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Regional SA in Australia

Regional SA is made up of Northern Areas (DC), Cleve (DC), Port Augusta (C), Port Lincoln (C), Whyalla (C), Loxton Waikerie (DC), Alexandrina (DC), Barossa (DC), Port Pirie City and Dists (M), Berri and Barmera (DC), Lower Eyre Peninsula (DC), Light (RegC), Victor Harbor (C), Mount Gambier (C), Copper Coast (DC), Grant (DC), Ceduna (DC), Wakefield (DC), Yankalilla (DC), Yorke Peninsula (DC), Kimba (DC), Clare and Gilbert Valleys (DC), Flinders Ranges (DC), Mid Murray (DC), Wattle Range (DC), Barunga West (DC), Tumby Bay (DC), Robe (DC), Streaky Bay (DC), Murray Bridge (RC), Renmark Paringa (DC), Mount Remarkable (DC), Kangaroo Island (DC), Kingston (DC) (SA), Elliston (DC), Franklin Harbour (DC), Peterborough (DC), The Coorong (DC), Tatiara (DC), Onkaparinga (C), Adelaide Plains (DC), Karoonda East Murray (DC), Naracoorte and Lucindale (DC), Goyder (DC), Roxby Downs (M), Coober Pedy (DC), Orroroo-Carrieton (DC), Pastoral Unincorporated Area, and Southern Mallee (DC).

Living in Regional SA in May 2025

Regional SA Overall Liveability Index
Australia
59.5
Adelaide
62.9
Central NSW
59.0
Central QLD
57.2
Central VIC
60.8
Darwin
52.6
Eastern VIC
58.0
Far North Queensland
52.9
Hobart
58.1
Melbourne
60.6
Northern NSW
55.7
Perth
62.9
Regional NT
50.6
Regional Tas
58.8
Regional WA
61.0
Rest of QLD
66.5
South East Queensland
59.2
Southern NSW
59.1
Sydney
64.1
The ACT
64.2
Western VIC
60.9
Collected May 2025

Use the values and experiences matrix to understand the relationship between what your residents believe makes somewhere a good place to live and how they experience their local area in that regard. The matrix highlights the attributes that your community believe needs to maintained and improved to advance overall liveability.

Greater Importance & Worse Experiences    Greater Importance & Better Experiences    Less important attributes

Regional SA Overall Liveability Index

Regional SA Overall Liveability Index 59.4

Australia Overall Liveability Index

Australia Overall Liveability Index 59.5

Regional SA
Australia
Importance
Experience
Feeling safe
Importance
Experience
68%
7.0
65%
6.2
Health services
Importance
Experience
65%
5.4
48%
6.1
Affordable decent housing
Importance
Experience
55%
4.7
56%
4.5
Natural environment
Importance
Experience
54%
7.9
50%
7.6
Sense of community
Importance
Experience
34%
6.6
29%
6.2
Social cohesion
Importance
Experience
30%
5.9
26%
6.3
Good job prospects
Importance
Experience
24%
4.9
29%
5.4
Making your way
Importance
Experience
24%
6.1
30%
6.0
Shopping, leisure & dining
Importance
Experience
24%
5.2
26%
6.1
Public transport
Importance
Experience
24%
3.1
40%
5.2
A lack of road congestion
Importance
Experience
23%
6.8
21%
5.3
Education
Importance
Experience
21%
5.7
20%
6.3
Opportunity for all
Importance
Experience
19%
5.8
19%
5.9
Cultural facilities
Importance
Experience
14%
5.2
15%
5.8
A prosperous economy
Importance
Experience
12%
5.6
16%
5.6
Sports and recreation
Importance
Experience
8%
6.8
9%
6.9
The arrows indicate whether a difference is statistically significant. Significance testing helps determine if a difference between two groups is likely real (shown by an arrow) or due to random chance (no arrow).
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Health and Wellbeing in Regional SA in May 2025

Physical Health
How would you rate your physical health?
Do you think your physical health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
6.3
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
20%
54%
26%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
15%
56%
30%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Mental Health
How would you rate your mental health?
Do you think your mental health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
7.3
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
9%
76%
15%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
12%
64%
24%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Social wellbeing
How would you rate your social wellbeing?
Do you think your social wellbeing will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
6.7
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.5
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
8%
76%
16%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
11%
67%
22%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Financial circumstances in Regional SA in May 2025

How would you rate your personal financial circumstances?
Do you think your personal financial circumstance will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
5.7
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
5.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
29%
55%
15%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
27%
47%
26%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
How often, if ever, are you late meeting your financial commitments?
Do you think the economic situation in your local area will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 140)
Australia (n = 4683)
Always late
1%
2%
Often late
8%
6%
Sometimes late
25%
30%
Never late
67%
63%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
39%
53%
8%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
42%
48%
11%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change in Regional SA in May 2025

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
Australia (n = 4907)
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by human activities
36%
43%
It's happening - caused equally by human activities and natural causes
29%
32%
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
10%
9%
It's happening - not sure what is causing it
8%
6%
I do not believe climate change is happening
18%
11%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among those that believe in climate change, 60% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 27% expected their local area to feel the effects within their lifetime. Of those, 1% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 34% somewhat confident. 62% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact your local area in your lifetime?
How confident are you that your local area will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 119)
Australia (n = 4304)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
60%
49%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
27%
36%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect it will in my lifetime
13%
15%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Regional SA 2025 (n = 101)
Australia (n = 3585)
Very confident
1%
5%
Somewhat confident
34%
35%
Not very confident
44%
39%
Not at all confident
18%
15%
Don't know
4%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt their local area is currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top local area climate-related events were: Extreme heat (81%), Droughts (80%) and Bushfires (65%). The top actions residents felt should be taken to address the effects of climate change in their local area were: Protect and enhance local biodiversity (63%), Educate residents on how to live more sustainably (60%) and Provide options for recycling waste (56%).

How is your local area currently, or how do you expect it will, feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
What do you feel are the best ways to address the effects of climate change in your local area?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 100)
Australia (n = 3490)
Extreme heat
81%
74%
Droughts
80%
42%
Bushfires
65%
50%
Severe wind
52%
44%
Storms
37%
53%
Flooding
22%
48%
Sea level rise
18%
24%
Extremely cold temperatures
10%
16%
Earthquakes
7%
5%
Landslide
2%
7%
Cyclones
1%
24%
Other
3%
5%
None of these
0%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Regional SA 2025 (n = 101)
Australia (n = 3585)
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
63%
60%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
60%
53%
Provide options for recycling waste
56%
47%
Conserve natural resources
56%
48%
Reduce pollution of the environment
46%
51%
Encourage residents to buy locally
43%
30%
Adopt renewable energy sources
38%
48%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
37%
36%
Create renewable energy sources
36%
38%
More sustainable building and development practices
35%
44%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
28%
35%
More sustainable transport options
27%
41%
Other
5%
6%
None of these
0%
2%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 58% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 28% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 9% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 55% somewhat confident. 35% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact you personally in your lifetime?
How confident are you that you personally will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 119)
Australia (n = 4304)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
58%
47%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
28%
37%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
14%
16%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Regional SA 2025 (n = 101)
Australia (n = 3506)
Very confident
9%
8%
Somewhat confident
55%
52%
Not very confident
28%
30%
Not at all confident
7%
6%
Don't know
2%
4%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt they are currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top personal impacts were: Increased household running costs (74%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (72%) and My ability to leave my home due to weather (48%). 52% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 18% feel it will reduce their quality of life a lot.

How are you currently, or how do you expect to, personally feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Which of the following best represents how you believe the effects of climate change will affect your quality of life?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 101)
Australia (n = 3506)
Increased household running costs
74%
77%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
72%
61%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
48%
46%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
44%
40%
Challenges accessing essential services
43%
28%
Challenges getting around
36%
36%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
30%
26%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
28%
29%
Reduction in air quality
26%
36%
My ability to access nature due to weather
26%
32%
Reduced value to your home/property
21%
15%
Loss or damage to your home/property
20%
29%
None of these
1%
2%
Other
2%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Regional SA 2025 (n = 101)
Australia (n = 3506)
It will improve a lot
3%
2%
It will improve somewhat
7%
7%
It will not change
18%
14%
It will reduce somewhat
52%
49%
It will reduce a lot
18%
22%
Don't know
3%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Concerns in Regional SA in May 2025

What are the top three issues facing your local area?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
Australia (n = 4907)
Inflation/Cost of Living
46%
54%
Housing/Price of Housing
42%
50%
Healthcare/Hospitals
40%
20%
Petrol Prices/Fuel
27%
12%
Law & order
21%
36%
Transport
19%
20%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
18%
15%
Household Debt/Personal Debt
17%
13%
Unemployment
15%
9%
Poverty/Inequality
12%
11%
Environmental Concerns
11%
10%
The Economy
10%
12%
Population/Overpopulation
6%
13%
Taxation
6%
6%
Race Relations/Racism
4%
5%
Immigration
3%
7%
Education
2%
3%
Issues Facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
2%
4%
Defence
1%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Residential Development and Local Area Decision-Making in Regional SA in May 2025

What concerns do you have with residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
Australia (n = 4907)
Strain on infrastructure and public services
55%
42%
Rising housing costs
36%
35%
Lack of affordable housing
35%
38%
Increased traffic and congestion
33%
46%
Environmental impact
26%
20%
Loss of green space or natural areas
19%
28%
Overcrowding
19%
18%
Changes to neighbourhood character
19%
21%
Noise or disruption during construction
5%
10%
Other
4%
5%
None/not applicable to my area
7%
5%
Don't know
2%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What other concerns do you have with residential development in your local area?

What do you see as the potential benefits of residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
Australia (n = 4906)
Increased housing availability
47%
49%
Support for local businesses and services
44%
42%
More affordable housing options
38%
37%
Attraction of new residents and economic growth
29%
23%
Opportunity for more sustainable, energy-efficient housing
14%
15%
Improved infrastructure and amenities (e.g. roads, parks)
11%
18%
Revitalisation of underused or vacant areas
10%
20%
Enhanced public transport options
9%
13%
Greater diversity in housing types
8%
10%
Other
5%
4%
None/not applicable to my area
21%
13%
Don’t know
3%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What do you see as the other potential benefits of residential development in your local area?

To what extent do you feel your community’s views are considered in local area decision-making?
Regional SA 2025 (n = 144)
Australia (n = 4907)
Very well considered
3%
4%
Somewhat well considered
26%
27%
Not well considered
40%
34%
Not considered at all
26%
27%
Don't know
5%
9%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower