Hectorville
At 44.7% overseas-born, Hectorville runs 23 percentage points above the national figure, and that migration pattern sits at the root of its most distinctive numbers. Italian ancestry is the largest single group at 1,188 residents, ahead of English (742), giving the suburb a southern-European character unusual in metropolitan Adelaide. The median house price reached $1,335,000 in 1Q 2026 after a 28.9% rise from $1,036,000 just one year earlier, a pace well above typical SA suburban growth. University qualifications stand at 50.2%, which is 20.1 points above national, yet household income sits in only the 39.8th percentile nationally, a gap that points to a concentration of public-sector and community workers earning moderate wages despite professional credentials.
Population
4,241
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,394/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Median House
$1.3M
Median 1Q 2026
The $1,335,000 median house price is a significant entry point relative to SA norms, reflecting Hectorville's compact 1.45 km2 footprint and 64.7% separate-house stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers can service debt without severe strain compared to many higher-income suburbs nationally. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 56.5% of dwellings, with 2-bedroom stock at 27.0%, offering limited large-family options as 4-plus bedroom homes account for only 14.7%. The 74.2% resident retention rate signals that owners who buy tend to stay, which constrains resale supply and supports price support from the demand side.
For Buyers
The $1,335,000 median house price is a significant entry point relative to SA norms, reflecting Hectorville's compact 1.45 km2 footprint and 64.7% separate-house stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers can service debt without severe strain compared to many higher-income suburbs nationally. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 56.5% of dwellings, with 2-bedroom stock at 27.0%, offering limited large-family options as 4-plus bedroom homes account for only 14.7%. The 74.2% resident retention rate signals that owners who buy tend to stay, which constrains resale supply and supports price support from the demand side.
For Investors
Rental demand is solid, with 38.7% of households renting, higher than the SA average, and weekly rent at $300. Against the $1,335,000 median, the gross yield is roughly 1.2%, low by historical standards, which means investment returns rely heavily on capital growth. The 28.9% price rise over the 12 months to 1Q 2026 more than compensated, but that pace is unlikely to be sustained. The 7.8% vacancy rate warrants attention, sitting above the 3% equilibrium threshold and signalling some softness in the rental market. Development activity ran at 27 applications in the past 12 months, including a recent Performance Assessed approval for three double-storey terrace dwellings, which suggests incremental densification is underway.
Development Activity
Total DAs
192
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hectorville iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's School
R-6 · 859 students
East Torrens Primary School
U, R-6 · 350 students
Demographics
Hectorville's median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age skew. Overseas-born residents at 44.7% sit 23.1 percentage points above national, making this one of Adelaide's more internationally diverse suburbs. Italian ancestry leads with 1,188 residents, followed by English (742), Chinese (487) and Indian (290), and Italian remains a spoken language for 243 residents, with Mandarin used by 132. The household structure is family-oriented, with 1,225 couples-with-children households compared to 910 couples without children. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national 2.5, partly because 38.7% of dwellings are occupied by renters who tend toward smaller households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
64.7%
Houses
11.2%
Townhouse
24.1%
Apartment
Tenure
The price trajectory is the defining housing story: $1,036,000 in 1Q 2025 rising to $1,335,000 in 1Q 2026, a 28.9% gain over one year. Tenure splits broadly into thirds: 31.9% own outright, 29.3% carry a mortgage and 38.7% rent, with renters slightly overrepresented compared to the SA average. Separate houses account for 64.7% of dwellings and apartments for 24.1%, with semi-detached at 11.2%, a mix that is more suburban than inner-city. Rent-to-income at 21.5% keeps tenants below stress level, and mortgage-to-income at 28.2% remains under the 30% threshold, so affordability relative to income is healthier than the headline price implies. The high price relative to the 39.8th-percentile household income means buyers are likely dual-income professionals.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$717
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
152
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.3%
Couples, no children
3,217
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant local industry at 20.3% of workers (317 people), well ahead of Professional/Technical at 11.7% (182) and Education at 9.6% (150). By occupation, Professionals lead at 554 workers, followed by Clerical/Admin (331), Community/Personal (283), Managers (237) and Labourers (209). The 6.1% unemployment rate is above the national average of approximately 4%, partly because the 61.2% participation rate is moderate and 1,195 residents are not in the labour force. Weekly household income of $1,394 sits in the 39.8th percentile nationally, below the median despite the 50.2% university qualification rate, a pattern consistent with healthcare and education workers who hold degrees but earn award wages rather than market-rate professional salaries.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.4%
Part-time
33.5%
Participation
61.2%
Employed
2,076
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.2%
Postgraduate
15.2%
Born Overseas
44.7%
Dwellings
1,798
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 79.8% driving to work, with only 11.5% using public transport and 2.2% walking or cycling, reflecting an inner-suburban Adelaide layout that is accessible but not walkable. The crime rate of 45.0 incidents per 1,000 residents (191 total incidents) provides a reference point, though direct comparison with SA state averages requires official SAPOL data. Volunteering runs at 12.9% and 6.7% of residents (275 people) require daily assistance, which is moderate relative to the suburb's demographic profile. Rent-to-income at 21.5% is below stress levels, and mortgage-to-income at 28.2% is under the 30% threshold, both below national stress benchmarks. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in the available data, so families typically rely on nearby schools in adjacent suburbs.
Drive
79.8%
Public Transport
11.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
191
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
45.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hectorville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hectorville a good suburb to live in?
Hectorville offers a compact suburban setting with 4,241 residents at a density of 2,928 per km2. University qualifications reach 50.2%, which is 20.1 points above the national figure. Rent-to-income is 21.5% and mortgage-to-income is 28.2%, both below stress thresholds, making it financially manageable for owners and renters. The trade-off is a $1,335,000 median house price and a car-dependent commute pattern at 79.8%.
What is the median house price in Hectorville?
The median house price is $1,335,000 as of 1Q 2026, up 28.9% from $1,036,000 in 1Q 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.2%, below the 30% stress level. Weekly rent averages $300.
What schools are in Hectorville?
No schools are recorded within the Hectorville boundary in the available data. Families rely on schools in adjacent suburbs. The local adult population is highly educated, with 50.2% holding university qualifications, which is 20.1 points above the national average, suggesting strong demand for quality education access nearby.
Is Hectorville safe?
Hectorville recorded 191 total crime incidents, giving a rate of 45.0 per 1,000 residents. Direct comparison with SA state median rates requires official SAPOL data, but this figure provides a baseline. Only 6.7% of residents (275 people) require daily assistance, and the volunteering rate is 12.9%, both suggesting community cohesion.
Is Hectorville good for property investment?
The 28.9% price growth from 1Q 2025 to 1Q 2026 is well above typical SA annual returns. However, the $300 weekly rent against a $1,335,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.2%, which is low. The 7.8% vacancy rate is above the 3% equilibrium threshold, signalling some softness in the rental segment. Capital growth has been strong, but yield is thin.
How is Hectorville's population changing?
Hectorville's current population is 4,241 in a 1.45 km2 area, at a density of 2,928 per km2. The overseas-born share of 44.7% is 23.1 points above national, indicating sustained migration inflows as a key growth driver. Resident retention is 74.2%, limiting churn. Development approvals total 27 in the past 12 months, with medium-density terrace projects among recent Performance Assessed applications.
What languages are spoken in Hectorville?
Italian is the most common non-English language with 243 speakers, reflecting the suburb's largest ancestry group of 1,188 Italian-background residents. Mandarin follows with 132 speakers, Punjabi with 72 and Hindi with 52. The 44.7% overseas-born rate, which is 23.1 points above the national figure, makes Hectorville linguistically more diverse than most Adelaide suburbs.
How much development activity is there in Hectorville?
There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent examples include a Performance Assessed approval for three double-storey detached dwellings in a terrace arrangement, indicating medium-density infill activity. This level of development reflects incremental densification in a suburb that already has 24.1% apartment stock alongside its 64.7% separate house base.
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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