SA 5024 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Fulham Gardens

A median house price of $1,440,000 in a suburb where household income sits in the 52.4th percentile nationally is the standout tension here, because prices have run ahead of local earnings. The $1,440,000 median is up 20.3% in a single year from $1,197,500, one of the sharper coastal Adelaide moves on record. The resident base is older, with a median age of 45 that is 5.0 years above the national figure, and detached housing dominates at 75.6% of stock. SEIFA places the suburb in decile 8 for relative disadvantage and decile 7 on IRSAD, comfortably above the midpoint, and 30.5% of residents were born overseas, 8.9 points above national.

Fulham Gardens urban fabric map

Population

6,573

Median Age

45.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,595/wk

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

61

Median House

$1.4M

Median 1Q 2026

2.42 km²· 2,720.2 people/km²· Family income $2,012/wk

Buyers face a $1,440,000 median house price that climbed 20.3% from $1,197,500 across a single year, so timing has mattered more than usual. The stock suits family buyers: 75.6% are separate houses, 52.5% have three bedrooms and 31.5% have four or more, leaving apartments at just 9.4%. That detached dominance is why entry prices stay high, because there is little cheaper attached supply to anchor the lower end. Despite the headline price, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, which reflects that 48.1% of homes are already owned outright by long-tenured residents rather than recently purchased at the new median.

For Buyers

Buyers face a $1,440,000 median house price that climbed 20.3% from $1,197,500 across a single year, so timing has mattered more than usual. The stock suits family buyers: 75.6% are separate houses, 52.5% have three bedrooms and 31.5% have four or more, leaving apartments at just 9.4%. That detached dominance is why entry prices stay high, because there is little cheaper attached supply to anchor the lower end. Despite the headline price, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, which reflects that 48.1% of homes are already owned outright by long-tenured residents rather than recently purchased at the new median.

For Investors

Renters make up 22.5% of households and weekly rent averages $370, a modest figure against a $1,440,000 median that implies a gross yield well below 2%. The 4.4% vacancy rate is tight, so tenant demand is steady even if the income case is thin. Rent has grown 26.0% over the decade, faster than wages in many markets, and balanced migration adds roughly 80 residents a year, split between net internal of 42 and net overseas of 38. Development is moderate at 57 applications in 12 months, dominated by land divisions splitting single allotments into two to four, which signals gradual densification rather than apartment supply. The investment logic rests on capital growth and land value rather than yield, given returns sit below most Adelaide benchmarks.

Development Activity

Total DAs

356

Last 12 Months

61

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+22.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Subdivision
26
Deck / Pergola / Patio
22
New Dwelling
18
Garage / Carport / Shed
12
Renovation / Extension
10
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
7
Swimming Pool / Spa
6
Tree Removal
4

Demographics

The median age of 45 runs 5.0 years above the national figure, and the senior share fell 4.3 points while the working-age share rose 1.5 points over the decade, a modest renewal rather than further aging. Overseas-born residents reach 30.5%, which is 8.9 points above national, and the European heritage is pronounced: English (1,643) leads ancestry, followed closely by Italian (1,366) and Greek (745). The top non-English languages are Italian (222) and Greek (218), reflecting that postwar Mediterranean settlement. University qualifications sit at 39.1%, 9.0 points above national. Average household size is 2.5, level with the national figure, and couples with children (1,969) outnumber couples without (1,498) across 5,487 families.

Age Distribution

0-14
15.9%
15-24
11.0%
25-44
22.5%
45-64
26.8%
65+
23.8%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
1.5%
2 bed
14.4%
3 bed
52.5%
4+ bed
31.5%

Dwelling Structure

75.6%

Houses

15.0%

Townhouse

9.4%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 48.1% Mortgage 29.4% Rent 22.5%

Tenure leans heavily to outright ownership: 48.1% own with no mortgage, 29.4% carry a mortgage and only 22.5% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to a settled, debt-free base rather than a churn of new buyers, which dampens turnover at 17.6%. The stock is 75.6% separate houses against 9.4% apartments and 15.0% semi-detached, and three-bedroom homes at 52.5% with four-plus at 31.5% confirm a family-house market. The median house price rose from $1,197,500 in 1Q 2025 to $1,440,000 in 1Q 2026, a 20.3% jump. Mortgage-to-income at 28.2% and rent-to-income at 23.2% both stay below the 30% stress line, a sign that established owners are insulated even as headline prices have outrun local incomes.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$1,950

Rent / wk

$370

HH Size

2.5

Personal Income / wk

$767

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

4.4%

Unoccupied

118

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

23.2%

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

28.2%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Italian
222
Greek
218
Punjabi
71
Arabic
38
Macedon
34
Serbian
28

Ancestry

English
1,643
Italian
1,366
Other
772
Greek
745
Scottish
390
Irish
360

Household Composition

27.3%

Couples, no children

5,487

Total families

Economy & Employment

The workforce concentrates in care and public sectors rather than high-finance: Healthcare leads at 18.0% (377 workers), Education follows at 12.0% (251), Construction at 9.6% (202), Public Admin at 8.8% and Professional/Tech at 8.7%. By occupation, Professionals (716) and Clerical/Admin (509) dominate, with Managers at 438. Unemployment is 5.0% and the full-time employment rate is 60.1%. Participation reads a low 57.8%, below what the area suggests, because the older age profile leaves 2,020 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA scores are consistent: IEO decile 7 and IRSAD decile 7, both above the midpoint, while IER sits one step lower at decile 6, which reflects the moderate 52.4th-percentile household income relative to the suburb's high property values.

Unemployment

2.0%

Labour Force

1,765

Unemployed

36

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

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

Overall advantage
7
Disadvantage
8
Economic resources
6
Education & occupation
7

Full-time

60.1%

Part-time

34.9%

Participation

57.8%

Employed

3,038

Occupations

Professionals 716
Clerical/Admin 509
Managers 438
Community/Personal 359
Sales 310
Labourers 242
Machinery/Drivers 169

Top Industries

Healthcare 18.0%
Education 12.0%
Construction 9.6%
Public Admin 8.8%
Professional/Tech 8.7%

University

39.1%

Postgraduate

9.4%

Born Overseas

30.5%

Dwellings

2,536

Transport to Work

Daily life is car-oriented: 87.5% drive to work while only 4.5% use public transport and 2.3% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on cars, a function of the coastal, low-density layout at 2,720 residents per km2. The recorded crime rate is 35.9 per 1,000 residents from 236 incidents, a moderate figure for metropolitan Adelaide. The suburb scores decile 8 on IRSD, the index of relative disadvantage, above the midpoint and consistent with low deprivation, and 6.9% of residents (441 people) need daily assistance, in line with the median age of 45. No schools are recorded inside the 2.42 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off for compact coastal pockets.

Drive

87.5%

Public Transport

4.5%

Walk / Cycle

2.3%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+0.96%/yr

(+31 people/yr)

Established

Growth is steady rather than rapid: the population rose 12.8% over the decade and the forward trend runs at 0.96% a year, about 31 residents annually. Migration is balanced, with net internal inflow of 42 and net overseas of 38 a year supplying most of that increase. Affordability improved from 47.1% in 2011 to 38.8% in 2021 as incomes grew 24.3% in real terms over the period, faster than the suburb's price base early on. Gentrification reads early signs with a score of 22, supported by population up 21% since 2011 and an accelerating change rate from 4% to 17%. The medium forecast lifts the modelled population gradually through 2031, so expansion stays incremental against a largely built-out, detached-housing footprint.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Balanced

Net Overseas / yr

+38

Net Internal / yr

+42

22

Gentrification Signal

Early signs

Population +21% since 2011, Accelerating: 4% → 17%

Safety & Crime

Total Offences

236

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

35.9

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

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

How Fulham Gardens compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 8%
Household Income
Top 48%
Rent Level
Top 22%
Apartments
Top 31%
Renters
Top 44%
Uni Educated
Top 19%
Public Transport
Top 38%
Born Overseas
Top 13%
Density
Top 4%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fulham Gardens a good suburb to live in?

Fulham Gardens scores decile 8 on IRSD and decile 7 on IRSAD, both above the national midpoint, with university qualifications at 39.1%, which is 9.0 points above national. The main trade-off is a high $1,440,000 median house price that has outrun the 52.4th-percentile local household income.

What is the median house price in Fulham Gardens?

The median house price is $1,440,000 as of 1Q 2026, up 20.3% from $1,197,500 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $370 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold.

What schools are in Fulham Gardens?

No schools are recorded inside the 2.42 km2 Fulham Gardens boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 39.1%, which is 9.0 points above the national figure.

Is Fulham Gardens safe?

The recorded crime rate is 35.9 per 1,000 residents, from 236 incidents, a moderate level for metropolitan Adelaide. The suburb also scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, above the midpoint, consistent with a low-disadvantage residential area.

Is Fulham Gardens good for property investment?

Rent of $370 a week against a $1,440,000 median gives a gross yield below 2%, low, though the 4.4% vacancy rate keeps tenant demand tight. With balanced migration adding about 80 residents a year, returns rely on capital and land growth rather than yield.

How is Fulham Gardens's population changing?

The population grew 12.8% over the decade and the forward trend runs at 0.96% a year, about 31 residents. Growth is balanced between net internal migration of 42 and net overseas of 38 annually, while the senior share fell 4.3 points, a sign of modest renewal.

What languages are spoken in Fulham Gardens?

About 30.5% of residents were born overseas, 8.9 points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Italian (222 speakers) and Greek (218) the most common non-English languages, reflecting strong postwar Italian (1,366) and Greek (745) ancestry in the area.

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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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