Clarence Park
University attainment reaches 54.5%, 24.4 percentage points above the national comparison, while median age is 39, 1 year below national. Compared with nearby Goodwood and Cumberland Park, the suburb presents a compact, premium housing setting with an established feel, but its 0.48% annual growth trend is modest. English ancestry is the largest recorded background at 1,050 people, and 35.4% own their homes outright. The combination of high education, a household size of 2.3 and an aging trajectory creates a more settled profile than a fast-expanding family corridor.
Local council: Unley
Population
2,658
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,799/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Median House
$1.6M
First quarter 2026
Clarence Park suits buyers prioritising established housing, but the entry price is substantial. A typical mortgage cost is listed at $1,900 per month, while mortgage commitments equal 24.4% of household income and are not flagged as being under stress. Separate houses account for 65.8% of dwellings, compared with 29.6% apartments and 4.6% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix is led by 3-bedroom properties at 40.2%, followed by 2-bedroom homes at 34.9%, so the suburb can suit couples and smaller families because its housing is not dominated by either compact apartments or large dwellings.
For Buyers
Clarence Park suits buyers prioritising established housing, but the entry price is substantial. A typical mortgage cost is listed at $1,900 per month, while mortgage commitments equal 24.4% of household income and are not flagged as being under stress. Separate houses account for 65.8% of dwellings, compared with 29.6% apartments and 4.6% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix is led by 3-bedroom properties at 40.2%, followed by 2-bedroom homes at 34.9%, so the suburb can suit couples and smaller families because its housing is not dominated by either compact apartments or large dwellings.
For Investors
The rental case rests on an established tenant base rather than rapid population expansion. Rent is $310 per week, 30.9% of households rent, and the vacancy rate is 6.5%, compared with 35.4% owning outright. Rent growth of 31.6% is substantially higher than the 0.48% annual growth trend, which makes recent rental momentum attractive but means investors should test whether current increases can persist. There were 29 development applications in the past 12 months, mostly involving alterations, additions or replacement dwelling work, creating some potential for incremental housing change rather than a large project pipeline. Migration is classified as Balanced, so demand is more likely to be supported by a mix of local moves and household changes than by one dominant migration source.
Development Activity
Total DAs
141
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Clarence Park has a median age of 39, which is 1 year below the national comparison, while 54.5% of residents have university qualifications, 24.4 percentage points above the national rate. The overseas-born share is 22.1%, only 0.5 points above national, and average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national. English ancestry is most common at 1,050 people, followed by Scottish at 286, Irish at 251 and German at 243. No religion is recorded for 1,294 people, compared with 1,045 identifying with Christianity. Greek is the most common listed non-English language at 47 people, followed by Nepali at 28 and Mandarin at 18. With 79.1% staying at the same address and turnover of 20.9%, the profile is more settled than highly mobile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
65.8%
Houses
4.6%
Townhouse
29.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The latest figure is also the peak price, so buyers should treat the current median as a premium entry point rather than a discounted phase. Tenure is split between 35.4% owning outright, 32.0% with a mortgage and 30.9% renting. Separate houses make up 65.8% of stock, higher than the 29.6% apartment share and 4.6% semi-detached share. Three-bedroom homes account for 40.2%, higher than the 20.6% share of 4-bedroom or larger dwellings, while 2-bedroom properties represent 34.9%. Buyers comparing Clarence Park with nearby Goodwood and Cumberland Park should focus on the exact dwelling, land component and renovation condition because those factors matter in a premium, tightly settled market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,900
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$310
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$921
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.5%
Unoccupied
76
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.9%
Couples with children
38.7%
Couples, no children
13.3%
Single parent
700
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Clarence Park's largest listed industry at 23.0%, or 250 workers, a share higher than education at 15.5% and 169 workers. Professional and technical services contribute 11.5% and 125 workers, followed by public administration at 7.8% and 85 workers, and construction at 5.7% and 62 workers. The occupation mix is led by 509 professionals, higher than the 196 managers, with 179 community and personal service workers, 156 trades workers and 152 clerical or administrative workers. Labour force participation is 68.7%, unemployment is 3.6%, and 56.6% of workers are full-time, including 830 full-time and 573 part-time workers. SEIFA deciles are 4 for education and occupation, 4 for economic resources, 5 for disadvantage and 4 for advantage and disadvantage. Those middle deciles sit below a top-tier profile despite household income ranking at the 64.0 percentile, indicating solid but uneven economic capacity.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
1,520
Unemployed
54
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.6%
Part-time
39.1%
Participation
68.7%
Employed
1,466
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.5%
Postgraduate
16.4%
Born Overseas
22.1%
Dwellings
1,095
Transport to Work
Clarence Park is compact at 0.83 square kilometres, with a density of 3,184.4 people per square kilometre. Daily travel remains car-oriented: 64.1% drive, a share higher than public transport use at 8.6% and walking or cycling at 6.5%. Working from home accounts for 15.8%, which may reduce some weekday commuting. The recorded crime rate is 44.4 incidents per 1,000 residents, representing 118 incidents, so buyers should assess the specific street and property setting rather than rely on the suburb-wide rate alone. Families should check nearby school options and enrolment zones against the exact address because catchments can cross suburb boundaries. IRSAD sits in decile 4 and IRSD in decile 5, around the middle of the scale rather than the highest advantage bands. Volunteering is 21.1%, while 4.6% of residents, or 119 people, report needing assistance.
Drive
64.1%
Public Transport
8.6%
Walk / Cycle
6.5%
Work from Home
15.8%
Growth Outlook
Clarence Park is classified as an established area, with annual growth of 0.48% and migration described as Balanced. Population change across the wider area is 4.3% over 10 years, pointing to gradual expansion rather than a rapid wave of new demand. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.8 percentage points, higher than the young-share change of negative 2.7 points, while the working-age share has fallen 1.4 points. Affordability was broadly Stable, moving from 34.9% in 2011 to 33.3% in 2021, and real income growth was 12.0%. Gentrification is not currently indicated, with a score of 0 and a Not gentrifying stage. The 31.6% rent growth figure is much higher than the 0.48% annual growth trend, so housing costs may change faster than the resident base because demand is being absorbed within a tightly held, established market.
Population trend: Unley council area
Clarence Park sits in the Unley council area. These are the council area's residents, not Clarence Park's.
Residents 2025
40,731
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
118
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
44.4
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Clarence Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clarence Park a good suburb to live in?
Clarence Park can suit buyers seeking a compact, established setting with a highly educated population. It has 2,658 residents, a median age of 39 and 54.5% university attainment. Car use is high at 64.1%, while public transport use is 8.6%, so lifestyle preferences and commuting needs should guide the decision.
What schools are in Clarence Park?
School access should be checked against the exact address and enrolment zone. Clarence Park covers 0.83 square kilometres, but nearby school boundaries can extend across suburb lines. Families should compare travel options, sector preferences and places available rather than assume that every nearby school is automatically accessible.
Is Clarence Park safe?
Clarence Park recorded 118 incidents, equivalent to 44.4 crimes per 1,000 residents. That suburb-wide figure does not describe every street, so buyers and renters should inspect the property at different times and ask about local conditions. The area has 2,658 residents, making street-level context important in a compact suburb.
How is Clarence Park's population changing?
The wider area's population change is 4.3% over 10 years, with annual growth forecast at 0.48% and migration classified as Balanced. Clarence Park has an Aging trajectory: the senior share increased 5.8 percentage points while the young share fell 2.7 points. This supports gradual, settled change rather than rapid expansion.
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).
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