Bedford Park
At a median age of 28, Bedford Park sits 12 years below the national average, one of the strongest student-skew signals in greater Adelaide. The suburb pairs that youth with a 51.4% university qualification rate (21.3 percentage points above national) and 49% of residents born overseas, fully 27.4 points above national. A 52.5% renter share and 43.4% annual turnover rate reflect the transient nature of a campus-adjacent population. The median house price of $987,500 in the first quarter of 2026 reflects demand anchored by Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre rather than a settled owner-occupier base.
Population
1,882
Median Age
28.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,448/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
24
Median House
$988K
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price reached $987,500 in the first quarter of 2026, up 12.2% from $880,000 a year earlier, with household income at the 43.9th percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 69.4% of the stock and three-bedroom homes lead at 43.7%, followed by two-bedroom and four-plus at 26.5% each. Outright owners account for only 27.6%, lower than owner-occupier suburbs, because the student-heavy population means few long-term residents have accumulated equity here.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $987,500 in the first quarter of 2026, up 12.2% from $880,000 a year earlier, with household income at the 43.9th percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 69.4% of the stock and three-bedroom homes lead at 43.7%, followed by two-bedroom and four-plus at 26.5% each. Outright owners account for only 27.6%, lower than owner-occupier suburbs, because the student-heavy population means few long-term residents have accumulated equity here.
For Investors
A 52.5% renter share and weekly rent of $290 provide a consistent tenant base anchored by Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre. Vacancy at 10.2% is elevated compared to the state average, consistent with semester-boundary turnover. Prices climbed 12.2% in the year to the first quarter of 2026, above typical national growth rates, while rent-to-income at 20% keeps tenants stable. The 43.4% annual turnover rate means landlords can reset rents frequently. Development activity reached 22 applications in 12 months, modest supply relative to the price gain, which supports continued capital appreciation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
133
Last 12 Months
24
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+41.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bedford Park iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Australian Science and Mathematics School
10-12 · 419 students
Demographics
The median age of 28 is 12 years below the national figure, shaped by the student population near Flinders University. University qualifications reach 51.4%, which is 21.3 percentage points above national, and 49% of residents were born overseas, compared to around 21.6% nationally. English ancestry leads at 423 residents, followed by Chinese at 238. Top non-English languages are Mandarin (52 speakers), Nepali and Sinhalese (16 each), reflecting international student flows. Couples with children (265 families) narrowly outnumber couples without children (262 families) among 758 total families, a sign that medical and academic professionals with families form a stable resident layer beneath the student churn.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
69.4%
Houses
16.6%
Townhouse
14.1%
Apartment
Tenure
The median house price rose from $880,000 to $987,500 between the first quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, a 12.2% gain. Renters account for 52.5% of tenure compared to 19.9% with a mortgage and 27.6% owning outright, a tenure split skewed toward renting relative to most Adelaide suburbs. Separate houses form 69.4% of stock, with three-bedroom homes at 43.7%. Weekly rent of $290 against the $987,500 median implies a gross yield around 1.5%, modest but consistent with a campus market. Rent-to-income at 20% is below the 30% stress threshold, so tenants carry lighter housing cost burdens than the price level might suggest.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$470
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.2%
Unoccupied
55
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.6%
Couples, no children
758
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 33.8% of employed residents (190 workers), far higher than the next sector, reflecting Flinders Medical Centre. Hospitality (9.8%) and Education (9.1%) follow, consistent with a campus service economy. Community and personal service occupations lead at 197 workers, narrowly ahead of Professionals at 196. The unemployment rate of 11.6% is well above metropolitan averages because many residents are full-time students outside the labour force; the participation rate of 49.6% is below national norms for the same reason. Household weekly income of $1,448 sits at the 43.9th percentile nationally, reflecting the split between high-earning health workers and income-limited students.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
42.3%
Part-time
46.1%
Participation
49.6%
Employed
764
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.4%
Postgraduate
15.7%
Born Overseas
49.0%
Dwellings
483
Transport to Work
Active transport reaches 10.1% walking or cycling and 12.7% on public transport, a higher combined share than many outer Adelaide suburbs. Car use sits at 71.9%, below the national suburban norm. The crime rate of 94 per 1,000 residents (177 total incidents) is elevated, a pattern common to areas adjacent to university campuses and medical precincts with high transience. Rent-to-income at 20% keeps costs manageable for the majority renter population. Volunteering participation of 21.3% is above average, consistent with a university-affiliated community. No schools are recorded inside the 2.67 km2 boundary, so families depend on schools in neighbouring suburbs.
Drive
71.9%
Public Transport
12.7%
Walk / Cycle
10.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
177
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
94.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bedford Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bedford Park a good suburb to live in?
Bedford Park suits students and healthcare workers well, with a 51.4% university qualification rate and 33.8% of employment in healthcare. The suburb sits at the 43.9th percentile for household income nationally, so it is affordable relative to its $987,500 median house price. The trade-offs are a 10.2% vacancy rate and a crime rate of 94 per 1,000 residents, both elevated compared to typical Adelaide suburbs.
What is the median house price in Bedford Park?
The median house price is $987,500 as of the first quarter of 2026, up 12.2% from $880,000 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $290, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.5%.
What schools are in Bedford Park?
No schools are recorded within the Bedford Park suburb boundary in this dataset. The suburb is home to Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre rather than primary or secondary schools. Families typically access schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Pasadena and Clovelly Park. The suburb's 51.4% university qualification rate is 21.3 points above the national average.
Is Bedford Park safe?
Bedford Park recorded 177 crime incidents in the reference period, a rate of 94 per 1,000 residents. This is elevated relative to broader metropolitan Adelaide and is classified as a high-crime-rate suburb. The pattern is common in areas adjacent to university campuses and large medical precincts, where high transience and a 43.4% annual turnover contribute to elevated incident counts.
Is Bedford Park good for property investment?
Prices grew 12.2% in the year to the first quarter of 2026, above national averages. The 52.5% renter share creates steady demand anchored by Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre. Weekly rent of $290 against a $987,500 median implies a gross yield around 1.5%, which is modest. The 10.2% vacancy rate is elevated, so investors should factor in potential vacancy between student tenancies.
How is Bedford Park's population changing?
Population forecasts are not available in this dataset. The suburb's 43.4% annual turnover rate means nearly half of the 1,882 residents change each year, driven by the student lifecycle. The 49% overseas-born share, which is 27.4 percentage points above national, reflects ongoing international student enrolment as the primary population driver.
What languages are spoken in Bedford Park?
About 49% of Bedford Park residents were born overseas, which is 27.4 percentage points above the national figure. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (52 speakers), Nepali (16), Sinhalese (16), Malayalam (14) and Arabic (12), reflecting the South and East Asian student population drawn to Flinders University.
How much development is happening in Bedford Park?
Bedford Park recorded 22 development applications in the past 12 months. Recent applications include a raised deck and verandah (March 2026) and vegetation management work, indicating incremental improvement of existing dwellings rather than major new supply. This level of development is modest given the 12.2% price growth recorded over the same period.
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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