Pooraka, SA: suburb profile

The population of Pooraka SA is 7,583 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Pooraka is $581 per week ($30,212 per year). Median rent in Pooraka is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Pooraka has a median age of 38 years, equal to the national median. Pooraka has a population density of 1,419 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Pooraka is India. The most common religion is No religion (31.7% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Vietnamese. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Pooraka is $1,300.

There were 349 recorded offences in Pooraka in 2025-26, a rate of 46 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (159 offences).

Population
7,583
Census 2021
Median income
$581/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$300/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
38years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au), 2025-26.

Pooraka vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Pooraka is $581 a week, 23% below the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 583rd of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $300 a week, the same as the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 24.5% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 38, 5 years younger than in the typical SA suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasurePoorakaTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$581/wk$759/wk −23%$766/wk
Household income$1,225/wk$1,494/wk −18%$1,637/wk
Rent$300/wk$300/wk 0%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,300/mo$1,534/mo −15%$1,733/mo
Median age3843 −5 yrs42
Rent share of household income24.5%19.5% +5.0 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Pooraka, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Pooraka Population

7,583 residents at the 2021 Census.

Pooraka Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$581/wk
$30,212 per year
Ranked 7,359 of 14,663
Median Rent
$300/wk
$1,300 per month
Ranked 4,529 of 14,663
Median Age
38years
Same as the national median
Mortgage
$1,300/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Pooraka Rent Prices & Affordability

24% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,225/wk
Median rent $300/wk
Rent to income 24.5%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Pooraka against your income

About $5,308 a month
Median rent $300/wk
Left after rent $925/wk
Rent share 24.5%

Pooraka Schools

14
schools nearby
10
government
989
avg ICSEA score
6,488
total students
Endeavour College Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 738 students
1083
ICSEA
Mawson Lakes School Government
Primary · R-6 · 716 students
1060
ICSEA
Heritage College Incorporated Independent
Combined · R-12 · 437 students
1040
ICSEA
St Gabriel's School Catholic
Primary · R-6 · 306 students
1032
ICSEA
Sports College South Australia Independent
Secondary · 11-12 · 404 students
1015
ICSEA
North Ingle School Government
Primary · R-6 · 180 students
998
ICSEA
Northfield Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 352 students
982
ICSEA
Roma Mitchell Secondary College Government
Secondary · U, 7-12 · 1,638 students
971
ICSEA
Ingle Farm Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 454 students
967
ICSEA
Pooraka Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 182 students
954
ICSEA
Para Hills High School Government
Secondary · U, 7-12 · 670 students
948
ICSEA
Blair Athol North B-6 School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 383 students
918
ICSEA
Youth Education Centre Government
Combined · 5-12 · 28 students
894
ICSEA
Youth Education Centre - Jonal Drive Campus (Cavan) Government
Combined

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Pooraka, with a map

Pooraka Map

Pooraka, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Pooraka

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.4% (3,744) Female 50.6% (3,838)

Population Density

1,419
people per km²
7,583 people · 5.3 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,472
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

India
6.4%
Vietnam
6.0%
Afghanistan
4.1%
England
3.3%
Philippines
1.9%
Pakistan
1.2%
China
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Vietnamese
8.9%
Punjabi
4.1%
Arabic
2.0%
Gujarati
1.5%
Hindi
1.4%
Italian
1.1%
Tagalog
1.1%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
25.0%
Australian
23.8%
Vietnamese
8.5%
Italian
5.7%
Indian
5.2%
Irish
4.9%
German
4.9%
Scottish
4.8%
Chinese
3.2%
Filipino
2.4%
Australian Aboriginal
1.9%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
31.7%
Catholic
21.7%
Islam
10.0%
Anglican
5.2%
Not stated
5.1%
Hinduism
4.1%
Other religions
3.7%
Buddhism
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

2.0%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
45.4% 2,816
Separated
3.5% 217
Divorced
8.9% 552
Widowed
5.7% 354
Never married
36.5% 2,262

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
40.9%
Couple: no children
23.1%
Couple: no children under 15
17.8%
One parent: no children under 15
9.2%
One parent: children under 15
9.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
28.7%
2 persons
30.3%
3 persons
16.2%
4 persons
14.2%
5 persons
6.0%
6+ persons
4.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Pooraka

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,867 occupied private dwellings in Pooraka at the 2021 Census, 29.5% were rented, 32.8% owned outright and 34.5% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.4% 40 dwellings
Owned outright
32.8% 941 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
34.5% 990 dwellings
Rented
29.5% 847 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.8% 53 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
87.4%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
12.5%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.7%
2 bedrooms
14.2%
3 bedrooms
65.1%
4 bedrooms
15.3%
5 bedrooms
2.3%
6+ bedrooms
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.1%
$300-$449/mo
3.7%
$450-$599/mo
2.4%
$600-$799/mo
5.7%
$800-$999/mo
6.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
32.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
26.4%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
11.9%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
2.7%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
7.4%
1 vehicle
39.4%
2 vehicles
34.4%
3 vehicles
12.2%
4+ vehicles
6.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Pooraka

Employment

Employed full-time
32.3% 1,867 people
Employed part-time
20.9% 1,212 people
Unemployed
4.6% 266 people
Not in labour force
42.2% 2,441 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
22.4%
Community & Personal Service
18.9%
Technicians & Trade Workers
18.3%
Clerical & Administrative
11.2%
Labourers
9.1%
Managers
7.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
6.8%
Sales Workers
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.3%
$1-$149/wk
0.3%
$150-$299/wk
1.5%
$300-$399/wk
3.7%
$400-$499/wk
9.4%
$500-$649/wk
5.6%
$650-$799/wk
9.4%
$800-$999/wk
8.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.5%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.0%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.2%
$4,000+/wk
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
12.9%
$1-$149/wk
4.6%
$150-$299/wk
8.9%
$300-$399/wk
7.1%
$400-$499/wk
5.3%
$500-$649/wk
4.6%
$650-$799/wk
10.2%
$800-$999/wk
12.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.3%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.5%
$3,500+/wk
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
75.8%
Did not go to work
10.0%
Car (passenger)
5.8%
Bus
5.0%
Walked only
1.0%
Bicycle
0.6%
Truck
0.5%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.5%
Other
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
59.5%
Year 11 or equivalent
17.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
17.4%
Year 9 or equivalent
5.3%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
40.6%
Bachelor Degree
26.1%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.9%
Postgraduate Degree
10.7%
Certificate I/II
3.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
20.5%
Engineering
19.4%
Society & Culture
14.6%
Health
13.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
7.1%
Education
6.1%
Information Technology
5.8%
Architecture & Building
5.4%
Creative Arts
3.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.1%
Agriculture & Environment
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.4%
Secondary: Government
16.9%
Vocational Education
15.2%
Pre-school
9.2%
Primary: Catholic
8.4%
Secondary: Catholic
8.3%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
88.4%
Has need for assistance
7.4%
Need for assistance not stated
4.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
715
Asthma
291
Diabetes
273
Arthritis
240
Heart disease
176
Lung condition
161
Kidney disease
94
Cancer
84
Stroke
67
Dementia
21

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.0% 828
Did not provide
86.0% 5,090

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
11.4% 678
Not a volunteer
88.6% 5,275

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 6
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 3
Previously served
1.9% 115
Never served
97.9% 5,840

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
31.8%
1 child
15.9%
2 children
29.3%
3 children
14.4%
4 children
6.0%
5+ children
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
29
1951: 1960
138
1961: 1970
250
1971: 1980
184
1981: 1990
315
1991: 2000
253
2001: 2010
628
2011: 2015
517
2016
101
2017
85
2018
124
2019
125
2020
56
2021
10

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

11.5%
moved in the last year
33.9%
moved in the last 5 years
7.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
56.8%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
6,342
Moved from SA
640
Moved: same area (SA2)
68
Moved from overseas
42
Moved from VIC
22
Moved from NSW
15
Moved from QLD
14
Moved from ACT
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
19.4%
5: 14 hours
25.9%
15: 29 hours
11.5%
30+ hours
8.8%
Did not do domestic work
34.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
88.6%
Step family: no other children
5.5%
Blended family: no other children
3.5%
Intact family: other children present
2.0%
Other couple: children only
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Pooraka Crime Statistics

349 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
159
Property Damage
61
Assault
61
Break & Enter
48
Fraud
11
Other Against Person
9

Total offences by year

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Pooraka

The closest suburb to Pooraka is Mawson Lakes, 1.7 km away.

Mawson Lakes
1.7 km away · income $915/wk · rent $360/wk
Ingle Farm
2.2 km away · income $636/wk · rent $310/wk
Walkley Heights
2.4 km away · income $715/wk · rent $370/wk
Northfield
2.9 km away · income $679/wk · rent $307/wk
Para Hills West
3.1 km away · income $600/wk · rent $275/wk
Northgate (SA)
3.3 km away · income $881/wk · rent $395/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Pooraka

What is the population of Pooraka SA?

The population of Pooraka SA is 7,583 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,419 people per km². Pooraka is ranked #951 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Pooraka?

The median personal income in Pooraka SA is $581 per week, or $30,212 per year. The median household income is $1,225 per week. Family income is $1,472 per week. Pooraka is ranked #7,359 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Pooraka?

Median rent in Pooraka SA is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Rent represents 24.5% of household income, which is considered affordable. Pooraka ranks #4,529 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Pooraka?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Pooraka SA is $1,300. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Pooraka?

The median age in Pooraka SA is 38 years. This is equal to the national median age of 38 years.

Is Pooraka a good suburb to live in?

Pooraka is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 7,583. The median income is $581/wk, which is below the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (24.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 41185. All dollar figures in AUD.