Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
West Beach
5 km²
A short drive to the city and a stroll to the coast define West Beach, a well-off suburb in Greater Adelaide. It is a mature community where the typical resident is 45, making it noticeably older than most Australian areas. The suburb is characterized by high levels of education and a growing population that has increased by 16% since 2011. This combination of stability and professional skill has created a prosperous area with incomes well above the national figure.
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West Beach is an older community, with a typical age of 45 and 22.5% of residents aged 65 and over, which is well above the national figure. Children under 15 make up 15.4% of the population, a figure much lower than most similar areas.
English and Australian ancestries are most common here. About 23.1% of people were born overseas, which is about the same as the South Australian average but well below the national figure.
English is the main language for 82.2% of the community. Those using another language at home make up 15% of residents, which is a little below the state average.
Nearly half of the population (49.5%) identifies as Christian. Those reporting no religion make up 41.8%, a figure that rose 18 points since 2011.
The area is highly qualified, with 30.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, well above the national figure. Year 12 completion is also high at 65.2%, which is far above the state average.
Household wealth is strong, with 25.9% of homes earning $3,000 or more a week, well above the national figure. The typical family income of $2,360 per week is also higher than most similar areas.
About 28.7% of residents have a long-term health condition, which is about the same as the national figure. Mental health conditions are reported by 7.1% of people, a rate lower than most areas.
Volunteering is very common here, with 18.4% of people helping out, which is well above the national average. Unpaid care is also more frequent than in most areas, at 13.2%.
First Nations people make up 0.8% of the population. While unemployment is higher than most areas at 16%, Year 12 completion is among the highest for First Nations people, at 70.4%.
Couples with children make up nearly 60% of families, while one-parent families are much less common than in most areas at 9%. People living alone account for 28.6% of households.
Home ownership is high, with 39.2% of homes owned outright, well above the national figure. Detached houses are less common than in most areas, and typical monthly mortgage payments are high at $2,000.
The area is well served by buses, with some of the highest number of public transport stops per person in the state. Around 12.8% of people work from home, which is well above the state average.
About 35.7% of residents moved in the last five years, which is lower than most areas. Recent overseas arrivals make up 15.2% of the population.
Most of the workforce is employed full-time (57.8%), and the unemployment rate is 5.1%. Many residents work in professional or managerial roles, particularly in health and education.
West Beach is an advantaged area, ranking in the top 20% for overall advantage across all areas. It also scores highly for education and job skills.
The area is cooler than the state average, with a typical maximum temperature of 22.3 degrees. Annual rainfall is far above the South Australian average at 428mm.
The suburb is very walkable, with 99.7% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport and 94.9% within 15 minutes of groceries. However, very few homes (4.4%) are within a 15-minute walk of health services.