Malvern
Household income sits at the 94.4th percentile, and 62.4% of residents hold a university qualification, 32.3 percentage points above the national comparison. The median age is 46, six years older than the national figure, and 48.9% of homes are owned outright. Compared with nearby Unley and Parkside, Malvern suits affluent, established households seeking detached housing more than price-sensitive entrants.
Local council: Unley
Population
2,713
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,655/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
61
Median House
$2.7M
First quarter 2026
The market is detached-house led, with 79.9% of dwellings separate houses compared with 7.3% apartments, while 39.4% contain four or more bedrooms. Ownership is relatively secure, with 48.9% owned outright and 31.0% mortgaged. A $2,800 monthly mortgage represents 24.4% of household income, below common mortgage-stress thresholds, but the entry price remains far higher than typical Adelaide purchasing budgets.
For Buyers
The market is detached-house led, with 79.9% of dwellings separate houses compared with 7.3% apartments, while 39.4% contain four or more bedrooms. Ownership is relatively secure, with 48.9% owned outright and 31.0% mortgaged. A $2,800 monthly mortgage represents 24.4% of household income, below common mortgage-stress thresholds, but the entry price remains far higher than typical Adelaide purchasing budgets.
For Investors
Malvern's rental profile is relatively small but financially supported. Only 19.1% of occupied dwellings are rented, compared with 48.9% owned outright, and the median rent is $380 per week. The 6.8% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly constrained rental market, so investors should allow for leasing competition and property-specific variation. Household income at the 94.4th percentile and mortgage costs at 24.4% of income support owner demand, while 58 development records in 12 months indicate ongoing property activity. Annual growth is 0.71%, driven by overseas migration, which may support longer-term demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
319
Last 12 Months
61
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+15.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Malvern has an older, highly educated demographic profile. The median age is 46, six years above the national comparison, while 62.4% of residents have university qualifications, 32.3 percentage points higher than the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 23.0%, only 1.4 points above the national share, giving the suburb an Anglo-leaning ancestry profile led by English at 1,034 people, Scottish at 253 and Irish at 243. Couples with children represent 48.8% of families, and 82.8% of residents stayed at the same address, higher than the 17.2% turnover rate. The aging trajectory is reinforced by a 4.2-point rise in senior share and a 2.5-point fall in young share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.9%
Houses
12.7%
Townhouse
7.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Malvern's housing stock is premium, spacious and predominantly detached. Separate houses account for 79.9% of dwellings, compared with 12.7% semi-detached homes and 7.3% apartments. Larger properties dominate, with 39.4% containing four or more bedrooms and 39.0% containing three. Tenure is more owner-heavy than rental-led: 48.9% own outright, 31.0% hold a mortgage and 19.1% rent. Compared with nearby Unley, this profile points to a more established detached-house market, although the short price history warrants caution.
Mortgage / mo
$2,800
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$380
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,117
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
71
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.8%
Couples with children
39.3%
Couples, no children
10.5%
Single parent
787
Total families
Economy & Employment
Malvern's economy is anchored by skilled services and high household earnings. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 23.1% and 231 workers, followed by Professional and Technical services at 16.9% and 169, Education at 10.0% and 100, Public Administration at 6.9% and 69, and Finance at 5.7% and 57. Professionals number 540 and managers 277, well above the counts in clerical, community and sales occupations. Household income is $2,655 per week, placing Malvern at the 94.4th percentile and above the national income distribution. Unemployment is 3.8% with 62.9% labour-force participation, while 57.0% of workers are employed full time. This skilled employment base helps sustain premium housing values.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
1,427
Unemployed
54
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.0%
Part-time
39.5%
Participation
62.9%
Employed
1,373
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
62.4%
Postgraduate
17.0%
Born Overseas
23.0%
Dwellings
981
Transport to Work
Malvern's compact footprint supports a concentrated residential setting, with 2,713 residents across 1.08 square kilometres and density of 2,504.2 people per square kilometre, above 2,500 per square kilometre. Daily mobility is car-led because 66.6% drive to work, compared with 5.2% using public transport and 4.9% walking or cycling. Working from home accounts for 18.3%, which suits the suburb's professional and managerial workforce. The recorded crime rate is 54.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 148 incidents, so buyers should compare street-level conditions and property security rather than rely only on a suburb-wide average. Volunteering is 22.9%, while 5.5% need assistance, indicating both civic participation and a modest support-service requirement.
Drive
66.6%
Public Transport
5.2%
Walk / Cycle
4.9%
Work from Home
18.3%
Growth Outlook
Malvern's outlook is established and gradual rather than expansion-led. Annual growth is 0.71%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change runs at 9.3% over ten years, while the trajectory is labelled Aging, consistent with a 4.2-point increase in senior share and a 2.5-point decline in young share. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 25, and the shift measure records a score of 41 at the same stage. Rents have grown 17.6%, while real incomes rose 21.7%, improving demand capacity even as affordability declined from 50.7 in 2011 to 39.8 in 2021. Compared with the 3.9% COVID dip, the 6.5% recovery indicates resilience.
Population trend: Unley council area
Malvern sits in the Unley council area. These are the council area's residents, not Malvern's.
Residents 2025
40,731
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
148
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
54.6
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Malvern compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Malvern a good suburb to live in?
Malvern suits households seeking established, premium housing close to Adelaide's inner south. The median age is 46, household income is at the 94.4th percentile and 48.9% of homes are owned outright. Its 1.08 square kilometre footprint is compact, but car use at 66.6% is higher than public transport use at 5.2%.
What schools are in Malvern?
School access depends on the exact address, enrolment zone and nearby travel options. Families should check current catchments and transport times before buying, particularly because Malvern covers only 1.08 square kilometres and nearby school boundaries may not align neatly with suburb boundaries.
Is Malvern safe?
Malvern recorded 148 incidents, equivalent to 54.6 crimes per 1,000 residents. That suburb-wide rate is a useful baseline, but buyers should compare individual streets, lighting, parking exposure and property security because conditions can vary below or above the average within a compact area.
How is Malvern's population changing?
Growth is gradual at 0.71% annually and is primarily driven by overseas migration. Across the wider area, population change is 9.3% over ten years, while Malvern's trajectory is Aging. The senior share rose 4.2 points and the young share fell 2.5 points, indicating slower family replacement than in younger growth areas.
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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