Mallala
Across 113 square kilometres of South Australian countryside, Mallala houses around 1,042 residents at a density of just 9.2 people per km2, one of the more thinly settled suburb profiles in SA. The SEIFA IEO decile of 1 places it in the bottom 10% nationally for education and occupation advantage, while household income sits at only the 48th percentile. What balances that picture is a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 17.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold, and a volunteering rate of 24.2%, suggesting a community that manages stretched resources cooperatively. Housing is overwhelmingly detached, with 89.3% of dwellings being separate houses.
Population
1,042
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,537/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
24
No current median house price is recorded for Mallala, which reflects the thin transaction volume typical of small rural suburbs. The best affordability signal is the monthly mortgage repayment of $1,192, which at 17.9% of household income sits comfortably below the 30% stress level seen in many metropolitan suburbs. Tenure leans toward ownership: 34.6% own outright and 41.3% carry a mortgage, while only 24.2% rent, the reverse of most urban profiles. Dwellings are almost entirely separate houses at 89.3%, with 3-bedroom homes the dominant type at 55.3% and 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for another 28.3%. For buyers seeking low debt-service costs and space rather than price growth, the affordability ratios compare favourably against state and national averages.
For Buyers
No current median house price is recorded for Mallala, which reflects the thin transaction volume typical of small rural suburbs. The best affordability signal is the monthly mortgage repayment of $1,192, which at 17.9% of household income sits comfortably below the 30% stress level seen in many metropolitan suburbs. Tenure leans toward ownership: 34.6% own outright and 41.3% carry a mortgage, while only 24.2% rent, the reverse of most urban profiles. Dwellings are almost entirely separate houses at 89.3%, with 3-bedroom homes the dominant type at 55.3% and 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for another 28.3%. For buyers seeking low debt-service costs and space rather than price growth, the affordability ratios compare favourably against state and national averages.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $278 and a vacancy rate of 7.3% are the defining numbers for investors. The vacancy rate is elevated compared to the national rental norm, reflecting the modest renter base of just 24.2% of households and the rural setting where demand cycles can be lumpy. Development activity has reached 23 applications in the past 12 months, including ancillary accommodation and outbuilding work, which signals some incremental dwelling activity rather than stagnation. Net internal migration averages 23 arrivals a year and overseas migration adds 6, making the growth driver balanced rather than one-sided. Gross yield depends heavily on purchase price, but at $278 per week a sub-$250,000 entry point would put yield around 5.8%, above typical metropolitan returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
121
Last 12 Months
24
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-31.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mallala iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mallala Primary School
R-6 · 116 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure, a gap that runs against the aging-trajectory signal from the decade-long data, where the senior share rose 4.5 points and the working-age share fell 2.1 points. University qualifications at 12.0% are 18.1 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with the IEO decile 1 ranking. Overseas-born residents account for 15.4% of the population, which is 6.2 points below national. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (413 residents) leads, followed by Scottish (88) and Irish (72). Average household size of 2.5 matches the national average exactly. Family structure is couples-oriented, with 300 couples with children and 224 couples without.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.3%
Houses
2.5%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
With 89.3% of dwellings being separate houses, Mallala sits well above the national average for detached housing. The apartment share is minimal at 0.8%. Bedroom distribution is skewed toward larger homes: 55.3% have 3 bedrooms and 28.3% have 4 or more, making small-dwelling stock comparatively scarce. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,192, lower than most metropolitan markets, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.9% indicates households are not financially stretched by ownership costs. Rent-to-income at 18.1% is similarly low. Outright owners at 34.6% and mortgage holders at 41.3% together mean around three in four households are on an ownership path, which is high compared to many SA suburbs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,192
Rent / wk
$278
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$704
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
29
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.1%
Couples, no children
721
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 19.8% of workers (48 people), followed by Education at 13.2% and Manufacturing, Agriculture and Construction each at roughly 9.5-9.9%. This spread across primary, secondary and services sectors reflects the mixed rural-fringe economy. Labourers form the largest occupation group at 137 workers, ahead of Managers (64) and Machinery and Drivers (59), which aligns with the manufacturing and agricultural base. The unemployment rate is 3.1%, below the national average of around 4%, and the full-time employment rate of 59.1% is healthy. The IRSD decile of 2 and IRSAD decile of 2 place Mallala in the bottom 20% nationally for relative disadvantage and overall advantage, reflecting below-average incomes and qualification levels relative to the broader population.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
1,878
Unemployed
97
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.1%
Part-time
37.8%
Participation
57.9%
Employed
472
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.0%
Postgraduate
1.5%
Born Overseas
15.4%
Dwellings
356
Transport to Work
Car dependency is pronounced, with 74.9% of residents driving to work and 13.3% using public transport, higher than the rural norm but reflecting the town's position roughly 60 kilometres north of Adelaide. The crime rate is 27.8 offences per 1,000 residents, recorded from 29 total offences, which is low in absolute terms for a suburb of this size. No schools are recorded within the Mallala boundary in this dataset, meaning families depend on facilities in nearby centres. The IRSAD decile of 2 places Mallala in the lower advantage tier nationally, but the housing stress indicators tell a different story: both mortgage-to-income at 17.9% and rent-to-income at 18.1% are below national stress thresholds. Volunteering at 24.2% is above average, indicating active community participation relative to the population size.
Drive
74.9%
Public Transport
13.3%
Walk / Cycle
4.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.81%/yr
(+29 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has grown steadily from 3,475 in 2023 to 3,561 in 2025, tracking an annual rate of 0.81% or roughly 29 additional residents per year. Medium forecasts project continuation to around 3,706 by 2031, modest but consistent growth rather than stagnation. The 10-year change of 7.4% and a real income increase of 11.6% over the same period show gradual improvement. Gentrification score is 19, classified as not gentrifying, which is expected given the decile 2 SEIFA base. Population signals include an aging trajectory where the senior share has grown 4.5 points over the decade, somewhat offset by balanced migration with 23 net internal arrivals annually. Rent growth of 41.0% over the period outpaced real income growth of 11.6%, tightening affordability for renters compared to owners.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+6
Net Internal / yr
+23
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +13% since 2011, Accelerating: 3% → 10%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
29
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
27.8
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mallala compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mallala a good suburb to live in?
Mallala suits households that prioritise space and low housing costs over urban amenity. Mortgage repayments average $1,192 per month, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The IRSAD decile of 2 places it in the lower advantage tier nationally, but crime is low at 27.8 offences per 1,000 residents and volunteering runs at 24.2%.
What is the median house price in Mallala?
No current median house price is recorded for Mallala due to the low volume of transactions in this rural suburb. The best available affordability indicator is an average monthly mortgage repayment of $1,192 and weekly rent of $278, both well below state capital levels and representing a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 17.9%.
What schools are in Mallala?
No schools are recorded within the Mallala suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in nearby towns. University qualifications among residents stand at 12.0%, which is 18.1 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting the workforce structure of this rural fringe community.
Is Mallala safe?
Mallala recorded 29 total offences in the reference period, giving a crime rate of 27.8 per 1,000 residents. That rate is low relative to many metropolitan suburbs. The IRSD decile of 2 reflects general socioeconomic disadvantage, but direct crime indicators point to a low-offence environment for a suburb of roughly 1,042 people.
Is Mallala good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $278 and a vacancy rate of 7.3% are the key investor metrics. The elevated vacancy compared to metropolitan norms reflects the small renter base of 24.2%. If purchased below $250,000, the $278 weekly rent implies a gross yield around 5.8%, above typical metropolitan yields. Population is growing at 0.81% annually, with 23 development applications lodged in the past 12 months.
How is Mallala's population changing?
Mallala's population grew from 3,475 in 2023 to 3,561 in 2025, an annual rate of 0.81% or about 29 people per year. Medium forecasts project around 3,706 residents by 2031. The suburb has an aging trajectory with the senior share rising 4.5 points over the decade, though the current median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure.
How much development is happening in Mallala?
There were 23 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including residential pool installations, ancillary accommodation construction and domestic outbuildings. This level of activity is moderate for a suburb of 1,042 residents, suggesting steady incremental investment rather than a development surge or stagnation.
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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