespoke local requirements instead of broad market trends, meaning individual building projects can create notable fluctuations in annual comparisons. Dwelling creation in Whyalla trails both the national benchmark and the Rest of SA average by a substantial margin. Recent approvals comprise exclusively standalone houses designed for families seeking regional lifestyle and room, exceeding the 76.0% detached share recorded at Census despite broader compaction pressures.
Reflecting this modest pipeline, the area averages approximately 3698 people per dwelling approval. With AreaSearch quarterly estimates forecasting the addition of 151 residents in Whyalla by 2041, persistent construction bottlenecks may cause local housing availability to fall behind demographic expansion, heightening buyer rivalry and placing upward pressure on property values.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Whyalla
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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 9 current infrastructure and development projects inside Whyalla, worth an estimated $72 million. A further 25 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $303 million. 12 are already under construction and 10 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, ports, marinas, fisheries & aquaculture and education & training. 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
Local capital works and urban programs play a pivotal role in shaping district growth, with 10 significant initiatives tracked by AreaSearch as having a direct local bearing. Prominent undertakings shaping the surroundings comprise the Whyalla Steelworks Industrial Transformation, Plant Zero.SA, the Whyalla Foreshore Redevelopment, and the Hotel Bayview - Liquor Legends project.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Whyalla Foreshore Redevelopment
A staged family-friendly redevelopment centered on the Splash and Play Plaza. Key features include a cuttlefish-themed splash park with water curtains and sprays, an adventure play space inspired by the Whyalla Steelworks heritage, a scooter track, and a wave lawn. Later stages involve a new Foreshore Centre building housing a cafe and Surf Life Saving facilities.
Whyalla Foreshore Centre Building
Construction of a new Foreshore Centre building incorporating the Whyalla Surf Life Saving Club, public kiosk, cafe, function space and community facilities as part of the Whyalla Foreshore Master Plan. Following completion of detailed design and development approval, construction tenders opened in July 2026. The project is funded by the South Australian Government together with Whyalla City Council and complements the adjacent Splash and Play Plaza.
Cuttlefish Cove Experience Project
The Cuttlefish Cove Experience Project is a South Australian Government and Whyalla City Council initiative to investigate tourism infrastructure and visitor experiences around the Giant Australian Cuttlefish breeding aggregation at Point Lowly. The project commenced with a government-funded feasibility study examining improved visitor facilities, dive access, boat experiences and interpretation. As of mid-2026, no construction has commenced and the project remains in the planning phase while tourism activity has been affected by unusually low cuttlefish numbers and temporary environmental protection measures.
Plant Zero.SA
Zero Petroleum is investigating Plant Zero.SA, a proposed commercial-scale synthetic fuel production facility in Whyalla. The feasibility study, supported by the South Australian Government and involving Adelaide Airport and Qantas, is assessing production of up to 10 million litres a year of synthetic aviation fuel, gasoline and diesel from renewable hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Official material still indicates a feasibility and planning-stage project rather than a committed construction project.
SA Housing Trust Whyalla Housing Project - 46 New Homes
Construction of 46 new public homes across scattered sites in Whyalla by the SA Housing Trust, including a range of two and four bedroom properties in various layouts. As of mid-2025, 14 homes were completed with the remainder targeted for completion later that year. The project forms part of a broader investment of 170+ new public homes across regional South Australia under the Public Housing Improvement Program, aimed at revitalising housing stock and improving outcomes for tenants in the region.
Hotel Bayview - Liquor Legends
A new Liquor Legends bottle shop with a three-lane drive-through is being built at the Hotel Bayview. The 659 square metre store will offer a wide selection of beverages and create new jobs.
Kloeden Reserve Development
Development of two land parcels totaling 4.2 hectares at Kloeden Reserve in Whyalla to unlock up to 70 new homes, including at least 10 houses to be built immediately and leased back to the government for essential workers, supporting the region's growth in green energy and manufacturing.
Eyre Eye Centre New Building
Completed purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility for the Eyre Eye Centre on Elliott Street, expanding optometry and eye care services including vision correction, contact lenses, children's vision, eye disease management, and outreach clinics in Whyalla.
1,756 residents of Whyalla are employed, from a labour force of 1,971. Unemployment sits at 10.9%, with participation at 62.7%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 5.5% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 3,006, about 81% 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
Whyalla maintains a capable workforce underpinned by essential community services, recording an unemployment rate of 10.9% across statistical aggregates. As of March 2026, employed locals total 1,756, though joblessness exceeds Regional SA's 5.5% benchmark by 5.5 percentage points, while labour force participation tracks respectably at 62.7% against 58.3% regionally. At the Census, working from home accounted for just 3.0% of respondents, an outcome shaped in part by Covid-19 restrictions. Local workers are concentrated most heavily across health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and education & training. Manufacturing presence is especially pronounced, exceeding the regional representation by 1.8 times, whereas agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for only 0.3% locally versus 14.5% across the wider region.
Census ratios between local jobs and resident workers emphasize that this largely residential enclave offers limited on-site employment. According to SALM and ABS figures aggregated by AreaSearch, the 12 months leading to March 2026 saw Whyalla's labour force decline by 1.5% and employment drop by 7.5%, driving unemployment up by 5.7 percentage points, contrasted with Regional SA which saw employment rise 1.2%, the workforce grow 2.6%, and joblessness increase by 1.4 percentage points. Using Mar-26 Jobs and Skills Australia projections, which anticipate overall national employment gains of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, local industry modeling projects workforce expansions of 5.5% across five years and 12.6% over ten years via baseline industry weighting.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Whyalla is $1,658 a week (about $86,000 a year), with median personal income at $815 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $68,452 a year against an average of $82,904. 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 records for financial year 2023 place Whyalla's taxpayer median income at $68,452 and the average at $82,904, outpacing Regional SA medians of $48,920 and averages of $58,933. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% lifts current March 2026 estimates to $75,414 for the median and $91,335 for the average. In the 2021 Census, local earnings sat between the 45th and 52nd percentiles, with the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket taking the largest share at 30.9% (1,140 people) against 27.5% across the broader metro zone. Locals retain 89.8% of income after servicing housing, placing the district in the 4th decile on SEIFA income metrics.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Whyalla had 1,482 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 76% detached houses and 6% apartments. 37% are owned with a mortgage, 29% rented and 34% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $200 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,300 a month. Rent absorbs 12.1% of household income here and mortgage repayments 18.1%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Census records indicate that separate houses make up 75.7% of Whyalla's residential fabric, while semi-detached dwellings, units, and alternative formats constitute 24.3%, compared to 88.5% and 11.5% respectively in Regional SA. Outright ownership accounts for 33.8% of residences, trailing regional norms, while mortgaged properties represent 36.9% and rentals comprise 29.3%. Typical monthly mortgage payments sit at $1,300, above Regional SA's $1,153 but below the Australian benchmark of $1,863, whereas weekly rents average $200, under regional ($220) and national ($375) figures.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Whyalla counted 1,482 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.2 people each. 25% are couples with children, against 31% couples without children. 34% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.8 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute 64.2% of local dwellings, made up of couples with offspring (24.8%), couples without dependents (30.6%), and single parents (8.1%). Independent and shared living arrangements account for the remaining 35.8%, dominated by single-person households at 33.5% alongside group residences at 2.2%. The typical household accommodates 2.2 people, slightly below the 2.3 regional benchmark.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
19.1% of adults in Whyalla hold a university qualification, including 13.9% with a bachelor degree and 3.3% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 32.6% hold a vocational qualification. 4 schools serve the area, with 574 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 964 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 qualification levels present an area for development, with university degree holders accounting for 19.1% of residents compared to the national rate of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees comprise 13.9%, postgraduate studies make up 3.3%, and graduate diplomas represent 1.9%. Vocational qualifications form a substantial pillar, held by 41.7% of citizens aged 15+, encompassing certificate courses at 32.6% and advanced diplomas at 9.1%. Formal study engagement is substantial across the community, with 25.4% of the population enrolled in education. This distribution includes 9.4% attending primary school, 8.4% in secondary schooling, and 2.3% undertaking tertiary coursework.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Whyalla reaches 53 stops on 4 routes, timetabled for about 370 services a week. The typical home sits about 170 m from its nearest stop. Households keep an average of 1.5 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
The locality contains 53 active transport stops connected across 4 distinct routes that deliver 369 weekly passenger trips, providing convenient network access where commuters average 173 meters to the closest transit point. Given the residential profile, outward commuting prevails, with private vehicles serving as the primary choice for 85% of travel, buses handling 6%, and walking representing 5%. Vehicle ownership sits at an average of 1.5 per dwelling, while 3.0% worked from home during the 2021 Census under prevailing conditions. Transit frequencies average 52 trips per day across the collective route network, translating to roughly 6 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
65.0% of residents in Whyalla report no long-term health condition. 7.6% need daily assistance with core activities, and 59.7% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.3 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Chronic health conditions and mortality rates indicate noticeable community health pressures across younger and older demographics, while private health insurance adoption is exceptionally widespread at roughly 60% of residents (2,204 people), substantially exceeding the 48.9% observed across Regional SA. Arthritis affects 10.2% of locals and asthma impacts 8.1%, representing the community's primary long-term conditions, while 65.0% of citizens report no ongoing health ailments, outperforming the 62.5% Regional SA rate. Chronic issues show elevated incidence among working-age individuals, whereas residents aged 65 and over number 834 people (22.6% of the population), below the 27.1% regional level, with senior health indicators generally tracking nationwide distributions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Whyalla is largely Australian-born, at 79.3% of residents, with 7.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (31.1%) and Australian (28.2%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity metrics remain modest, with Australian-born citizens comprising 79.3% of the populace, 88.7% maintaining Australian citizenship, and 92.6% using only English at home. Christianity forms the dominant religious identity at 43.7%, while Hinduism represents 1.3% of residents, demonstrating notable local concentration relative to the 0.3% regional share. English (31.1%), Australian (28.2%), and Scottish (8.2%) ancestries represent the largest heritage backgrounds across the locality. Other distinct ancestral representations include German at 6.7% (compared to 8.2% across the wider region), Dutch at 2.0% (against 1.3% regionally), and Croatian at 0.9% (versus 0.3% regionally).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Whyalla is 46, older than 82% of areas nationally. 21.4% 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
Age distributions track regional patterns within 4.5 percentage points across all major brackets, centering on an estimated median age of 46 that matches the 2021 Census outcome, standing 1 year below Regional SA's 47 and above the national median of 38. Residents aged 45 - 64 have trimmed from 31.6% at the Census to 29.2%, whereas the 65+ cohort is projected to capture the bulk of future growth by 2041, increasing by 240 residents (29%) to 1,074 amid declines in younger demographics.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Whyalla
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, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2026 2 months ago all 9 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 Aug 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 — 14 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (3,609 at the 2021 Census → 3,692 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 (SAL41585). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.