Largs Bay
At 46 years, Largs Bay has a median age 6 years above the national figure, while its 4,104 residents occupy just 2.08 square kilometres at 1,976.4 people per square kilometre. Detached homes account for 82.6% of stock, helping explain its older, settled character and its contrast with the denser urban setting of nearby Port Adelaide. With 83.9% of residents staying at the same address, Largs Bay suits buyers who value continuity more than rapid turnover, although the 25.8% annual price lift is higher than its slow-growth population pattern would suggest.
Population
4,104
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,886/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
78
Median House
$1.1M
First quarter 2026
That is a materially higher entry point than a year earlier, so borrowing capacity and deposit size matter more than the $1,800 monthly mortgage figure alone. The housing stock is mainly separate houses at 82.6%, with 3-bedroom homes representing 51.8% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 23.9%. Buyers wanting land and conventional family layouts will find more choice than apartment seekers, since apartments account for 10.8%. Mortgage commitments equal 22.0% of household income, below the stated stress flag, while outright ownership is 34.4%.
For Buyers
That is a materially higher entry point than a year earlier, so borrowing capacity and deposit size matter more than the $1,800 monthly mortgage figure alone. The housing stock is mainly separate houses at 82.6%, with 3-bedroom homes representing 51.8% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 23.9%. Buyers wanting land and conventional family layouts will find more choice than apartment seekers, since apartments account for 10.8%. Mortgage commitments equal 22.0% of household income, below the stated stress flag, while outright ownership is 34.4%.
For Investors
Rental investors get a 20.5% renting share, weekly rent of $315 and an 8.0% vacancy rate. Compared with the 43.2% mortgage-holder share, the rental base is smaller than the owner-occupier base, so demand may be less deep than in heavily tenant-oriented suburbs. However, the 23.1% rent growth signal and overseas migration as the primary growth driver provide reasons to monitor leasing conditions. A total of 77 development applications in 12 months indicates active property administration, although examples include reserve planting and verandah work rather than confirmed new dwellings. The 16.1% turnover rate and 83.9% staying put suggest a more settled market than high-churn locations.
Development Activity
Total DAs
409
Last 12 Months
78
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-8.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Largs Bay
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Largs Bay School
Demographics
Largs Bay's demographic mix is older and less internationally born than national patterns: the median age is 46, or 6 years above national, while 16.2% of residents were born overseas, 5.4 percentage points below national. University attainment is 33.7%, 3.6 points above national, suggesting a mixed education base rather than a low-attainment market. Households average 2.4 people, 0.1 below national, and 83.9% stayed at the same address, consistent with an aging resident base and lower turnover. English ancestry totals 1,901, followed by Scottish at 500 and Irish at 485. No religion is recorded for 2,156 people versus 1,701 identifying with Christianity. Compared with nearby Semaphore and Port Adelaide, Largs Bay reads as more settled and Anglo-leaning, with smaller household formation shaping local demand.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.6%
Houses
6.4%
Townhouse
10.8%
Apartment
Tenure
That rise is higher than the change expected in a stable established suburb, so buyers should treat the latest median as a current market marker rather than a long-run norm. Housing remains detached-led, with 82.6% separate houses, 6.4% semi-detached homes and 10.8% apartments. The bedroom mix favours 3-bedroom homes at 51.8%, with 23.9% having 4 or more bedrooms. Tenure is split between 34.4% outright owners, 43.2% mortgage holders and 20.5% renters, while rent-to-income is 16.7% and mortgage-to-income is 22.0%. Compared with apartment-oriented areas, Largs Bay's form supports family-sized housing but can narrow low-maintenance choices.
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$315
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$858
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
138
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.2%
Couples with children
40.4%
Couples, no children
14.6%
Single parent
1,130
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is anchored by healthcare at 19.2% of industry, education at 13.7%, public administration at 11.1%, construction at 9.6% and manufacturing at 8.9%. This mix links household demand to care, public-sector and practical service work rather than one dominant private industry. Labour-force participation is 63.5%, unemployment is 4.7% and full-time employment is 59.7%, while occupations include 518 professionals, 295 trades workers and 288 managers. Household income sits at the 70.4 percentile, above the midpoint, but SEIFA results are uneven: education and occupation is decile 6, economic resources decile 4, and both disadvantage and advantage indexes sit at decile 5. The lower resources decile compared with the occupation decile suggests earnings and financial capacity are not uniform across households.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
2,213
Unemployed
104
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.7%
Part-time
35.1%
Participation
63.5%
Employed
2,109
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.7%
Postgraduate
8.5%
Born Overseas
16.2%
Dwellings
1,584
Transport to Work
Daily mobility is strongly car-led: 74.3% travel as car drivers, compared with 6.7% using public transport and 2.7% walking or cycling; 11.8% work from home. That pattern suits households with vehicles but gives Largs Bay a lower active and public-transport share than a more transit-oriented suburb. One government primary school, Largs Bay School, is located locally; families should check enrolment zones and secondary options against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. Crime is recorded at 68.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 282 total incidents, so safety decisions should consider the specific street and current conditions rather than rely on a suburb-wide label. An IRSAD decile of 5 places Largs Bay near the middle, while 9.4% need assistance indicates some accessibility and support needs.
Drive
74.3%
Public Transport
6.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
11.8%
Population Forecast
+0.46%/yr
(+72 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is deliberately slow: the annual trend is 0.46%, and population change across the wider area is 2.1% over 10 years, lower than a rapid-growth corridor. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the structural direction is Aging, with the senior share up 4.7 percentage points and the young share down 1.9 points. Rents have grown 23.1%, which is higher than the 0.46% population trend and may reflect housing-market pressure rather than major resident expansion. Gentrification is not currently identified, with a score of 8 and a stage of Not gentrifying. The combination points to a mature suburb where demand can rise through prices and tenure changes even as the resident base changes gradually.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+145
Net Internal / yr
+66
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +66/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
282
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
68.7
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Largs Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Largs Bay a good suburb to live in?
Largs Bay may suit buyers seeking established, detached housing and a settled age profile. The median age is 46, 82.6% of homes are separate houses, and 83.9% of residents stayed at the same address. Car use is 74.3%, so it is a better fit for vehicle-oriented households than people prioritising public transport.
What schools are in Largs Bay?
Largs Bay School is the identified local school, providing government primary education. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address and investigate secondary options before signing, because school boundaries may differ from suburb boundaries. School choice within the suburb is centred on 1 government primary campus.
Is Largs Bay safe?
Recorded crime is 68.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 282 incidents in total. That figure does not establish that every street has the same conditions, so inspect the immediate area, lighting and evening activity before deciding. An IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb around the middle on socioeconomic advantage, but it should not be treated as a direct safety rating.
How is Largs Bay's population changing?
Population change is gradual rather than rapid. The annual trend is 0.46%, and the wider area recorded 2.1% population change over 10 years. Largs Bay is on an Aging trajectory: the senior share rose 4.7 percentage points while the young share fell 1.9 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, so growth is being shaped by household turnover and age structure.
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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