Lobethal
Lobethal's most distinctive signal is its established housing base: 90.6% of homes are separate houses, while 48.4% of households hold a mortgage and 33.3% own outright. The median age is 43, which is 3 years above the national figure, and recorded crime is 13.4 incidents per 1,000 residents. Compared with nearby Mount Barker, buyers can weigh Lobethal's smaller population of 2,534, lower-density setting of 96.7 people per square kilometre and strong local stability, with 86.4% of residents staying at the same address a year earlier.
Local council: Adelaide Hills
Population
2,534
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,529/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
56
Median House
$755K
First quarter 2026
Lobethal suits buyers seeking conventional family housing, with 90.6% of dwellings detached, 48.5% containing 3 bedrooms and 30.9% containing 4 or more. A typical mortgage repayment is $1,473 per month, representing 22.2% of household income, higher than the 20.3% rent-to-income share. The household income percentile is 48.0, close to the middle, so price growth matters even though mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with apartment-oriented locations, Lobethal gives buyers far more access to detached land-based housing.
For Buyers
Lobethal suits buyers seeking conventional family housing, with 90.6% of dwellings detached, 48.5% containing 3 bedrooms and 30.9% containing 4 or more. A typical mortgage repayment is $1,473 per month, representing 22.2% of household income, higher than the 20.3% rent-to-income share. The household income percentile is 48.0, close to the middle, so price growth matters even though mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with apartment-oriented locations, Lobethal gives buyers far more access to detached land-based housing.
For Investors
The investment case is shaped by limited rental tenure and a moderately sized rental market. Only 14.9% of households rent, lower than the 33.3% owning outright and the 48.4% paying a mortgage, while weekly rent is $310 and vacancy is 6.7%. Development activity reached 60 applications over 12 months, with recent examples including sheds and ancillary accommodation rather than a clear wave of new dwellings. Compared with high-growth development corridors, the 0.67% annual trend and Balanced migration profile point to a steadier, selective strategy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
312
Last 12 Months
56
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 Lobethal
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Lobethal Primary School
Demographics
Lobethal has an older age profile, with a median age of 43, or 3 years above the national figure. University-qualified residents account for 24.6%, which is 5.5 percentage points below the national comparison, while the overseas-born share is 15.3%, 6.3 points below nationally. English ancestry is reported by 1,078 residents and German ancestry by 456, giving the area a strong historical-settlement profile; Polish is the only separately recorded language, with 13 speakers. Christianity counts 1,167 people compared with 1,134 reporting no religion. Household size is 2.5, equal to the national comparison, and 86.4% stayed at the same address, helping explain the suburb's settled character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.6%
Houses
8.6%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached and family-sized. Separate houses account for 90.6% of dwellings, compared with just 0.5% apartments and 8.6% semi-detached homes. The largest bedroom group is 3 bedrooms at 48.5%, followed by 4 or more at 30.9%, while only 2.2% have 0 or 1 bedroom. Tenure is more mortgage-led than outright-owned, at 48.4% versus 33.3%, with renting at 14.9%. Compared with nearby Mount Barker, households assessing Lobethal are primarily choosing detached housing and a quieter, established tenure pattern rather than apartment supply.
Mortgage / mo
$1,473
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$310
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$759
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.7%
Unoccupied
69
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.9%
Couples with children
43.8%
Couples, no children
14.5%
Single parent
704
Total families
Economy & Employment
Lobethal's employment base combines essential services with practical industries. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 19.3% and 158 workers, ahead of Education at 12.2% and 100, followed by Manufacturing at 10.9%, Construction at 10.5% and Public Administration at 8.1%. Professionals number 222, slightly higher than Trades at 206, while Community and Personal service workers number 174 and Labourers 161. The unemployment rate is 3.7%, participation is 62.2% and 55.6% of workers are full-time. Economic resources rank above disadvantage measures in some respects: IER is in decile 8 while IEO and IRSAD are both decile 6. The household income percentile of 48.0 sits near the national midpoint, so the decile spread reflects a mixed local economy rather than uniformly high incomes.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
1,282
Unemployed
48
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.6%
Part-time
38.2%
Participation
62.2%
Employed
1,234
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.6%
Postgraduate
4.4%
Born Overseas
15.3%
Dwellings
963
Transport to Work
Lobethal's 2,534 residents occupy 26.19 square kilometres at a density of 96.7 people per square kilometre. Daily mobility is strongly car-based: 78.8% travel as a car driver, compared with 0.9% using public transport and 3.3% walking or cycling, while 11.9% work from home. Because public transport use is far lower than car use, households should plan around vehicle access for work, services and regional trips. Local education includes 1 government primary school, with secondary and non-government choices requiring exact catchment checks. Recorded crime is 34 incidents, or 13.4 per 1,000 residents, providing a clearer comparison point than the raw count alone. IRSAD is in decile 6 and IRSD in decile 8, above the midpoint on disadvantage measures, although access and services should still be checked street by street.
Drive
78.8%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
3.3%
Work from Home
11.9%
Growth Outlook
Lobethal is on an established, aging trajectory rather than a rapid expansion path. The annual growth trend is 0.67%, with Balanced migration as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 4.8% over 10 years. The senior share increased by 7.4 percentage points, higher than the young-share change of negative 2.8 points, and the working-age share fell by 3.4 points. Rent growth of 28.0% was also higher than real income growth of 7.9%, which can place pressure on future affordability even though the affordability trend is labelled Stable. A gentrification score of 9 and stage of Not gentrifying indicate that current change is more about gradual aging and turnover than a major reinvention of the suburb.
Population trend: Adelaide Hills council area
Lobethal sits in the Adelaide Hills council area. These are the council area's residents, not Lobethal's.
Residents 2025
42,875
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
34
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
13.4
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Lobethal compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lobethal a good suburb to live in?
Lobethal can suit households wanting detached housing, a settled population and a lower-density Adelaide Hills setting. It has 2,534 residents, a median age of 43 and 90.6% separate houses. Compared with more rapidly changing centres, daily life is more car dependent because only 0.9% use public transport.
What schools are in Lobethal?
Lobethal Primary School provides 1 local government primary option. Families seeking secondary or non-government schooling should check enrolment zones and transport requirements against the exact address, because access can differ across the wider Adelaide Hills area.
Is Lobethal safe?
Recorded crime was 34 incidents, equivalent to 13.4 incidents per 1,000 residents. That provides a useful local benchmark, but risks can vary by offence, timeframe and street. Review recent police information and inspect the immediate surroundings before making a final housing decision.
How is Lobethal's population changing?
The wider area's population change is 4.8% over 10 years, with an annual growth trend of 0.67% and Balanced migration. Lobethal is on an Aging trajectory: the senior share rose 7.4 percentage points while the young share fell 2.8 points. This points to gradual change rather than rapid expansion.
What development is occurring in Lobethal?
There were 60 development applications over 12 months. Recent examples include a shed, an outbuilding and ancillary accommodation beside existing shedding. These examples indicate ongoing property improvements, but they do not by themselves establish a large new-housing pipeline.
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).
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