Adelaide’s Profile

Adelaide’s Migrants | What’s it Like Living in Adelaide?

Adelaide’s population of just over one million enjoys a Mediterranean climate and a relaxed lifestyle.

Despite its million plus inhabitants, Adelaide can feel more like a large town – there is a great deal of open space and parkland.

The city is well laid out in planned, rectangular blocks with lots of straight roads and green spaces.

Adelaide’s suburban streets are wide and uncluttered – there is space for everyone to park their car off-street in driveways and/or garages, which makes life in Adelaide more convenient for car owners than in most other cities of over a million people.

According to the Bureau of Statistics, people from the UK are Adelaide’s biggest migrant group, making up 10 percent of the population.

The next biggest groups are Italians (2%), Greeks (1%), Germans (1%) and Vietnamese (1%).

About 2.5% of the population is South-East Asian and 0.5% come from the Middle East or North Africa.

Aboriginal Australians represent 1% of Adelaide’s population.

Overall, about one-quarter of Adelaide’s residents were born overseas.

Adelaide has the highest proportion of retired people of Australia’s big cities.

It is not considered a trendy city in the way Sydney is. This should only matter to you if you consider yourself to be a trendy sort of person. If you like to shop in top fashion outlets, or if you are especially keen on shopping for designer-label clothing, laid-back Adelaide may disappoint you. Casual is king in the warm climate and many of Adelaide’s clothes shops reflect this.

There is plenty to do in Adelaide and the city’s foodies are particularly well provided for. There are large numbers of eateries. Particularly worth visiting is Rundle Street, just east of the City Centre – Rundle street is almost exclusively made up of restaurants. The Gouger Street precinct in the Central Market area also has a large variety of restaurants including Asian, Greek, Italian and Australian.