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. 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.
Local council: Adelaide Hills
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
29
Median House
$978K
First quarter 2026
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
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. 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
195
Last 12 Months
29
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-3.3%
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
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
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.
Mortgage / mo
$1,647
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$335
Census 2021
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
47.7%
Couples with children
39.0%
Couples, no children
12.7%
Single parent
497
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.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
891
Unemployed
21
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.9%
Part-time
38.3%
Participation
62.0%
Employed
870
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
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
78.2%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
15.5%
Growth Outlook
House price growth of 26.1% in the year from Q1 2025 to Q1 2026 is well above the SA state average and places Balhannah among the faster-moving Adelaide Hills markets in recent data. The population of 1,756 is spread across 31.6 km2 at a density of just 55.6 people per km2, which is far below metropolitan averages, reflecting the rural character of the area. Residential turnover is low: 85.8% of residents did not move in the 12 months before the Census, meaning demand is driven more by external movers than by internal churn. Development activity shows 31 applications in the past year, mostly additions rather than new dwellings, so supply growth is gradual, which supports ongoing price appreciation over the medium term.
Population trend: Adelaide Hills council area
Balhannah sits in the Adelaide Hills council area. These are the council area's residents, not Balhannah's.
Residents 2025
42,875
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
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 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.
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), 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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