Why has South Australia’s population growth remained relatively low?

South Australia’s population growth has remained relatively low since the late 1980s due to a combination of demographic and economic factors.1

Key reasons for this trend include:

• Low Natural Increase: For over a century, women in South Australia have had fewer children than women in other Australian states, and birth rates have frequently fallen below national levels.12
• Out-Migration: The state has experienced persistent out-migration, with notable outflows of residents occurring during various periods, including the 1970s and 1980s.12
• Immigration Levels: South Australia has seen lower levels of net immigration compared to other parts of the country in recent decades.13
• Economic Shifts: Historically, the state’s reliance on a narrow rural base and the subsequent decline of its manufacturing sector—which once drove significant growth—have contributed to slower economic and population expansion.4

These factors have resulted in a demographic profile characterized by a higher proportion of adults over 65 and fewer children under 15 compared to the national average.1