Birdwood
At 43.65 square kilometres with just 1,376 residents, Birdwood registers a density of 31.5 people per km2, one of the lowest you will find in a settled South Australian locality. What makes that low density interesting is a median house price of $777,000 in Q1 2026, well above what sparse rural areas typically command, because Birdwood sits in the Adelaide Hills rather than remote farmland. Household income lands at the 61.7th percentile nationally, above average but not premium, and 97.5% of dwellings are separate houses, signalling a strongly detached-dwelling community where nearly 41% of owners hold their homes outright.
Population
1,376
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,754/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Median House
$777K
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price reached $777,000 in Q1 2026, up 11% from $700,000 in Q1 2025. For context against income, the monthly mortgage repayment of $1,602 represents 21.1% of household income, which stays below the 30% stress threshold and makes Birdwood more comfortable to service than many metropolitan markets. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.5%, so competition focuses on detached dwellings. The bedroom split favours larger homes: 44.9% have four or more bedrooms and 40.5% have three, which suits families buying for space rather than convenience. With 40.9% of owners holding properties outright, the ownership base is stable, reducing forced-sale pressure that can push prices down in downturns.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $777,000 in Q1 2026, up 11% from $700,000 in Q1 2025. For context against income, the monthly mortgage repayment of $1,602 represents 21.1% of household income, which stays below the 30% stress threshold and makes Birdwood more comfortable to service than many metropolitan markets. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.5%, so competition focuses on detached dwellings. The bedroom split favours larger homes: 44.9% have four or more bedrooms and 40.5% have three, which suits families buying for space rather than convenience. With 40.9% of owners holding properties outright, the ownership base is stable, reducing forced-sale pressure that can push prices down in downturns.
For Investors
The rental market is thin: only 11.2% of households rent, which means demand for investment properties is limited compared to suburban rental markets where 25-35% typically rent. Weekly rent sits at $320, and against a $777,000 median that implies a gross yield around 2.1%, below most investors' thresholds. The vacancy rate of 7.7% is elevated and signals oversupply in the small rental segment. On the positive side, 24 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, showing ongoing activity, and the 11% price increase in one year demonstrates that capital growth has been real. Low turnover at 13.7% means properties rarely come to market, which can support prices but restricts entry opportunities.
Development Activity
Total DAs
174
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-6.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Birdwood iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Birdwood High School
7-12 · 555 students
Birdwood Primary School
R-6 · 194 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 sits 3 years above the national figure, reflecting an older resident base consistent with an established Hills town. University qualifications reach 23.3% of residents, which is 6.8 percentage points below the national rate, pointing to a workforce oriented toward trades, healthcare and practical occupations rather than knowledge-sector roles. Overseas-born residents account for 14.1%, which is 7.5 percentage points below national, underscoring a strongly local-born profile. Ancestry is led by English (721 residents), followed by German (160), Irish (118) and Scottish (116), the German heritage reflecting early Lutheran settlement in the Adelaide Hills region. Average household size of 2.7 is slightly above the national figure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.5%
Houses
2.5%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Birdwood's housing stock is exceptionally uniform: 97.5% separate houses, with semi-detached dwellings covering the remaining 2.5% and effectively no apartments. Tenure is split between outright owners at 40.9%, mortgage holders at 47.9% and renters at just 11.2%, a distribution that skews toward owner-occupiers by a wide margin compared to national averages. The bedroom profile confirms the family-scale nature of the stock, with 44.9% of dwellings at four or more bedrooms. Price rose from $700,000 to $777,000 between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, an 11% gain over 12 months. Mortgage-to-income at 21.1% and rent-to-income at 18.2% both sit below stress benchmarks, meaning housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,602
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$776
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.7%
Unoccupied
40
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.9%
Couples, no children
1,126
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading industry at 18.2% of local workers (87 people), followed by Education at 13.6% (65) and then Construction and Public Admin tied at 10.4% (50 each), with Manufacturing at 9.2% (44). The occupation breakdown shows Professionals (127) and Managers (105) at the top, alongside Community and Personal Service workers (105) and Clerical/Admin staff (93). The unemployment rate is 3.2%, which is low, and full-time employment accounts for 62% of employed residents. Participation at 61.3% is moderate, partly because the older median age of 43 means more residents are at or near retirement. Volunteering runs at 28.3%, well above typical suburban rates, which points to strong community participation in service roles.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.0%
Part-time
34.8%
Participation
61.3%
Employed
658
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.3%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
14.1%
Dwellings
479
Transport to Work
Transport in Birdwood is car-dependent: 91.1% of residents drive to work, and only 1% use public transport, which is far below national averages and reflects the lack of rail or regular bus services in rural Hills locations. Walking and cycling account for 5.7% of commuting, above average for a low-density area because the small township is walkable within its centre. The crime rate is 24 incidents per 1,000 residents based on 33 total recorded crimes, a low absolute count reflecting the small population. No schools are recorded within the Birdwood locality boundary in available data. Housing stress is absent for both renters (18.2% rent-to-income) and mortgage holders (21.1% mortgage-to-income), both sitting comfortably below the 30% stress threshold compared to many metropolitan areas.
Drive
91.1%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
5.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
33
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
24.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Birdwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Birdwood a good suburb to live in?
Birdwood suits buyers who prioritise space and affordability relative to Adelaide. With 97.5% detached housing, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.1% (below the 30% stress threshold) and a crime rate of 24 incidents per 1,000 residents, day-to-day living costs and safety compare well against metropolitan benchmarks. The main trade-off is strong car dependence, with 91.1% of residents driving to work and only 1% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Birdwood?
The median house price in Birdwood is $777,000 as of Q1 2026, up 11% from $700,000 in Q1 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,602 and weekly rent averages $320. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 21.1%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Birdwood?
No schools are recorded inside the Birdwood locality boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in nearby Adelaide Hills towns. The local workforce includes 13.6% employed in Education (65 workers), suggesting education services are accessible in the wider district even if not within the suburb boundary.
Is Birdwood safe?
Birdwood recorded 33 total crimes in the reference period, giving a crime rate of 24 incidents per 1,000 residents. That rate is low in absolute terms and consistent with the suburb's low-density, owner-occupier character, where 40.9% of residents own their homes outright and population turnover is only 13.7% annually.
Is Birdwood good for property investment?
The 11% price increase from $700,000 to $777,000 over 12 months shows capital growth has been strong. However, weekly rent of $320 against a $777,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.1%, which is below typical investment thresholds. The vacancy rate of 7.7% and a rental market covering just 11.2% of households signal limited rental demand, so investment returns rely primarily on capital appreciation rather than yield.
How is Birdwood's population changing?
Birdwood has 1,376 residents across 43.65 km2, giving a density of 31.5 people per km2. Population turnover is low at 13.7%, with 86.3% of residents staying in place from year to year. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, and the low 14.1% overseas-born share (7.5 points below national) suggests natural population growth rather than migration-driven expansion.
How much development is happening in Birdwood?
There were 24 development applications lodged in the past 12 months in Birdwood. These include a single-storey detached dwelling, agricultural buildings and a partial change of use to a function venue. Activity is modest and organic, consistent with a low-density Hills locality that is growing gradually rather than through large residential developments.
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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