Hackham West
A household income sitting at the 9.6th percentile nationally tells the Hackham West story more clearly than any other number. This southern Adelaide suburb of 3,620 residents scores decile 1 across all four SEIFA indexes, the lowest advantage tier in Australia. Despite that context, the median house price reached $755,500 in Q1 2026, an 18% jump from $640,000 just one year earlier, more than double the typical annual appreciation rate seen in comparable low-income areas nationally. The suburb is detached-house dominant at 79.9%, has a median age of 41 matching the national figure almost exactly, and 42.8% of residents rent rather than own.
Population
3,620
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$928/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
42
Median House
$756K
Median 1Q 2026
The $755,500 median house price as of Q1 2026 represents an 18% rise from $640,000 in Q1 2025, a one-year gain well above the national average for established suburbs. Separate houses account for 79.9% of stock, with 75.2% of dwellings having three bedrooms, making this a straightforward family-home market with little apartment competition. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 27.0%, below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes in the bottom 9.6th percentile nationally. Outright owners make up 24.4% of residents, compared with 32.8% carrying a mortgage. At this price-to-income level, buyers need to stress-test carefully: real income growth was just 12% over a decade while the rent component of affordability already reached 47.0% in 2021.
For Buyers
The $755,500 median house price as of Q1 2026 represents an 18% rise from $640,000 in Q1 2025, a one-year gain well above the national average for established suburbs. Separate houses account for 79.9% of stock, with 75.2% of dwellings having three bedrooms, making this a straightforward family-home market with little apartment competition. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 27.0%, below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes in the bottom 9.6th percentile nationally. Outright owners make up 24.4% of residents, compared with 32.8% carrying a mortgage. At this price-to-income level, buyers need to stress-test carefully: real income growth was just 12% over a decade while the rent component of affordability already reached 47.0% in 2021.
For Investors
A 42.8% renter share gives landlords a deep pool of tenants, well above the national average for suburban Adelaide. Weekly rent of $238 is low in absolute terms, but against a $755,500 median that implies a gross yield near 1.6%, which compares unfavourably to higher-yield regional markets. The vacancy rate is 6.6%, elevated compared to the sub-3% that signals a tight rental market, so entry requires selectivity. Development activity is active with 35 applications in the past 12 months, including land division into 2 and 3 lots, a sign that subdivision is happening. Net overseas migration of 24 per year and net internal migration of 19 per year both support steady demand. The 15.1% turnover rate indicates reasonable churn, keeping listing supply consistent.
Development Activity
Total DAs
164
Last 12 Months
42
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hackham West iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Hackham West School
R-6 · 110 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 is roughly 1 year above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 5.2 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 1.5 points and the young share fell 1.4 points. The overseas-born share is 18.1%, which is 3.5 percentage points below the national average. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,638 residents), Scottish (296), Irish (285) and German (244). University qualifications reach only 12.0%, which is 18.1 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the decile 1 IEO score. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national 2.5. Couples with children (665 families) and couples without children (666 families) are nearly equal in count, consistent with a mixed lifecycle suburb.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.9%
Houses
16.1%
Townhouse
4.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between renters at 42.8%, mortgage holders at 32.8% and outright owners at 24.4%. The high renter share relative to owners is consistent with the suburb's decile 1 disadvantage ranking across all SEIFA measures. Separate houses dominate at 79.9%, with semi-detached dwellings at 16.1% and apartments at just 4.0%. Three-bedroom homes account for 75.2% of stock, with four-plus bedrooms at 11.0% and two bedrooms at 8.9%. The price moved from $640,000 in Q1 2025 to $755,500 in Q1 2026, an 18% one-year gain that has increased the price-to-income gap because household income growth was only 12% over the preceding decade. Mortgage-to-income at 27.0% is below the 30% stress threshold, but rent-to-income at 25.6% also remains manageable for tenants.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wk
$238
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$496
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.6%
Unoccupied
105
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.7%
Couples, no children
2,587
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 25.4% (181 workers), more than double the share of the next sector. Retail follows at 11.2% (80 workers), then Construction at 10.4% (74), Education at 8.4% (60) and Manufacturing at 8.1% (58). By occupation, Community and Personal Service Workers lead at 226, followed by Labourers at 206, reflecting a workforce concentrated in hands-on service and physical roles rather than professional or managerial positions. The unemployment rate is 12.0%, substantially above the national average, and the participation rate is 44.6%, which is low compared to national norms, partly because 1,397 residents are not in the labour force at all. Personal weekly income averages $496, consistent with the bottom-decile SEIFA position.
Unemployment
12.0%
Labour Force
3,844
Unemployed
463
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.7%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
44.6%
Employed
1,182
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.0%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
18.1%
Dwellings
1,485
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 87.3% of residents drive to work, well above the national average, while public transport use sits at just 4.0% and active transport at 1.3%, reflecting the suburban layout and limited rail access of the southern Adelaide corridor. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby institutions. The crime rate is 80.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, which warrants attention compared to Adelaide metropolitan averages. Hackham West scores decile 1 on IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier nationally, indicating concentrated disadvantage across income, education and access measures. The need-for-assistance rate is 12.1%, with 405 residents requiring daily support, above the national average, because the aging and disadvantaged profile concentrates health and disability needs.
Drive
87.3%
Public Transport
4.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.37%/yr
(+30 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth sits at 0.37%, adding about 30 persons per year, slow but positive. The 10-year population change was 4.0%, below the national growth rate for most comparable suburbs. Medium forecasts project the SA2 population (which includes this suburb) growing from 8,128 in 2025 to 8,241 by 2031. Migration is balanced: overseas arrivals average 24 per year and internal migration contributes 19 per year, meaning demand is spread across two sources rather than concentrated in one. The gentrification score is 31, classified as early signs, which is consistent with the 18% one-year price jump; the suburb is beginning to attract interest but has not yet repriced significantly. Affordability worsened from 43.7% in 2011 to 47.0% in 2021, a trend pointing toward continued pressure on lower-income households.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+24
Net Internal / yr
+19
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
290
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
80.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hackham West compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hackham West a good suburb to live in?
Hackham West is an affordable, detached-house suburb with a $755,500 median and 79.9% separate houses, but it scores decile 1 across all four SEIFA indexes, the lowest advantage tier nationally, with household income at the 9.6th percentile. The trade-off is space and affordability versus lower services and higher unemployment at 12.0%.
What is the median house price in Hackham West?
The median house price is $755,500 as of Q1 2026, up 18% from $640,000 in Q1 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 27.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $238.
What schools are in Hackham West?
No schools are recorded inside the Hackham West boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach just 12.0%, which is 18.1 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Hackham West safe?
The total crime count is 290 incidents, giving a rate of 80.1 per 1,000 residents. This should be compared against broader Adelaide metropolitan benchmarks when assessing relative risk. The suburb scores decile 1 on the IRSD index, indicating higher levels of relative disadvantage than most Australian suburbs.
Is Hackham West good for property investment?
The 42.8% renter share provides a large tenant base, but weekly rent of $238 against a $755,500 median implies a gross yield near 1.6%, low by national standards. The 6.6% vacancy rate is elevated. The 18% one-year price gain and 35 development applications, including multiple lot subdivisions, suggest active market interest.
How is Hackham West's population changing?
Annual growth is 0.37%, adding around 30 persons per year. The 10-year change was 4.0%, slower than most comparable SA suburbs. The SA2 population is forecast to grow from 8,128 in 2025 to 8,241 by 2031. The suburb has an aging trajectory, with the senior share rising 5.2 points over the decade.
How much development is happening in Hackham West?
There were 35 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including land division from 1 into 2 and 1 into 3 Torrens Title lots, and construction of detached dwellings in a terrace arrangement. This level of subdivision activity is notable for a 1.99 km2 suburb and signals incremental densification.
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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