Fulham
A $1,620,000 median house price in a suburb of just 1.32 square kilometres signals that Fulham commands serious premium in western Adelaide. Outright owners make up 42.8% of households, well above typical suburban rates, because the area draws established, debt-free residents rather than first-home buyers. The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, and university qualifications reach 37.8%, which is 7.7 percentage points higher than the national average. Separate houses account for 79% of dwellings, reinforcing the detached, owner-occupied character that defines the suburb.
Population
2,920
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,753/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
31
Median House
$1.6M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price jumped from $1,375,000 in 1Q 2025 to $1,620,000 in 1Q 2026, a 17.8% rise in 12 months. Separate houses dominate at 79% of dwellings, so genuine house buyers are competing in a tight pool of roughly 1,000 detached properties across the suburb's compact 1.32 square kilometres. Three-bedroom homes are the most common configuration at 46.4%, with four-bedroom-plus close behind at 31.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 26.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 42.8% outnumber mortgage holders at 33.5%, a pattern consistent with long-term residents who entered the market before prices accelerated.
For Buyers
The median house price jumped from $1,375,000 in 1Q 2025 to $1,620,000 in 1Q 2026, a 17.8% rise in 12 months. Separate houses dominate at 79% of dwellings, so genuine house buyers are competing in a tight pool of roughly 1,000 detached properties across the suburb's compact 1.32 square kilometres. Three-bedroom homes are the most common configuration at 46.4%, with four-bedroom-plus close behind at 31.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 26.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 42.8% outnumber mortgage holders at 33.5%, a pattern consistent with long-term residents who entered the market before prices accelerated.
For Investors
Rental demand is present but the numbers require scrutiny. Weekly rent averages $315 against a $1,620,000 median, implying a gross yield around 1%, which is thin by any measure. The 9.7% vacancy rate is above typical healthy-market levels, signalling oversupply particularly in the apartment and semi-detached segments. The renter share is 23.7%, lower than most comparable suburbs, because the owner-occupier base is dominant. On the demand side, net internal migration averages 42 arrivals annually and overseas migration adds 38, providing modest but steady demand support. With 29 development applications lodged in the past 12 months and a gentrification score of 57 at the Active stage, the suburb's investment case relies on capital growth rather than rental yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
292
Last 12 Months
31
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-41.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, and the older skew is structural rather than incidental: the working-age share grew just 1.5 points over the decade while the senior share fell 4.3 points, suggesting gradual rejuvenation is underway but the suburb remains well above the national average age. Overseas-born residents account for 23.1%, close to national levels. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic leaning, with English (993 residents) the largest group followed by Italian (392), Irish (255) and Scottish (236), reflecting the post-war settlement patterns typical of western Adelaide. University qualifications at 37.8% run 7.7 percentage points above the national figure, consistent with the SEIFA IEO decile 7 score for education and occupation advantage.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.0%
Houses
8.3%
Townhouse
12.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward ownership: 42.8% of residents own their home outright and 33.5% hold a mortgage, leaving just 23.7% as renters. This tenure structure, with outright owners outnumbering renters almost 2 to 1, is a hallmark of established, low-turnover suburbs. The stock is 79% separate houses, 8.3% semi-detached and 12.8% apartments, keeping the detached house market insulated from oversupply in the smaller-dwelling segments. Prices rose from $1,375,000 in 1Q 2025 to $1,620,000 in 1Q 2026, a 17.8% annual gain. At a 26.3% mortgage-to-income ratio, purchase costs remain technically below the 30% stress threshold, though that calculation still assumes above-average household income of $1,753 per week, which sits at the 61.6th income percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$315
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$812
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
118
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.5%
Couples, no children
2,290
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 18.6% of local workers (182 people), followed by Education at 13.5% (132), Construction at 11% (108) and Professional/Technical services at 10.1% (99). The occupational profile confirms a knowledge-leaning workforce: Professionals account for 362 workers and Managers 215, together the two largest occupation categories. Unemployment sits at 4.0%, close to national levels, and the full-time employment rate is 59%. The SEIFA IRSD decile 8 score means fewer than 20% of Australian suburbs have lower relative disadvantage. One notable anomaly: the IER score is decile 6, below the IRSD and IRSAD figures, because the lower-than-average rental yield and smaller household size moderate aggregate economic-resources measures.
Unemployment
2.0%
Labour Force
1,765
Unemployed
36
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.0%
Part-time
37.0%
Participation
57.5%
Employed
1,346
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.8%
Postgraduate
6.5%
Born Overseas
23.1%
Dwellings
1,103
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 85% of residents driving to work, while only 6.8% use public transport and 2.5% walk or cycle. This reflects the suburban low-density layout, where separate houses on standard blocks make walkable access to amenity difficult. The IRSAD decile 7 score places the suburb in the upper advantage tier nationally. Housing stress is below the warning threshold: rent-to-income sits at 18% and mortgage-to-income at 26.3%, both comfortably below the 30% stress level. About 6.8% of residents (190 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 44. Volunteering runs at 17.2%, above average for a suburb at this income level. The crime rate is 87 incidents per 1,000 residents annually, which should be assessed against local context given the compact 1.32 square kilometre area.
Drive
85.0%
Public Transport
6.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.96%/yr
(+31 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew from 2,920 in the Census base to an estimated 3,219 by 2025, a 10-year change of 12.8% and an annual trend of roughly 1%, adding about 31 people per year. Medium forecasts project continued steady growth to 3,302 by 2031. Migration is balanced, with net internal arrivals of 42 annually and overseas migration of 38. The gentrification score of 57 places the suburb in the Active stage, supported by signals of rising university-educated share and real income growth of 24.3% over the decade. Affordability improved from 47.1% in 2011 to 38.8% in 2021, narrowing the gap compared to state averages. The trajectory is mixed rather than strongly positive or negative, reflecting an established suburb making gradual demographic improvements.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+38
Net Internal / yr
+42
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Accelerating: 4% → 17%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
254
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
87.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Fulham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fulham a good suburb to live in?
Fulham scores SEIFA IRSAD decile 7 nationally, placing it in the upper advantage tier. The suburb has a 42.8% outright-ownership rate and housing stress below the 30% threshold, with mortgage-to-income at 26.3% and rent-to-income at 18%. University qualifications reach 37.8%, which is 7.7 percentage points above the national figure.
What is the median house price in Fulham?
The median house price is $1,620,000 as of 1Q 2026, up 17.8% from $1,375,000 in 1Q 2025. Weekly rent averages $315 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $2,000. Separate houses make up 79% of the dwelling stock, limiting supply of detached properties in the 1.32 square kilometre suburb.
What schools are in Fulham?
No schools are recorded inside the Fulham boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in adjacent suburbs. The local population is well educated, with 37.8% holding university qualifications, 7.7 percentage points above the national average, and the suburb scores SEIFA IEO decile 7 for education and occupation advantage.
Is Fulham safe?
The recorded crime rate is 87 incidents per 1,000 residents per year, covering 254 total incidents across a population of 2,920. As a contextual indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA IRSD decile 8, placing it among the lower-disadvantage suburbs nationally, and only 6.8% of residents need daily assistance.
Is Fulham good for property investment?
The capital growth case is strong, with prices rising 17.8% in 12 months from $1,375,000 to $1,620,000. However, weekly rent of $315 against a $1,620,000 median implies a gross yield near 1%, and the 9.7% vacancy rate signals oversupply in smaller segments. Net migration adds about 80 residents annually, providing modest demand support.
How is Fulham's population changing?
Population grew 12.8% over 10 years and is projected to reach 3,302 by 2031 at current trend rates of about 31 people per year. Both internal migration (42 net annually) and overseas arrivals (38 net annually) contribute. The gentrification score of 57 places the suburb in the Active stage, with real income growth of 24.3% over the decade.
How much development is happening in Fulham?
There were 29 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including land division approvals splitting single lots into 4, commercial alterations and tree-related works. This level of activity is moderate relative to the suburb's compact 1.32 square kilometre area and suggests incremental densification rather than major greenfield development.
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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