Willaston

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

The population of the Willaston statistical area (Lv2) is estimated to be around 3,963 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 505 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,458 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 3,572 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 57 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,278 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The Willaston (SA2) saw a growth of 14.6% since the 2021 census, exceeding the state's growth rate of 8.7%. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 41.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023. Future population trends forecast a significant increase for the area, with an expected growth of 1,227 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 25.0% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Willaston among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Willaston averaged approximately 37 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, between FY21 and FY25, around 187 homes were approved, with an additional 38 approved so far in FY26. On average, about 1.6 new residents arrived per new home over these five years, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics.

The average construction value of new properties was approximately $390,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year has seen around $2.1 million in commercial development approvals, indicating minimal commercial development activity compared to residential. When comparing Willaston's dwelling approval rates per person to Greater Adelaide, it has roughly three-quarters of the rate, while ranking among the 91st percentile nationally.

However, recent periods have shown increased development activity. All approved developments since recent periods have been standalone homes, maintaining Willaston's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes. With around 73 people per dwelling approval, Willaston exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Willaston is expected to grow by approximately 990 residents by 2041. Current development appears well-aligned with future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Willaston has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

No changes can significantly affect a region's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that are expected to impact this area. Notable projects include Concordia Residential Development, Angle Vale Water and Sewer Infrastructure, Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme (NAIS), and Northern Adelaide Transport Study. The following list outlines those considered most relevant.

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The employment landscape in Willaston shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Willaston has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented in the area.

The unemployment rate is 4.5%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.5% over the past year. As of September 2025, there are 1,781 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.6% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation stands at 58.7%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Employment in Willaston is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Manufacturing employment is particularly notable, with levels at 1.3 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services employ only 4.6% of local workers, lower than Greater Adelaide's 7.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.5% and labour force grew by 1.2%, leading to a decrease in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Adelaide saw employment grow by 3.0%, labour force expand by 2.9%, and unemployment fall by 0.1 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.0%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%, with SA's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Willaston's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The suburb of Willaston has a median taxpayer income of $47,069 and an average income of $54,629 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is below the national average, with Greater Adelaide having a median income of $54,808 and an average income of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $51,211 (median) and $59,436 (average) as of September 2025. Census data from 2021 shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Willaston all fall between the 17th and 30th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 31.2% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,236 residents), which is similar to the metropolitan region where 31.8% occupy this range. After housing costs, 85.0% of income remains, ranking at the 19th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Willaston, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 86.1% houses and 13.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 86.9% houses and 13.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Willaston was 34.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.1% and rented dwellings at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,213, below Adelaide metro's average of $1,500. Median weekly rent in Willaston was $300, compared to Adelaide metro's $290. Nationally, Willaston's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 64.3% of all households, including 21.4% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 16.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for 35.7%, with lone person households at 32.2% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Willaston exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 13.2%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (32.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.0%), secondary education (7.6%), and tertiary education (3.5%).

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

Willaston has 15 active public transport stops. These include train and bus services. There are two routes operating in total.

They provide 355 weekly passenger trips combined. Residents have excellent access to these stops, with an average distance of 190 meters to the nearest one. On average, there are 50 trips per day across all routes, which equals about 23 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Willaston is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Willaston. Both younger and older age groups have notable prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover stands at approximately 49%, covering around 1,927 people, compared to the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 11.0% and 10.8% of residents respectively. In contrast, 58.6% of residents claim no medical ailments, compared to 62.3% in Greater Adelaide. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.4%, or around 927 people, compared to the 19.0% in Greater Adelaide. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

Willaston is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Willaston's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.6% of its population born in Australia, 92.2% being citizens, and 96.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Willaston, comprising 40.7% of people. Notably, Judaism has no representation in Willaston, mirroring Greater Adelaide's 0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (37.4%), Australian (28.1%), and German (7.8%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Hungarian is overrepresented at 0.3% compared to the regional 0.2%, Welsh at 0.6% versus 0.5%, and Macedonian at 0.2% where regionally it's 0%.

Willaston's median age exceeds the national pattern

Willaston has a median age of 42, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's figure of 39 and the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group constitutes 12.0% of Willaston's population, compared to Greater Adelaide's figure. Meanwhile, the 25-34 cohort makes up 11.3%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.6% to 11.3%, while the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 13.4% to 12.0%. The 45 to 54 group has also declined, from 11.8% to 10.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling indicates significant changes in Willaston's age profile. Notably, the 75 to 84 group is projected to grow by 78%, reaching 551 people from a current figure of 309. This growth is largely driven by an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 53% of the projected growth.