Blackwood
With a median house price of $1,290,000 and a SEIFA IRSD decile of 10, Blackwood sits among Adelaide's most advantaged suburbs despite remaining less internationally recognised than inner-city alternatives. At 4,266 residents across 4.18 km2, this is a low-density, owner-dominated suburb where 43.5% of households own outright, well above the national average. Median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure and university qualifications reach 48.6%, which is 18.5 percentage points higher than the national rate. The dominant identity is established, educated, Anglo-heritage homeownership with a population that is relatively stable and aging.
Population
4,266
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,715/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
49
Median House
$1.3M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price reached $1,290,000 in Q1 2026, up 22.9% from $1,050,000 in Q1 2025, a sharp one-year gain that places Blackwood above most SA suburban markets. Separate houses make up 80.0% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 44.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 31.1%, giving buyers a genuine selection of family-sized stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 43.5% outnumber mortgage holders at 41.3%, a pattern typical of long-established wealth suburbs where residents have paid down debt over decades.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,290,000 in Q1 2026, up 22.9% from $1,050,000 in Q1 2025, a sharp one-year gain that places Blackwood above most SA suburban markets. Separate houses make up 80.0% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 44.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 31.1%, giving buyers a genuine selection of family-sized stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 43.5% outnumber mortgage holders at 41.3%, a pattern typical of long-established wealth suburbs where residents have paid down debt over decades.
For Investors
The rental market is thin by design: only 15.2% of households rent, compared to the national average of around 30%, so yield-focused investors face limited tenant pool depth. Weekly rent of $330 against a $1,290,000 median implies a gross yield below 1.4%, which ranks poorly vs most SA markets. Vacancy sits at 5.7%, elevated relative to a tight city average, pointing to softness in the small rental segment. However, the 22.9% price gain over one year shows capital growth momentum, and overseas migration is the primary driver adding roughly 118 residents per year at the SA2 level. Development activity of 45 applications in 12 months includes new detached dwellings, indicating measured supply additions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
302
Last 12 Months
49
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+2.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Blackwood iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Concordia College (St Peters Campus, Blackwood)
R-6 · 88 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure, and the senior population share has risen 4.3 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 3.5 points, confirming an aging trajectory. University qualifications at 48.6% run 18.5 percentage points higher than the national average, reflecting a deeply professional resident base. Overseas-born residents at 21.9% sit just 0.3 percentage points above the national average, so the population is not strongly shaped by recent migration. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic dominated: English (2,225 residents), Scottish (528) and Irish (481) are the top three groups. The average household size of 2.4 is marginally below the national figure, consistent with more couples-without-children at 29.3% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.0%
Houses
4.7%
Townhouse
15.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership rates are high relative to state norms: 43.5% own outright and 41.3% carry a mortgage, leaving just 15.2% renting. The stock is predominantly detached, with 80.0% separate houses and only 15.3% apartments and 4.7% semi-detached. Three-bedroom dwellings make up the largest share at 44.8%, followed by four-plus at 31.1%, confirming this as a family-house market. The median house price jumped from $1,050,000 in Q1 2025 to $1,290,000 in Q1 2026, a 22.9% rise in one year. Mortgage holders pay an average of $1,733 monthly and rent-to-income at 19.2% is comfortable, both below conventional stress thresholds compared to many capital city suburbs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$869
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.7%
Unoccupied
104
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.3%
Couples, no children
3,436
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing sector at 22.7% of workers (369 people), followed by Education at 18.4% (300) and Professional/Tech at 13.7% (223). The occupation profile matches: Professionals (803) and Managers (284) are the top two groups, meaning the suburb exports skilled labour to Adelaide's knowledge economy. Unemployment is 3.7% and the full-time employment rate is 58.4%, with a participation rate of 59.0%. Real income grew 11.1% over the decade, and household income sits at the 60.3rd percentile nationally. SEIFA tells a consistent story across all four indexes: IRSD decile 10, IRSAD decile 9, IEO decile 9 and IER decile 9, placing Blackwood among the top tenth of Australian suburbs on relative disadvantage measures.
Unemployment
1.1%
Labour Force
7,933
Unemployed
84
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.4%
Part-time
37.9%
Participation
59.0%
Employed
2,011
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.6%
Postgraduate
14.9%
Born Overseas
21.9%
Dwellings
1,731
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 83.9% of residents drive to work, while public transport use is only 7.7% and walking or cycling accounts for 3.8%. The crime rate of 29.5 offences per 1,000 residents is low by SA standards, consistent with the suburb's IRSD decile 10 ranking on relative disadvantage. On IRSAD, Blackwood scores decile 9 nationally, placing it in the top 10% for combined advantage and disadvantage measures. Volunteering at 24.3% is notably high, suggesting strong community engagement. Only 5.6% of residents (231 people) need daily assistance, a low figure that reflects both the demographic profile and the relative socioeconomic advantage. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby institutions.
Drive
83.9%
Public Transport
7.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.13%/yr
(+156 people/yr)
EstablishedThe SA2 population grew 15.5% over the decade and annual growth is now running at 1.13%, adding roughly 156 people per year. Medium forecasts project the SA2 population reaching approximately 14,697 by 2031, up from 13,858 in 2025. Overseas migration is the primary driver at an average 118 net arrivals per year, well above the 20 per year from internal migration. The gentrification score of 22 registers Early signs, supported by a population increase of over 20% since 2011. Affordability has improved from 41.5% in 2011 to 38.8% in 2021, moving in the right direction compared to many capital markets, though the 22.9% one-year price spike may reverse that trend.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+118
Net Internal / yr
+20
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +20% since 2011, Accelerating: 7% → 13%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
126
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
29.5
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Blackwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blackwood a good suburb to live in?
Blackwood scores decile 10 on IRSD and decile 9 on IRSAD, placing it in the top 10% of Australian suburbs for socioeconomic advantage. University qualifications at 48.6% are 18.5 percentage points above the national average. The main trade-off is a $1,290,000 median house price and limited public transport, with 83.9% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Blackwood?
The median house price is $1,290,000 as of Q1 2026, up 22.9% from $1,050,000 in Q1 2025. Weekly rent averages $330 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,733, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.3%, which is below conventional stress thresholds.
What schools are in Blackwood?
No schools are recorded inside the Blackwood suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in adjacent suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 48.6% holding university qualifications, which is 18.5 percentage points above the national average, reflecting the professional character of the area.
Is Blackwood safe?
The crime rate in Blackwood is 29.5 offences per 1,000 residents, with 126 total offences recorded. That is a low rate consistent with the suburb's IRSD decile 10 ranking, which places it among the least disadvantaged areas nationally. Only 5.6% of residents require daily assistance, another indicator of the area's strong socioeconomic profile.
Is Blackwood good for property investment?
The 22.9% price growth over one year (from $1,050,000 to $1,290,000) signals strong capital appreciation, but rental yield is low: weekly rent of $330 against a $1,290,000 median gives a gross yield below 1.4%. The 5.7% vacancy rate and only 15.2% renter share mean Blackwood suits capital growth investors more than yield-focused buyers.
How is Blackwood's population changing?
Population grew 15.5% over the decade and is currently increasing at 1.13% per year, adding around 156 people annually. Overseas migration is the primary driver at roughly 118 net arrivals per year at the SA2 level. Medium forecasts project the SA2 population reaching approximately 14,697 by 2031, up from 13,858 in 2025.
How much development is happening in Blackwood?
There were 45 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent examples include a new single-storey detached dwelling with retaining walls and internal alterations. This moderate activity level is consistent with an established suburb adding limited new supply, which supports the upward pressure on existing dwelling prices.
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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