South Australia's Fastest-Growing Suburbs, 2016 to 2021
Lightsview was South Australia's fastest-growing suburb between the 2016 and 2021 Census, growing 84.1% from 3,308 to 6,090 people. Mount Barker added the most new residents: 4,488. The Censible Index ranks suburbs on ABS Census counts and includes every suburb with at least 1,000 people in 2016.
Adelaide's fastest-growing suburbs on these lists, in Greater Adelaide, are Lightsview, St Clair, Virginia, Angle Vale, Seaford Meadows, Mount Barker, Craigburn Farm, Munno Para West, Adelaide, Blakeview, Parafield Gardens, Prospect and Campbelltown.
Last updated:
The top 10
South Australia's suburbs with at least 1,000 people in 2016, ranked by growth % or by new residents.
Ranked by population growth
| Rank | Suburb | State | 2016 | 2021 | Change | Growth % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lightsview | SA | 3,308* | 6,090 | +2,782 | +84.1% |
| 2 | St Clair (SA) | SA | 1,712 | 2,634 | +922 | +53.9% |
| 3 | Virginia (SA) | SA | 1,803 | 2,759 | +956 | +53.0% |
| 4 | Angle Vale | SA | 2,923 | 4,051 | +1,128 | +38.6% |
| 5 | Seaford Meadows | SA | 3,716* | 4,923* | +1,207 | +32.5% |
| 6 | Mount Barker (SA) | SA | 13,842 | 18,330 | +4,488 | +32.4% |
| 7 | Hindmarsh Island | SA | 1,398 | 1,846 | +448 | +32.0% |
| 8 | Craigburn Farm | SA | 2,394 | 3,099 | +705 | +29.4% |
| 9 | Goolwa North | SA | 1,016 | 1,307 | +291 | +28.6% |
| 10 | Munno Para West | SA | 5,909 | 7,577 | +1,668 | +28.2% |
Source: ABS Census 2016 and 2021, compiled by Censible. Suburbs (ABS Suburbs and Localities) on 2026 boundaries. * Estimated: the suburb's boundary changed, so the ABS figure was carried onto its 2026 boundary; change and growth rest on it. How we ranked suburbs
Ranked by new residents
| Rank | Suburb | State | 2016 | 2021 | Change | Growth % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Barker (SA) | SA | 13,842 | 18,330 | +4,488 | +32.4% |
| 2 | Adelaide | SA | 15,115 | 18,202 | +3,087 | +20.4% |
| 3 | Lightsview | SA | 3,308* | 6,090 | +2,782 | +84.1% |
| 4 | Blakeview | SA | 7,229 | 8,979 | +1,750 | +24.2% |
| 5 | Munno Para West | SA | 5,909 | 7,577 | +1,668 | +28.2% |
| 6 | Parafield Gardens | SA | 16,945 | 18,467 | +1,522 | +9.0% |
| 7 | Prospect (SA) | SA | 13,280 | 14,584 | +1,304 | +9.8% |
| 8 | Seaford Meadows | SA | 3,716* | 4,923* | +1,207 | +32.5% |
| 9 | Angle Vale | SA | 2,923 | 4,051 | +1,128 | +38.6% |
| 10 | Campbelltown (SA) | SA | 8,156 | 9,263 | +1,107 | +13.6% |
Source: ABS Census 2016 and 2021, compiled by Censible. Suburbs (ABS Suburbs and Localities) on 2026 boundaries. * Estimated: the suburb's boundary changed, so the ABS figure was carried onto its 2026 boundary; change and growth rest on it. How we ranked suburbs
Other states and territories
The top 10 in every other state and territory, and the national top 20.
How we ranked suburbs
The method
We compared each suburb's population in the 2016 and 2021 Census, counted where people usually live, on the ABS's 2026 suburb boundaries. Only suburbs with at least 1,000 people in 2016 are ranked, so a handful of new homes can't top the list. Suburbs are ranked two ways: by growth % and by the number of new residents. 412 suburbs in South Australia met the rules.
Download the data
Each ranking as a CSV, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Source: ABS Census, compiled by Censible.
Updates with the 2026 Census
The ranking updates with 2026 Census data after the ABS first release in June 2027.
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Badge for Lightsview
#1 by population growth. To use another suburb's badge, swap the image address for one from the list alongside.
<a href="https://censible.com.au/censible-index/fastest-growing-suburbs/sa"><img src="https://censible.com.au/badges/censible-index/fastest-growing-suburbs/sa/growth/lightsview-40759.svg" alt="Censible Index · #1 Fastest-Growing Suburb in South Australia, 2016–2021: Lightsview, 84.1% population growth" width="499" height="72" loading="lazy"></a> <p><a href="https://censible.com.au/censible-index/fastest-growing-suburbs/sa">Censible Index: Fastest-Growing Suburbs</a></p>
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