Region (SA4) · Area profile
Barossa - Yorke - Mid North
37,716 km²
Far older than the national average, Barossa - Yorke - Mid North is a region where the typical resident is 48. This expansive area is defined by a strong sense of stability, with very few people moving in recently and a huge proportion of homeowners. It is a predominantly rural landscape where a quarter of the population are seniors and few residents use other languages at home. The community is marked by a high rate of volunteering and a deep connection to a traditional, detached housing lifestyle.
Plenty of schools here relative to how few children live in the area.
Explore Barossa - Yorke - Mid North by topic
The population is noticeably older than the state average, with 26% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 6.1 points since 2011. While the total population grew 7.5% to 114,487 people, the proportion of children under 15 has fallen slightly to 16.6%.
The region is far less diverse than the rest of Australia, with only 9.8% of people born overseas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for 43.5% and 42.8% respectively.
English is the primary language for 91.1% of residents. The proportion of people using another language at home is among the lowest in the country at 2.8%, far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A large number of residents report no religion, accounting for 46.1% of the population. This figure has risen significantly by 20 points since 2011 and is well above the national average.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 11.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion has risen since 2011 but remains far below the national figure at 38.6%.
Typical incomes are well below the national average, with the usual family earning $1,526 a week. Those earning $3,000 or more per week make up only 10.6% of households, which is among the lowest for similar areas.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than elsewhere, affecting 36.1% of people. This is well above the national figure, and 7.5% of residents need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is very high at 23.9%, well above the national average, though this is 5 points lower than it was in 2011. The area also has a higher-than-usual rate of people providing unpaid care.
There are 3,199 First Nations people in the region, with a typical age of 22, which is younger than the state average. Unemployment for this group is 15.2%, a little above the national figure.
Homes are generally smaller, with 2.3 people per home, but a high 30.7% of people live alone. This is well above the national average and has risen slightly over the last decade.
The area is dominated by separate houses, making up 92.8% of all homes. Ownership is strong, with 42.6% of homes owned outright, far above the national average, while typical weekly rents are very low at $225.
The region is heavily dependent on cars, as only 0.5% of people commute by public transport. Very few homes are without a vehicle, and only 10.1% of the workforce works from home.
The population is very stable, with only 30.6% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national average. Recent overseas arrivals are also very low at 6.3%.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are major employers at 13.1%, alongside healthcare. Only 53.6% of adults are working or looking for work, which is well below the national figure.
The population has grown by 3.2% since 2021, though this is a little below the South Australian average of 5.6%.
The region experiences a cooler climate than the state average, with an average maximum temperature of 22.7 degrees. Annual rainfall is 433mm, which is far above the state figure.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.8. Most residents live far from basic services, with only 31.8% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.