Where SA stands in new national happiness rankings
Fewer than half of South Australians surveyed are optimistic about the state’s future, new research reveals. How happy are you?
About 44 per cent of South Australians are optimistic about the direction of the state, according to new research from Flinders University.
The university’s 2026 Wicked Problems report measures happiness and optimism nationally for the first time in a survey of more than 15,000 Australians.
The report found housing unaffordability concerns spiked in the last year, and cost of living topped the list of the state’s key concerns for the second year in a row.
The study found South Australians were the second most optimistic in Australia, after Western Australia’s 47 per cent, but no state or territory exceeded 50 per cent.
Of the remaining 56 per cent of South Australians, half were unsure about the state’s future, and half were pessimistic – 18 per cent said they were fairly pessimistic and 10 per cent said they were very or completely pessimistic.
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Generation X and Baby Boomers were more pessimistic, with about 42 per cent of those generations saying they were fairly, very or completely pessimistic, compared to a 30 per cent cohort of pessimistic Generation Z.
Both WA and SA recorded growing concern in housing unaffordability; this year, 43 per cent of South Australians surveyed said this was a major concern, compared to 37 per cent in 2025.
Flinders University Deputy Vice Chancellor Raymond Chan said the research showed “concerns around these issues are intensifying in terms of their impact on people’s lives”.
“These are complex issues without clear-cut solutions,” Chan said.
“Flinders continues to put the voice of Australians at the centre of our research agenda, so our experts can seek to understand the root causes and help deliver solutions that bring the most benefit to the community.”
Housing unaffordability concerns were growing, particularly among Generations Y and Z, as Adelaide is the fourth most expensive place to buy, according to new PropTrack data.
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The PropTrack data, released today, found the median value of a home in Adelaide was $942,000 in June – down 0.2 per cent from May.
The Wicked Problems report found South Australians had a “growing perception of housing as a financial asset instead of a home, locking many first‑home buyers out while placing sustained stress on renters”.
In South Australia, the third major concern was access to quality healthcare, which 31 per cent of South Australians ranked as a major concern, followed by crime and the environment.
Health, particularly ambulance ramping, was an ongoing concern of South Australians and a challenge for the government, the latest state budget revealing the Malinauskas government’s total health spend of $12 billion since it came to government in 2022
About 69.8 per cent of South Australians said they were fairly happy, very happy or completely happy, the fourth happiest of the seven states and territories.
Sixty-eight per cent of South Australians were concerned about the cost of living, higher than the national average of 65 per cent.
Nationally, Generations Y and X were most concerned about cost of living, while Generation Z was twice as concerned about unemployment than the national average.
Women were twice as likely to identify domestic violence as a concern, with 18 per cent concerned, compared to nine per cent of men.
Men were more concerned with trust in government than women.
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