Athol Park
More than half of Athol Park's 2,023 residents were born overseas, a figure 32.6 percentage points above the national average, making it one of Adelaide's most internationally diverse suburbs within a compact 0.94 sq km footprint. The median age is 34, six years below the national figure, pointing to a younger, working-age population. Despite that youthful profile, household income sits at only the 39.2nd percentile nationally, because the workforce concentrates in community services, labouring, and manufacturing rather than high-income professions.
Local council: Charles Sturt
Population
2,023
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,380/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$862K
First quarter 2026
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, making carrying costs manageable compared to many markets at this price point. The stock is predominantly detached houses at 71.5%, with semi-detached dwellings making up another 27.4%, so genuine apartment supply is minimal at 1.1%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 58.5% and are the most competitive segment, while 4-plus bedroom properties account for 18.2%, offering room for larger households. The 24.2% outright ownership rate is lower than typical established suburbs, reflecting the relatively younger population who entered the market more recently.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, making carrying costs manageable compared to many markets at this price point. The stock is predominantly detached houses at 71.5%, with semi-detached dwellings making up another 27.4%, so genuine apartment supply is minimal at 1.1%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 58.5% and are the most competitive segment, while 4-plus bedroom properties account for 18.2%, offering room for larger households. The 24.2% outright ownership rate is lower than typical established suburbs, reflecting the relatively younger population who entered the market more recently.
For Investors
The vacancy rate of 6.2% is elevated and warrants monitoring, as it indicates some absorption pressure in the rental stock. Development activity logged 20 applications over the past 12 months, mostly incremental works, with one Torrens Title land division suggesting slow but present subdivision interest. The suburb's below-national household income at the 39.2nd percentile means rent growth will be constrained by tenant affordability, though the rent-to-income ratio of 23.2% remains below the 30% stress level, keeping tenant retention stable.
Development Activity
Total DAs
114
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Athol Park's 54.2% overseas-born share is 32.6 percentage points above the national figure, the strongest demographic signal in the brief. Vietnamese ancestry leads at 507 residents, followed by English (270), Chinese (163), and Filipino (100), which is consistent with the suburb's postcode 5012 location in Adelaide's north-west corridor. The median age of 34 is 6 years younger than national, and average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above national, reflecting more multi-generational and family-oriented households. University qualifications reach 36.6%, which is 6.5 percentage points above the national figure, a notable result given the below-average household income, suggesting qualifications in fields with modest local wages such as healthcare and community services.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
71.5%
Houses
27.4%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing tenure divides into 35.9% mortgage holders, 39.9% renters, and 24.2% outright owners, so renters represent the single largest tenure group, unusual for a suburb where most dwellings are separate houses (71.5%). Monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,500 sit well below state and national medians in dollar terms, though the 25.1% mortgage-to-income ratio still reflects meaningful household commitment given incomes at the 39.2nd percentile nationally. Semi-detached dwellings at 27.4% are well above the national share, giving buyers a lower-entry-cost option than the detached stock. Three-bedroom homes make up 58.5% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 18.2%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$320
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$650
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
48
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.1%
Couples with children
27.0%
Couples, no children
21.2%
Single parent
515
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 22.8% (128 workers), well above its typical share nationally, followed by Manufacturing at 11.6% (65 workers) and Hospitality at 8.9% (50 workers), a mix that reflects a blue-collar and service-sector orientation. Community and personal service workers (176) and labourers (167) are the two largest occupation groups, ahead of professionals (134), which explains why university qualifications at 36.6% exceed national levels but household incomes remain at the 39.2nd percentile nationally. The unemployment rate is 7.3%, higher than the national average, and the participation rate of 58.6% is below typical, partly because 566 residents are not in the labour force at all. Full-time employment accounts for 59.1% of employed residents, which is close to national norms.
Unemployment
7.0%
Labour Force
1,007
Unemployed
70
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.9%
Part-time
38.7%
Participation
61.6%
Employed
937
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.6%
Postgraduate
7.8%
Born Overseas
54.2%
Dwellings
722
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 84.2% of commuters driving, compared to 5.9% using public transport and 2.0% walking or cycling, a pattern typical for Adelaide's suburban fringe rather than inner-city areas. No schools are recorded inside the 0.94 sq km boundary, so families depend on schools in adjacent suburbs. The crime rate is 69.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, which provides a reference point but no state or national benchmark comparison is available in this data. Housing stress indicators are reassuring: rent-to-income at 23.2% and mortgage-to-income at 25.1% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, meaning the cost burden on residents is manageable relative to their incomes, even though incomes rank at the 39.2nd percentile nationally. The 9.5% volunteering rate suggests moderate community engagement.
Drive
79.0%
Public Transport
5.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
6.2%
Growth Outlook
The two-quarter price history prevents a longer trend view, but the direction is positive. Population mobility is moderate, with a 21% annual turnover rate meaning roughly 1 in 5 residents changed address in the prior year, while 79% stayed, giving the suburb reasonable stability. Development applications totalled 20 over 12 months, indicating measured but not inactive planning activity, with one land division application suggesting incremental densification is occurring. The suburb's younger-than-national median age of 34 and high overseas-born share support continued household formation, which underpins longer-run housing demand.
Population trend: Charles Sturt council area
Athol Park sits in the Charles Sturt council area. These are the council area's residents, not Athol Park's.
Residents 2025
130,841
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.4%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
141
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
69.7
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Athol Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Athol Park?
No schools are recorded within the 0.94 sq km Athol Park boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs within postcode 5012 and surrounds. Despite this, 36.6% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 6.5 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Athol Park safe?
Athol Park recorded 141 criminal incidents over the measured period, giving a crime rate of 69.7 per 1,000 residents. Detailed crime category breakdowns are not available in this data. As a broader context indicator, housing stress is low, with rent-to-income at 23.2% and mortgage-to-income at 25.1%, both below the 30% stress threshold.
How is Athol Park's population changing?
Athol Park has a population of 2,023, with a relatively young median age of 34, six years below national. The annual residential turnover rate is 21%, meaning about 1 in 5 residents moved in the prior year, while 79% stayed. The 54.2% overseas-born share, 32.6 points above national, suggests ongoing migration continues to shape household formation.
What languages are spoken in Athol Park?
With 54.2% of residents born overseas, 32.6 percentage points above the national figure, Athol Park is highly multicultural. Vietnamese ancestry is the largest group at 507 residents. Non-English languages spoken include Punjabi (32 speakers), Serbian (29), Arabic (26), and Malayalam (23), reflecting the suburb's diverse migration origins.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), SA Department for Housing and Urban Development (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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