Hillcrest
At 3,190.6 people per sq km, Hillcrest packs 3,659 residents into 1.15 sq km while retaining a detached-house profile. Its 42.9% overseas-born share is 21.3 percentage points above national, and university attainment is 50.0%, 19.9 points above national. Median age is 35, 5 years below national, but the trajectory is aging. Compared with nearby Greenacres and Oakden, Hillcrest is a compact, family-oriented suburb where cultural variety and rising prices shape the choice.
Population
3,659
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,599/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$974K
First quarter 2026
That sharp move makes the suburb less accessible than its earlier price point, although the typical mortgage payment is $1,602 monthly and mortgage stress is not flagged at 23.1% of household income. The stock suits buyers wanting family space because 80.8% of dwellings are separate houses, 64.8% have 3 bedrooms and 19.2% have 4 or more. Only 3.1% are apartments, so downsizers and low-maintenance buyers face fewer choices compared with house-focused purchasers. With 40.1% of homes mortgaged and an average household size of 2.6, Hillcrest remains oriented to owner-occupier households, but buyers should test repayments against current prices.
For Buyers
That sharp move makes the suburb less accessible than its earlier price point, although the typical mortgage payment is $1,602 monthly and mortgage stress is not flagged at 23.1% of household income. The stock suits buyers wanting family space because 80.8% of dwellings are separate houses, 64.8% have 3 bedrooms and 19.2% have 4 or more. Only 3.1% are apartments, so downsizers and low-maintenance buyers face fewer choices compared with house-focused purchasers. With 40.1% of homes mortgaged and an average household size of 2.6, Hillcrest remains oriented to owner-occupier households, but buyers should test repayments against current prices.
For Investors
Hillcrest has a meaningful rental base, with 33.6% of occupied dwellings rented compared with 22.9% owned outright, while 40.1% carry a mortgage. Weekly rent is $319 and vacancy is 4.8%, pointing to an investable but not ultra-tight rental market. Prices rose 20.8% between 1Q 2025 and 1Q 2026, while rents have grown 7.7%. Balanced migration should reduce reliance on one tenant source, and the 1.34% annual growth trend supports steady rather than speculative positioning. Detached houses make up 80.8%, so family rental demand is likely to matter more than apartment demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
157
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-4.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hillcrest
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Hillcrest Primary School
Demographics
Hillcrest combines a younger-than-national age profile with a strong overseas-born presence. Median age is 35, 5 years below national, while 42.9% of residents were born overseas, 21.3 percentage points above national. University attainment is 50.0%, 19.9 points above national, helping explain the presence of 452 Professionals alongside 233 Clerical/Admin workers and 220 Trades workers. English ancestry counts 929 people, Indian 572 and Chinese 322; Guj, Punjabi and Mandarin are recorded at 157, 115 and 87. Religious affiliation is led by no religion at 1,219 people, Christianity at 1,169 and Hinduism at 505. Couples with children make up 48.1% of families and average household size is 2.6, 0.1 above national. Compared with nearby Greenacres and Oakden, Hillcrest's 79.3% same-address share suggests more residential continuity than churn.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.8%
Houses
16.1%
Townhouse
3.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Hillcrest's housing is predominantly detached and family-sized: separate houses represent 80.8% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 16.1% and apartments 3.1%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 64.8%, with 4-plus bedrooms at 19.2%, so the stock is more suited to households needing space than to apartment-led buyers. Tenure is split between 40.1% mortgaged, 33.6% rented and 22.9% owned outright, making mortgage holders the largest group. Compared with nearby Greenacres and Oakden, Hillcrest's 1.15 sq km footprint and 3,190.6 people per sq km create a compact setting despite its low apartment share. A 4.8% vacancy rate should give renters some choice, although affordability remains the central constraint.
Mortgage / mo
$1,602
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$319
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$759
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.8%
Unoccupied
69
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.1%
Couples with children
32.7%
Couples, no children
17.1%
Single parent
993
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hillcrest's economy is anchored by Healthcare at 21.8% of employment, followed by Education at 10.1%, Professional/Tech at 8.8%, Public Administration at 7.7% and Manufacturing at 7.6%. That mix spreads employment across care, public services, knowledge work and industry rather than one field. Participation is 63.7%, unemployment is 5.4% and full-time employment is 58.5%, with 634 people working part-time. Professionals lead occupations at 452, ahead of Clerical/Admin at 233 and Trades at 220. Household income sits at the 52.5th percentile, slightly above the midpoint, but IEO is decile 3 versus IER decile 6. IRSAD and IRSD are both decile 4, below the middle of a 10-decile scale, so economic resources do not remove all socioeconomic variation.
Unemployment
5.4%
Labour Force
1,856
Unemployed
100
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.5%
Part-time
36.1%
Participation
63.7%
Employed
1,756
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.0%
Postgraduate
14.9%
Born Overseas
42.9%
Dwellings
1,371
Transport to Work
Daily life in Hillcrest is strongly car-oriented: 75.2% travel as car drivers, compared with 9.0% using public transport, 1.2% walking or cycling and 10.3% working from home. That pattern suits households with cars but makes route planning important for people without one. The suburb has 1 local government primary school, Hillcrest Primary School. Families should check exact enrolment zones and nearby secondary options against the address because school access can cross suburb boundaries. Hillcrest recorded 272 incidents, or 74.3 per 1,000 residents, across 1.15 sq km, so current street-level conditions matter. IRSAD and IRSD are both decile 4, below the midpoint of 10 deciles, while average household size is 2.6, 0.1 above national. Compared with a transit-led inner suburb, Hillcrest is better suited to residents who value private-vehicle convenience and established home layouts.
Drive
75.2%
Public Transport
9.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
10.3%
Population Forecast
+1.34%/yr
(+135 people/yr)
EstablishedHillcrest is an established suburb with an annual growth trend of 1.34%, and the primary migration pattern is Balanced. That points to steady demand rather than a single inflow source, while population change across the wider area is 14.0% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.0 percentage points, the young share has fallen 1.5 points and the working-age share has declined 1.3 points. These shifts may temper family-driven turnover because more households are likely to remain in place longer. Gentrification is rated Early signs with a score of 39, while rents have grown 7.7%. Real income growth was -1.8%, which may limit how quickly prices can keep outrunning local purchasing power. Compared with a faster-redeveloping precinct, 20 development applications in 12 months fit an established, incremental pattern.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+80
Net Internal / yr
+123
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +25% since 2011, Net internal migration +123/yr, Accelerating: 5% → 19%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
272
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
74.3
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hillcrest compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hillcrest a good suburb to live in?
That depends on priorities. Hillcrest suits buyers wanting detached homes, with 80.8% separate houses and 64.8% three-bedroom stock. Car use is high at 75.2%, while public transport accounts for 9.0%, so it is less convenient for car-free households.
What schools are in Hillcrest?
Hillcrest Primary School is the local government primary school. The suburb has 1 local primary school, so families should check the exact enrolment zone and compare nearby options, especially for secondary years and addresses close to the suburb boundary.
Is Hillcrest safe?
Hillcrest recorded 272 incidents, or 74.3 per 1,000 residents, across 1.15 sq km. Check the exact street and recent local conditions before deciding, because safety experiences can vary within a compact suburb.
Is Hillcrest good for property investment?
Hillcrest can suit a long-term investor seeking detached housing, but entry cost is high. Rent is $319 a week, vacancy is 4.8% and 33.6% of dwellings are rented. Prices rose 20.8% in the latest year, while rents grew 7.7%, so cash flow should be tested carefully.
How is Hillcrest's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 14.0% over 10 years, with an annual growth trend of 1.34% and Balanced migration. Hillcrest is also on an Aging trajectory: senior share rose 5.0 points while young share fell 1.5 points. Growth is steady, but its household profile is shifting.
What languages are spoken in Hillcrest?
The leading listed languages are Guj with 157 people, Punjabi with 115, Mandarin with 87, Hindi with 60 and Canton with 38. The overseas-born share is 42.9%, which is 21.3 percentage points above national and helps explain the language mix.
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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