Clapham
The suburb has 1,685 residents packed into 0.77 square kilometres, a density of 2,202.3 people per square kilometre. Its median age is 42, or 2.0 years above the national figure, while household income sits at the 88.5th percentile. Compared with nearby Mitcham and Torrens Park, Clapham presents a compact, detached-house market with 88.1% separate houses and a highly educated base, with 53.0% university educated. The price surge raises the entry hurdle, but the compact scale and established ownership base help explain its settled feel.
Local council: Mitcham
Population
1,685
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,321/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$1.3M
First quarter 2026
Clapham suits buyers prioritising detached housing and established streets, but the entry cost is high. Separate houses make up 88.1% of dwellings, while 55.7% have 3 bedrooms and 30.8% have 4 or more, so family-sized stock dominates. The typical mortgage payment is $2,167 per month, while mortgage costs equal 21.6% of household income, consistent with the absence of a mortgage-stress flag. Ownership is substantial, with 38.2% owned outright and 44.0% mortgaged. Compared with apartment-heavy inner areas, the 1.8% apartment share means fewer low-cost entry options, so buyers should assess land value, renovation needs and borrowing capacity rather than rely on the headline median.
For Buyers
Clapham suits buyers prioritising detached housing and established streets, but the entry cost is high. Separate houses make up 88.1% of dwellings, while 55.7% have 3 bedrooms and 30.8% have 4 or more, so family-sized stock dominates. The typical mortgage payment is $2,167 per month, while mortgage costs equal 21.6% of household income, consistent with the absence of a mortgage-stress flag. Ownership is substantial, with 38.2% owned outright and 44.0% mortgaged. Compared with apartment-heavy inner areas, the 1.8% apartment share means fewer low-cost entry options, so buyers should assess land value, renovation needs and borrowing capacity rather than rely on the headline median.
For Investors
Clapham's investment case rests on owner-occupier demand more than a deep rental pool. Only 15.8% of homes are rented, while the weekly rent is $395 and vacancy is 5.5%, so tenant selection and leasing conditions may be more sensitive to individual property quality than in a larger rental market. Recent examples include verandah, deck, masonry fence and privacy-screen works, pointing to incremental upgrades rather than a large new supply pipeline. Household income at the 88.5th percentile and unemployment at 2.9% support established-home demand because purchasing power is comparatively strong. Compared with a high-rental suburb, Clapham's low rental share means investors should stress-test yield, vacancy and maintenance costs rather than assume capital growth will repeat.
Development Activity
Total DAs
105
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-22.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Clapham
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Clapham Primary School
Demographics
Clapham has an older and more university-educated profile than Australia overall: the median age is 42, 2.0 years above the national figure, and 53.0% of residents have university qualifications, 22.9 percentage points above the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 17.1%, which is 4.5 points below the national level. English ancestry is recorded for 734 people, followed by Scottish at 200, German at 161 and Irish at 141; Mandarin is the only listed non-English language, with 12 speakers. No religion is the largest recorded affiliation at 885 people, ahead of Christianity at 680. Compared with a younger, higher-migration suburb, this points to a mature, professional, Anglo-leaning population, reinforced by household size of 2.7, 0.2 above national, and 82.8% staying at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.1%
Houses
10.0%
Townhouse
1.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Clapham is overwhelmingly a detached-house market, with 88.1% separate houses, 10.0% semi-detached dwellings and only 1.8% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 55.7% of stock and 4-plus-bedroom homes 30.8%, supporting a family housing pattern. Tenure is split between 38.2% outright ownership, 44.0% mortgages and 15.8% renting. Compared with apartment-oriented parts of Adelaide, Clapham has less compact stock and a higher land component, which helps explain both the price point and the limited lower-cost rental supply. The 2.7-person average household size also sits 0.2 above national.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$395
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,029
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
35
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.5%
Couples with children
34.1%
Couples, no children
13.5%
Single parent
466
Total families
Economy & Employment
Clapham's employment base is concentrated in service and knowledge sectors. Healthcare leads with 20.1% and 136 workers, followed by Education at 16.5% and 112, Professional/Tech at 13.4% and 91, Public Administration at 8.7% and 59, and Construction at 6.8% and 46. The occupation mix reinforces that pattern: 351 Professionals and 141 Managers sit ahead of 97 Clerical/Admin, 77 Community/Personal and 72 Trades workers. Labour-force participation is 69.5%, unemployment is 2.9%, and full-time employment is 55.7%, supporting household purchasing power because employment is broad across essential and professional services. Household income ranks above the national middle at the 88.5th percentile. Compared with a manufacturing-heavy suburb, Clapham is more exposed to public, education and health-sector conditions.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
935
Unemployed
27
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.7%
Part-time
38.0%
Participation
69.5%
Employed
908
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
53.0%
Postgraduate
13.3%
Born Overseas
17.1%
Dwellings
607
Transport to Work
Daily life is structured around cars and local services. Car-driver travel accounts for 68.5%, compared with 4.5% using public transport and 5.2% walking or cycling; a further 16.7% work from home. That split matters because a compact 0.77-square-kilometre suburb can feel convenient for local trips while still requiring a car for wider commuting. Clapham has one government primary school, Clapham Primary School, and families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. Recorded crime is 26.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, consistent with a low-crime profile, while 5.5% report needing assistance. Compared with a transit-oriented inner suburb, Clapham has lower public-transport use and higher car dependence, but its 2,202.3 people-per-square-kilometre density supports access to nearby services.
Drive
68.5%
Public Transport
4.5%
Walk / Cycle
5.2%
Work from Home
16.7%
Growth Outlook
There were 15 development applications in 12 months, with recent examples involving verandahs, decks, masonry fences and privacy screens rather than a clearly visible large housing release. That pattern suggests value is being added mainly through alterations to established homes, because 88.1% of dwellings are separate houses and only 1.8% are apartments. Population is currently 1,685 and residential mobility is moderate, with 82.8% staying at the same address and turnover at 17.2%. Compared with a greenfields growth corridor, Clapham's change is more likely to come through prices and incremental upgrades than rapid dwelling expansion.
Population trend: Mitcham council area
Clapham sits in the Mitcham council area. These are the council area's residents, not Clapham's.
Residents 2025
71,267
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
44
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
26.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Clapham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clapham a good suburb to live in?
Clapham can suit households seeking established detached housing, high incomes and a settled feel. It has 1,685 residents, 88.1% separate houses and a 26.1 per 1,000 crime rate. Compared with transit-led areas, daily travel is more car dependent at 68.5%.
What schools are in Clapham?
Clapham Primary School provides government primary education locally. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and current intake because one local school does not describe every nearby choice. Clapham's population is 1,685, so address-level checking remains important.
Is Clapham safe?
Recorded crime is 26.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 44 total incidents. That supports a relatively low-crime profile compared with higher-incident urban settings, although safety can vary by street, time and offence type.
How is Clapham's population changing?
Clapham has 1,685 residents and a relatively settled mobility pattern: 82.8% stayed at the same address and turnover was 17.2%. Compared with a high-churn area, that points to moderate residential stability rather than rapid population churn.
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).
Explore Clapham on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map