SA · Lower Eyre Peninsula Council

Sleaford, 5607

Est. population · Jun 2025

33

Growth (1 yr)

0.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+6.5%

Median age

53

Median income

$1,624/wk

Employment rate

61.3%

University qualified

19.4%

Work from home

25%

Languages at home

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Beach
  • Green suburb
  • Holiday parks
  • Regional centre
What Sleaford is known for: Beach, Green suburb, Holiday parks, Regional centre

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Sleaford, SA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Sleaford, SA Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/sa/sleaford

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Suburb profile

Sleaford is a major regional centre in South Australia, in Lower Eyre Peninsula Council. It is close to the Sleaford Bay and the Proper Bay.

Green cover is an exceptional strength, placing it among the highest-ranked major regional centres, and working from home is an exceptional strength, and university qualifications are more common than in comparable places, with university qualifications 70% above the peer median. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The main trade-offs are thinner park access and thinner dining and café options, with park access 100% below the peer median.

Overall, Sleaford suits people prioritising university qualifications over open space.

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

Major regional centre · compared with major regional centres in South Australia (71)

Strengths

  • Green cover is a relative strength
  • Working from home is a relative strength
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Park access is thinner than in comparable places
  • Dining and café options are thinner than in comparable places

What stands out

  • Sleaford Beach
  • Tinah Beach
  • Sleaford Bay
  • Proper Bay
  • Fishery Bay
  • Eyre Peninsula

Who it suits

  • StudentsInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Sleaford compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$210/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

33

0.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

31.2%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Crime rate

46th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

38th

percentile in SA

Rented dwellings

25%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

5/10

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

33(June 2025)

0.0% annual · +6.5% over 5 years · 38th percentile in SA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
0.0%
5-year growth
+6.5%
Change in 1 year
0
Change in 5 years
+2
Growth rank in SA
38th 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 +0.7% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
31
Median age
53
Median household income / week
$1,624
Dwelling vacancy
31.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
5 of 16
Median monthly mortgage
$825
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$210
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
75% / 0% / 25%
Employment rate
61.3%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
25% / 0% / 93.8%
Walked or cycled to work
0%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
12 / 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

19.4% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 35.5% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified19.4% · 22.6% SA
  • Trade / vocational35.5% · 17.5% SA
  • Year 12 or below45.2% · 51.2% SA

Highest qualification field

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

  • Architecture and building35.7%
  • Education21.4%
  • Engineering and related technologies21.4%
  • Management and commerce21.4%
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)
$54,239

50th percentile in SA · -8% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$54,809

40th percentile in SA · -16% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
13.0%

57th percentile in SA · -6% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$90,928

65th percentile in SA · +44% vs Australia

Residents with business income
12.0%

67th percentile in SA · +15% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 5607 — 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
3,044
Taxpayers reporting net rent
397
Median net rent
$918
Taxpayers reporting business income
367
Taxable income vs state median
0%
Salary / wages vs state median
-5%
Rental investment vs state median
+8%
Super vs state median
+17%
Business income vs state median
+9%

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

Community & culture

10.3% born overseas

Language at home
32 English only · 0 other
Non-English at home
0%
Born overseas
3 (10.3%)
Australian citizens
32

Religion

45.2%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 45.2%, while Christianity accounts for 45.2%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion45.2%45.2%
Christianity45.2%40%
Other / not stated9.7%14.7%

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 decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2025–26)
1
Against the person
1
Against property
0
Rate per 1,000 residents
30.3
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 31 residents
State crime-rate percentile
46.4th (higher = more crime)
Family & domestic abuse offences
25
Decrease (daily rate)
-83.3%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
3
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
90.91

Most common offence types

  • Serious Assault1

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

41 mapped amenities

37 beaches · 3 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
Sport & outdoors(38)
  • Beach (33)
  • Cowrie BeachBeach
  • Mary Ellis Wreck BeachBeach
  • Red Banks BeachBeach
  • Tinah BeachBeach
  • Sleaford Mere Conservation ParkNature reserve
Camping & holiday parks(3)
  • Mikkira Station CampgroundCampground
  • Red Banks CampgroundCampground
  • Whaling StationCampground

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

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
46%
Woodland / forest cover
46%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
110
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
24°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
Port Lincoln Health Service (22.3 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)
1
Participants per 1,000 residents
30.3

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
24° / 14°
Rainfall
41 mm · ~5 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 12°
Rainfall
99 mm · ~12 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
15° / 8°
Rainfall
190 mm · ~24 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 10°
Rainfall
93 mm · ~12 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

  • Commercial forestry to reinstate approximately 78ha of native vegetation, including 70ha of Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) Grassy Woodland and 8 ha of Manna Gum Woodland, for the purposes of carbon sequestration and generation of carbon units to be sold to fund the project.
    261 MIKKIRA LANE SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made
2025· 1 proposal
  • November 2025

  • Single Storey Detached Dwelling and Outbuilding
    LOT 10 MARY ELLIS WRECK BEACH RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Under Assessment
2024· 1 proposal
  • December 2024

  • Construction of an outbuilding (shed)
    20A MARY ELLIS WRECK BEACH RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made
2023· 1 proposal
  • July 2023

  • Variation of Development Approval 21006593, (condition 2), to enable the use of the land for the purposes of two (2) test rocket launches not later than 14 November 2023.
    94 RIGHT WHALE RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made
2022· 4 proposals
  • September 2022

  • Change of use of existing launch pad to a carparking area in association with an existing recreation area
    94 RIGHT WHALE RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made
  • June 2022

  • Variation of Development Application 21008591 comprising two additional 'tiny homes' for tourist accommodation
    945 FISHERY BAY RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made
  • March 2022

  • Outbuilding (shed)
    20A MARY ELLIS WRECK BEACH RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made
  • February 2022

  • Variation of Development Approval 21006593, (condition 2), to enable the use of the land for the purposes of three (3) test rocket launches not later than 31 December 2022.
    94 RIGHT WHALE RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made
2021· 3 proposals
  • June 2021

  • Agricultural Building
    126 FISHERY BAY RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made
  • May 2021

  • Tourist accommodation comprising two ‘tiny homes’ for up to eight guests
    945 FISHERY BAY RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made
  • Temporary change of land use to enable the launch of three test rockets, prior to 31 December 2021, associated with the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex Test Campaign, including the construction of concrete pad, contained fuel tanks, 2 x 2.2m fence and pole mounted PTZ cameras. The proposed activity is short-term in nature for research purposes only.
    94 RIGHT WHALE RD SLEAFORD SA 5607Decision Made

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

2 heritage places

  • Flinders Cairn (Water Supply)Part Section 486, Hundred Lincoln SLEAFORDLocal heritage
  • Former Fishery Bay Whaling Station, Thorny Passage Marine ParkNear SLEAFORD BAYState heritage

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
97.6% 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 69.0 km away).

Coalition 57.0%Labor 43.0%

2.3 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +3.9 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Port Lincoln CentralLabor 41.4% · Coalition 58.6% TPP (2025)24.9 km away
  • Port LincolnLabor 47.9% · Coalition 52.1% TPP (2025)25.2 km away
  • Kirton PointLabor 50.9% · Coalition 49.1% TPP (2025)25.3 km away
  • Coffin BayLabor 41.5% · Coalition 58.5% TPP (2025)33.0 km away
  • North ShieldsLabor 39.6% · Coalition 60.4% TPP (2025)33.8 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)
5/10
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 Lower Eyre Peninsula Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.