Hindmarsh Island
A 41.3% vacancy rate on an island of 1,846 residents tells you what Hindmarsh Island is: a holiday and lifestyle destination more than a conventional suburb. The median age of 60 is 20 years above the national figure, the highest tier of age skew you will find in South Australia, and 54.1% of dwellings are owned outright, well above state and national averages. Separate houses make up 87.8% of stock, and 124 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, a high rate for a community this size. Household income sits at the 18.3rd percentile nationally, reflecting a semi-retired population rather than low earning capacity.
Population
1,846
Median Age
60.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,123/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
139
No median house price data is available for Hindmarsh Island, consistent with thin transaction volumes in a small island market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,365, lower than most SA metro benchmarks, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1% sits below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 87.8% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes account for 41.0%, with three-bedroom stock at 46.0%, pointing to large holiday or owner-occupier homes rather than compact starter stock. Outright ownership at 54.1% is far above the national average, meaning most buyers arrive debt-free. Semi-detached dwellings make up 7.3% and apartments are negligible, so the market is almost entirely detached housing on a waterfront island context.
For Buyers
No median house price data is available for Hindmarsh Island, consistent with thin transaction volumes in a small island market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,365, lower than most SA metro benchmarks, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1% sits below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 87.8% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes account for 41.0%, with three-bedroom stock at 46.0%, pointing to large holiday or owner-occupier homes rather than compact starter stock. Outright ownership at 54.1% is far above the national average, meaning most buyers arrive debt-free. Semi-detached dwellings make up 7.3% and apartments are negligible, so the market is almost entirely detached housing on a waterfront island context.
For Investors
The 41.3% vacancy rate is the single most important number for investors considering Hindmarsh Island. Weekly rent of $330 is below state median, and with 20.8% of dwellings rented, the permanent rental pool is narrow. Development activity is elevated at 124 applications over 12 months, mostly dwelling additions and new detached houses, suggesting owner-occupier confidence rather than speculative builds. The participation rate of 39.2% is low compared to national figures, consistent with a retirement-weighted population unlikely to generate strong rental demand growth. Household income in the 18.3rd percentile nationally means the permanent tenant base has limited capacity to absorb rent increases. Investors relying on yield face structural headwinds from high vacancy and thin population.
Development Activity
Total DAs
737
Last 12 Months
139
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-4.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 60 is 20 years above the national median, making Hindmarsh Island one of the most age-skewed communities in South Australia. Couples without children account for 55.5% of all families, far higher than the national norm, while one-parent families are absent from the data. Overseas-born residents reach 22.8%, which is 1.2 points above national, a modest difference. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,017), Scottish (217) and Irish (200) are the top three groups, followed by German (140). No non-English languages are recorded in the brief. University qualifications at 22.8% are 7.3 points below the national rate, consistent with a retiree cohort that pre-dates mass tertiary participation. The volunteering rate of 20.6% is high, typical of older communities with available time.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.8%
Houses
7.3%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is the standout feature: 54.1% of dwellings are owned outright, substantially above national levels, and only 25.2% carry a mortgage. Renters account for 20.8%. This distribution reflects an older, asset-rich population rather than a mortgage-dependent one. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 87.8%, with semi-detached at 7.3%. Bedroom profile skews large: 41.0% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 46.0% have three, with only 4.8% having one or none. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,365 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1% indicate repayments are manageable for those who do carry debt, sitting below the conventional 30% stress threshold. Rent-to-income at 29.4% is just under the stress threshold for renters.
Mortgage / mo
$1,365
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$581
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
41.3%
Unoccupied
550
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
55.5%
Couples, no children
1,410
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 25.2% of workers (104 people), more than double the share of the second industry, Education at 9.7% (40 workers). Construction follows at 9.0% (37 workers), then Retail at 7.5% (31) and Professional/Tech at 6.8% (28). The top occupations are Professionals (98), Managers (86) and Community/Personal services (81). The unemployment rate of 6.9% is above typical SA metro rates, though the participation rate of 39.2% is low because 887 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a retirement-age population. Full-time employment accounts for 51.2% of those employed, with part-time at a substantial 47.8%, pointing to lifestyle-oriented or casual work arrangements. Household income sits in the 18.3rd percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.2%
Part-time
41.9%
Participation
39.2%
Employed
598
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.8%
Postgraduate
4.5%
Born Overseas
22.8%
Dwellings
780
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 88.7% of residents drive to work, while only 0.7% use public transport, lower than virtually any mainland suburb. Walking and cycling account for 4.3%, likely reflecting the island's recreational culture. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families with children commute or rely on boarding arrangements. The crime rate of 22.8 incidents per 1,000 residents is low in absolute terms with 42 total incidents recorded, and the identity profile includes a low-crime-rate signal. Rent-to-income of 29.4% keeps renters close to but below the 30% stress threshold. With 8.1% of residents needing daily assistance (142 people) and a median age of 60, the community has higher care needs than the national average.
Drive
88.7%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
4.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
42
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
22.8
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hindmarsh Island compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hindmarsh Island a good suburb to live in?
Hindmarsh Island suits retirees and lifestyle buyers rather than families or commuters. The median age is 60, which is 20 years above the national figure, and 54.1% of dwellings are owned outright. Crime is low at 22.8 incidents per 1,000 residents and car dependence is high at 88.7%, so a vehicle is essential. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Hindmarsh Island?
No median house price is available in current data due to thin transaction volumes typical of small island markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,365 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent is $330 for the 20.8% of dwellings that are rented.
What schools are in Hindmarsh Island?
No schools are recorded within the Hindmarsh Island boundary in this dataset. Families with school-age children typically travel to facilities on the mainland via the Hindmarsh Island Bridge. The suburb's population of 1,846 is predominantly older, with a median age of 60 and a large share of couples without children.
Is Hindmarsh Island safe?
Hindmarsh Island recorded 42 total crime incidents, giving a rate of 22.8 per 1,000 residents, a low figure compared to most SA suburbs. The identity profile includes a low-crime-rate signal. With a small permanent population of 1,846 and a retiree-dominated age structure, the area has characteristics typically associated with low crime rates.
Is Hindmarsh Island good for property investment?
The 41.3% vacancy rate is the main challenge: most dwellings are used as holiday homes rather than permanent rentals. Weekly rent of $330 and a renter share of 20.8% limit rental yields. Development activity is high at 124 applications in 12 months, but this reflects owner-occupier building rather than investor-driven supply. The thin permanent population constrains long-term rental demand growth.
How is Hindmarsh Island's population changing?
No population forecast data is available for Hindmarsh Island. The current population is 1,846 with a 25.0% turnover rate over the census period and 75.0% of residents staying in place. The median age of 60 and predominance of couples without children suggest limited natural increase, with growth dependent on lifestyle migration.
How much development is happening in Hindmarsh Island?
There were 124 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, a high rate relative to the 1,846-person population. Recent examples include new two-storey detached dwellings, jetty constructions and dwelling additions. Most activity reflects owner-occupier investment in an established holiday and lifestyle market rather than speculative new supply.
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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