Christie Downs
With 5,239 residents, Christie Downs has an older and lower-income profile than Australia overall: the median age is 41, one year above the national comparison, while household income sits at the 7.3rd percentile. Housing is predominantly detached, with 76.7% separate houses and 71.4% three-bedroom dwellings, but renting is also high at 47.1%. The suburb's inland setting contrasts with nearby Christies Beach, while its aging trajectory and 6.5 percentage-point rise in senior share are reshaping demand. A crime rate of 131.5 incidents per 1,000 residents is an important consideration for households comparing the area with other southern Adelaide suburbs.
Population
5,239
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$889/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
113
Median House
$771K
First quarter 2026
Christie Downs suits buyers prioritising established three-bedroom housing, with 71.4% of dwellings containing 3 bedrooms and 76.7% classed as separate houses. That increase improves recent owner equity but raises the entry hurdle for households on a modest income. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,148 per month, while the mortgage-to-income measure is 29.8%, below the 30% stress threshold used here. Compared with apartment-led markets, the 1.2% apartment share means buyers will find a strongly house-oriented market, with 22.2% semi-detached stock adding some compact alternatives.
For Buyers
Christie Downs suits buyers prioritising established three-bedroom housing, with 71.4% of dwellings containing 3 bedrooms and 76.7% classed as separate houses. That increase improves recent owner equity but raises the entry hurdle for households on a modest income. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,148 per month, while the mortgage-to-income measure is 29.8%, below the 30% stress threshold used here. Compared with apartment-led markets, the 1.2% apartment share means buyers will find a strongly house-oriented market, with 22.2% semi-detached stock adding some compact alternatives.
For Investors
Christie Downs has a substantial rental base, with 47.1% of households renting compared with 23.5% owning outright and 27.8% paying a mortgage. Vacancy is 8.4%, higher than a tightly constrained rental market would typically suggest, which may give tenants more choice and increase leasing competition. Rent takes 28.1% of household income and is not flagged as stressed. Development activity is material, with 110 applications in 12 months, including terrace-style housing and land divisions, because new stock can improve choice but also create competing listings. Forecast growth is 0.75% annually with Balanced migration.
Development Activity
Total DAs
345
Last 12 Months
113
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+109.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Christie Downs
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Christie Downs Primary School
Lonsdale Heights Primary School
Bowden Brompton CS Beach Campus
Christies Beach High School
Demographics
Christie Downs has a median age of 41, which is 1.0 year above the national comparison, and an average household size of 2.2, or 0.3 below the national figure. Its university-qualified share is 13.3%, 16.8 percentage points below the national comparison, matching a workforce concentrated in community and personal services, trades, labouring and sales. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 2,288 people, while 2,756 residents report no religion and 1,599 identify with Christianity. Families include 392 one-parent households, representing 31.6% of families, alongside 389 couples with children and 434 couples without children. Residential stability is relatively high because 82.3% stayed at the same address over the reference period, compared with a turnover rate of 17.7%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.7%
Houses
22.2%
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Christie Downs remains a detached-home market, with 76.7% separate houses, 22.2% semi-detached dwellings and only 1.2% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 71.4%, while 4-bedroom-plus dwellings account for 10.3% and 2-bedroom homes 12.0%. Tenure is split between 23.5% outright ownership, 27.8% mortgage ownership and 47.1% renting, giving renters a larger share than either individual owner category. The 8.4% vacancy rate may make available stock easier to find than in a lower-vacancy suburb, although the strong recent price lift has reduced affordability compared with 1Q 2025.
Mortgage / mo
$1,148
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$250
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$493
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
195
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.3%
Couples with children
35.0%
Couples, no children
31.6%
Single parent
1,241
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading industry at 24.4% of local employment, followed by retail at 9.9%, construction at 9.5%, education at 8.3% and manufacturing at 7.9%. This healthcare concentration helps explain why Community/Personal occupations lead at 289 people, ahead of trades at 278 and labourers at 265. Sales account for 211 workers and clerical or administrative roles 179. The labour force totals 1,861 people, with an unemployment rate of 11.8% and participation rate of 42.9%; full-time employment is 49.5%, compared with 716 part-time workers and 813 full-time workers. Christie Downs ranks in decile 1 across IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD, with scores of 870, 872, 862 and 850. Those results place socioeconomic advantage below higher-decile suburbs, because education, income and employment conditions are comparatively constrained.
Unemployment
11.8%
Labour Force
1,861
Unemployed
219
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.5%
Part-time
43.6%
Participation
42.9%
Employed
1,642
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.3%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
21.0%
Dwellings
2,135
Transport to Work
Daily travel in Christie Downs is strongly car-dependent: 78.2% commute as a car driver, compared with 5.8% using public transport, 2.6% walking or cycling and 5.9% working from home. That pattern matters because households without a reliable vehicle may have fewer practical options than in better-served transport locations. Four government schools cover primary and secondary years, including Christie Downs Primary School, Christies Beach High School and Lonsdale Heights Primary School; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. The reported crime rate is 131.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 689 total offences, so safety deserves more attention than it would in a lower-rate area. IRSAD score 850 and decile 1 place Christie Downs in the lowest relative socioeconomic band, which can affect access to services and household resilience.
Drive
78.2%
Public Transport
5.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
5.9%
Population Forecast
+0.75%/yr
(+73 people/yr)
EstablishedChristie Downs is forecast to grow at 0.75% annually, with Balanced migration rather than a single dominant inflow source. Across the wider area, population change is 9.9% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging. That direction is supported by a 6.5 percentage-point increase in senior share, a 1.8-point decline in young share and a 3.2-point fall in working-age share. Affordability is worsening, moving from 36.2 in 2011 to 45.1 in 2021, while rents grew 76.1%, so housing pressure is higher than in the earlier period. The shift indicators record an Active gentrification stage with a score of 58, whereas the current gentrification field records score 0 and Not gentrifying. These mixed signals suggest gradual change rather than a clear replacement of the established resident base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+29
Net Internal / yr
+4
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
689
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
131.5
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Christie Downs compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Christie Downs a good suburb to live in?
Christie Downs can suit households seeking established three-bedroom homes and lower weekly rent of $250, but its 131.5 crimes per 1,000 residents and IRSAD decile 1 require careful street-level checking. Car dependence is high at 78.2%, so transport needs should also shape the decision.
What schools are in Christie Downs?
Christie Downs has 4 listed government schools covering primary and secondary education. The local mix includes Christie Downs Primary School, Christies Beach High School and Lonsdale Heights Primary School. Enrolment zones should be checked for the exact property address before making a decision.
Is Christie Downs safe?
The reported crime rate is 131.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 689 total offences. That is a material consideration for buyers comparing Christie Downs with lower-crime locations. Review recent street-level incidents, lighting, access routes and the position of the property before committing.
Is Christie Downs good for property investment?
Christie Downs has a large rental market at 47.1%, weekly rent of $250 and 110 development applications in 12 months. The 8.4% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied market, so investors should allow for leasing competition and verify yield, maintenance costs and property-specific demand.
How is Christie Downs's population changing?
The wider-area forecast records population change of 9.9% over 10 years and annual growth of 0.75%, with Balanced migration. Christie Downs is also on an Aging trajectory: senior share rose 6.5 percentage points while young share fell 1.8 points, pointing to gradual demographic change.
What development is happening in Christie Downs?
There were 110 development applications in the last 12 months. Examples include a division into 3 allotments for 3 terrace dwellings, a 4-allotment Torrens title division and ancillary accommodation. Buyers should check approvals and construction timing because additional stock can change local competition.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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