Balhannah
With 95.4% of dwellings being separate houses spread across 31.6 km2, Balhannah is one of the most exclusively detached suburbs in the Adelaide Hills, and that physical character explains much of what follows. The median house price reached $978,500 in Q1 2026, up 26.1% in a single year from $776,000. Only 14.1% of residents rent, compared to the national average closer to 30%, because the ownership culture here runs deep: 41.4% own outright. The median age is 44, which is 4.0 years above the national figure, and 85.8% of residents did not move in the past year, signalling a settled, long-term population.
Population
1,756
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,851/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$978K
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price of $978,500 sits well above the SA state median, and the 26.1% rise from $776,000 just one year earlier signals a market moving quickly. Almost all stock is separate houses at 95.4%, so buyers face limited alternatives to freestanding homes on acreage-style lots. Three-bedroom homes account for 52.6% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms make up 34.7%, meaning most buyers are choosing between a family-sized home and a larger one. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,647, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means the suburb remains financially manageable despite the higher purchase price. Outright owners at 41.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 44.4%, a sign of substantial equity in the local market.
For Buyers
The median house price of $978,500 sits well above the SA state median, and the 26.1% rise from $776,000 just one year earlier signals a market moving quickly. Almost all stock is separate houses at 95.4%, so buyers face limited alternatives to freestanding homes on acreage-style lots. Three-bedroom homes account for 52.6% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms make up 34.7%, meaning most buyers are choosing between a family-sized home and a larger one. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,647, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means the suburb remains financially manageable despite the higher purchase price. Outright owners at 41.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 44.4%, a sign of substantial equity in the local market.
For Investors
Balhannah's investment fundamentals are mixed by design. Weekly rent averages $335, and with a vacancy rate of 7.7%, the rental market is looser than typical metro suburbs. Against the $978,500 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 1.8%, modest for regional SA. Only 14.1% of residents rent, compared to a national figure closer to 30%, so the tenant pool is structurally thin. Development applications totalled 31 in the past 12 months, mostly additions and alterations rather than new dwellings, keeping supply limited. The 26.1% price growth in one year is strong, but with a turnover rate of only 14.2%, stock rarely changes hands, making entry timing important for investors focused on capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
190
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+6.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4.0 years above the national median, and the household profile reflects this maturity: 26.9% of families are couples without children and 44.4% carry a mortgage, the peak debt stage of life. Average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above the national average, consistent with families that still have dependants at home. Overseas-born residents make up 13.5%, which is 8.1 points below the national figure, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (880), German (233), Scottish (208) and Irish (175) are the four leading groups. University qualifications reach 33.2%, which is 3.1 points above the national rate. The volunteering rate of 27.5% is notably high, indicating strong community participation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.4%
Houses
4.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Price growth is the defining story: the median house price moved from $776,000 in Q1 2025 to $978,500 in Q1 2026, a 26.1% increase in a year. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 95.4%, with semi-detached dwellings making up the remaining 4.6% and no meaningful apartment supply. Tenure leans toward ownership: 41.4% own outright, 44.4% carry a mortgage and only 14.1% rent, proportions that differ sharply from most SA suburbs where renting is more common. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.6% and four-plus bedroom homes at 34.7%, pointing to a family-oriented stock. Rent-to-income at 18.1% and mortgage-to-income at 20.5% both sit below the 30% stress level, so affordability pressure is lower than the headline price suggests.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,647
Rent / wk
$335
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$843
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.7%
Unoccupied
52
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.9%
Couples, no children
1,442
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 18.5% of local workers (119 people), followed by Education at 14.5% (93) and Professional/Technical services at 10.3% (66). Construction accounts for 9.0% (58 workers), consistent with activity in a growing regional township. By occupation, Professionals (236) and Managers (152) are the top two groups, which aligns with household income in the 67th percentile nationally, above the median but not in the top quartile. The unemployment rate is 2.6%, well below national norms, and the full-time employment rate is 58.5%. Participation at 57.3% is moderate, partly because 456 residents are not in the labour force, a figure consistent with the older median age of 44.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.5%
Part-time
38.9%
Participation
57.3%
Employed
802
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.2%
Postgraduate
7.7%
Born Overseas
13.5%
Dwellings
624
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total at 92.5% of commuters driving, with public transport used by only 1.3% of residents, a pattern typical of Adelaide Hills townships that sit beyond the rail network. Walking or cycling accounts for 2.4% of trips. The crime rate stands at 20.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, which is lower than many suburban and urban SA areas, consistent with the identity as a low-crime locality. Mortgage-to-income at 20.5% and rent-to-income at 18.1% both fall below the national stress benchmarks, so residents are not overstretched financially. No schools are recorded within the Balhannah boundary in this dataset, meaning families rely on facilities in surrounding Hills townships. The volunteering rate of 27.5% is high compared to national averages, reflecting strong civic engagement in this settled community.
Drive
92.5%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
36
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
20.5
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Balhannah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Balhannah a good suburb to live in?
Balhannah offers a low-crime rate of 20.5 per 1,000 residents, very high home ownership at 85.8% of residents staying year to year, and mortgage-to-income of 20.5% below the stress threshold. Household income sits in the 67th percentile nationally. The trade-off is near-total car dependence at 92.5% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Balhannah?
The median house price in Balhannah is $978,500 as of Q1 2026, up 26.1% from $776,000 in Q1 2025. Weekly rent averages $335 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,647, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%.
What schools are in Balhannah?
No schools are recorded inside the Balhannah boundary in this dataset. The suburb's population of 1,756 is served by schools in neighbouring Adelaide Hills townships. Locally, 33.2% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 3.1 points above the national average.
Is Balhannah safe?
Balhannah recorded 36 total crime incidents, giving a crime rate of 20.5 per 1,000 residents, lower than many suburban SA localities. The suburb is identified as a low-crime-rate area and 85.8% of residents remained in place year to year, consistent with a stable, settled community.
Is Balhannah good for property investment?
Prices rose 26.1% in one year from $776,000 to $978,500, which is strong capital growth. However, only 14.1% of residents rent compared to the national average closer to 30%, the vacancy rate is 7.7%, and gross yield is near 1.8% against the current median. Returns depend on capital growth rather than rental income.
How is Balhannah's population changing?
Balhannah's population is 1,756 across 31.6 km2. The suburb is highly stable: 85.8% of residents did not change address in the year before the Census, giving a turnover rate of only 14.2%. The median age of 44 is 4.0 years above the national figure, suggesting a gradually aging resident base.
How much development is happening in Balhannah?
There were 31 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly dwelling additions, deck and verandah works, and one change of use. New dwelling supply is limited, which supports price appreciation. At 95.4% separate houses, the suburb has almost no apartment or medium-density development.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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