Elizabeth Vale
A renter-majority profile and a household income percentile of 6.3 make Elizabeth Vale notably different from higher-income parts of northern Adelaide. The suburb has 4,331 residents, a median age of 36, and 40.7% born overseas, which is 19.1 percentage points above the national comparison. Housing is concentrated in 3-bedroom dwellings, at 61.5%, while 50.9% of households rent. Overseas migration is the main growth driver, although the trajectory is Mixed and gentrification remains at the Early signs stage.
Population
4,331
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$851/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
68
Median House
$698K
First quarter 2026
Elizabeth Vale suits buyers prioritising separate or semi-detached homes, because 58.8% of dwellings are separate houses and 33.4% are semi-detached, compared with 7.9% apartments. A typical mortgage payment is $1,083 monthly, and mortgage costs equal 29.4% of household income with no mortgage-stress flag. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 61.5%, making condition, land size and future resale important checks. With 50.9% renting and only 20.7% owning outright, entry-level stock can attract both first-home buyers and investor competition. Compared with nearby Elizabeth, inspect each street carefully for upkeep, parking and access to daily services.
For Buyers
Elizabeth Vale suits buyers prioritising separate or semi-detached homes, because 58.8% of dwellings are separate houses and 33.4% are semi-detached, compared with 7.9% apartments. A typical mortgage payment is $1,083 monthly, and mortgage costs equal 29.4% of household income with no mortgage-stress flag. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 61.5%, making condition, land size and future resale important checks. With 50.9% renting and only 20.7% owning outright, entry-level stock can attract both first-home buyers and investor competition. Compared with nearby Elizabeth, inspect each street carefully for upkeep, parking and access to daily services.
For Investors
Investors face a renter-majority market, with 50.9% of households renting, weekly rent of $233 and vacancy of 7.0%. The vacancy rate can give tenants more choice than a tightly supplied market, so property presentation, tenant retention and realistic rent setting matter. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, supporting a potential tenant base, but the gentrification score is 30 and the stage is Early signs rather than a mature uplift cycle. Three-bedroom homes represent 61.5% of dwellings, giving investors a clear family-rental segment, although the 16.0% unemployment rate warrants careful demand assessment.
Development Activity
Total DAs
200
Last 12 Months
68
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+47.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Elizabeth Vale
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Elizabeth Vale Primary School
Demographics
Elizabeth Vale has 4,331 residents and a median age of 36, four years below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 40.7%, or 19.1 percentage points above the national figure. Nepali is the leading listed language with 270 speakers, followed by Arabic at 32, while English ancestry is recorded for 1,369 people. No religion counts 1,574 residents, Christianity 1,505 and Hinduism 327. Average household size is 2.4 people, slightly below the national comparison, and couples with children represent 37.0% of families. This mix helps explain demand for practical 3-bedroom housing, while 80.7% stayed at the same address and turnover was 19.3%, indicating more residential continuity than a highly transient area.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.8%
Houses
33.4%
Townhouse
7.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Elizabeth Vale is more rental-oriented than ownership-oriented: 50.9% of households rent, compared with 20.7% owning outright and 25.1% paying a mortgage. The stock is weighted to 3-bedroom homes at 61.5%, with 58.8% separate houses, 33.4% semi-detached dwellings and 7.9% apartments. Rent absorbs 27.4% of household income and mortgage costs 29.4%, with neither stress flag triggered. Compared with nearby Elizabeth and Salisbury, this established 3-bedroom mix can be a practical entry point, although worsening affordability means buyers should compare total holding costs, not price alone.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$233
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$468
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.0%
Unoccupied
123
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.0%
Couples with children
28.1%
Couples, no children
32.6%
Single parent
970
Total families
Economy & Employment
Elizabeth Vale's employment base is concentrated in essential and practical work. Healthcare accounts for 25.4% of industry employment, followed by manufacturing at 10.0%, education at 8.5%, construction at 7.6% and administration at 6.7%. Labourers are the largest listed occupation group at 282 people, ahead of community and personal service workers at 178 and trades at 168. The unemployment rate is 16.0%, participation is 38.4%, and 563 people work full time compared with 435 part time. Household income sits at the 6.3rd percentile nationally, while SEIFA disadvantage measures are in decile 1, below most Australian areas. Lower incomes and participation can reduce borrowing capacity, even as healthcare and education provide relatively stable employment anchors.
Unemployment
16.0%
Labour Force
1,326
Unemployed
212
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
50.5%
Part-time
39.0%
Participation
38.4%
Employed
1,114
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.5%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
40.7%
Dwellings
1,627
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 80.4% travel by car as drivers, compared with 3.8% using public transport, 2.9% walking or cycling and 4.8% working from home. One local government primary school is listed, Elizabeth Vale Primary School; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because catchments can cross suburb boundaries. Crime is recorded at 141.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, so street-level checks and visits at different times are sensible. SEIFA IRSAD is in decile 1 with a score of 717, below most Australian areas. With 4,331 residents across 2.49 square kilometres, density is 1,737.2 people per square kilometre, creating a compact urban form, although car dependence, disadvantage and crime exposure remain important practical considerations.
Drive
80.4%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
4.8%
Population Forecast
+0.79%/yr
(+91 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive, with the forecast annual trend at 0.79% and population change across the wider area at 9.6% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is Mixed, so momentum may vary with market conditions. Gentrification is at the Early signs stage, with a score of 30. Rents have grown 39.8%, and affordability worsened from 44.4 in 2011 to 48.9 in 2021. Development activity reached 64 applications in 12 months, including four single-storey dwellings and ancillary accommodation. Population change of 9.6% over 10 years is lower than the 39.8% rent growth rate, so affordability pressure may be more visible than population expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+206
Net Internal / yr
-91
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +15% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +206/yr, Accelerating: 4% → 11%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
614
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
141.8
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Elizabeth Vale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elizabeth Vale a good suburb to live in?
Elizabeth Vale can suit households wanting established 3-bedroom housing and a car-oriented routine. It has 4,331 residents, a median age of 36 and 50.9% renting, so street choice, parking and tenure preferences matter when comparing homes.
What schools are in Elizabeth Vale?
There is 1 listed local school, Elizabeth Vale Primary School, which is a government primary campus. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address, particularly when comparing homes across nearby areas or planning for secondary schooling.
Is Elizabeth Vale safe?
Safety requires a street-level view. The recorded crime rate is 141.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, while IRSAD is decile 1 with a score of 717. Visit at different times and check the immediate route to parking, transport and services before deciding.
How is Elizabeth Vale's population changing?
Population change is moderate rather than rapid. The forecast annual trend is 0.79%, with 9.6% change across the wider area over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is Mixed and gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 30.
What languages are spoken in Elizabeth Vale?
English ancestry is recorded for 1,369 people, while Nepali is the leading listed language with 270 speakers. Arabic has 32 speakers, followed by Persian ED, Italian and Khmer counts of 14, 13 and 12.
What development is occurring in Elizabeth Vale?
Development activity reached 64 applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include 4 single-storey dwellings, ancillary accommodation and regulated-tree work, pointing to ongoing infill and property-level change rather than one large project.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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