Gilberton
With a 13.5% vacancy rate and 60.3% of residents holding university qualifications, Gilberton sits 30.2 percentage points above the national average for tertiary education, one of the highest concentrations in South Australia. Packed into just 0.63 square kilometres at 2,431 people per km2, the suburb of 1,528 has a median age of 43, three years above the national figure. Healthcare dominates the local economy at 25.5% of jobs, likely tied to nearby medical facilities. The high vacancy signals meaningful apartment turnover in a suburb where 39.6% of residents rent and average household size of 2.0 runs below the national norm.
Population
1,528
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,789/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Median house price data is not available for Gilberton at this time, so price-to-income comparisons are indicative only. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,260, which at household weekly income of $1,789 represents a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.2%, just below the 30% stress threshold compared to many inner-city suburbs. The stock leans toward smaller dwellings: 35.2% are two-bedroom and 37.4% are three-bedroom, with 4-plus bedroom homes at just 18.4%. Separate houses account for 54.8% of dwellings and semi-detached for 26.1%, giving buyers a mix of house and medium-density options. Outright owners make up 36.6%, compared to only 23.8% with a mortgage, suggesting a stable, debt-light ownership base.
For Buyers
Median house price data is not available for Gilberton at this time, so price-to-income comparisons are indicative only. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,260, which at household weekly income of $1,789 represents a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.2%, just below the 30% stress threshold compared to many inner-city suburbs. The stock leans toward smaller dwellings: 35.2% are two-bedroom and 37.4% are three-bedroom, with 4-plus bedroom homes at just 18.4%. Separate houses account for 54.8% of dwellings and semi-detached for 26.1%, giving buyers a mix of house and medium-density options. Outright owners make up 36.6%, compared to only 23.8% with a mortgage, suggesting a stable, debt-light ownership base.
For Investors
A 39.6% renter share is higher than most Adelaide suburbs and weekly rent runs at $344, giving landlords a sizeable tenant pool. However, the 13.5% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants attention, since it indicates supply outpacing demand in some segments. Development activity is active at 25 applications in the past 12 months, including apartment reconfigurations and residential works. Overseas-born residents at 31.0% of the population, 9.4 percentage points above the national average, contribute to rental demand from newer arrivals. The suburb's 60.3% university qualification rate, well above national levels, indicates a professional tenant demographic that typically supports rent stability.
Development Activity
Total DAs
125
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+44.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, placing Gilberton among older inner-ring Adelaide suburbs. University qualifications reach 60.3%, which is 30.2 percentage points higher than the national average, reflecting the concentration of professional and knowledge-sector workers. Overseas-born residents make up 31.0% of the population, 9.4 points above the national rate, with English (560 residents), Scottish (165) and Irish (152) the top ancestries alongside German (108). The average household size of 2.0 is 0.5 below the national figure, consistent with the couples-without-children profile where 41.4% of families are couple families without children. A volunteering rate of 23.1% suggests high civic engagement relative to the suburb's modest size.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
54.8%
Houses
26.1%
Townhouse
19.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Gilberton splits between renters at 39.6%, outright owners at 36.6% and mortgage holders at just 23.8%, a distribution that differs from the national pattern where mortgage holders typically outnumber outright owners. The low mortgage share suggests older or long-established ownership rather than recent buyers. Dwellings lean toward two and three-bedroom sizes, which together account for 72.6% of stock, while separate houses at 54.8% sit well above the apartment share of 19.0%. Semi-detached homes at 26.1% reflect the suburb's inner-Adelaide character. Rent-to-income at 19.2% is below the 30% stress threshold compared to many capital city suburbs, while mortgage-to-income of 29.2% also remains manageable.
Mortgage / mo
$2,260
Rent / wk
$344
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,064
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.5%
Unoccupied
110
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.4%
Couples, no children
1,051
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 25.5% of the local workforce (159 workers), a share well above the national industry average, likely anchored by medical facilities serving the inner north. Professional/Technical services follow at 16.5% (103 workers) and Education at 10.7% (67), with Retail and Public Admin each contributing 5.8%. By occupation, Professionals (322) and Managers (130) together make up more than half of employed residents, consistent with the 60.3% university qualification rate. The full-time employment rate is 62.4%, with unemployment at 5.7%. Household income sits in the 63.3rd percentile nationally, above the median but short of the top tier, reflecting a knowledge-worker base without the finance-sector premium.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.4%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
59.7%
Employed
765
Occupations
Top Industries
University
60.3%
Postgraduate
21.4%
Born Overseas
31.0%
Dwellings
704
Transport to Work
Active transport use is above average, with 10.3% of residents walking or cycling, while 75.5% drive, below the national car-dependency norm for suburban areas. Public transport accounts for 8.3% of commuters. No schools are recorded within the Gilberton boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off for small inner-ring areas. The crime rate stands at 87.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 134 total incidents for a population of 1,528, which is a figure prospective residents should review against SA state benchmarks. Rent-to-income at 19.2% and mortgage-to-income at 29.2% both sit below stress thresholds, indicating residents manage housing costs without acute financial pressure.
Drive
75.5%
Public Transport
8.3%
Walk / Cycle
10.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
134
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
87.7
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gilberton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gilberton a good suburb to live in?
Gilberton offers a compact inner-Adelaide setting with 60.3% of residents holding university qualifications, 30.2 percentage points above the national average. Household income sits in the 63.3rd percentile nationally. The suburb's small footprint of 0.63 km2 means daily amenities are typically within walking or cycling distance.
What is the median house price in Gilberton?
A specific median house price is not available for Gilberton in the current dataset. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,260 and weekly rent averages $344. Mortgage-to-income sits at 29.2% and rent-to-income at 19.2%, both below typical stress thresholds.
What schools are in Gilberton?
No schools are recorded within the Gilberton boundary in this dataset, which reflects its small 0.63 km2 area. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, 60.3% of residents hold university qualifications, 30.2 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Gilberton safe?
The suburb recorded 134 total incidents, giving a crime rate of 87.7 per 1,000 residents. Prospective residents should compare this against SA state averages for inner-ring Adelaide to form an informed view. The 23.1% volunteering rate indicates strong community participation.
Is Gilberton good for property investment?
Gilberton has a 39.6% renter share, above average for Adelaide, and weekly rent of $344. However the 13.5% vacancy rate is elevated compared to typical suburban norms, indicating supply exceeds occupied demand in some segments. Development activity reached 25 applications in 12 months, including apartment works.
How is Gilberton's population changing?
Gilberton's population is 1,528 within a compact 0.63 km2 area, giving a density of 2,431 per km2. Residential stability is relatively high, with 70.9% of residents remaining at the same address, against a turnover rate of 29.1%. Overseas-born residents at 31.0% are 9.4 percentage points above the national average.
What languages are spoken in Gilberton?
About 31.0% of Gilberton residents were born overseas, 9.4 percentage points above the national average. The top ancestries are English (560), Scottish (165) and Irish (152), with German (108) also represented. Mandarin speakers number 23, indicating a small but multicultural resident mix.
How much development is happening in Gilberton?
Gilberton recorded 25 development applications in the past 12 months, including a fire safety upgrade to 79 rooms at Ramsay Clinic Adelaide, apartment reconfigurations and a swimming pool installation. This level of activity is notable for a suburb of only 1,528 residents in 0.63 km2.
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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