Council (LGA) · Area profile
Playford
345 km²
A young and growing population defines Playford, where the typical resident is just 33 years old. This community has expanded rapidly, adding about 20,000 people since 2011. It is a place of large households and many children, with a workforce often employed in healthcare and retail. While the area faces some economic challenges, it is a diverse hub where many residents were born overseas and an increasing number of people identify as having no religion.
Playford has many young families but fewer schools per child than most areas.
The area's schools rate above its broader socio-economic standing.
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Playford is far younger than the national figure, with 22.9% of people under 15, a rate well above both the state and national averages. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has also risen to 4.2% since 2011.
A significant 21.8% of residents were born overseas, which is much higher than in most similar areas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, making up 41.6% and 35.6% respectively.
Language diversity is increasing, with the proportion of people using another language at home rising to 15.2% since 2011. However, this is still well below the national figure of 22.3%.
More than half of the community (50.9%) report having no religion, a figure far above the national average. This has seen a sharp increase of 17 points since 2011.
The area has a much lower rate of higher education than most, with only 8.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, Year 12 completion rose by 9.7 points since 2011 to reach 41.6%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,263, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 9.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, though this is up from 2.6% in 2011.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 33.3% of people reporting a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are particularly high at 13.1%, well above the national figure.
Unpaid care for children is much more common here than elsewhere, which is consistent with the high number of children in the area. Conversely, only 9.4% of people volunteer, a rate well below the state average.
The First Nations community is notably young, with a typical age of 20. Unemployment for this group is 20.5%, which is well above the national figure of 12.3%.
Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.6 people per home. One-parent families are very common at 24.3%, a rate far above the national average of 14.1%.
Renting is much more common than in most areas, with 36.2% of households renting. Most homes are large, with 87.7% having three or more bedrooms, though only 20.4% are owned outright.
While the area has many public transport stops and routes, only 5.4% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure. Around 9.3% of homes have no motor vehicle.
The community is quite mobile, with 39.7% of residents moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 9.8% of the population.
Unemployment is among the highest for similar areas at 9.3%, well above the national figure of 5.1%. The most common industries are healthcare and social assistance, and retail trade.
The area is among the most disadvantaged at its level, scoring a 1 out of 10 for overall advantage. Despite this, population growth since 2021 has been very strong at 15.1%.
The area receives an average annual rainfall of 414mm, which is far above the state average. Its average maximum temperature of 23.4°C is well below the state figure.
Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park or public transport, but many lack easy access to other services. Only 19% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services, far below the state average.