SA 5112 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Elizabeth Grove

A renter-majority profile shapes Elizabeth Grove, where 59.7% of occupied dwellings are rented and the median age is 36, four years below the national figure. The suburb has 2,531 residents in 1.29 square kilometres, giving it a density of 1,959.3 people per square kilometre. Household income is $825 a week, at the 5.1 percentile, while 30.2% of residents were born overseas, 8.6 percentage points above national levels. Compared with nearby Elizabeth North and Elizabeth South, the compact 56.5% semi-detached housing mix and 117.7 crimes per 1,000 people point to a practical, price-sensitive market where rental demand matters because many households have limited income.

Local council: Playford

Elizabeth Grove urban fabric map

Population

2,531

Median Age

36.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$825/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

53

Median House

$690K

First quarter 2026

1.29 km²· 1,959.3 people/km²· Family income $1,056/wk

Elizabeth Grove suits buyers seeking established three-bedroom housing, but purchase costs have moved higher. A mortgage figure of $1,075 per month equates to 30.1% of income, above the 27.3% rent-to-income measure, so buyers need to test repayments against the local household income of $825 a week. Housing is weighted to three-bedroom homes at 66.1%, with 56.5% semi-detached and 43.5% separate houses. That mix can provide more format choice than a detached-only market, but buyers should check land size, shared access, title conditions and repair needs before comparing properties.

For Buyers

Elizabeth Grove suits buyers seeking established three-bedroom housing, but purchase costs have moved higher. A mortgage figure of $1,075 per month equates to 30.1% of income, above the 27.3% rent-to-income measure, so buyers need to test repayments against the local household income of $825 a week. Housing is weighted to three-bedroom homes at 66.1%, with 56.5% semi-detached and 43.5% separate houses. That mix can provide more format choice than a detached-only market, but buyers should check land size, shared access, title conditions and repair needs before comparing properties.

For Investors

Elizabeth Grove's investor case is built on renter depth rather than premium positioning. Renters account for 59.7% of households, weekly rent is $225 and vacancy is 8.7%, a combination that may support leasing choice but also requires property-level demand checks. Rents have grown 39.8%, higher than the 8.3% house-price increase recorded from 1Q 2025 to 1Q 2026, so rental momentum has outpaced recent price growth. Development activity reached 53 applications in 12 months, including a division into 3 community-title interests and 2 detached dwellings. Annual growth is 0.79% and overseas migration is the primary driver. IRSAD decile 1 and crime of 117.7 per 1,000 people call for conservative maintenance and tenant-risk assumptions.

Development Activity

Total DAs

174

Last 12 Months

53

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+51.4%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Subdivision
22
New Dwelling
14
Garage / Carport / Shed
12
Renovation / Extension
10
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
8
Commercial / Industrial
7
Driveway / Crossover
5
Deck / Pergola / Patio
4

Schools in Elizabeth Grove

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Elizabeth Grove Primary School

Primary Education Government

Demographics

Elizabeth Grove has a median age of 36, which is 4 years below national, and an average household size of 2.3, 0.2 below the national figure. The overseas-born share is 30.2%, 8.6 percentage points above national, helping explain demand for multilingual services and culturally familiar retail. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 844 people, followed by Other at 560, Irish at 170 and Scottish at 160. No religion is recorded for 1,085 residents, Christianity for 869 and Islam for 141. Nepali is the leading listed non-English language at 67 people, ahead of Arabic at 16 and Persian at 14. Residential stability is moderate, with 77.7% staying at the same address and turnover at 22.3%. University attainment is 10.9%, 19.2 points below national.

Age Distribution

0-14
21.3%
15-24
13.9%
25-44
25.2%
45-64
23.9%
65+
15.6%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
5.8%
2 bed
17.0%
3 bed
66.1%
4+ bed
11.2%

Dwelling Structure

43.5%

Houses

56.5%

Townhouse

0.0%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 17.5% Mortgage 21.5% Rent 59.7% Other 1.2%

That rise is higher than the 0.79% annual growth trend, showing recent price movement has run ahead of the longer trajectory. Tenure is renter-heavy: 59.7% rent, 21.5% have a mortgage and 17.5% own outright. The stock is dominated by three-bedroom homes at 66.1%, while two-bedroom dwellings make up 17.0% and four-plus-bedroom homes 11.2%. Semi-detached dwellings account for 56.5%, above separate houses at 43.5%, making dwelling condition, shared access and title structure important. For comparisons with Elizabeth North or Elizabeth South, inspect each address rather than assuming the same housing economics.

Mortgage / mo

$1,075

Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.

$225

Census 2021

HH Size

2.3

Personal Income / wk

$453

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

8.7%

Unoccupied

94

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

27.3%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

30.1% stressed

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Nepali
67
Arabic
16
Persian ED
14

Ancestry

English
844
Other
560
Ancestry NS
255
Irish
170
Scottish
160
German
128

Household Composition

35.0%

Couples with children

29.6%

Couples, no children

31.7%

Single parent

574

Total families

Economy & Employment

Elizabeth Grove's employment base is led by healthcare at 23.5% of jobs, followed by manufacturing and retail at 9.3% each, construction at 9.0% and education at 7.7%. That mix links local work to essential services, production, shops and building, while the occupation profile is concentrated in labourers at 157, machinery and drivers at 98 and trades at 93, with community and personal service work at 80 and clerical and administration at 69. Labour-market pressure is pronounced: unemployment is 16.7%, participation is 39.3% and 1,016 people are not in the labour force. Weekly household income is $825, at the 5.1 percentile, and all four SEIFA deciles are 1: IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD. These results sit well below national socioeconomic levels because lower participation and job concentration restrict income resilience.

Unemployment

16.7%

Labour Force

785

Unemployed

131

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
1
Disadvantage
1
Economic resources
1
Education & occupation
1

Full-time

50.2%

Part-time

41.0%

Participation

39.3%

Employed

654

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Labourers 157
Machinery/Drivers 98
Trades 93
Community/Personal 80
Clerical/Admin 69
Sales 69
Professionals 43
Managers 28

Top Industries

Healthcare 23.5%
Manufacturing 9.3%
Retail 9.3%
Construction 9.0%
Education 7.7%

University

10.9%

Postgraduate

2.2%

Born Overseas

30.2%

Dwellings

977

Transport to Work

Daily travel is car-dependent: 80.6% drive as car occupants, compared with 3.5% using public transport, 1.9% walking or cycling and 2.2% working from home. That pattern matters because access to employment and services is less flexible for households without reliable car access. Elizabeth Grove Primary School is the local government primary option, giving the suburb 1 local primary school and making exact enrolment-zone checks important for families seeking other year levels. Reported crime is 298 incidents, or 117.7 per 1,000 people, a high rate that warrants attention to lighting, secure parking and property-level precautions. IRSAD is decile 1, below the national median position, so affordability and access pressures can shape day-to-day experience. With an average household size of 2.3, the three-bedroom majority at 66.1% is practical for many local households.

Drive

80.6%

Public Transport

3.5%

Walk / Cycle

1.9%

Work from Home

2.2%

Growth Outlook

Elizabeth Grove is an established area with a forecast annual trend of 0.79%, and overseas migration is the primary growth driver. The wider area's population change is 9.6% over 10 years, while the gentrification score is 30 and the stage is Early signs. Compared with the 15% increase since 2011 signal, the 9.6% ten-year change is more moderate, suggesting gradual rather than explosive change. The shift profile is Mixed: rent growth is 39.8%, real income growth is 3.0% and affordability worsened from 44.4 in 2011 to 48.9 in 2021. Working-age share rose 2.4 percentage points, young share rose 0.2 and senior share fell 2.6. Overseas migration can support demand, but the 0.79% annual pace and worsening affordability mean future growth depends on jobs, new housing and household purchasing power.

Population trend: Playford council area

Elizabeth Grove sits in the Playford council area. These are the council area's residents, not Elizabeth Grove's.

Residents 2025

115,790

Growth, 5 yr average

+3.3%/yr

2020 to 2025

Growth, last year

+3.9%

2024 to 2025

ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb

Safety & Crime

Total Offences

298

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

117.7

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Elizabeth Grove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 19%
Household Income
Bottom 5%
Rent Level
Bottom 39%
Apartments
Bottom 0%
Renters
Top 4%
Uni Educated
Bottom 8%
Public Transport
Top 39%
Born Overseas
Top 13%
Density
Top 8%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Elizabeth Grove a good suburb to live in?

Elizabeth Grove can suit buyers and renters who prioritise a lower weekly rent and compact housing, but the trade-offs are significant. The median age is 36, weekly rent is $225 and 59.7% of households rent. Crime is 117.7 incidents per 1,000 people and IRSAD is decile 1, so inspect the exact street, transport needs and household budget before deciding.

What schools are in Elizabeth Grove?

Elizabeth Grove Primary School is the local government primary school. Families should check enrolment zones at the exact address and compare secondary options in nearby suburbs. With 1 local primary school, school access depends on year level, catchment and transport arrangements. The average household size is 2.3 people.

Is Elizabeth Grove safe?

Safety needs careful consideration. There were 298 recorded incidents, equal to 117.7 per 1,000 people, which is a high rate. That does not describe every street or property, so inspect the immediate surroundings at different times and check lighting, parking and security before renting or buying. The suburb's IRSAD decile is 1.

Is Elizabeth Grove good for property investment?

It can work for an investor with disciplined property selection, but it is not a low-risk growth story. Renters make up 59.7% of households, weekly rent is $225 and vacancy is 8.7%. Rents grew 39.8%, while the house-price median rose 8.3% from 1Q 2025 to 1Q 2026. Crime is 117.7 per 1,000 and 53 development applications in 12 months may add supply.

How is Elizabeth Grove's population changing?

Population change is gradual rather than rapid. The annual forecast trend is 0.79%, and the wider-area population change is 9.6% over 10 years, with overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while the gentrification score is 30 at the Early signs stage. Rent growth of 39.8% and worsening affordability from 44.4 to 48.9 may shape who can remain.

What languages are spoken in Elizabeth Grove?

English ancestry is the largest recorded ancestry at 844 people, while Nepali is the leading listed non-English language at 67 people. Arabic is recorded for 16 and Persian for 14. Overall, 30.2% of residents were born overseas, 8.6 percentage points above the national figure, so culturally responsive services may be useful.

What development is occurring in Elizabeth Grove?

Development activity reached 53 applications in 12 months. Recent examples include a land division from 1 allotment into 3 community-title interests, 2 single-storey detached dwellings and a partial outbuilding conversion. This level of activity is higher than a no-change market, but it does not guarantee a large new housing supply. Check title type, parking, stormwater and completion status.

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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