State Electorate · Area profile
Heysen
844 km²
A typical resident in Heysen is 45, making the area noticeably older than both the state and national averages. This is a wealthy, highly educated community where many people are now retired or working in professional roles. The population has shrank by 8.8% since 2011, leaving a stable resident base that predominantly owns their own large, detached homes. Its character is defined by high incomes and a strong culture of volunteering.
An affluent area whose schools serve an equally well-off community.
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Heysen is an older community where 20.7% of people are seniors, a figure well above the national average. The total population fell to 35,264 people in 2021, and the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is much lower than in most other areas.
The area is predominantly Australian born, with 79.2% born here, and only 16.4% born overseas. This level of overseas birth is far below the national figure and has fallen 7.7 percentage points since 2011.
English is the primary language for 91.5% of the community. Only 4.5% of people use another language at home, which is far below the state and national averages.
A majority of residents do not identify with a religion, at 56.8%. This is far above the national figure and has risen by 20 percentage points since 2011.
Heysen is highly qualified, with 35.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, which is well above the national average. This reflects a significant trend, as the number of people with degrees rose by 25 percentage points since 2011.
The area is very affluent, with typical family incomes reaching $2,473 a week, well above the national figure. Thirty per cent of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, a figure that has risen by 27 percentage points since 2011.
Health outcomes are generally good, with only 3.8% of people needing help with daily activities. This is a little below the state and national figures, and has improved since 2011.
Residents are highly active in their community, with 27.3% volunteering, which is far above the national average. There is also a high rate of unpaid care, with 14.9% of people providing support to others.
Families tend to be larger here, with 2.7 people per home. This is consistent with the fact that couples with children make up 62% of households, while only 18.4% of people live alone.
The housing stock is dominated by separate houses, making up 97.3% of dwellings. Renting is very uncommon at just 9.2%, while 41.7% of homes are owned outright.
Most residents rely on cars, with only 1.6% of homes having no motor vehicle. However, 16.4% of people now work from home, a significant increase since 2011.
The population is very stable, as only 28.4% of people moved in the last five years, which is far below the national average. Recent overseas arrivals are also very rare at 4.8%.
The local workforce is strong, with 64.9% of adults working or looking for work and an unemployment rate of just 3.5%. Many residents work as professionals or managers, often in health or education.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.2. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries (27.9%) or health services (24.8%) due to the steep terrain and spread-out nature of the region.