SA 5231 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Kersbrook

With only 1,116 residents spread across 77.64 square kilometres, Kersbrook is one of South Australia's most sparsely settled peri-urban localities, registering just 14.4 people per km2. What makes it stand out is the combination of a $825,000 median house price and a household income at the 74.7th percentile nationally, suggesting buyers accept a premium for acreage and privacy that the suburb consistently delivers. Every dwelling here is a separate house, 100% detached, compared to the national mix where apartments and semi-detached properties account for a substantial share. At 40.0% outright ownership, the resident base skews toward established, asset-secure households, while the low 7.3% renter share signals a community built around long-term residency rather than transient tenancy.

Kersbrook urban fabric map

Population

1,116

Median Age

46.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,992/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

18

Median House

$825K

Median 1Q 2026

77.64 km²· 14.4 people/km²· Family income $2,290/wk

The median house price of $825,000 as of Q1 2026 reflects demand for larger landholdings in the Adelaide Hills region. Every dwelling on record is a separate house, 100% detached, with no apartments or semi-detached stock, so buyers are always competing for standalone properties on rural-residential lots. The bedroom profile leans large: 46.6% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 46.1% have 3, leaving just 7.3% with 2 bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability buffer is meaningful at this price point and stems from household incomes in the 74.7th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 40.0% outnumber the national average, pointing to a settled ownership base rather than first-home buyer churn.

For Buyers

The median house price of $825,000 as of Q1 2026 reflects demand for larger landholdings in the Adelaide Hills region. Every dwelling on record is a separate house, 100% detached, with no apartments or semi-detached stock, so buyers are always competing for standalone properties on rural-residential lots. The bedroom profile leans large: 46.6% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 46.1% have 3, leaving just 7.3% with 2 bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability buffer is meaningful at this price point and stems from household incomes in the 74.7th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 40.0% outnumber the national average, pointing to a settled ownership base rather than first-home buyer churn.

For Investors

Kersbrook presents a low-yield, low-volume rental market. Only 7.3% of dwellings are rented, far below the national rental share, and weekly rent sits at $300, modest relative to the $825,000 median house price. That implies a gross yield below 2%, which is characteristic of rural-residential markets where capital value is driven by land area rather than rental demand. The vacancy rate of 5.8% is elevated compared to tighter metropolitan markets, reinforcing that tenant demand is thin. Development activity of 17 applications in the past 12 months spans new dwellings, carports and pool installations, consistent with incremental improvement of existing properties rather than speculative new supply. Investors considering Kersbrook would be making a capital-growth bet on Adelaide Hills lifestyle demand rather than an income play.

Development Activity

Total DAs

121

Last 12 Months

18

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

-21.7%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Garage / Carport / Shed
18
Renovation / Extension
5
New Dwelling
5
Swimming Pool / Spa
5
Deck / Pergola / Patio
4
Signage / Advertising
1
Change of Use
1
Other
1

Schools in Kersbrook iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Kersbrook Primary School

ICSEA 994 Primary Government

R-6 · 62 students

Demographics

The median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, indicating a notably mature resident base, consistent with the aging-resident-base identity signal from the data. English ancestry dominates at 581 residents, followed by Scottish (116), German (92) and Irish (78), making this one of the more Anglo-Celtic communities in the state, with overseas-born residents at 16.9%, which is 4.7 percentage points below the national average. Average household size of 2.7 is marginally above the national figure, and 32.1% of families are couples without children, typical of a suburb where older residents have moved past the child-raising stage. University qualifications reach 21.7%, which is 8.4 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting a workforce concentrated in trade, healthcare and public administration rather than knowledge-sector professions.

Age Distribution

0-14
17.7%
15-24
10.9%
25-44
20.3%
45-64
33.1%
65+
18.2%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
N/A
2 bed
7.3%
3 bed
46.1%
4+ bed
46.6%

Dwelling Structure

100.0%

Houses

N/A

Townhouse

N/A

Apartment

Tenure

Own 40.0% Mortgage 52.7% Rent 7.3%

The housing stock is exclusively detached houses, with 100% of dwellings recorded as separate houses, compared to the national average where apartments and semi-detached properties account for a substantial share. Tenure skews toward ownership: 40.0% own outright and 52.7% hold a mortgage, leaving renters at just 7.3%, well below national norms. The bedroom split is weighted toward family-sized homes, with 4-plus bedroom properties at 46.6% and 3-bedroom at 46.1%. Monthly mortgage costs of $1,733 sit at a manageable 20.1% of household income, below the standard stress benchmark. At $825,000 median with a 5.8% vacancy rate, the market is illiquid but stable, suited to owner-occupiers seeking acreage rather than investors chasing turnover.

Mortgage / mo

$1,733

Rent / wk

$300

HH Size

2.7

Personal Income / wk

$876

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

5.8%

Unoccupied

25

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

15.1%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.1%

Community Profile

Ancestry

English
581
Scottish
116
German
92
Irish
78
Ancestry NS
58
Other
42

Household Composition

32.1%

Couples, no children

964

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is the leading employer at 17.5% of local workers (70 people), followed by Construction at 15.7% (63 workers), Public Administration at 11.2% (45 workers), Education at 10.5% (42 workers) and Manufacturing at 8.2% (33 workers). By occupation, Professionals lead at 116 workers, then Managers at 94, Clerical/Admin at 77, Community/Personal services at 68 and Labourers at 64, a spread that reflects the mixed public-sector and trade character of the workforce. The unemployment rate of 3.6% is low, and the full-time employment rate of 64.9% indicates most employed residents work standard hours. Household income in the 74.7th percentile nationally is solid for a rural locality, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1% confirms that residents generally earn enough to service their property costs without strain.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Full-time

64.9%

Part-time

31.5%

Participation

63.2%

Employed

559

Occupations

Professionals 116
Managers 94
Clerical/Admin 77
Community/Personal 68
Labourers 64
Sales 26
Machinery/Drivers 20

Top Industries

Healthcare 17.5%
Construction 15.7%
Public Admin 11.2%
Education 10.5%
Manufacturing 8.2%

University

21.7%

Postgraduate

5.2%

Born Overseas

16.9%

Dwellings

404

Transport to Work

Car dependency in Kersbrook is extreme: 92.2% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average where alternative modes capture a much larger share, and only 1.6% use public transport. This reflects the 77.64 km2 spread of the suburb, where distances between dwellings and services make private vehicles the only practical option for most trips. The crime rate of 16.1 incidents per 1,000 residents is low in absolute terms, with only 18 total recorded offences, consistent with the low-crime-rate identity tag. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families would travel to nearby centres for education. Volunteering stands at 24.5% of residents, notably high, pointing to an engaged local community. Rent-to-income at 15.1% is well below the 30% stress threshold, meaning those who do rent face minimal housing cost pressure.

Drive

92.2%

Public Transport

1.6%

Walk / Cycle

1.6%

Work from Home

N/A

Safety & Crime

Total Offences

18

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

16.1

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Kersbrook compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 27%
Household Income
Top 25%
Rent Level
Top 41%
Renters
Bottom 7%
Uni Educated
Bottom 43%
Public Transport
Bottom 27%
Born Overseas
Top 39%
Density
Top 39%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kersbrook a good suburb to live in?

Kersbrook suits buyers who prioritise acreage, privacy and low density over urban convenience. With 1,116 residents across 77.64 km2, density is only 14.4 people per km2. The crime rate is low at 16.1 per 1,000 residents, volunteering runs at 24.5%, and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.1%, all well below stress levels. Car dependency at 92.2% is the main practical trade-off.

What is the median house price in Kersbrook?

The median house price is $825,000 as of Q1 2026. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, representing 20.1% of household income, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $300, giving a gross yield below 2% relative to the median price.

What schools are in Kersbrook?

No schools are recorded within the Kersbrook suburb boundary in this dataset. Families travel to neighbouring Adelaide Hills towns for primary and secondary education. University qualifications among residents stand at 21.7%, which is 8.4 percentage points below the national rate.

Is Kersbrook safe?

Kersbrook recorded only 18 total crimes in the reference period, giving a rate of 16.1 incidents per 1,000 residents. That is a low figure in absolute terms and consistent with the sparse population of 1,116 across a large rural-residential area of 77.64 km2.

Is Kersbrook good for property investment?

The investment case is predominantly capital growth rather than rental yield. Only 7.3% of dwellings are rented and weekly rent of $300 against an $825,000 median implies a gross yield below 2%. The 5.8% vacancy rate is elevated, and 17 development applications over 12 months show moderate but not high activity. Returns depend on continued Adelaide Hills lifestyle demand.

How is Kersbrook's population changing?

Population-level forecast data is not available for Kersbrook, but residential stability is high: 84.6% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period, with only 15.4% turnover. The current population is 1,116. The median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, pointing to an aging, settled resident 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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