Christies Beach
Affordability and disadvantage define this southern Adelaide coastal suburb in equal measure. The $923,500 median house price has jumped 16.5% in a single year from $793,000, yet household income sits in just the 24.9th percentile nationally and three of four SEIFA indexes land in decile 2, with the education index at decile 3. That gap between rising prices and low local incomes is the central tension here. The crime rate of 106 per 1,000 residents is high, while the stock stays overwhelmingly detached at 77.5% of dwellings. Renters make up 44.4% of households, well above the owner-occupier base, and the population of 5,962 is growing about 0.92% a year.
Population
5,962
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,194/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
94
Median House
$924K
Median 1Q 2026
Buyers face a market that has run hard recently: the $923,500 median house price rose 16.5% from $793,000 over the year to 1Q 2026, the fastest single move in the available record. The stock suits families, with separate houses at 77.5% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes dominating at 62.8%, while apartments are negligible at 2.7%. Despite the price surge, carrying costs look manageable for those who already own, with average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,395 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. The real hurdle is the entry deposit relative to local incomes in the 24.9th percentile nationally, which makes the gap between price and earning power, not repayment stress, the binding constraint for new buyers.
For Buyers
Buyers face a market that has run hard recently: the $923,500 median house price rose 16.5% from $793,000 over the year to 1Q 2026, the fastest single move in the available record. The stock suits families, with separate houses at 77.5% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes dominating at 62.8%, while apartments are negligible at 2.7%. Despite the price surge, carrying costs look manageable for those who already own, with average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,395 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. The real hurdle is the entry deposit relative to local incomes in the 24.9th percentile nationally, which makes the gap between price and earning power, not repayment stress, the binding constraint for new buyers.
For Investors
The investment case rests on a deep tenant pool: 44.4% of households rent, well above the owner base, and weekly rent of $325 has grown 28.0% over the period. Against the $923,500 median that implies a gross yield near 1.8%, modest, so the thesis leans on capital growth, which has run at 16.5% in the past year. The 8.7% vacancy rate is elevated and a caution flag, signalling that supply is not tight despite demand. Migration support is balanced, with net internal migration of 93 a year and net overseas migration of 54, while development activity is moderate at 88 applications in 12 months, including land divisions that point to incremental new supply rather than a flood. Rent-to-income at 27.2% leaves tenants some headroom below the stress line.
Development Activity
Total DAs
424
Last 12 Months
94
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+11.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Christies Beach iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St John The Apostle Parish School
R-6 · 334 students
Christies Beach Primary School
U, R-6 · 194 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below the national figure, a relatively young profile for an established suburb. University qualifications reach only 23.0%, which is 7.1 points below national, consistent with the decile 2 to 3 SEIFA scores and a workforce weighted toward hands-on roles. Overseas-born residents make up 25.4%, 3.8 points above national, though the suburb is culturally Anglo-Celtic at its core: English ancestry leads at 2,919 residents, ahead of Scottish (640) and Irish (557), and non-English languages are few, led by Italian at just 18 speakers. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national. Families split fairly evenly between couples with children (1,295) and couples without (1,226), pointing to a mix of family-forming and empty-nester households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.5%
Houses
19.2%
Townhouse
2.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renting and recent ownership rather than outright wealth: 44.4% rent, 29.2% carry a mortgage and only 26.5% own outright, a structure that helps explain the high 8.7% vacancy rate. The stock is heavily detached at 77.5% separate houses, with semi-detached at 19.2% and apartments at just 2.7%, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 62.8% against 15.2% with four or more. The $923,500 median rose 16.5% from $793,000 across 2025 to 2026, a sharp move for a suburb where household income sits in the 24.9th percentile. That divergence between fast price growth and low local incomes is the defining housing dynamic, even though mortgage-to-income at 27.0% and rent-to-income at 27.2% both stay below the 30% stress threshold for existing residents.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,395
Rent / wk
$325
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$641
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.7%
Unoccupied
244
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.1%
Couples, no children
4,215
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in service and trade sectors rather than high-paying knowledge work. Healthcare leads at 24.4% of jobs (426 workers), followed by Construction at 12.3% (214) and Education at 10.5% (183), with Public Admin (7.6%) and Retail (6.7%) rounding out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (455) edge out Community and Personal Service workers (445) and Labourers (336), a spread that matches the decile 2 to 3 SEIFA economic and education scores. Unemployment is elevated at 8.5% and participation is low at 53.8%, partly because 1,876 residents are not in the labour force. The IER economic-resources index reads decile 2, among the lowest tiers, which is consistent with weekly household income of $1,194 and the 44.4% renter base that depresses aggregate household wealth.
Unemployment
6.2%
Labour Force
6,239
Unemployed
386
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.0%
Part-time
33.5%
Participation
53.8%
Employed
2,467
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.0%
Postgraduate
4.5%
Born Overseas
25.4%
Dwellings
2,536
Transport to Work
Daily life here is car-dependent: 86.2% of commuters drive, well above national norms, while only 4.6% use public transport and 3.3% walk or cycle, reflecting an outer-Adelaide coastal setting. The main livability headwind is the crime rate of 106 per 1,000 residents, which is high and pairs with a decile 2 IRSAD score, the second-lowest advantage tier nationally. On the support side, 8.8% of residents (500 people) need daily assistance and volunteering runs at 13.2%. No schools are recorded inside the 2.87 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a notable trade-off given the family-heavy housing stock of 62.8% three-bedroom homes. Affordability relative to most coastal markets remains a genuine draw despite these constraints.
Drive
86.2%
Public Transport
4.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.92%/yr
(+108 people/yr)
EstablishedChristies Beach is growing steadily rather than booming: annual population growth registers 0.92%, about 108 people a year, and the 10-year change is 12.3%. Medium forecasts lift the population from current levels toward 12,249 by 2031 across the SA2 it sits in. Growth is balanced between net internal migration of 93 a year and net overseas migration of 54, so neither dominates. The gentrification stage reads early signs with a score of 32, supported by population up 16% since 2011 and growth accelerating from 3% to 13%. Affordability has improved over the decade, easing from 53.6% in 2011 to 48.8% in 2021, while rent grew 28.0% and real incomes rose 14.4%, a combination that explains why the suburb is shifting upward without yet being fully gentrified.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+54
Net Internal / yr
+93
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +16% since 2011, Net internal migration +93/yr, Accelerating: 3% → 13%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
632
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
106.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Christies Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Christies Beach a good suburb to live in?
Christies Beach offers coastal affordability with a $923,500 median house price, but it scores decile 2 on the IRSAD advantage index, the second-lowest tier, and household income sits in the 24.9th percentile nationally. The crime rate of 106 per 1,000 is high, so it suits value-focused buyers more than premium seekers.
What is the median house price in Christies Beach?
The median house price is $923,500 as of 1Q 2026, up 16.5% from $793,000 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $325 and average monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,395, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Christies Beach?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.87 km2 Christies Beach boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. This is a notable gap given that 62.8% of dwellings are three-bedroom homes suited to families.
Is Christies Beach safe?
Christies Beach has a high crime rate of 106 per 1,000 residents, with 632 recorded incidents. The suburb also scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the second-lowest tier nationally, both indicators that prospective residents should weigh against its affordability.
Is Christies Beach good for property investment?
Rent of $325 a week against a $923,500 median gives a gross yield near 1.8%, modest, and the 8.7% vacancy rate is elevated. A 44.4% renter base provides a deep tenant pool, and 16.5% annual price growth means returns lean on capital gains rather than yield.
How is Christies Beach's population changing?
Population is growing about 0.92% a year, roughly 108 people, with a 12.3% rise over 10 years. Growth is balanced between net internal migration of 93 a year and net overseas migration of 54, and forecasts point toward 12,249 by 2031 across the local SA2.
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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