Hackham West
An established 3,620-person pocket on 1.99 sq km, Hackham West combines a 79.9% separate-house share with a median age of 41 and a household income percentile of 9.6. Compared with nearby Morphett Vale, the suburb is more compact and strongly detached-home oriented. Its slower profile is reflected in 0.37% annual growth, a 4.0% ten-year population change, and an aging trajectory as the senior share rises 5.2 percentage points.
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
45
Median House
$756K
First quarter 2026
Buyers are mostly choosing conventional family stock: 75.2% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms, 79.9% are separate houses and another 16.1% are semi-detached. A 24.1% outright-ownership rate leaves more room for financed purchases, while 42.4% renting creates a broad pool of potential buyers. Compared with nearby Morphett Vale, Hackham West suits buyers seeking a compact, low-rise setting, but price momentum can outpace local incomes.
For Buyers
Buyers are mostly choosing conventional family stock: 75.2% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms, 79.9% are separate houses and another 16.1% are semi-detached. A 24.1% outright-ownership rate leaves more room for financed purchases, while 42.4% renting creates a broad pool of potential buyers. Compared with nearby Morphett Vale, Hackham West suits buyers seeking a compact, low-rise setting, but price momentum can outpace local incomes.
For Investors
Investor conditions are mixed. Renting accounts for 42.4% of occupied dwellings, and the weekly median rent is $238, supporting a sizeable tenant base, while the 6.6% vacancy rate suggests more choice for renters than in a tightly constrained market. Forty-five development applications in the past 12 months, including terrace-style projects, point to ongoing infill activity because the suburb has an established detached-home base. Forecast migration is Balanced and annual growth is 0.37%, while rent growth is 48.0% across the shift period. Compared with a higher-turnover market, Hackham West may suit investors prioritising established demand over rapid expansion.
Development Activity
Total DAs
176
Last 12 Months
45
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+45.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hackham West
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Hackham West School
Demographics
Hackham West has an older, lower-income profile than national benchmarks: median age is 41, or 1.0 year above the national comparison, while university attainment is 12.0%, 18.1 percentage points below the national figure. English, Scottish and Irish ancestry are prominent, with counts of 1,638, 296 and 285 respectively; no religion is the largest recorded affiliation at 2,023, ahead of Christianity at 1,126. Average household size is 2.3, or 0.2 below the national comparison, helping explain the high 33.0% one-parent share among families. Compared with nearby Morphett Vale, Hackham West reads as a settled, Anglo-leaning community, with 84.9% staying at the same address a year earlier.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.9%
Houses
16.1%
Townhouse
4.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly low-rise: 79.9% of dwellings are separate houses, 16.1% semi-detached and 4.0% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 75.2%, while 4-plus-bedroom stock is only 11.0%, shaping demand toward smaller families and practical family layouts. Tenure is split between 24.1% outright owners, 32.5% mortgage holders and 42.4% renters, a renting share higher than the outright-owned share by 18.3 points. Compared with nearby Morphett Vale, Hackham West presents a more compact detached-home choice, but worsening affordability, from 43.7% in 2011 to 47.0% in 2021, warrants close budget testing.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$238
Census 2021
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
28.8%
Couples with children
34.9%
Couples, no children
33.0%
Single parent
949
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading industry at 25.4% of local employment, followed by retail at 11.2%, construction at 10.4%, education at 8.4% and manufacturing at 8.1%. The occupational mix reinforces this service-and-trades base: community and personal work numbers 226, labourers 206 and trades 199. Unemployment is 11.3% and participation is 47.2%, while 53.1% of workers are full time, helping explain household income at only the 9.6th percentile nationally. SEIFA places IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD all in decile 1, with scores of 847, 888, 850 and 831. Because those scores cluster between 831 and 888, disadvantage is broad rather than concentrated in one measure, and sits below middle-decile areas.
Unemployment
11.3%
Labour Force
1,423
Unemployed
161
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.1%
Part-time
40.6%
Participation
47.2%
Employed
1,262
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.0%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
18.1%
Dwellings
1,485
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 81.8% travel as car drivers, compared with 3.8% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling. That pattern matters because only 6.2% work from home, so access to employment and services shapes routine travel. Local schooling includes Hackham West School, a government primary school; families should check enrolment zones and nearby options across the wider area rather than infer access from the suburb boundary. The recorded crime rate is 80.1 incidents per 1,000 people, with 290 incidents, so safety should be assessed street by street and against current local conditions. SEIFA IRSAD is in decile 1 with a score of 831, below a middle-decile benchmark, reflecting socioeconomic pressure. Compared with a more transit-oriented suburb, Hackham West suits households with reliable vehicle access.
Drive
81.8%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
6.2%
Population Forecast
+0.37%/yr
(+30 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is measured rather than explosive: the annual trend is 0.37%, migration is Balanced and the wider area's ten-year population change is 4.0%. The shift is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 5.2 percentage points and the young share down 1.4 points, because established housing and a settled resident base favour longer-term occupancy. Affordability worsened from 43.7% in 2011 to 47.0% in 2021, while rents grew 48.0%, limiting the case for rapid household expansion. Gentrification is rated Not gentrifying with a score of 0, despite a separate early-signals score of 31 in the shift indicators. Compared with high-growth corridors, Hackham West is more likely to change gradually through 45 recent development applications and infill than through major population acceleration.
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?
Suitability depends on priorities. The suburb has 3,620 residents, a 79.9% separate-house share and 81.8% car-driver share, making it practical for households seeking established, low-rise living. However, the crime rate is 80.1 per 1,000 and SEIFA IRSAD is decile 1, so buyers should inspect the exact street and budget carefully.
What schools are in Hackham West?
Local schooling includes Hackham West School, a government primary school. Families should confirm the exact catchment, year-level availability and transport options before committing, because enrolment zones can cross practical suburb boundaries. The suburb has 1.99 sq km of land, so nearby schools may also be relevant.
Is Hackham West safe?
There were 290 recorded incidents, equal to 80.1 incidents per 1,000 people. That figure should be treated as a starting point rather than a street-level verdict, so inspect the immediate surroundings, lighting and travel routes at different times. IRSAD is decile 1 with a score of 831, indicating socioeconomic disadvantage alongside the crime measure.
Is Hackham West good for property investment?
Investment appeal is mixed. Renting is 42.4%, the median rent is $238 a week and vacancy is 6.6%, while 45 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Against that, annual growth is 0.37% and forecast migration is Balanced, so Hackham West suits a measured, established-demand strategy more than a rapid-growth thesis.
How is Hackham West's population changing?
The suburb's population is 3,620 today, with change across the wider area forecast at 4.0% over 10 years. Annual growth is 0.37%, migration is Balanced and the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.2 percentage points and young share down 1.4 points. That points to gradual change rather than rapid expansion.
What development is occurring in Hackham West?
Development activity is noticeable, with 45 applications recorded in the past 12 months. Recent examples include terrace arrangements of 3 dwellings and affordable housing, plus carport and retaining-wall works. This suggests incremental infill within an established 1.99 sq km suburb rather than a large greenfield release. Check individual applications for timing, design and likely neighbourhood effects.
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), SA Department for Housing and Urban Development (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), 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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