Glenside
With 41.3% of residents born overseas, Glenside sits 19.7 percentage points above the national figure for overseas-born, making it one of Adelaide's more internationally connected inner-eastern suburbs. University qualifications reach 58%, which is 27.9 points above the national average, yet household income lands at only the 35.3rd percentile nationally. The gap points to a suburb shaped by students, healthcare workers and academics who bring credentials without the income to match. A 13.3% vacancy rate alongside a $1,240,000 median house price signals a split market: high-cost ownership stock sitting alongside an active rental layer, with 38.6% of dwellings tenanted.
Population
2,852
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,363/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
63
Median House
$1.2M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price of $1,240,000 as of Q1 2026 places Glenside firmly above the SA median, but the stock composition matters. Only 29.3% of dwellings are separate houses; apartments (36.1%) and semi-detached dwellings (34.3%) together account for the majority. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.7%, so a buyer seeking a larger family home is competing for genuinely scarce supply. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,842, which against weekly household income produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.2%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 37.3% outnumber those with a mortgage (24.2%), suggesting much of the ownership base is established and debt-free rather than recent buyers taking on high leverage.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,240,000 as of Q1 2026 places Glenside firmly above the SA median, but the stock composition matters. Only 29.3% of dwellings are separate houses; apartments (36.1%) and semi-detached dwellings (34.3%) together account for the majority. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.7%, so a buyer seeking a larger family home is competing for genuinely scarce supply. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,842, which against weekly household income produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.2%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 37.3% outnumber those with a mortgage (24.2%), suggesting much of the ownership base is established and debt-free rather than recent buyers taking on high leverage.
For Investors
A 38.6% renter share gives landlords a sizeable tenant pool, supported by proximity to hospitals, universities and professional precincts that drive a transient, credential-heavy workforce. Weekly rent sits at $326, modest relative to the $1,240,000 median price, implying a gross yield below 1.5%. The 13.3% vacancy rate is high and signals real competition in the unit and apartment segment, which comprises 36.1% of dwellings. Development activity is active with 62 applications lodged in the past 12 months. The rent-to-income ratio at 23.9% stays below the 30% stress level, meaning tenants are not priced out, but investors should factor the elevated vacancy before entering the apartment market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
280
Last 12 Months
63
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 43 sits 3 years above the national figure, consistent with an established professional and semi-retired cohort living alongside a younger overseas-born population. Overseas-born residents account for 41.3%, which is 19.7 points above the national average. The leading ancestries are English (865 people), followed by Chinese (437), Scottish (226) and Irish (190), a mix that reflects both Anglo-Celtic roots and significant Asian migration. Mandarin is the most spoken non-English language (131 speakers), followed by Cantonese (42) and Sinhala (35). University qualifications reach 58% of the adult population, 27.9 points higher than the national rate, placing Glenside among Adelaide's most educated suburbs. Average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below the national figure, reflecting the prevalence of couples without children (31.6% of families) and smaller households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
29.3%
Houses
34.3%
Townhouse
36.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Glenside divides between outright owners (37.3%), renters (38.6%) and mortgage holders (24.2%). The near-parity between outright owners and renters is unusual and reflects two distinct groups: long-held properties that have been paid off, and a large rental stock servicing the suburb's transient professional and student population. Apartments account for 36.1% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 34.3%, leaving only 29.3% as separate houses, which concentrates price pressure on detached stock. Two-bedroom configurations dominate at 41.7%, followed by three-bedroom at 32.6%. The 13.3% vacancy rate is high by Adelaide standards, concentrated in the dense apartment layer. Mortgage holders face a 31.2% mortgage-to-income ratio, above the stress threshold despite the median house price being lower than Sydney or Melbourne equivalents.
Mortgage / mo
$1,842
Rent / wk
$326
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$761
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.3%
Unoccupied
201
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.2% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.6%
Couples, no children
1,983
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 21.6% of workers (201 people), consistent with proximity to several hospital and health campus facilities. Professional and technical services follow at 14.7% (137 workers) and Education at 12.3% (114 workers), producing a knowledge-sector trio that accounts for nearly half of all local employment. The top occupation is Professionals at 457 workers, well ahead of Clerical/Admin (164) and Community/Personal services (144). Full-time employment runs at 60.4% of those in work, with an unemployment rate of 5.4%. Participation at 49.1% is low, partly because 1,085 residents are not in the labour force, including students, retirees and carers. The household income percentile of 35.3 nationally reflects this composition: high qualifications concentrated in sectors that do not always translate to high wages in early career or part-time roles.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.4%
Part-time
34.2%
Participation
49.1%
Employed
1,133
Occupations
Top Industries
University
58.0%
Postgraduate
18.8%
Born Overseas
41.3%
Dwellings
1,305
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 72.4% of commuters driving, while 10.5% use public transport and 8.5% walk or cycle, broadly typical of Adelaide's inner-eastern suburbs rather than a walkable city core. No schools are recorded inside the 1.12 square kilometre boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Crime totals 220 incidents, a rate of 77.1 per 1,000 residents. With 7% of residents (193 people) needing daily assistance, and a volunteering rate of 21.4%, the suburb has a socially connected character. Rent-to-income at 23.9% keeps tenants below the 30% stress line, while mortgage stress flags at 31.2%. SEIFA decile data is not available for Glenside in this dataset, so relative disadvantage rankings cannot be cited directly.
Drive
72.4%
Public Transport
10.5%
Walk / Cycle
8.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
220
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
77.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glenside compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenside a good suburb to live in?
Glenside offers an educated, internationally connected community with 58% of residents holding university qualifications, 27.9 points above the national average. The median house price is $1,240,000 and the suburb sits 3km from Adelaide CBD. The main trade-offs are a 13.3% vacancy rate in the apartment segment and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.2%, above the stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Glenside?
The median house price is $1,240,000 as of Q1 2026. Weekly rent averages $326 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,842. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 31.2%, above the 30% stress threshold, even though only 24.2% of dwellings are owner-occupied with a mortgage.
What schools are in Glenside?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.12 square kilometre Glenside boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly qualified, with 58% of residents holding university degrees, which is 27.9 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Glenside safe?
Crime in Glenside totals 220 recorded incidents, a rate of 77.1 per 1,000 residents. For comparison, the suburb's 7% of residents needing daily assistance (193 people) and a 21.4% volunteering rate point to a community-engaged population. SEIFA disadvantage data is not available to provide a decile ranking for this suburb.
Is Glenside good for property investment?
The 38.6% renter share gives landlords a solid tenant pool, driven by healthcare and education workers. Weekly rent of $326 against a $1,240,000 median implies a gross yield below 1.5%, which is low. The 13.3% vacancy rate signals apartment oversupply, so investors should favour the scarcer detached or semi-detached stock rather than the apartment segment where 36.1% of dwellings already compete.
How is Glenside's population changing?
Glenside's population stands at 2,852 across 1.12 square kilometres, at a density of 2,556 per square kilometre. With a 28.3% annual turnover rate, roughly one in four residents changes each year, driven by the large 38.6% renter proportion and the transient healthcare and education workforce. The 41.3% overseas-born share, 19.7 points above national, reflects continued international migration contributing to population renewal.
What languages are spoken in Glenside?
About 41.3% of Glenside residents were born overseas, which is 19.7 percentage points above the national figure. The most common non-English languages are Mandarin (131 speakers), Cantonese (42), Sinhala (35), Hindi (31) and Urdu (22), reflecting migration from Asia and the Indian subcontinent alongside the suburb's Anglo-Celtic historical base.
How much development is happening in Glenside?
There were 62 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, a moderate level for a suburb of only 1.12 square kilometres. Recent approved applications include retail tenancy fitouts and internal fitout works, consistent with commercial activity around healthcare and retail precincts rather than large-scale new residential 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), 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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