State Economic Profile • Capital: Adelaide • 6.9% of Australian Population
South Australia - Economic Statistics
South Australia features a stable industrial, healthcare, defence shipbuilding, and renewable energy economy alongside major copper, gold, and agricultural endowments.
Headline South Australia Indicators
2026 Q1 National series →
South Australia Population
1.92M Persons
Sep 2026 National series →
South Australia Unemployment Rate
4.2% %
2026 Q2 National series →
South Australia State Final Demand Growth
2.8% % p.a.
2026 Q2 National series →
South Australia Mean Dwelling Price
$979.6k A$'000
2026 Q2 National series →
South Australia Wage Growth (WPI)
3.6% % p.a.
May 2026 National series →
South Australia Average Weekly Earnings (AWOTE)
$1,970 A$ / week
Aug 2026 National series →
South Australia Dwelling Approvals
10,839 Dwellings / yr
Jun 2025 National series →
South Australia Annual Retail Turnover
$14,449m A$ million / yr
South Australia Historical Trajectories
South Australia Population
PersonsSouth Australia Unemployment Rate
%South Australia State Final Demand Growth
% p.a.South Australia Mean Dwelling Price
A$'000South Australia Wage Growth (WPI)
% p.a.South Australia Average Weekly Earnings (AWOTE)
A$ / weekSouth Australia Annual Economic Data Table (1980–2026)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ERP_Q, LF, ANA_SFD, RES_DWELL_ST, WPI, AWE)
| Year | Population | Unemployment (%) | State Final Demand (%) | Mean Dwelling ($'000) | Wage Growth (%) | Weekly Earnings ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1,916,836 | 4.2% | 3.2% | $979.6 | 3.4% | $1,970 |
| 2025 | 1,910,780 | 4.2% | 3.9% | $938.5 | 3.4% | $1,915 |
| 2024 | 1,891,224 | 4.0% | 2.1% | $848.5 | 3.5% | $1,817 |
| 2023 | 1,870,937 | 3.9% | 2.2% | $738.9 | 3.8% | $1,707 |
| 2022 | 1,840,187 | 4.4% | 5.2% | $662.7 | 2.8% | $1,640 |
| 2021 | 1,807,839 | 5.5% | 7.6% | $619.3 | 1.8% | $1,581 |
| 2020 | 1,794,514 | 7.0% | -1.5% | $503.0 | 2.0% | $1,533 |
| 2019 | 1,778,928 | 6.2% | 0.8% | $470.6 | 2.2% | $1,489 |
| 2018 | 1,755,715 | 5.7% | 3.0% | $459.5 | 2.2% | $1,455 |
| 2017 | 1,735,654 | 6.3% | 4.8% | $449.8 | 2.1% | $1,445 |
| 2016 | 1,719,580 | 6.8% | 1.9% | $433.6 | 2.2% | $1,430 |
| 2015 | 1,705,937 | 7.4% | 1.7% | $421.9 | 2.4% | $1,362 |
| 2014 | 1,693,107 | 6.7% | 0.6% | $412.5 | 2.9% | $1,353 |
| 2013 | 1,678,052 | 6.3% | 0.0% | $396.8 | 3.4% | $1,301 |
| 2012 | 1,663,082 | 5.5% | 2.2% | $375.6 | 3.4% | $1,253 |
| 2011 | 1,647,183 | 5.3% | 1.0% | $384.3 | 3.4% | $1,203 |
| 2010 | 1,632,482 | 5.3% | 2.1% | - | 3.2% | $1,153 |
| 2009 | 1,618,578 | 5.6% | 3.3% | - | 3.3% | $1,122 |
| 2008 | 1,597,880 | 5.0% | 3.1% | - | 4.3% | $1,073 |
| 2007 | 1,578,489 | 5.0% | 4.8% | - | 4.6% | $1,019 |
| 2006 | 1,561,300 | 4.9% | 1.6% | - | 3.7% | $978 |
| 2005 | 1,544,852 | 5.1% | 3.1% | - | 3.6% | $931 |
| 2004 | 1,532,562 | 5.9% | 4.8% | - | 3.6% | $882 |
| 2003 | 1,524,727 | 6.2% | 5.5% | - | 3.9% | $855 |
| 2002 | 1,515,723 | 6.7% | 7.6% | - | 3.5% | $802 |
| 2001 | 1,507,825 | 7.3% | 2.0% | - | 3.4% | $782 |
| 2000 | 1,500,129 | 7.7% | 3.9% | - | 3.0% | $742 |
| 1999 | 1,495,218 | 8.1% | 2.1% | - | 2.9% | $700 |
| 1998 | 1,487,042 | 9.4% | 2.7% | - | 3.0% | $688 |
| 1997 | 1,479,003 | 9.6% | 6.8% | - | - | $653 |
| 1996 | 1,471,997 | 9.6% | 1.9% | - | - | $635 |
| 1995 | 1,466,605 | 9.9% | 4.5% | - | - | $612 |
| 1994 | 1,463,977 | 10.5% | 2.9% | - | - | $597 |
| 1993 | 1,461,102 | 11.1% | 0.5% | - | - | - |
| 1992 | 1,457,241 | 11.7% | 0.6% | - | - | - |
| 1991 | 1,450,862 | 10.0% | -0.8% | - | - | - |
| 1990 | 1,438,882 | 7.6% | 2.7% | - | - | - |
| 1989 | 1,425,461 | 7.3% | 3.3% | - | - | - |
| 1988 | 1,412,323 | 8.5% | 4.1% | - | - | - |
| 1987 | 1,398,959 | 9.0% | 0.5% | - | - | - |
| 1986 | 1,387,499 | 8.7% | 2.2% | - | - | - |
| 1985 | 1,376,838 | 8.7% | - | - | - | - |
| 1984 | 1,365,333 | 9.7% | - | - | - | - |
| 1983 | 1,353,208 | 10.7% | - | - | - | - |
| 1982 | 1,337,783 | 8.2% | - | - | - | - |
| 1981 | 1,325,176 | 7.8% | - | - | - | - |
| 1980 | 1,312,623 | 7.8% | - | - | - | - |