Dulwich
The suburb has 1,659 residents across just 0.6 sq km, with a median age of 43, which is 3 years above the national comparison. Education and income are also elevated: 63.2% of residents have university qualifications, 33.1 percentage points above the national figure, while household income sits at the 79.6th percentile. Compared with larger neighbouring Norwood, Dulwich is a smaller, more tightly held residential pocket, supported by 40.2% outright ownership and a 79.3% resident-stability rate.
Local council: Burnside
Population
1,659
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,101/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$2.1M
First quarter 2026
Dulwich suits buyers seeking established housing and a high-income professional setting, but entry costs are substantial. Housing is mainly separate houses at 69.7%, with another 28.3% semi-detached, so buyers get more traditional stock than an apartment-led market. Three-bedroom homes account for 37.2% and four-bedroom-plus homes 29.2%. The 30.7% renting share creates some choice, but the purchase price is higher than the weekly rent of $320 because land value and location drive demand.
For Buyers
Dulwich suits buyers seeking established housing and a high-income professional setting, but entry costs are substantial. Housing is mainly separate houses at 69.7%, with another 28.3% semi-detached, so buyers get more traditional stock than an apartment-led market. Three-bedroom homes account for 37.2% and four-bedroom-plus homes 29.2%. The 30.7% renting share creates some choice, but the purchase price is higher than the weekly rent of $320 because land value and location drive demand.
For Investors
Dulwich is better suited to investors targeting an established, tightly held market than those seeking maximum rental yield. The suburb recorded 15 development applications in 12 months, indicating ongoing property maintenance and alterations rather than a large development pipeline. Growth is forecast at 0.73% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver. Compared with a high-yield strategy, Dulwich's case rests more on scarcity, owner-occupier appeal and long-term location quality.
Development Activity
Total DAs
109
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+27.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Dulwich has an older and more highly educated profile than the national comparison. The median age is 43, or 3 years above national levels, while 63.2% of residents hold university qualifications, 33.1 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 23.2%, only 1.6 points above the national comparison, and the average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below the national figure. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 677 people, followed by Irish at 182, Scottish at 180 and German at 145. No religion is reported by 851 residents compared with 674 identifying with Christianity. A 79.3% stayed rate supports a more settled pattern than a high-turnover district.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
69.7%
Houses
28.3%
Townhouse
2.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Dulwich's housing stock is predominantly traditional and owner-occupied. Separate houses make up 69.7% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 28.3% and apartments 2.1%, so the suburb has a much stronger house and townhouse orientation than an apartment-focused precinct. Three-bedroom properties represent 37.2% of homes and four-bedroom-plus properties 29.2%, matching the needs of established households. Ownership outright is 40.2%, higher than the 28.3% mortgage share, while renting accounts for 30.7%. That tenure mix helps explain the suburb's stability, because many households are not exposed to immediate refinancing pressure.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$320
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,036
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
62
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.5%
Couples with children
37.1%
Couples, no children
12.0%
Single parent
442
Total families
Economy & Employment
Dulwich's economy is shaped by professional services and public-facing industries. Healthcare is the largest industry at 24.3% or 158 workers, followed by Professional and Technical services at 18.6% or 121, Education at 12.0% or 78, Finance at 6.2% or 40 and Manufacturing at 5.8% or 38. Occupations reinforce that pattern, with 341 Professionals and 165 Managers. The 65.5% participation rate and 5.2% unemployment rate indicate a sizeable active workforce, while household income of $2,101 per week sits at the 79.6th percentile. SEIFA results are mixed but generally strong: IEO is decile 10, IRSD 8 and IRSAD 9, all higher than the IER decile of 4, suggesting educational and occupational advantage is stronger than the resource position of every household.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
885
Unemployed
46
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.2%
Part-time
39.8%
Participation
65.5%
Employed
839
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.2%
Postgraduate
18.7%
Born Overseas
23.2%
Dwellings
669
Transport to Work
Dulwich offers a compact urban setting, with 1,659 residents across 0.6 sq km and a density of 2,780.8 people per sq km. Daily travel is still car-led at 59.0%, but 12.5% walk or cycle and 20.9% work from home, while public transport accounts for 3.1%. Reported crime is 47 incidents, or 28.3 per 1,000 residents, supporting its low-crime identity, although street-level conditions should still be checked. Social advantage is above the national midpoint, with an IRSAD decile of 9 and an IRSD decile of 8. Volunteering reaches 25.6% and only 3.4% report needing assistance, which supports local stability. School access should be checked from the exact address, including nearby options, enrolment zones and government, Catholic or independent sectors, because boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries.
Drive
59.0%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
12.5%
Work from Home
20.9%
Growth Outlook
Dulwich has an established growth profile rather than a rapid expansion story. The forecast trend is 0.73% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area runs at 12.8% over ten years, while the trajectory is labelled Declining young: the young share has fallen 2.8 points and the senior share has risen 1.6 points. Gentrification signals are mixed, with a score of 24 at the Early signs stage, compared with a separate shift score of 52 labelled Active. Real income growth of 26.1% and rent growth of 33.3% support continued price pressure, because established stock is being competed for by households with stronger earning capacity. The area also recovered from a 2.0% COVID dip after a 3.5% recovery.
Population trend: Burnside council area
Dulwich sits in the Burnside council area. These are the council area's residents, not Dulwich's.
Residents 2025
48,257
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.8%/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
47
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
28.3
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Dulwich compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Dulwich?
School choices should be checked against the exact Dulwich address because enrolment zones and sector boundaries can differ within a 0.6 sq km suburb. Confirm current government, Catholic and independent options directly, then compare travel times, intake rules and fees. Do not rely on the suburb name alone when assessing school access.
Is Dulwich safe?
Dulwich recorded 47 incidents, equivalent to 28.3 crimes per 1,000 residents. That supports a relatively low-crime profile, consistent with the suburb's established-wealth character and IRSAD decile of 9. Conditions can vary by street, so buyers and renters should inspect the immediate area at different times before making a decision.
How is Dulwich's population changing?
Growth is steady rather than rapid, with a forecast annual trend of 0.73% and population change of 12.8% across the wider area over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver. Dulwich is also ageing: the young share has declined 2.8 points, the senior share has risen 1.6 points and the trajectory is labelled Declining young.
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 Dulwich on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map