Tom Willis is an award-winning marketing leader and Co-founder of Lawpath. Tom’s journey journey includes steering several entrepreneurial projects and addressing the unique challenges faced by small businesses. As the Chief Marketing Officer at Lawpath, Tom has been pivotal in shaping the company’s marketing strategy and business growth.
The best cities to start a business in SA in FY26, ranked by growth in new business registrations, are Gawler, Playford, Mid Murray, Mount Barker and the Unincorporated area. Adelaide’s northern fringe is doing most of the heavy lifting, backed by an unlikely fifth entrant: the state’s own outback.
Picking where to start a business in SA feels like a gut call, so most people default to wherever they already live. That leaves money on the table. Where a local economy is adding people, homes and industry fastest is where new customers show up first, and the Lawpath New Business Index shows exactly where that is happening.
- Gawler led SA, with new registrations up 51.6%. They rose from 1,543 in FY25 to 2,339 in FY26 on the Lawpath New Business Index.
- Adelaide’s northern growth corridor dominates the list. Gawler, Playford and Mount Barker all sit on the metro fringe where housing releases like Concordia and Edinburgh Parks are landing.
- SA registrations rose 30.0% in FY26 alone. They climbed from about 23,300 in FY21 to 81,000 in FY26, a rise of 248% over five years.
- Volume and growth are different races. Port Adelaide Enfield led the notable mentions on sheer numbers with 9,263 new registrations, while Onkaparinga, SA’s largest council, still grew 34.4%.
- Most of these businesses are small. Across the top five, 61% to 70% are non-employing sole operators, and construction or agriculture is the leading industry in every one.
How we ranked the top 5 cities to start a business in SA
Two datasets sit behind this list. The first is the Lawpath New Business Index, which tracks new business registrations by postcode across Australia and rolls them up to local government areas. The second is the Australian Bureau of Statistics Counts of Australian Businesses, released in December 2025, which counts every operating business by industry, staff numbers and turnover.
We took every SA local government area with at least 1,000 new registrations in FY26, then ranked them by year-on-year growth. The floor keeps the list to genuine cities and larger centres, rather than small shires that can post big percentages off a low base.
We then cross-checked each area against the ABS count of active businesses. One caveat worth naming: registrations are recorded against a business owner’s address postcode, while the ABS counts businesses by their main operating location. In fast-growing outer areas that can push annual registrations close to or above the ABS active count, so read the two figures as complementary rather than identical.
The 5 fastest-growing places to start a business in SA (FY26)
| # | City / LGA | Region | New businesses FY26 | YoY growth | 5-yr growth | Active (ABS 2025) | Top industry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gawler | Barossa Gateway | 2,339 | +51.6% | +473% | 1,434* | Construction |
| 2 | Playford | Northern Adelaide | 2,825 | +45.4% | +380% | 4,780 | Construction |
| 3 | Mid Murray | Murray River | 1,219 | +39.6% | +254% | 816* | Agriculture |
| 4 | Mount Barker | Adelaide Hills | 1,295 | +35.6% | +262% | 3,444 | Construction |
| 5 | Unincorporated SA | Outback SA | 2,070 | +35.3% | +204% | 287* | Agriculture |
Wherever you land on this list, getting started is quick. You can register an ABN in about a day, or register a company and have your ACN in minutes.
The 5 fastest-growing places to start a business in SA, in detail
1. Gawler: the fastest mover on Adelaide’s fringe
Gawler was the fastest-growing area in SA, with new registrations up 51.6% to 2,339. The town’s population has already passed 32,000, up more than 2% in the past year alone, roughly double the state average. Sitting 42 kilometres north of Adelaide at the edge of the metro area, it is the launchpad for Concordia, a 995-hectare rezoning expected to deliver 10,000 to 12,000 new homes and 25,000 to 30,000 residents over the next 30 years.
The Concordia Code Amendment is part of the state’s Housing Roadmap, the single largest release of residential land in South Australia’s history. Nearby, the Roseworthy Township Expansion was recently extended to add another 350 allotments, building toward more than 3,000 dwellings on the Barossa fringe. For a new business, this is about as clear a signal as it gets: trades, childcare, allied health and retail all follow new estates.
2. Playford: the defence and logistics engine
Playford grew 45.4% to 2,825 new registrations. It is home to Edinburgh Parks, South Australia’s largest master-planned industrial estate at 600 hectares, sitting next to the Edinburgh RAAF Base. The wider Greater Edinburgh Parks precinct covers 1,600 hectares and has been identified in the state’s planning strategy as future employment land with the potential to host more than 37,000 jobs, around 90% of Adelaide’s remaining employment land supply.
Defence SA is actively expanding the Edinburgh Defence Precinct, while Council runs dedicated economic development and planning teams to fast-track major projects. The 1,000-hectare Playford Alive community development is adding housing alongside the jobs. Freight, defence supply, manufacturing and construction all have runway here.
3. Mid Murray: rebuilding the river economy
Mid Murray grew 39.6% to 1,219 new registrations, a smaller base than the other four but a genuine growth story. The economy runs on broadacre grains, livestock, horticulture and wine grapes, with river tourism around Mannum and the Murray townships as a strong second leg. The 2022/23 Murray River flood damaged much of the region’s river infrastructure and tourism assets, and rebuilding has become a major driver of local investment since.
Council has secured funding through the Australian Government’s $400 million Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program to rebuild river tourism infrastructure, including a River Corridor Tourism Masterplan, township masterplans and a Dark-Sky astro-tourism business case. Tourism operators, agricultural suppliers and trades are the practical entry points as the rebuild continues.
4. Mount Barker: the Adelaide Hills boomtown
Mount Barker grew 35.6% to 1,295 new registrations. It is one of the fastest-growing council areas in the state, with population projections pushing toward 130,000 residents by 2051, and median house prices up 17.8% in the past year as buyers priced out of Adelaide move into the Hills. The district has recorded some of SA’s fastest population growth for two decades running.
In early 2026, the state government announced a $200 million plan for Mount Barker covering new schools, a police station and road upgrades, on top of the ongoing Mount Barker and Adelaide Hills Transport Study backed by $580 million in joint state and federal infrastructure funding. Construction, professional services and health care are the clear plays as the population wave keeps building.
5. Unincorporated SA: the outback surprise
The Unincorporated area, SA’s vast pastoral and outback region covering around 60% of the state’s land mass, grew 35.3% to 2,070 new registrations, off a base of just under 3,500 residents spread across pastoral leases, mining towns and remote tourism operations. Unlike a conventional council, it is managed by the Outback Communities Authority rather than an elected local government.
The OCA’s Economic Growth and Investment Strategy is pushing diversification beyond mining, including a transition plan for Leigh Creek and drive-tourism upgrades along tracks like the Strzelecki, alongside a growing cluster of pastoral tourism operators such as Station Stays SA. For a region this small, the growth rate says less about density and more about how quickly remote operators are formalising diversified income streams.
Notable mentions: big volume, steadier growth
Growth rate rewards the fast movers, but volume matters too. These three metropolitan councils record the most new businesses in SA by a wide margin. They grew more slowly than the top five, yet each remains one of the largest markets in the state to launch into.
Port Adelaide Enfield
Port Adelaide Enfield recorded the most new registrations of any SA council outside the top five, 9,263, but grew a more modest 32.0%. It already supports more than 82,000 jobs across over 11,000 businesses, and its Prosperous Economy Strategy and Economic Development Plan 2025-29 is steering further diversification around the Port Adelaide precinct. Scale, not growth rate, is the draw.
Onkaparinga
Onkaparinga logged 7,252 new registrations, up 34.4%. It is SA’s largest council by population at more than 180,000 residents, spread from Aberfoyle Park down to McLaren Vale, and continues to add housing through projects like the 800-home Aldinga development. A deep, established southern market rather than a frontier.
Salisbury
Salisbury had 6,456 new registrations, up 35.0%. Its population sits above 145,000 and includes the Mawson Lakes technology and education precinct alongside its traditional industrial base. One of the most consistently fast-growing council areas in metropolitan Adelaide over the past two decades.
Why SA is a strong state for new businesses
South Australia added roughly 81,000 new businesses in FY26, up 30.0% on the year before. Over five years, registrations have more than tripled, climbing from about 23,300 in FY21, a rise of 248%. The state’s own economic data backs the trend: state final demand rose 3.8% through the year to the March 2026 quarter, the second-fastest growth rate in the country.
Population growth is the underlying driver. Net overseas migration has slowed slightly over the past year but continues to add residents across Greater Adelaide, with the state’s own population projections pointing to sustained growth across the northern and southern growth corridors through to 2041.
The second force is the state’s Housing Roadmap. Concordia near Gawler, the Greater Edinburgh Parks employment lands near Playford and new releases at Aldinga in Onkaparinga are all part of a coordinated push to unlock land on both the northern and southern edges of Adelaide, detailed in the Concordia rezoning update from Housing and Urban Development. Gawler, Playford and Mount Barker all sit inside or beside these growth corridors.
What the index shows about where new businesses are going
Because the index tracks registrations as they happen, it surfaces a pattern worth knowing before you pick where to start a business in SA. Growth is spreading well beyond the obvious inner suburbs. Port Adelaide Enfield still records the most registrations of the big established councils, but it grew 32% while Gawler, on the fringe, grew 51.6%.
The fast movers share a profile: available land, new housing releases and infrastructure spend, which is why construction tops the business count in three of the top five areas. The other two, Mid Murray and Unincorporated SA, run on agriculture and tourism instead, a genuinely SA-specific twist that a purely metro-focused ranking would miss.
How to actually start your business once you have picked a place
Choosing the location is the strategic bit. Setting up is the admin bit, and it is quicker than most people expect.
Start with your structure. Most people begin as a sole trader for its simplicity, then move to a company once income or risk grows. Our guide on sole trader versus company walks through the trade-offs. The short version: a company caps your personal liability but adds reporting.
From there the steps are straightforward. Get an ABN, then register a business name if you are trading under anything other than your own name. If you are setting up a company, you can register a company online and receive your ACN in minutes, with the ASIC registration fee sitting at $636 for FY26. You will also need to register for GST once your turnover reaches $75,000. It does not usually matter which state you register a company in, because a company operates nationally, a point we cover in choosing where to register.
If you would rather have a person check your setup, you can hire a lawyer for a quick consult before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best city to start a business in SA in FY26?
On growth in new registrations, Gawler led SA at 51.6% year on year, followed by Playford at 45.4%. The best city for you depends on your industry and customers, but Adelaide’s northern growth corridor dominates the top five.
Why is Gawler growing so fast?
Gawler sits next to Concordia, a 995-hectare rezoning expected to add 10,000 to 12,000 homes over 30 years, plus the neighbouring Roseworthy Township Expansion. New housing on this scale pulls trades, retail and health services with it.
Which SA area has the most new businesses?
By sheer volume, Port Adelaide Enfield leads among councils outside the top five with 9,263 new registrations in FY26. Within the top five by growth, Playford had the most at 2,825.
How much does it cost to register a company in SA?
The ASIC fee to register a proprietary company is $636 from 1 July 2026. Service providers add their own fee on top. Registering a business name is cheaper, at $47 for one year or $108 for three years through ASIC.
Do I need to register my company in the state where I operate?
No. A company registered with ASIC operates Australia-wide, so the state you register in does not restrict where you trade. What matters more is where your customers, premises and staff are located.
What industries are growing fastest in these areas?
Construction leads the business count in Gawler, Playford and Mount Barker, reflecting heavy housing investment. Agriculture leads in Mid Murray and Unincorporated SA, alongside a growing tourism sector in both.
Is it better to start a business in regional SA or metro Adelaide?
Both work, for different reasons if you want to start a business in SA. Regional areas like Mid Murray offer cheaper premises and recovering local demand. Adelaide’s growth corridors, like Gawler, Playford and Mount Barker, offer faster population growth and a bigger pipeline of new customers.
Are most new businesses in SA small?
Yes. Across the top five areas, 61% to 70% of businesses have no employees, and only a small share turn over more than $2 million a year. Starting small is the norm, not the exception.
Where to from here
You do not need to pick the perfect city to succeed, and no ranking replaces knowing your own customers. What the FY26 data gives you is a head start: a clear view of where people, homes and money are moving in SA, so you can plant your business in front of the demand instead of chasing it.
When you are ready to make it official, register your company with Lawpath and get your ACN in minutes.
