Willaston

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Willaston is around 3,917. This reflects a growth of 459 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,458. The increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,585 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 results in a population density ratio of 1,263 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Willaston's growth rate of 13.3% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state (7.1%) and metropolitan area averages. Interstate migration contributed approximately 41.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with other factors such as natural growth and overseas migration also being positive contributors.

For future projections until 2032, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. Beyond 2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. By 2041, Willaston is forecasted to experience a significant population increase, with an expected growth of 1,206 persons, reflecting a total increase of 25.9% over the 17-year period based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Willaston averaged around 35 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 176 homes were approved, with another 16 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of about 1.7 new residents arriving per new home over the past five financial years.

The average construction value for these properties is around $390,000. In FY-26, there have been $4.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited focus on commercial development. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Willaston has roughly two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 89th percentile nationally.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached dwellings, maintaining Willaston's suburban character with a focus on family homes. With around 86 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 1,015 residents through to 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Willaston has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

No infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to impact the area. Key projects include Angle Vale Water and Sewer Infrastructure, Concordia Residential Development, Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme (NAIS) - SA Water, and SA Public Housing Maintenance and Services Contracts.

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

Willaston has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, with essential services well represented. The unemployment rate is 4.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.1% over the past year (AreaSearch).

As of June 2025, there are 1,762 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.3% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is lower at 58.7%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Major employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Manufacturing stands out with employment 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. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.1%, while labour force grew by 0.7%, reducing unemployment by 0.4 percentage points (AreaSearch). In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment grow by 2.1% and unemployment rise marginally over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase in employment over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Willaston's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Willaston's median taxpayer income in financial year 2022 was $47,076, with an average of $54,636 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is below the national average of $52,592 (median) and $64,886 (average) for Greater Adelaide. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, estimated median income as of September 2025 is approximately $53,116, with an average of around $61,646. Census 2021 data shows Willaston's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 17th and 30th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 31.2% of residents earn $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, reflecting a pattern seen in the metropolitan region where 31.8% occupy this income 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

In Willaston, as per the latest Census evaluation, 86.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 13.9% comprising semi-detached properties, apartments, and other dwelling types. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 86.9% houses and 13.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Willaston stood at 34.5%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 41.1% and rented dwellings making up 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,213, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,500. The median weekly rent figure in Willaston was recorded at $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 comprise the remaining 35.7%, with lone person households at 32.2% and group households making up 3.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, 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%. 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 them, including advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (32.6%). Educational participation is high at 26.6%, comprising primary education (11.0%), secondary education (7.6%), and tertiary education (3.5%).

Schools appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access them in neighboring areas.

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

The public transport analysis indicates that Willaston has 15 operational transport stops, consisting of a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by two distinct routes, offering a total of 355 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to transport is rated as excellent, with residents situated an average of 190 meters from the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 50 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 23 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Willaston faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Only approximately 49% of Willaston's total population (~1,904 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 11.0% and 10.8% of residents respectively. However, 58.6% of Willaston's residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.3% across Greater Adelaide. The area has a higher proportion of seniors, with 23.5% (920 people) aged 65 and over, compared to 19.0% in Greater Adelaide. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Willaston perform better than the general population in terms of 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 had a lower than average cultural diversity, with 84.6% of its residents born in Australia and 92.2% being citizens. English was the language spoken at home by 96.9% of Willaston's population. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 40.7% of people.

There was no representation of Judaism in Willaston, matching Greater Adelaide's 0%. The top three ancestral groups were English (37.4%), Australian (28.1%), and German (7.8%). Notably, Hungarian, Welsh, and Macedonian ethnicities had higher representations in Willaston compared to the regional averages: Hungarian at 0.3% vs 0.2%, Welsh at 0.6% vs 0.5%, and Macedonian at 0.2% vs 0%.

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

Willaston's median age stands at 42 years, which is slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's figure of 39 and notably exceeds the national average of 38. The age group of 65-74 years shows a strong presence in Willaston at 12.0%, compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 11.3%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 7.1% to 7.9% of Willaston's population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 13.4% to 12.0%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 11.8% to 10.7%. Demographic projections indicate significant changes in Willaston's age profile by 2041. Notably, the 75 to 84 age group is expected to grow by 77%, reaching 549 people from its current total of 309. This growth is largely driven by an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 52% of projected demographic growth in Willaston.