Hallett Cove
Detached housing and low reported crime define Hallett Cove more than its beachside name: 94.8% of dwellings are separate houses, apartments are only 0.1%, and recorded crime is 19.2 incidents per 1,000 residents. The suburb holds 12,512 people at 1,373.2 per sq km, so it feels suburban rather than dense. Compared with nearby Sheidow Park and Marino, the profile leans strongly toward owned family homes, with household income in the 67.5th percentile and median age 43, 3 years above the national benchmark.
Population
12,512
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,871/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
123
Median House
$985K
Median 1Q 2026
For homebuyers, Hallett Cove is a house-first market: the median house price is $985,000 in 1Q 2026, up 4.8% from $940,000 in 1Q 2025, with no fall from the 1Q 2026 peak. Buyers are mostly paying for land and family layouts because 94.8% of homes are separate houses, 52.9% have 3 bedrooms and 41.8% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs sit at $1,700 a month and 21.0% of income, below a stress reading, which helps explain the high 46.0% mortgage share.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Hallett Cove is a house-first market: the median house price is $985,000 in 1Q 2026, up 4.8% from $940,000 in 1Q 2025, with no fall from the 1Q 2026 peak. Buyers are mostly paying for land and family layouts because 94.8% of homes are separate houses, 52.9% have 3 bedrooms and 41.8% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs sit at $1,700 a month and 21.0% of income, below a stress reading, which helps explain the high 46.0% mortgage share.
For Investors
Investors face a smaller rental pool than in higher turnover suburbs because only 14.4% of households rent and 39.7% own outright. Weekly rent is $380, while the vacancy rate is 4.0%, so income may be steadier for well-located houses but leasing conditions are less tight than shortage markets. Development activity is notable at 115 applications in 12 months, suggesting ongoing renovations and replacement dwellings rather than rapid density, supported by a forecast net overseas gain of 166 people a year.
Development Activity
Total DAs
584
Last 12 Months
123
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+36.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hallett Cove iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Hallett Cove East Primary School
R-6 · 325 students
Hallett Cove School
R-12 · 1243 students
Hallett Cove South Primary School
U, R-6 · 77 students
Demographics
Hallett Cove is older and more internationally connected than the national average. Median age is 43, which is 3.0 years above national, while 33.5% of residents were born overseas, 11.9 percentage points above national. University attainment is also higher at 34.0%, or 3.9 points above national. English, Scottish and Irish ancestries dominate by count at 5,873, 1,343 and 1,171, but Mandarin, Afrikaans and Polish add smaller language communities.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.8%
Houses
5.1%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is the core housing story: 39.7% own outright and 46.0% are paying a mortgage, compared with just 14.4% renting. The price record is short but positive, moving from $940,000 in 1Q 2025 to $985,000 in 1Q 2026, a 4.8% annual lift and current peak. Density is limited because apartments are only 0.1% and semi-detached homes 5.1%. With rent at 20.3% of income and mortgage at 21.0%, stress readings sit below pressure levels for many households.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$838
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
196
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.8%
Couples, no children
10,815
Total families
Economy & Employment
Local earnings rank above average, with household income in the 67.5th percentile and weekly household income of $1,871. Healthcare leads employment at 21.5% and 990 workers, followed by education at 13.1%, construction at 9.9%, public admin at 8.9% and professional/tech at 7.5%. The occupation mix is skilled but not top-decile: 1,547 professionals sit alongside 1,036 clerical/admin workers. SEIFA is strongest for resources in decile 8, while advantage/disadvantage ranks decile 7.
Unemployment
2.1%
Labour Force
7,735
Unemployed
164
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
63.1%
Employed
6,281
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.0%
Postgraduate
8.0%
Born Overseas
33.5%
Dwellings
4,705
Transport to Work
Livability is built around coastal space, local schools and car access. Only 7.6% commute by public transport and 86.3% drive, below a transit-oriented pattern, so parking and arterial access matter. School choice is local rather than broad: 3 government schools range from ICSEA 989 to 1056, led by Hallett Cove East Primary at 1056 and Hallett Cove School with 1,243 enrolments. Safety is a strength, with 240 recorded offences and 19.2 per 1,000 residents, while IRSAD ranks decile 7.
Drive
86.3%
Public Transport
7.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.11%/yr
(+14 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is expected to be very slow, with the trend at 0.11% a year, or about 14 people annually. The medium path rises from 12,835 in 2026 to 12,907 in 2031, so demand pressure is below fast-growth fringe suburbs. Migration is mixed: overseas migration is the primary driver at +166 people a year, but internal movement is -184 a year. The shift is an Aging trajectory, with senior share up 8.4 points, young share down 1.5 and gentrification score 0, stage Not gentrifying.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+166
Net Internal / yr
-184
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -184/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
240
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
19.2
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hallett Cove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hallett Cove a good suburb to live in?
Hallett Cove suits buyers wanting detached homes, lower recorded crime and local schools. It has 94.8% separate houses, 3 local government schools and a crime rate of 19.2 per 1,000, though car dependence is high at 86.3% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Hallett Cove?
The median house price is $985,000 for 1Q 2026. That is 4.8% higher than $940,000 in 1Q 2025 and equals the recorded peak, so recent pricing has been positive rather than retreating.
What schools are in Hallett Cove?
Local schools include Hallett Cove East Primary School, Hallett Cove School and Hallett Cove South Primary School. They are all government schools, with ICSEA scores from 989 to 1056 and enrolments from 77 to 1,243.
Is Hallett Cove safe?
Recorded crime is 240 offences, equal to 19.2 per 1,000 residents. That low-rate signal is one of the suburb's stronger livability points, especially for households comparing established coastal suburbs.
Is Hallett Cove good for property investment?
Investment appeal is more about stable family houses than high rental churn. Renters are 14.4% of households, rent is $380 a week, vacancy is 4.0%, and there were 115 development applications in 12 months.
How is Hallett Cove's population changing?
Population growth is slow. The forecast trend is 0.11% a year, about 14 people annually, with the medium path moving from 12,835 in 2026 to 12,907 in 2031.
What languages are spoken in Hallett Cove?
English is dominant, but 33.5% of residents were born overseas and smaller language groups include Mandarin with 93 speakers, Afrikaans with 54, Polish with 52, Italian with 47 and Arabic with 42.
Is there much development in Hallett Cove?
There is steady small-scale activity, with 115 development applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include dwelling additions, a double storey detached dwelling, verandahs, fencing and retaining works.
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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