Firle
The population of 1,508 is densely packed into just 0.62 sq km, and 53.5% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 23.4 percentage points above the national average. Combined with a high-crime-rate signal, Firle presents a mixed profile: genuine educational attainment and premium housing alongside elevated crime per capita and a 9.2% vacancy rate that points to softening rental demand.
Local council: Norwood Payneham and St Peters
Population
1,508
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,488/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
36
Median House
$1.6M
First quarter 2026
Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 51.4% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 19.6% and 2-bedroom at 27.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, but with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.0%, buyers are technically above the mortgage stress threshold, even at current repayment levels.
For Buyers
Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 51.4% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 19.6% and 2-bedroom at 27.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, but with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.0%, buyers are technically above the mortgage stress threshold, even at current repayment levels.
For Investors
Rental demand in Firle is notable: 37.9% of residents rent, well above the national owner-occupier skew, and weekly rent is $350. However, a 9.2% vacancy rate is elevated compared to healthy market benchmarks, suggesting more available rental stock than tenants. Development activity is active at 32 applications in the past 12 months, including a cafe extension and residential approvals. The overseas-born share of 40.9% is 19.3 points higher than the national average, which historically correlates with rental demand from recent arrivals, but vacancy data indicates the current supply-demand balance favours tenants over landlords.
Development Activity
Total DAs
150
Last 12 Months
36
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+38.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Firle's residents skew slightly younger than the national median, with a median age of 39, one year below national. The overseas-born share of 40.9% is 19.3 percentage points above the national figure, among the higher rates for Adelaide's eastern suburbs. Top ancestry groups are English (359), Italian (305) and Chinese (217), with Italian and Mandarin being the most commonly spoken non-English languages at 57 and 64 speakers respectively. University qualifications reach 53.5%, which is 23.4 points above national. The volunteering rate of 19.8% is reasonably strong, and average household size is 2.4, fractionally below the national figure, consistent with the mix of couples and smaller family units.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
65.2%
Houses
34.8%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits across three roughly balanced groups: 31.6% own outright, 30.5% carry a mortgage and 37.9% rent. The high renter share relative to the premium price point reflects a segment of investment-held dwellings. Separate houses dominate at 65.2% versus 34.8% semi-detached, with no significant apartment component recorded. Mortgage holders are technically in stress territory with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.0%, above the 30% threshold, while renters are more comfortable at 23.5% rent-to-income, below the stress level. The 9.2% vacancy rate indicates excess rental supply relative to demand.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$735
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.2%
Unoccupied
63
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.0% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.8%
Couples with children
38.9%
Couples, no children
17.4%
Single parent
414
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local employment base at 20.1% of workers (113 people), followed by Education at 14.3% (80) and Professional/Tech at 12.1% (68), with Construction at 7.7% and Public Admin at 6.2%. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 231, consistent with the 53.5% university qualification rate, which is well above state and national averages. The unemployment rate is 6.8%, above typical metro Adelaide levels, and the participation rate is 62.3%. Full-time workers account for 58.3% of the employed. Household income sits at the 46.5th percentile nationally, which is below median despite the premium house prices, suggesting the suburb is held partly by wealth-rich but income-moderate households.
Unemployment
6.5%
Labour Force
837
Unemployed
54
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.9%
Part-time
39.3%
Participation
65.9%
Employed
783
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
53.5%
Postgraduate
17.7%
Born Overseas
40.9%
Dwellings
624
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high in Firle, with 80.2% of residents driving to work compared to the national average, and only 9.5% using public transport. Active travel accounts for 4.0%. No schools are recorded within the 0.62 sq km boundary, so families rely on institutions in adjacent suburbs. The crime rate of 95.5 incidents per 1,000 residents is flagged as elevated, which is a meaningful consideration for liveability assessments. On the positive side, the rent-to-income ratio of 23.5% keeps renters below stress thresholds, and 6.1% of residents need daily assistance, a moderate figure for a suburb with a median age of 39. The 53.5% university qualification rate is 23.4 points above national, reflecting a well-educated resident base.
Drive
70.3%
Public Transport
8.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
12.3%
Growth Outlook
This correction is steeper than the broader SA premium market experienced over the same period. Mobility data shows 71.7% of residents stayed at the same address in the census period, with 28.3% turning over, indicating moderate churn rather than a stable long-tenured community. The development pipeline of 32 applications in 12 months shows ongoing activity, with a mix of residential and commercial works. With a high 9.2% vacancy rate and price softening, the near-term outlook favours buyers over sellers, though the suburb's education and employment profile provides a floor compared to lower-skilled postcodes.
Population trend: Norwood Payneham and St Peters council area
Firle sits in the Norwood Payneham and St Peters council area. These are the council area's residents, not Firle's.
Residents 2025
40,845
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.6%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
144
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
95.5
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Firle compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Firle a good suburb to live in?
Firle has genuine strengths: 53.5% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 23.4 percentage points above the national average, and the suburb sits close to inner Adelaide. The trade-offs are a crime rate of 95.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, a 9.2% vacancy rate signalling soft rental demand, and a 16.6% house price fall from the 2025 peak to early 2026.
What schools are in Firle?
No schools are recorded within the Firle boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite the absence of local schools, the resident population is highly educated: 53.5% hold university qualifications, which is 23.4 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Firle safe?
Firle has a crime rate of 95.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, which is flagged as elevated relative to comparable SA suburbs. This is a notable consideration for residents and buyers assessing the suburb. The 9.2% vacancy rate may also indicate that some households have moved on, which can affect the social fabric of an area.
How is Firle's population changing?
Firle has a population of 1,508 across 0.62 sq km, giving a density of 2,442 per sq km. The mobility rate shows 28.3% of residents changed address in the census period, while 71.7% stayed, suggesting moderate turnover. The overseas-born share of 40.9% is 19.3 percentage points above the national average, reflecting ongoing international migration as a population driver.
What languages are spoken in Firle?
With 40.9% of residents born overseas, which is 19.3 points above the national figure, Firle has strong international representation. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (64 speakers), Italian (57), Greek (28), Hindi (27) and Punjabi (21), reflecting the English, Italian and Chinese ancestry groups that together account for the majority of residents.
How much development is happening in Firle?
There were 32 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including a carport, a cafe extension and a storage shed, covering both residential and small commercial works. This level of activity is moderate for a suburb of 1,508 residents and suggests steady reinvestment in existing stock rather than large-scale new supply.
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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