Marion
The suburb spans just 2.0 km2 yet houses 4,101 people at a density of 2,046 per km2, with 38.3% owning outright, the highest tenure segment. University qualifications reach 42.4%, which is 12.3 percentage points above the national figure, and the median age of 43 is 3 years above national. Healthcare and Education together employ more than 40% of Marion's working residents, anchoring the economy in public-sector services.
Population
4,101
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,366/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
48
Median House
$1.1M
First quarter 2026
The dwelling mix is predominantly separate houses at 68.0%, with semi-detached at 30.8% and apartments just 1.2%. Three-bedroom homes account for 56.9% of stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,712 and mortgage-to-income at 28.9% sits just below the 30% stress threshold, though household income ranks at the 35th percentile nationally, so the price-to-income gap is real. Outright owners at 38.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 33.7%, indicating a long-tenure resident base rather than active churn.
For Buyers
The dwelling mix is predominantly separate houses at 68.0%, with semi-detached at 30.8% and apartments just 1.2%. Three-bedroom homes account for 56.9% of stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,712 and mortgage-to-income at 28.9% sits just below the 30% stress threshold, though household income ranks at the 35th percentile nationally, so the price-to-income gap is real. Outright owners at 38.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 33.7%, indicating a long-tenure resident base rather than active churn.
For Investors
The rental market in Marion is relatively thin: only 28.0% of dwellings are rented, below the national average, and weekly rent sits at $355. A vacancy rate of 5.8% is higher than the SA median, signalling some softness in tenant demand. Development activity is moderate at 45 applications in the past 12 months, dominated by ancillary accommodation, pool additions and internal alterations rather than new supply. The 7.0% price decline from 1Q 2025 to 1Q 2026 suggests the market is still correcting from its 2025 peak, so entry timing matters more than it did in prior years.
Development Activity
Total DAs
272
Last 12 Months
48
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+11.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Marion
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Marion Primary School
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, and 32.2% of families are couples without children, shaping a settled, older household profile. University qualifications at 42.4% run 12.3 percentage points above national, an education premium that coexists with household incomes at the 35th percentile nationally. Overseas-born residents make up 29.4%, which is 7.8 percentage points above national, with Nepali (67 speakers) and Mandarin (63) the top non-English languages. English ancestry leads at 1,553 residents. The volunteering rate is 17.8% and 76.8% stayed at the same address over the prior year.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
68.0%
Houses
30.8%
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Marion is weighted toward ownership: 38.3% own outright, 33.7% carry a mortgage, and 28.0% rent, a lower renter share than the national baseline. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 56.9% of dwellings, with two-bedroom at 19.2% and four-plus at 19.0%. Rent-to-income at 26.0% stays below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 28.9% is also just under, though both ratios are meaningful for a suburb where household incomes rank in the lower third nationally at the 35th percentile.
Mortgage / mo
$1,712
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$355
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$659
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.8%
Unoccupied
102
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.4%
Couples with children
44.2%
Couples, no children
14.3%
Single parent
1,052
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare accounts for 27.5% of employed residents (352 workers), the dominant industry because Marion's older median age of 43 generates sustained local demand and proximity to SA health facilities. Education at 12.7% and Public Administration at 8.5% follow, making public-sector services collectively dominant. By occupation, Professionals lead at 491 and Community/Personal workers at 305. The unemployment rate is 5.1% and the full-time rate is 57.3%. Participation at 49.4% is constrained by 1,561 residents not in the labour force, consistent with a suburb where the median age exceeds the national figure by 3 years.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
1,894
Unemployed
91
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.5%
Part-time
39.8%
Participation
52.8%
Employed
1,803
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.4%
Postgraduate
10.8%
Born Overseas
29.4%
Dwellings
1,636
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high at 79.6% driving to work, with only 10.1% using public transport and 4.6% walking or cycling, typical of suburban Adelaide compared to inner-city patterns. Housing stress indicators are manageable: rent-to-income at 26.0% and mortgage-to-income at 28.9% both sit below the 30% stress threshold. At 9.2%, the share of residents needing daily assistance is above what the income rank of 35th percentile nationally would predict.
Drive
70.5%
Public Transport
9.5%
Walk / Cycle
4.0%
Work from Home
11.0%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
285
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
69.5
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Marion compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Marion a good suburb to live in?
Marion suits established residents with long ownership tenures: 38.3% own outright and 76.8% stayed at the same address over the prior year. University qualifications reach 42.4%, which is 12.3 percentage points above national. Housing stress indicators are manageable, with rent-to-income at 26.0% and mortgage-to-income at 28.9%, both below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Marion?
Families typically access schools in neighbouring suburbs. Marion's resident population has a high education rate, with 42.4% holding university qualifications, which is 12.3 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Marion safe?
Marion records 69.5 crime incidents per 1,000 residents based on the latest available data. For context, 9.2% of the suburb's 4,101 residents require daily assistance, and the resident base is largely stable, with 76.8% living at the same address over the prior year. Detailed breakdown by crime category is not available in this dataset.
How is Marion's population changing?
Marion's population of 4,101 is settled and low-turnover: 76.8% of residents stayed at the same address in the prior year, compared to the national average. The suburb spans 2.0 km2 at a density of 2,046 per km2 and has a median age of 43, which is 3 years above the national figure, suggesting limited organic growth from young family formation.
How much development is happening in Marion?
There were 45 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including ancillary accommodation, pool additions and internal alterations. This level of activity is moderate for a 2.0 km2 suburb and reflects renovation demand from existing owners rather than significant new supply. Outright owners at 38.3% dominate tenure, consistent with a renovate-rather-than-sell trend.
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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