Blair Athol
A median age of 32 sits 8.0 years below the national figure, an unusually young profile for a suburb where the median house price has reached $970,000. Half the residents (50.7%) were born overseas, 29.1 points above the national rate, and university qualifications run at 39.6%, 9.5 points above national. Yet the area ranks in IRSAD decile 2 and IRSD decile 2, both near the bottom of the advantage scale, and household income lands in the 44.8th percentile. The tension between an educated, migrant-heavy population and low SEIFA scores comes from a high renter share of 46.5% and unemployment of 9.8%, which depress aggregate measures despite the suburb's nearly $1 million house prices just 7 km from Adelaide's CBD.
Population
5,274
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,459/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
68
Median House
$970K
Median 1Q 2026
The $970,000 median house price rose 7.8% over the year from $900,000 in 1Q 2025, a steep one-year move that reflects Adelaide's broader surge and the suburb's inner-north location. Stock is house-dominant: 79.7% are separate houses against only 5.5% apartments, so buyers chasing land have genuine choice rather than the apartment competition seen in pricier metros. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 59.3% and four-plus bedroom homes 17.9%, pointing to a family-sized housing base. Despite the high price, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That gap exists because many listings trade on land value and older fabric rather than new builds, keeping entry repayments lower than the headline price suggests.
For Buyers
The $970,000 median house price rose 7.8% over the year from $900,000 in 1Q 2025, a steep one-year move that reflects Adelaide's broader surge and the suburb's inner-north location. Stock is house-dominant: 79.7% are separate houses against only 5.5% apartments, so buyers chasing land have genuine choice rather than the apartment competition seen in pricier metros. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 59.3% and four-plus bedroom homes 17.9%, pointing to a family-sized housing base. Despite the high price, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That gap exists because many listings trade on land value and older fabric rather than new builds, keeping entry repayments lower than the headline price suggests.
For Investors
A 46.5% renter share gives landlords a deep tenant pool, well above the owner-occupier norm, and weekly rent of $321 against the $970,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.7%, low and driven by land appreciation rather than cash flow. The 7.0% vacancy rate is elevated and signals softer short-term demand than the rent suggests. Development activity is healthy at 55 applications in 12 months, several of them multi-dwelling and land-division proposals such as four allotments from one and groups of two-storey dwellings, which points to infill redevelopment of larger blocks. With unemployment at 9.8%, above typical metro rates, the investment case rests on the 7.8% annual price growth and subdivision potential rather than yield, suiting investors targeting capital growth over income.
Development Activity
Total DAs
357
Last 12 Months
68
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+4.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Blair Athol iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Paul Lutheran School
R-6 · 260 students
Blair Athol North B-6 School
U, R-6 · 383 students
Demographics
The median age of 32 runs 8.0 years below national, one of the younger profiles for an inner-metro suburb, supported by an average household size of 2.8 that sits 0.3 above national and a high share of couples with children (1,811 families). Overseas-born residents reach 50.7%, which is 29.1 points above the national figure, making this a migrant-majority area. Ancestry is led by English (919), Indian (415) and Vietnamese (277), and the most common non-English languages are Punjabi (91 speakers), Gujarati (81), Persian (64) and Hindi (61). Religion reflects the same mix: Christianity (1,534) is the largest group, but Islam (1,291) and Hinduism (390) together rival it, far above the national share. University qualifications at 39.6% run 9.5 points above national, a sign of skilled migrant settlement.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.7%
Houses
14.4%
Townhouse
5.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renters: 46.5% rent, 31.4% carry a mortgage and just 22.0% own outright, so fewer than a quarter of homes are debt-free, unusual for a detached-house suburb. Separate houses dominate at 79.7% with apartments only 5.5% and semi-detached 14.4%, and three-bedroom homes account for 59.3% of stock against 17.9% four-plus bedroom. The median house price climbed from $900,000 to $970,000 across 2025-2026, a 7.8% one-year rise. Against a household income in the 44.8th percentile, that price implies a stretched price-to-income position, yet mortgage-to-income holds at 25.3% and rent-to-income at 22.0%, both below the 30% stress line. The divergence shows that high land values, not high repayments, define the local affordability picture.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wk
$321
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$640
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.0%
Unoccupied
134
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.0%
Couples, no children
3,799
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 19.9% (303 workers), followed by Education at 9.5% (144), Construction at 8.6% (131), Retail at 8.1% (123) and Professional/Tech at 7.8% (119), a service-and-trades mix rather than a corporate one. By occupation, Professionals (442) and Labourers (311) sit at opposite ends, with Community and Personal Services (305) reflecting the healthcare base. Unemployment is high at 9.8%, well above metro norms, and participation reads 56.6% with a full-time rate of 59.9%, leaving 1,497 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA scores explain the pressure: IRSAD and IRSD both fall in decile 2, IEO reaches decile 5 on the strength of the 39.6% university rate, but IER sits in decile 1, the lowest tier, because the 46.5% renter base and low incomes depress economic-resource measures.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.9%
Part-time
30.3%
Participation
56.6%
Employed
2,207
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.6%
Postgraduate
10.9%
Born Overseas
50.7%
Dwellings
1,758
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 83.4% drive to work while only 7.1% take public transport and 2.2% walk or cycle, below the active-transport share of denser inner suburbs, a function of the detached layout. The clearest livability flag is crime, with 684 recorded offences and a rate of 129.7 per 1,000 residents, well above what families typically accept and the reason the suburb carries a high-crime signal. SEIFA reinforces the caution, with IRSAD and IRSD both in decile 2, near the bottom for relative advantage and disadvantage. No schools are recorded inside the 1.96 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Offsetting these are genuine strengths: 6.7% of residents need daily assistance, in line with a young population, and proximity to Adelaide keeps services and jobs within easy reach.
Drive
83.4%
Public Transport
7.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
684
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
129.7
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Blair Athol compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blair Athol a good suburb to live in?
Blair Athol suits buyers who value an inner-north location 7 km from Adelaide's CBD and a young median age of 32, 8.0 years below national. The trade-offs are real: it ranks in IRSAD decile 2 and carries a crime rate of 129.7 per 1,000 residents, well above family comfort levels.
What is the median house price in Blair Athol?
The median house price is $970,000 as of 1Q 2026, up 7.8% from $900,000 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $321 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Blair Athol?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.96 km2 Blair Athol boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is well educated, with university qualifications at 39.6%, which is 9.5 points above the national figure.
Is Blair Athol safe?
Crime is a concern: 684 offences were recorded, a rate of 129.7 per 1,000 residents, well above typical metro levels. The suburb also ranks in IRSD decile 2 for relative disadvantage, near the bottom tier, so buyers should weigh safety against the inner-city location.
Is Blair Athol good for property investment?
Rent of $321 a week against a $970,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.7%, low, and the 7.0% vacancy rate signals soft short-term demand. With 55 development applications in 12 months and 7.8% annual price growth, the case rests on capital growth and subdivision rather than yield.
How is Blair Athol's population changing?
The 5,274 residents skew young, with a median age of 32, some 8.0 years below national, and a turnover rate of 27.4% shows a mobile, renter-heavy population. Infill development of 55 applications in 12 months is gradually lifting density above the current 2,694 residents per km2.
What languages are spoken in Blair Athol?
About 50.7% of residents were born overseas, 29.1 points above the national figure. English dominates, but the most common non-English languages are Punjabi (91 speakers), Gujarati (81), Persian (64), Hindi (61) and Greek (47), reflecting strong South Asian and Middle Eastern migrant communities.
How much development is happening in Blair Athol?
There were 55 development applications lodged in the past 12 months across the 1.96 km2 suburb. Many are infill proposals, including land divisions creating four allotments from one and clusters of two-storey detached dwellings, consistent with redevelopment of larger inner-north blocks.
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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