Marden
At $1,676,338, Marden's median house price sits far above what weekly household income of $1,518 would suggest for a suburb at the 47.5th income percentile nationally. The gap is explained partly by identity: Marden scores decile 9 on both IRSAD and IEO, placing it firmly in the top tier of education and advantage in South Australia, while university qualifications reach 54.7%, some 24.6 percentage points above the national figure. The suburb is also internationally oriented, with 39.6% of residents born overseas, 18 points above the national rate. At 1.06 square kilometres housing 2,645 people, density is high and the renter share of 43.9% exceeds that of owner-occupiers, a configuration more common in inner-city precincts than suburban Adelaide.
Population
2,645
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,518/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
47
Median House
$1.7M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price of $1,676,338 as of Q1 2026 reflects a 15.6% rise from $1,450,000 in Q1 2025, a sharp one-year move. Only 44.1% of dwellings are separate houses, with semi-detached stock at 33.4% and apartments at 22.4%, meaning detached house buyers face genuine scarcity. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 43.1% of stock and three-bedroom homes for 40.0%, leaving larger family configurations rare at 13.4% for four-plus bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,668, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.4%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the elevated entry price. That affordability reading reflects higher-than-average qualification levels, with 54.7% holding university degrees compared to the national rate, supporting strong professional incomes.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,676,338 as of Q1 2026 reflects a 15.6% rise from $1,450,000 in Q1 2025, a sharp one-year move. Only 44.1% of dwellings are separate houses, with semi-detached stock at 33.4% and apartments at 22.4%, meaning detached house buyers face genuine scarcity. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 43.1% of stock and three-bedroom homes for 40.0%, leaving larger family configurations rare at 13.4% for four-plus bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,668, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.4%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the elevated entry price. That affordability reading reflects higher-than-average qualification levels, with 54.7% holding university degrees compared to the national rate, supporting strong professional incomes.
For Investors
A renter share of 43.9% gives landlords a consistently deep tenant pool, and weekly rent of $305 sits at a level that keeps rent-to-income at 20.1%, well below stress territory for tenants. The vacancy rate of 7.2% is elevated, signalling some current oversupply particularly in the apartment and semi-detached segments that make up over half the stock. Development is active, with 46 applications lodged in the past 12 months including multi-dwelling performance-assessed projects, indicating continued densification pressure. On the demand side, net overseas migration averages 296 persons a year while internal migration runs at negative 103, so tenant demand is sustained by newcomers rather than local churn. The 15.6% price appreciation over a single year is above SA norms, though two quarters of data carry higher uncertainty than longer run series.
Development Activity
Total DAs
158
Last 12 Months
47
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+104.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Marden iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Marden Senior College
U, 11-12 · 496 students
Open Access College
U, R-12 · 4028 students
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4.0 years below the national figure, reflecting a younger-than-average resident base. Overseas-born residents make up 39.6%, which is 18 percentage points above the national rate, driven by English (711), Italian (372) and Chinese (293) ancestry groups. University qualifications sit at 54.7%, running 24.6 points above the national average and placing Marden among Adelaide's most educated suburbs. Household size averages 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, consistent with a mix of couples without children, who make up 35.0% of families, and the high renter share. Mandarin (96 speakers), Italian (58) and Punjabi (48) are the most common non-English languages, mirroring the culturally layered origin mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
44.1%
Houses
33.4%
Townhouse
22.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is tilted decisively toward renters at 43.9%, well above the national average, with mortgage holders at 30.0% and outright owners at 26.0%, a lower ownership base than most established SA suburbs. Stock composition skews away from detached houses, which cover only 44.1% of dwellings, while semi-detached makes up 33.4% and apartments 22.4%. Two-bedroom and three-bedroom configurations together account for 83.1% of all dwellings, so the suburb caters primarily to singles, couples and small households. Prices rose from $1,450,000 in Q1 2025 to $1,676,338 in Q1 2026, a one-year CAGR of 15.6%. Mortgage-to-income at 25.4% and rent-to-income at 20.1% both sit below conventional stress thresholds, indicating current repayment loads remain manageable despite the elevated median.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,668
Rent / wk
$305
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$818
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.2%
Unoccupied
93
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.0%
Couples, no children
1,894
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 22.4% of workers (245 people), followed by Education at 12.0% (131) and Professional/Tech at 11.3% (124). Public Admin adds 7.9% and Retail 7.6%, giving the workforce a public-sector and knowledge-sector tilt consistent with the suburb's decile 9 IEO score. By occupation, Professionals account for 459 workers, Managers for 165 and Clerical/Admin for 186, making white-collar roles the clear majority. The unemployment rate is 4.9% and the full-time employment rate is 62.2%, with 512 part-time workers alongside 844 full-time. The IRSD decile of 8 and IRSAD decile of 9 both indicate low relative disadvantage nationally, while the IER decile of 6 reflects that rental tenure reduces measured economic resources for the suburb as a whole.
Unemployment
2.3%
Labour Force
8,663
Unemployed
200
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
32.9%
Participation
62.7%
Employed
1,356
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.7%
Postgraduate
16.9%
Born Overseas
39.6%
Dwellings
1,205
Transport to Work
Marden residents rely heavily on cars, with 76.4% driving to work, above the national average, while only 12.5% use public transport and 4.2% walk or cycle. The suburb scores decile 8 on IRSD and decile 9 on IRSAD nationally, placing it in the low-disadvantage tier across both measures. The crime rate of 51.4 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 136 total incidents, provides a baseline for comparison with SA averages, though the suburb's SEIFA profile is consistent with lower social stress. Volunteering reaches 17.3% of residents, above typical rates, and only 5.2% (134 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded within the 1.06 square kilometre boundary, so families access education in neighbouring precincts, a common feature of small inner-ring suburbs with high density and limited land for school campuses.
Drive
76.4%
Public Transport
12.5%
Walk / Cycle
4.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.52%/yr
(+75 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 0.52% annually, adding around 75 persons per year. Over 10 years the suburb has grown 3.5%, and medium-scenario forecasts project the broader SA2 area reaching approximately 14,673 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary engine, averaging positive 296 per year, while internal migration is a consistent negative 103, meaning Marden retains appeal as a first-stop destination for overseas arrivals but loses some established residents to outer suburbs. The gentrification score of 10 and stage of not gentrifying reflect that the suburb already sits at decile 9 on multiple SEIFA measures, leaving limited room for the displacement-driven price escalation that defines gentrification. The aging trajectory signal, with the senior share up 3.9 points over the decade, means the household mix will shift gradually toward retirees, which tends to stabilise demand rather than accelerate it.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+296
Net Internal / yr
-103
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -103/yr, Strong overseas inflow +296/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
136
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
51.4
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Marden compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Marden a good suburb to live in?
Marden scores decile 9 on IRSAD and IEO nationally, placing it among the least disadvantaged and most educated suburbs in South Australia. University qualifications reach 54.7%, which is 24.6 points above the national figure. The main trade-offs are a $1,676,338 median house price and a 7.2% vacancy rate that reflects some current supply softness.
What is the median house price in Marden?
The median house price is $1,676,338 as of Q1 2026, up 15.6% from $1,450,000 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $305 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,668, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.4%, which is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Marden?
No schools are recorded within Marden's 1.06 square kilometre boundary in this dataset. Families access education in neighbouring suburbs. Locally, 54.7% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 24.6 percentage points above the national rate, indicating strong household investment in education.
Is Marden safe?
Marden recorded 136 total incidents in the reference period, a rate of 51.4 per 1,000 residents. As a broader indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on IRSD nationally, meaning it ranks among the lower-disadvantage tier, and only 5.2% of residents (134 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a relatively stable community.
Is Marden good for property investment?
The renter share of 43.9% supports a deep tenant pool, and rent-to-income at 20.1% keeps demand healthy. However, the 7.2% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants monitoring, particularly in the apartment segment. Overseas migration averaging 296 per year sustains demand, and the 15.6% one-year price rise is above typical SA norms, though only two quarters of data are available.
How is Marden's population changing?
The population is growing at 0.52% annually, adding approximately 75 people per year, with 10-year growth of 3.5%. Overseas migration drives the gain at positive 296 per year, while internal migration runs at negative 103. Medium-scenario forecasts project the broader area reaching around 14,673 residents by 2031.
What languages are spoken in Marden?
Around 39.6% of residents were born overseas, which is 18 percentage points above the national rate. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (96 speakers), Italian (58), Punjabi (48), Cantonese (28) and Nepali (27), reflecting an internationally diverse community driven by ongoing overseas migration of 296 people per year.
How much development is happening in Marden?
There were 46 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including performance-assessed projects for multi-dwelling group constructions of up to four abutting dwellings. This level of activity signals ongoing densification in a 1.06 square kilometre footprint already at 2,486 residents per square kilometre, higher than many comparable inner-ring Adelaide suburbs.
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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