Willaston, SA: suburb profile

The population of Willaston SA is 3,458 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Willaston is $713 per week ($37,076 per year). Median rent in Willaston is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Willaston has a median age of 42 years, older than the national median of 38. Willaston has a population density of 1,151 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Willaston is England. The most common religion is No religion (54.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Willaston is $1,213.

There were 115 recorded offences in Willaston in 2025-26, a rate of 33 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (65 offences).

Population
3,458
Census 2021
Median income
$713/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$300/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
42years
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.

Willaston vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Willaston is $713 a week, 6% below the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 418th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $300 a week, the same as the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 23.9% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 42, 1 year 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.
MeasureWillastonTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$713/wk$759/wk −6%$766/wk
Household income$1,254/wk$1,494/wk −16%$1,637/wk
Rent$300/wk$300/wk 0%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,213/mo$1,534/mo −21%$1,733/mo
Median age4243 −1 yrs42
Rent share of household income23.9%19.5% +4.5 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 Willaston, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Willaston Population

3,458 residents at the 2021 Census.

Willaston Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$713/wk
$37,076 per year
Ranked 5,244 of 14,663
Median Rent
$300/wk
$1,300 per month
Ranked 4,529 of 14,663
Median Age
42years
4 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,213/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Willaston Rent Prices & Affordability

24% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,254/wk
Median rent $300/wk
Rent to income 23.9%

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

Median rent in Willaston against your income

About $5,434 a month
Median rent $300/wk
Left after rent $954/wk
Rent share 23.9%

Willaston Schools

5
schools nearby
3
government
997
avg ICSEA score
3,827
total students
Immanuel Gawler Independent
Primary · R-6 · 353 students
1038
ICSEA
Hewett Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 400 students
1006
ICSEA
Xavier College Catholic
Secondary · R-12 · 2,532 students
1001
ICSEA
Gawler East Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 374 students
987
ICSEA
Gawler Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 168 students
954
ICSEA

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

All schools near Willaston, with a map

Willaston Map

Willaston, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Willaston

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.8% (1,690) Female 51.2% (1,771)

Population Density

1,151
people per km²
3,458 people · 3.0 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,577
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

England
7.8%
Scotland
1.0%
New Zealand
0.7%
Germany
0.6%
Netherlands
0.5%
Philippines
0.4%
Italy
0.3%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
0.5%
Afrikaans
0.3%
Cantonese
0.2%
Italian
0.2%
Tagalog
0.2%
Sinhalese
0.1%
Polish
0.1%

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

Ancestry

English
51.7%
Australian
38.9%
German
10.8%
Irish
9.4%
Scottish
8.6%
Italian
2.3%
Australian Aboriginal
2.1%
Dutch
1.9%
Welsh
0.9%
Chinese
0.9%
Polish
0.9%

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
54.3%
Catholic
12.6%
Anglican
8.9%
Not stated
5.6%
Uniting Church
5.5%
Lutheran
4.1%
Christian (other)
2.1%
Pentecostal
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

2.3%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
41.4% 1,165
Separated
4.3% 121
Divorced
13.4% 378
Widowed
6.6% 186
Never married
34.3% 967

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
34.7%
Couple: no children
29.7%
One parent: children under 15
14.0%
Couple: no children under 15
12.0%
One parent: no children under 15
9.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
32.3%
2 persons
36.7%
3 persons
13.5%
4 persons
10.8%
5 persons
4.4%
6+ persons
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Willaston

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,472 occupied private dwellings in Willaston at the 2021 Census, 24.2% were rented, 33.2% owned outright and 40.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.0% 15 dwellings
Owned outright
33.2% 488 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
40.1% 591 dwellings
Rented
24.2% 356 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 18 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
86.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
13.1%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
1.4%
2 bedrooms
15.3%
3 bedrooms
59.9%
4 bedrooms
20.2%
5 bedrooms
2.5%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.6%
$300-$449/mo
3.4%
$450-$599/mo
2.2%
$600-$799/mo
6.2%
$800-$999/mo
12.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
38.7%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
20.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
9.1%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
1.6%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.1%
1 vehicle
39.5%
2 vehicles
35.3%
3 vehicles
12.9%
4+ vehicles
7.1%

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

Work, income and education in Willaston

Employment

Employed full-time
35.3% 925 people
Employed part-time
20.3% 532 people
Unemployed
4.2% 111 people
Not in labour force
40.2% 1,056 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
21.3%
Technicians & Trade Workers
20.4%
Community & Personal Service
18.3%
Clerical & Administrative
11.8%
Managers
8.9%
Labourers
7.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
7.0%
Sales Workers
4.5%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.7%
$1-$149/wk
0.5%
$150-$299/wk
1.6%
$300-$399/wk
1.7%
$400-$499/wk
8.6%
$500-$649/wk
6.4%
$650-$799/wk
9.1%
$800-$999/wk
9.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.9%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.9%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.4%
$4,000+/wk
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
10.5%
$1-$149/wk
4.0%
$150-$299/wk
6.1%
$300-$399/wk
5.7%
$400-$499/wk
5.0%
$500-$649/wk
3.5%
$650-$799/wk
9.8%
$800-$999/wk
12.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
14.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
5.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.7%
$3,500+/wk
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
78.7%
Did not go to work
12.3%
Car (passenger)
3.9%
Bus
1.5%
Truck
1.4%
Walked only
1.2%
Other
0.8%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
47.8%
Year 11 or equivalent
24.4%
Year 10 or equivalent
22.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
5.8%

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
53.5%
Bachelor Degree
17.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.7%
Certificate I/II
4.7%
Postgraduate Degree
4.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.1%

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

Field of Study

Engineering
20.9%
Management & Commerce
17.8%
Society & Culture
17.1%
Health
13.9%
Education
8.6%
Architecture & Building
7.1%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.7%
Agriculture & Environment
4.6%
Information Technology
1.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.4%
Creative Arts
1.1%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
35.0%
Secondary: Catholic
15.2%
Secondary: Government
11.9%
Vocational Education
10.7%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
8.6%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.5%
Pre-school
6.5%
Primary: Catholic
5.5%

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
88.6%
Has need for assistance
7.5%
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
440
Arthritis
169
Asthma
156
Diabetes
137
Heart disease
114
Lung condition
91
Cancer
57
Stroke
29
Kidney disease
27
Dementia
13

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.2% 407
Did not provide
84.8% 2,272

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
16.2% 435
Not a volunteer
83.8% 2,250

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.3% 9
Current ADF: Reserves
0.4% 10
Previously served
5.5% 147
Never served
93.8% 2,530

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
27.9%
1 child
14.2%
2 children
30.9%
3 children
18.9%
4 children
6.8%
5+ children
1.2%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
12
1951: 1960
75
1961: 1970
156
1971: 1980
89
1981: 1990
31
1991: 2000
19
2001: 2010
50
2011: 2015
33
2016
5
2017
6
2018
7
2019
3
2020
4
2021
6

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

Population Mobility

13.7%
moved in the last year
39.1%
moved in the last 5 years
6.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
58.5%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,836
Moved from SA
301
Moved: same area (SA2)
88
Moved from VIC
19
Moved from NSW
15
Moved from overseas
15
Moved from QLD
5

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.6%
5: 14 hours
32.5%
15: 29 hours
13.5%
30+ hours
10.0%
Did not do domestic work
23.3%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
79.1%
Step family: no other children
9.8%
Blended family: no other children
7.4%
Intact family: other children present
1.8%
Other couple: children only
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Willaston Crime Statistics

115 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
65
Assault
18
Break & Enter
14
Property Damage
12
Fraud
5
Robbery
1

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 Willaston

The closest suburb to Willaston is Hewett, 1.3 km away.

Hewett
1.3 km away · income $951/wk · rent $340/wk
Gawler Belt
1.9 km away · income $847/wk · rent $350/wk
Gawler East
2.8 km away · income $776/wk · rent $300/wk
Gawler South
2.8 km away · income $715/wk · rent $260/wk
Evanston
4.0 km away · income $604/wk · rent $264/wk
Evanston Park
4.9 km away · income $713/wk · rent $330/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Willaston

What is the population of Willaston SA?

The population of Willaston SA is 3,458 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,151 people per km². Willaston is ranked #2,152 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Willaston?

The median personal income in Willaston SA is $713 per week, or $37,076 per year. The median household income is $1,254 per week. Family income is $1,577 per week. Willaston is ranked #5,244 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Willaston?

Median rent in Willaston SA is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Rent represents 23.9% of household income, which is considered affordable. Willaston ranks #4,529 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Willaston?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Willaston SA is $1,213. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Willaston?

The median age in Willaston SA is 42 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Willaston a good suburb to live in?

Willaston is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 3,458. The median income is $713/wk, which is below the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (23.9% 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: 41600. All dollar figures in AUD.