How many people live in Adelaide, and can one site reach them all?
Compact, older and evenly spread: in Adelaide almost the whole city is within reach of the centre, and the differences between suburbs are smaller than in any other capital.
Greater Adelaide had 1,490,470 residents at 30 June 2025, and a 45-minute drive from King William Street reaches 1,449,379 of them, 97.2% of the city. Adelaide is the oldest of the large capitals, with a median age of 39.3, and has the narrowest gap between its richest and poorest suburbs.
How many people live within 15, 30 and 45 minutes of central Adelaide?
People & Economy · AdelaideFrom 108 King William Street, 463,933 people live within 15 minutes by car, 728,311 between 15 and 30 minutes and 257,135 between 30 and 45 — 97.2% of Greater Adelaide in an area of 2,142 km².
The city runs north to south between the gulf and the hills, and its grid of wide roads keeps most of it within half an hour: 80.0% of residents are within 30 minutes of the centre.
| Drive time | Residents | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| 0–15 min | 463,933 | 463,933 |
| 15–30 min | 728,311 | 1,192,244 |
| 30–45 min | 257,135 | 1,449,379 |
Source: K-Stra analysis of 2 November 2026, drive time by car in average traffic from 108 King William Street; residents from ABS Estimated Resident Population at 30 June 2025, placed on address points.
How does Adelaide change with distance from the centre?
In a straight line, 623,861 people live within 10 kilometres of King William Street and 1,118,125 within 20. Flats are few even in the centre: 30.0% of homes within 5 km, and 4.7% between 10 and 20.
Adelaide is the one large capital where income falls steadily over the first 30 kilometres: the index is 103.1 within 5 km, 99.7 between 5 and 10, 97.6 between 10 and 20 and 90.9 between 20 and 30.
| Distance from 108 King William Street | Residents | Within this distance | Income index | Median age | Flats (2021) | Rented (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–5 km | 196,622 | 196,622 | 103.1 | 37.7 | 30.0% | 42.9% |
| 5–10 km | 427,239 | 623,861 | 99.7 | 39.0 | 11.8% | 35.8% |
| 10–20 km | 494,264 | 1,118,125 | 97.6 | 41.2 | 4.7% | 26.1% |
| 20–30 km | 247,099 | 1,365,224 | 90.9 | 37.2 | 1.4% | 35.4% |
| 30–50 km | 149,664 | 1,514,888 | 93.9 | 39.8 | 1.3% | 22.4% |
Straight-line rings counted by K-Stra on every address point, inside or outside the city boundary. Residents and age: ABS 2025; income index: ABS Personal Income 2022–23; flats and renting: ABS Census 2021.
What are the key figures for Greater Adelaide?
| Indicator | Greater Adelaide | SA | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents, 30 June 2025 | 1,490,470 | 1,902,665 | 27,613,654 |
| Average yearly change, 2019–2025 | 1.47% | 1.28% | 1.50% |
| Area | 3,260 km² | 984,231 km² | 7,688,095 km² |
| Residents per km² | 457.2 | 1.9 | 3.6 |
| Median age | 39.3 | 40.6 | 38.5 |
| Aged under 15 | 16.5% | 16.3% | 17.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.8% | 20.5% | 17.5% |
| Income index | 97.6 | 94.8 | 100.0 |
| Consumption index | 97.7 | 95.2 | 100.0 |
| Spending per resident, a year | A$51,395 | A$50,035 | A$52,582 |
| Resident spending, a year | A$76.6 billion | A$95.2 billion | A$1,452.0 billion |
| Families (Census 2021) | 375,146 | 479,787 | 6,730,182 |
| Homes rented (Census 2021) | 32.6% | 31.8% | 33.6% |
| Flats and apartments (Census 2021) | 9.7% | 8.1% | 19.6% |
Area: the Greater Capital City Statistical Area (ABS ASGS Edition 3). Residents counted by K-Stra on the address points inside it; yearly change: council estimates 2019–2025 weighted by the residents each council brings. Income index from ABS Personal Income 2022–23 (tax data), measured or estimated; consumption index derived from it; 100 = Australia. Spending per resident from the consumption index and ABS national accounts (5204.0) for 2024–25.
Which parts of Adelaide are largest, richest and youngest?
Adelaide – North is the largest and youngest region, with 492,309 residents, a median age of 37.0 and an income index of 92.8. Adelaide – South is the oldest, at 41.3.
Adelaide – Central and Hills is the only region above 100, at 101.9, and has 19.3% of homes in flats, the most in the city.
| Region (SA4) | Residents 2025 | Median age | Income index | Flats (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide – North | 492,309 | 37.0 | 92.8 | 3.5% |
| Adelaide – South | 396,826 | 41.3 | 98.4 | 6.6% |
| Adelaide – Central and Hills | 338,950 | 40.2 | 101.9 | 19.3% |
| Adelaide – West | 262,385 | 39.7 | 99.8 | 12.6% |
Which Adelaide councils are growing fastest?
Mount Barker grew 22.4% from 2019 to 2025, on average 3.74% a year, Playford 3.39% and the City of Adelaide 3.15% a year. Gawler follows at 2.11%. Greater Adelaide as a whole grew about 8.8% in all, on average about 1.47% a year.
Unley, Salisbury and Tea Tree Gully grew least, between 0.60% and 0.71% a year. Onkaparinga, with 184,827 residents, is the largest council.
| Council | Residents 2019 | Residents 2025 | Change a year | Median age | Income index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onkaparinga | 173,141 | 184,827 | 1.12% | 41.3 | 93.4 |
| Salisbury | 145,467 | 151,019 | 0.64% | 37.3 | 89.5 |
| Port Adelaide Enfield | 130,293 | 143,022 | 1.63% | 37.7 | 95.2 |
| Charles Sturt | 120,098 | 130,841 | 1.49% | 40.3 | 101.5 |
| Playford | 96,220 | 115,790 | 3.39% | 33.3 | 88.8 |
| Tea Tree Gully | 100,837 | 105,120 | 0.71% | 41.5 | 98.7 |
| Marion | 93,817 | 101,229 | 1.32% | 39.2 | 100.7 |
| Mitcham | 67,690 | 71,267 | 0.88% | 41.7 | 105.7 |
| Mount Barker | 36,842 | 45,111 | 3.74% | 39.3 | 97.0 |
| Adelaide | 25,376 | 30,173 | 3.15% | 31.7 | 83.2 |
| Gawler | 24,465 | 27,564 | 2.11% | 41.2 | 97.2 |
The eight largest councils mostly inside the city, then the fastest growing of those with more than 20,000 residents. Change on 2025 council boundaries; the average yearly change is the total change over the six years divided by six. Income index and median age are worked out from the addresses inside the city, so a council’s figure can differ slightly from the ABS figure for the whole council.
Which postcodes in Adelaide have the highest and lowest incomes?
The highest income index of any Adelaide postcode is 114.0, in 5034 Goodwood, followed by 5081 Walkerville (113.4) and 5069 St Peters (112.3). In Sydney, dozens of postcodes are above that level.
The lowest are the CBD (5000, 72.5), with its students, and the northern suburbs of 5112 Hillbank and 5113 Davoren Park. Munno Para West (5115) is the youngest postcode, with a median age of 29.5; West Lakes (5021) the oldest, at 55.3.
| Highest income index | Residents | Median age | Income index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5034 Goodwood (SA) | 10,588 | 40.3 | 114.0 |
| 5081 Walkerville (SA) | 10,625 | 42.0 | 113.4 |
| 5069 St Peters (SA) | 8,930 | 40.5 | 112.3 |
| 5006 North Adelaide | 8,229 | 37.4 | 111.9 |
| 5061 Unley | 10,266 | 43.7 | 111.9 |
| Lowest income index | Residents | Median age | Income index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5000 Adelaide | 21,944 | 30.2 | 72.5 |
| 5112 Hillbank | 23,637 | 36.1 | 78.5 |
| 5113 Davoren Park | 22,998 | 33.9 | 81.4 |
| 5010 Ferryden Park | 6,700 | 38.9 | 84.4 |
| 5164 Christie Downs | 5,436 | 41.3 | 84.4 |
ABS postal areas with more than 5,000 residents inside the city, named after their most populous suburb; the part of each postcode inside the city boundary only. Income index: ABS personal income tax data for 2022–23, measured for councils and SA2 areas and estimated elsewhere; a postcode is the average of its addresses, weighted by residents, so it can differ from the council that contains it.
How much do residents of Adelaide spend, and how many businesses serve them?
Greater Adelaide has 3.97 aged care sites per 10,000 residents, twice the figure for Sydney or Melbourne, and the most hairdressers (10.27) and supermarkets (2.97) of the five capitals. Restaurants, at 13.07, are as many as in Sydney.
| Category | Per resident | Total (A$ million) |
|---|---|---|
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | A$4,986 | 7,431 |
| Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics | A$1,491 | 2,222 |
| Clothing and footwear | A$1,847 | 2,753 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | A$12,554 | 18,711 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance | A$2,167 | 3,230 |
| Health | A$3,726 | 5,553 |
| Transport | A$5,428 | 8,090 |
| Information and communication | A$936 | 1,395 |
| Recreation, sport and culture | A$5,215 | 7,773 |
| Education services | A$1,789 | 2,666 |
| Restaurants and accommodation services | A$4,297 | 6,405 |
| Insurance and financial services | A$4,047 | 6,032 |
| Personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services | A$2,912 | 4,340 |
| All categories | A$51,395 | 76,603 |
| Per 10,000 residents | Adelaide | SA | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | 2.97 | 3.37 | 2.92 |
| Pharmacies | 2.88 | 3.09 | 2.63 |
| Gyms & fitness centers | 6.58 | 6.70 | 7.06 |
| Bars & cafés | 10.75 | 11.87 | 12.00 |
| Restaurants | 13.07 | 12.58 | 12.17 |
| Hairdressers | 10.27 | 9.73 | 9.31 |
| Childcare & early learning | 4.70 | 4.85 | 5.24 |
| Aged care & retirement living | 3.97 | 3.96 | 2.50 |
| Fuel stations | 3.29 | 5.32 | 3.74 |
| Real estate agencies | 4.20 | 4.63 | 5.34 |
| Hotels & accommodation | 7.33 | 18.49 | 15.11 |
Spending per resident from the consumption index and ABS national accounts (5204.0) for 2024–25; residents only, visitors not included. K-Stra places catalogue, October 2026, as the app classifies each business; residents at 30 June 2025.
What does this mean for choosing a location in Adelaide?
When nearly the whole city is within 45 minutes of the centre, a single site can serve it, and a network of two or three stores overlaps quickly. In Adelaide the first question for a second store is how much of the first one’s market it would share.
The narrow income range means fewer extremes: there is no Toorak or Mosman to anchor a premium format, but also fewer areas where everyday spending is weak. The inner east and south are the top of the range.
An older city does not spend more on health per resident, A$3,726 a year against A$3,823 nationally, but the business counts show an older market: aged care and hairdressers per resident are above the other capitals. The young north, around Playford and Munno Para, is the exception, and the growth.
What else do people ask about Adelaide?
What is the population of Adelaide?
Greater Adelaide had 1,490,470 residents at 30 June 2025 (estimated from ABS council figures), 78.3% of South Australia.
How many people live within 30 minutes of Adelaide CBD?
1,192,244 people live within a 30-minute drive of 108 King William Street in average traffic, according to a K-Stra analysis of 2 November 2026, and 1,449,379 within 45 minutes.
Which Adelaide postcodes have the highest incomes?
By income index, 5034 Goodwood, 5081 Walkerville, 5069 St Peters, 5006 North Adelaide and 5061 Unley, all between 111 and 115 where 100 is the Australian average.
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