Glenalta
With 49.2% of residents holding university qualifications, Glenalta sits 19.1 percentage points above the national average, making it one of the most educated small suburbs in South Australia. The population of 2,039 occupies just 1.19 square kilometres, giving a density of around 1,720 people per square kilometre. Household income falls in the 73.9th percentile nationally, and median house prices reached $1,100,000 in early 2026. The suburb's workforce is led by healthcare and education sectors, and 85% of residents have lived at the same address for five or more years, signalling a settled, stable community rather than one in rapid flux.
Population
2,039
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,968/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$1.1M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price reached $1,100,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up from $1,065,000 a year earlier, a 3.3% annual gain. Separate houses make up 95.1% of dwellings, well above the national average for suburban areas, so buyers get a genuine detached housing market with minimal apartment competition. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 54.8% of stock, while four-bedroom-plus homes account for 35.7%, catering to families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,811, and mortgage-to-income sits at 21.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning affordability is more comfortable here than in many markets at this price point. Average household size of 2.6 is roughly in line with the national figure, consistent with the family-oriented profile.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,100,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up from $1,065,000 a year earlier, a 3.3% annual gain. Separate houses make up 95.1% of dwellings, well above the national average for suburban areas, so buyers get a genuine detached housing market with minimal apartment competition. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 54.8% of stock, while four-bedroom-plus homes account for 35.7%, catering to families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,811, and mortgage-to-income sits at 21.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning affordability is more comfortable here than in many markets at this price point. Average household size of 2.6 is roughly in line with the national figure, consistent with the family-oriented profile.
For Investors
The rental market in Glenalta is thin: only 8.9% of dwellings are rented, compared to much higher rates in metropolitan SA, and weekly rent averages $380. The 3.0% vacancy rate sits above a typical tight-market threshold, suggesting renters have more options than landlords would prefer. Just 9 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, all dwelling alterations or pool additions rather than new supply, so stock is unlikely to grow meaningfully. The 85% residential retention rate means turnover is low, limiting resale volumes. For investors the case rests on capital growth and low supply rather than rental yield, with price appreciation of 3.3% over the past year providing the primary return.
Development Activity
Total DAs
79
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-18.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, consistent with a suburb where 47.6% of families are couples with children and 27.6% are couples without children. University qualifications at 49.2% run 19.1 percentage points above the national average, one of the sharper education gaps you find in SA suburbs of this size. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English is the largest group at 1,065 residents, followed by Scottish at 269 and Irish at 203. Overseas-born residents account for 19.9%, which is 1.7 percentage points below the national figure, making this a less internationally diverse suburb than the Australian average. Volunteering at 27.6% is notably high, suggesting an engaged, community-oriented resident base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.1%
Houses
3.2%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupation dominates: 41.1% own their home outright and 49.9% carry a mortgage, together accounting for 91% of households, well above the national owner-occupier rate. Renters at 8.9% are unusually scarce. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 95.1%, with semi-detached at 3.2% and apartments at just 1.0%, leaving buyers with very little apartment supply to consider. Three-bedroom homes account for 54.8% and four-bedroom-plus 35.7%, which skews toward larger family homes relative to national norms. Price history shows $1,065,000 in Q1 2025 rising to $1,100,000 in Q1 2026, a 3.3% annual gain over one year of data. Mortgage stress is absent with a 21.3% mortgage-to-income ratio, and rent-to-income at 19.3% is also below stress levels.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,811
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$945
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.0%
Unoccupied
24
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.6%
Couples, no children
1,737
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 22.0% of the local workforce (179 workers), followed by Education at 17.1% (139) and Professional/Technical services at 12.9% (105). Public Administration adds another 12.3% (100 workers) and Construction 6.5% (53). This concentration in knowledge-intensive public services explains the high university qualification rate of 49.2%, which runs 19.1 points above national. By occupation, Professionals account for 409 workers, by far the largest group, and Managers add 150. Full-time employment reaches 60.4% of employed residents and the unemployment rate is 4.2%. The household weekly income of $1,968 places Glenalta in the 73.9th percentile nationally, reflecting decent wages without being at the very top of the income distribution.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.4%
Part-time
35.4%
Participation
61.1%
Employed
956
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.2%
Postgraduate
12.2%
Born Overseas
19.9%
Dwellings
777
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 85.3% of residents drive to work, above the national average, and only 5.9% use public transport. Walking and cycling account for 3.0%. The crime rate of 10.3 incidents per 1,000 residents is low in context, with just 21 total recorded crimes, supporting the suburb's low-crime identity signal. The 4.6% need-assistance rate (93 residents) is modest given the older median age of 42. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families depend on schools in surrounding areas. Housing stress is absent on both measures, with mortgage-to-income at 21.3% and rent-to-income at 19.3% both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, making day-to-day affordability better than many Adelaide Hills suburbs at a similar price point.
Drive
85.3%
Public Transport
5.9%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
21
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
10.3
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glenalta compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenalta a good suburb to live in?
Glenalta suits owner-occupier families well. University qualifications at 49.2% are 19.1 percentage points above the national average, the crime rate is low at 10.3 incidents per 1,000 residents, and mortgage-to-income at 21.3% sits below the stress threshold despite a $1,100,000 median. The main trade-off is high car dependency, with 85.3% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Glenalta?
The median house price reached $1,100,000 in Q1 2026, up from $1,065,000 in Q1 2025, a 3.3% annual gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,811, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 21.3%, below the 30% stress level. Weekly rent averages $380, though only 8.9% of dwellings are rented.
What schools are in Glenalta?
No schools are recorded inside the Glenalta suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby suburbs within the Adelaide Hills area. Despite this, the suburb's residents are highly educated, with 49.2% holding university qualifications, which is 19.1 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Glenalta safe?
The crime rate is 10.3 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 21 total recorded crimes across the suburb. This is low relative to broader SA metropolitan averages, and the suburb carries a low-crime identity signal in the data. The small population of 2,039 means even a few incidents move the per-1,000 rate, so the absolute count of 21 provides useful context.
Is Glenalta good for property investment?
The investment profile is growth-oriented rather than yield-oriented. Weekly rent of $380 against a $1,100,000 median implies a gross yield below 1.8%, and only 8.9% of dwellings are rented. Vacancy is 3.0%, moderate rather than tight. The 3.3% price gain over the past year and the suburb's stable, low-turnover owner base support capital growth as the primary return driver.
How is Glenalta's population changing?
Glenalta has a population of 2,039 within a compact 1.19 square kilometre boundary. The 85% residential retention rate shows most residents stay long-term, keeping population churn low. With only 9 development applications in the past 12 months, all alterations rather than new dwellings, significant population expansion is unlikely in the near term.
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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