SA · Orroroo Carrieton Council

Pekina, 5431

Est. population · Jun 2025

71

Growth (1 yr)

-1.4%

Growth (5 yr)

-1.4%

Median age

47

Median income

$1,124/wk

Employment rate

60%

University qualified

28.1%

Work from home

32.4%

Languages at home

8.2%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Agricultural
  • Rural living
What Pekina is known for: Agricultural, Rural living

Using this data? Cite or embed. Publishers

Suburb snapshot infographic

Download PNG
Pekina, SA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

Embed this snapshot

The image links to the canonical suburb page. Copy the HTML as-is.

Pekina, SA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

Cite this suburb snapshot

Suburb Guide, “Pekina, SA Suburb Guide”, updated 27 September 2026, https://suburb.guide/sa/pekina

No registration is required. Please keep the link to the suburb page.

Suburb profile

Pekina is a rural locality in South Australia, in Orroroo Carrieton Council.

University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group, placing it among the highest-ranked rural localities, and socio-economic advantage sits well above the peer median, and working from home is more common than in comparable places. The clearer weaknesses are weaker population growth and thinner heritage listings, with heritage listings 50% below the peer median.

Overall, the suburb suits people prioritising university qualifications and socio-economic advantage over population growth.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Rural locality · compared with rural localities in South Australia (602)

Strengths

  • University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group
  • Socio-economic advantage sits well above the peer median
  • Working from home is more common than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Population growth is a relative weakness
  • Heritage listings are a relative weakness

What stands out

Nothing distinctive beyond the usual profile.

Housing, growth and risk

How Pekina compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

71

-1.4% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

32.4%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Crime rate

69th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

1st

percentile in SA

Rented dwellings

0%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

8/10

national SEIFA decile

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Population

Estimated resident population

71(June 2025)

-1.4% annual · -1.4% over 5 years · 1th percentile in SA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
-1.4%
5-year growth
-1.4%
Change in 1 year
-1
Change in 5 years
-1
Growth rank in SA
1th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~50), extrapolated at -0.2% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
70
Median age
47
Median household income / week
$1,124
Dwelling vacancy
32.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings
12 of 37
Median monthly mortgage
$1,272
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
84.2% / 15.8% / 0%
Employment rate
60%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
32.4% / 0% / 50%
Walked or cycled to work
14.7%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
25 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Qualifications

28.1% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 10.5% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified28.1% · 22.6% SA
  • Diploma qualified12.3% · 8.6% SA
  • Trade / vocational10.5% · 17.5% SA
  • Year 12 or below49.1% · 51.2% SA

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Agriculture and environment37.5%
  • Education25%
  • Health18.8%
  • Management and commerce18.8%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$40,080

4th percentile in SA · -32% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$47,027

14th percentile in SA · -28% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
10.0%

23rd percentile in SA · -27% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$89,861

64th percentile in SA · +42% vs Australia

Residents with business income
14.0%

87th percentile in SA · +35% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 5431 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
508
Taxpayers reporting net rent
52
Median net rent
-$984
Taxpayers reporting business income
72
Taxable income vs state median
-26%
Salary / wages vs state median
-18%
Rental investment vs state median
-17%
Super vs state median
+15%
Business income vs state median
+27%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in SA, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Seasonal & agricultural work

47.1% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 20.5× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 3.8% across South Australia.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
47.1%

86th percentile in SA · +1948% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
16
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 5431

Occupation mix in this industry

2021 Census G56, residents employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Counts below 10 are not shown.

  • Managers17

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile tables G54 (industry of employment) and G56 (industry by occupation), Statistical Area Level (suburb), place of usual residence. Figures are residents’ main job in the week before Census night — not jobs located in the suburb. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the 1-digit ANZSIC division; grape growing and other 3- and 4-digit industries are not in this datapack. The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Plant and animal cultivation in postcode 5431 (Regional Australia) may count as specified work for Working Holiday Maker visas (subclasses 417 and 462). This is a postcode rule from the Home Affairs instruments — not evidence that seasonal jobs exist here, and not a count of WHM residents. Home Affairs specified work · LIN 22/012 · LIN 22/013. Compilation used: 5 April 2025.

Region employment estimates (SA4, not this suburb)

Jobs and Skills Australia NERO modelled estimates for Barossa - Yorke - Mid North (SA4 405), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 12142,701
  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 12131,420
  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 12121,021
  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8415393
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8416368
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 7211305
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412140
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 841957
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841110
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 841310

Barossa - Yorke - Mid North is a Statistical Area Level 4. Fruit, nut and vegetable workers are not published separately in NERO (they sit under ANZSCO 8412). Jobs and Skills Australia warns not to sum occupations or geographies. NERO data. Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. CC BY 4.0.

Census employed residents counted in G54: 34 · AFF share +1140% vs the state.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — industry of employment (G54/G56), place of usual residence — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated · Resident main job in the week before Census night, not jobs located in the suburb

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • WHM specified work areas (LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013) — Department of Home Affairs · 2025-04-05 · Updated · Postcode eligibility for plant and animal cultivation; not a count of WHM residents
  • Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), SA4 × ANZSCO 4-digit — Jobs and Skills Australia · 2026-08 · Updated · Monthly modelled SA4 estimates; not suburb-level. CC BY 4.0

Community & culture

8.2% speak a language other than English at home

Language at home
56 English only · 5 other
Non-English at home
8.2%
Born overseas
0 (0%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
6 (8.6%)
Australian citizens
62

Religion

68.6%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 68.6%, while 21.4% reported no religion.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion21.4%45.2%
Christianity68.6%40%
Other / not stated10%14.7%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic34.3%15.5%
Uniting Church27.1%4.8%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2025–26)
4
Against the person
4
Against property
0
Rate per 1,000 residents
56.3
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 18 residents
State crime-rate percentile
69.2th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+100%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
4
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
56.34

Most common offence types

  • Acts That Threaten, Harass, Or Control1
  • Common Assault1
  • Serious Assault2

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Amenities

1 mapped amenities

1 campgrounds

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Camping & holiday parks(1)
  • Orroroo Rest AreaCampground

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Sporting clubs

2 named sporting clubs in this suburb

  • Pekina Carrieton Cricket Club

    Cricket

  • Pekina Tennis Club

    Tennis

Named sporting clubs from OpenStreetMap, assigned to this suburb's boundary. Sporting facilities such as ovals, courts and recreation centres are listed under Amenities.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap sporting clubs — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Geofabrik australia-latest.osm.pbf

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
0
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
30°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
Orroroo and District Health Service (14.4 km)
Nearest hospital type
Public Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
2
Participants per 1,000 residents
28.2

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
30° / 17°
Rainfall
69 mm · ~9 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
24° / 12°
Rainfall
89 mm · ~11 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
16° / 7°
Rainfall
148 mm · ~18 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
23° / 11°
Rainfall
136 mm · ~17 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from PlanSA register and EPA licensed activities.

2026· 1 proposal
  • January 2026

  • Renewable Energy Facility (Solar Farm and BESS)
    LOT 273NE MELROSE RD PEKINA SA 5431Under Assessment
2025· 1 proposal
  • September 2025

  • Re-construct garage after storm damage.
    133 FROMMS RD PEKINA SA 5431Decision Made
2024· 1 proposal
  • April 2024

  • Erect Agricultural building - shearing shed
    480 PRICE MAURICE RD PEKINA SA 5431Decision Made
2023· 2 proposals
  • July 2023

  • • Establishment of a 120m2 lease area; • Installation of one (1) 40 metre monopole; • Mounting of a headframe at the top of the pole; • Installation of six (6) Telstra panel antennas mounted on the headframe with a maximum overall height of 41.3m; • Installation of one (1) Telstra Parabolic Microwave antenna (dish) at a height of 25m; • Installation of one (1) Telstra standard equipment shelter; • Installation of one (1) GPS antenna on the equipment shelter; • Installation of ancillary equipment
    LOT 341 PEKINA-BLACKROCK RD PEKINA SA 5431Decision Made
  • February 2023

  • farm shed and storage
    114 WYNFLETE RD PEKINA SA 5431Decision Made
2021· 3 proposals
  • December 2021

  • Residential Shed / Garage 12.192m x 7.62m x 3m Colorbond
    51 KOCH RD PEKINA SA 5431Decision Made
  • March 2021

  • New farm hay shed
    141 BROOKS RD PEKINA SA 5431Decision Made
  • Machinery Shed 30m x 15m x 7.9m high Zinc Clad (Open ended)
    719 BULLY ACRE RD PEKINA SA 5431Decision Made

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • Former Pekina Animal PoundParklands PEKINAState heritage

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
100% of suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid against all current SA Planning risk layers (high, medium, general, urban interface, regional, outback). Flood cover is the share of the suburb boundary overlapping current SA Planning flood overlays (flooding and evidence required). Safer places from CFS designated locations.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Grey
Member of Parliament
Tom VENNING (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
128,707
Turnout (2025)
89.4%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+5.4 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 54.6%Labor 45.4%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 43.1 km away).

Coalition 74.5%Labor 25.5%

19.9 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +1.5 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Booleroo CentreLabor 23.2% · Coalition 76.8% TPP (2025)15.1 km away
  • OrrorooLabor 20.2% · Coalition 79.8% TPP (2025)15.4 km away
  • MelroseLabor 24.3% · Coalition 75.7% TPP (2025)29.5 km away
  • WirrabaraLabor 32.2% · Coalition 67.8% TPP (2025)30.9 km away
  • PeterboroughLabor 53.0% · Coalition 47.0% TPP (2025)34.7 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
8/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

More in Orroroo Carrieton Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.