Lightsview
Lightsview stands out for a young, highly educated and internationally connected population packed into 1.35 sq km. Its median age of 32 is 8 years below the national comparison, while university attainment is 55.7%, or 25.6 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 46.6%, 25 points above national, helping explain the Mandarin-speaking presence of 276 people. Housing is mortgage-led, with 49.7% of households paying a mortgage and 33.8% renting. At 4,519.1 people per sq km, it is a more compact choice compared with nearby Northgate and Northfield. Household income reaches $1,916 weekly at the 71.5th percentile, supporting demand because the suburb attracts relatively skilled and mobile households.
Population
6,090
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,916/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Median House
$858K
First quarter 2026
The suburb is mortgage-led: 49.7% of households pay a mortgage, while only 12.2% own outright. Mortgage costs are $1,722 monthly and equal 20.8% of income, slightly below the 20.9% rent-to-income figure. Buyers can choose between separate houses at 46.0% and semi-detached homes at 45.1%, while 3-bedroom properties dominate at 53.9%. Compared with a detached-only market, this mix provides more attached options, but the higher median price means deposit size and borrowing capacity remain important.
For Buyers
The suburb is mortgage-led: 49.7% of households pay a mortgage, while only 12.2% own outright. Mortgage costs are $1,722 monthly and equal 20.8% of income, slightly below the 20.9% rent-to-income figure. Buyers can choose between separate houses at 46.0% and semi-detached homes at 45.1%, while 3-bedroom properties dominate at 53.9%. Compared with a detached-only market, this mix provides more attached options, but the higher median price means deposit size and borrowing capacity remain important.
For Investors
Lightsview has a sizeable rental base, with 33.8% of households renting, above the 12.2% owning outright but below the 49.7% paying a mortgage. Weekly rent is $400 and vacancy is 6.6%, so investors should test achievable rent rather than assume the recent price rise guarantees returns. Forecast growth is 1.51% annually and is driven by internal migration, which can support tenant demand because new arrivals often seek flexible housing. Seven development records in the past 12 months indicate ongoing local activity. Compared with owner-occupier demand, the rental share is substantial, but vacancy makes property selection and pricing important.
Development Activity
Total DAs
181
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-56.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Lightsview's median age of 32 is 8 years below the national comparison, but its trajectory is ageing rather than getting younger. University attainment is 55.7%, 25.6 percentage points above the national figure, and 46.6% of residents were born overseas, 25 points above national. English ancestry counts 1,428 people, Chinese 1,012, Indian 534 and Italian 415, while Mandarin is spoken by 276 residents. The average household size is 2.4, only 0.1 below the national comparison, with couples without children at 40.8% and couples with children at 41.5%. This combination matters because it supports both professional households and family demand. Compared with the national profile, Lightsview is younger, more university educated and more internationally born.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
46.0%
Houses
45.1%
Townhouse
8.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is tilted toward financed ownership: 49.7% hold a mortgage, compared with 12.2% owning outright and 33.8% renting. The built form is split between separate houses at 46.0% and semi-detached dwellings at 45.1%, with apartments at 8.9%. Three-bedroom homes account for 53.9%, ahead of 2-bedroom stock at 27.8% and 4-plus bedrooms at 15.7%. Compared with a conventional detached-house market, this structure gives buyers more attached options because nearly half the stock is semi-detached.
Mortgage / mo
$1,722
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,005
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.6%
Unoccupied
172
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.5%
Couples with children
40.8%
Couples, no children
14.7%
Single parent
1,589
Total families
Economy & Employment
Lightsview combines a $1,916 weekly household income with a 71.5th percentile position, above the national middle. Healthcare is the largest industry at 22.9% or 625 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 10.2% and 278, Education at 9.4% and 256, Public Admin at 8.3% and 227, and Retail at 7.1% and 195. Professionals number 1,127 and managers 490, reinforcing the service and knowledge focus. Labour participation is 73.9%, full-time employment 63.8%, and unemployment 4.1%. SEIFA reveals a split: IEO is decile 3, below IER at decile 7, while IRSD is decile 5 and IRSAD decile 4. The higher economic-resources ranking than education and occupation ranking suggests household capacity is stronger than some skills indicators because income resources are relatively solid.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
3,726
Unemployed
153
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.8%
Part-time
31.0%
Participation
73.9%
Employed
3,573
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
55.7%
Postgraduate
17.4%
Born Overseas
46.6%
Dwellings
2,416
Transport to Work
Lightsview is highly car-oriented: 75.8% travel as car drivers, compared with 7.0% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling, while 11.1% work from home. That pattern suits households needing road access because car travel is much higher than public transport use. The recorded crime rate is 41.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 250 total incidents, so street-level inspection remains sensible rather than relying on a single suburb rate. Socioeconomic conditions are mixed: IRSAD is decile 4 and IRSD decile 5, with IRSAD lower than IRSD, while IER reaches decile 7. School access should be checked against the exact address, current enrolment zones and travel times for nearby primary and secondary options. Compared with public transport, the much higher car share is the clearest practical trade-off in daily living.
Drive
75.8%
Public Transport
7.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
11.1%
Population Forecast
+1.51%/yr
(+160 people/yr)
EstablishedLightsview is forecast to grow at 1.51% a year, with internal migration named as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 20.7% over 10 years, so the trajectory is positive compared with a static market. At the same time, the shift is labelled Aging: senior share has risen 3.4 percentage points, while the working share has fallen 3.1 points and the young share 0.3 points. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 24, while the separate shift score is 28 and also marked Early signs. This combination suggests growth is being carried by incoming households while the age profile gradually matures, because migration is occurring alongside a 3.4-point rise in the senior share. Affordability is described as Stable, moving from 37.4 in 2011 to 35.7 in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+18
Net Internal / yr
+110
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +29% since 2011, Net internal migration +110/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
250
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
41.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lightsview compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Lightsview?
School choices serving Lightsview should be checked against the exact address, because enrolment zones and travel times can vary across nearby options. The suburb's 75.8% car-driver share and 7.0% public-transport share make the school run an important practical consideration. Confirm current primary and secondary availability before signing a contract.
Is Lightsview safe?
Lightsview records 250 total incidents, equivalent to 41.1 incidents per 1,000 residents. That rate is a useful suburb-level baseline, but safety can differ by street, property type and time of day. Inspect the immediate area and review current local police information before making a decision.
How is Lightsview's population changing?
The suburb has 6,090 residents today. The wider-area forecast records 1.51% annual growth and 20.7% population change over 10 years, driven primarily by internal migration. The trajectory is labelled Aging, with senior share up 3.4 percentage points and young share down 0.3 points, so growth is occurring alongside demographic maturation.
What languages are spoken in Lightsview?
English ancestry is reported for 1,428 people, while Chinese ancestry counts 1,012. Mandarin is spoken by 276 residents, Canton by 120, Punjabi by 96, Hindi by 71 and Gujarati by 67. Overseas-born residents account for 46.6%, which is 25 percentage points above the national comparison.
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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