Mclaren Flat
A $1,112,000 median house price in a suburb where every dwelling is a separate house and the renter share is just 11.4% tells you exactly what McLaren Flat is: a low-density, owner-occupier enclave in the McLaren Vale wine region south of Adelaide. Household income sits at the 81.3rd percentile nationally, yet SEIFA scores land in decile 4 across three of four indexes, because wealth here is tied up in land and property rather than wages. The low-crime rate of 11.1 incidents per 1,000 residents and a 85.7% residential stability rate reinforce the picture of a settled, high-ownership community that grows slowly, adding around 20 people a year from a base of roughly 4,200 in the wider area.
Population
1,625
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,129/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
49
Median House
$1.1M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price reached $1,112,000 in Q1 2026, up from $1,000,000 in Q1 2025, an 11.2% gain in 12 months. Every dwelling in McLaren Flat is a separate house, so buyers are not choosing between apartment and detached stock. The bedroom profile leans large: 54.5% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 38.0% have three, well above suburban averages. Monthly mortgage repayments run $1,786, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, which is below the 30% stress threshold. Owner-occupiers dominate, with 32.7% owning outright and 55.9% carrying a mortgage, compared to only 11.4% renting. For a $1 million-plus suburb, the debt serviceability is manageable because household income is in the 81.3rd percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,112,000 in Q1 2026, up from $1,000,000 in Q1 2025, an 11.2% gain in 12 months. Every dwelling in McLaren Flat is a separate house, so buyers are not choosing between apartment and detached stock. The bedroom profile leans large: 54.5% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 38.0% have three, well above suburban averages. Monthly mortgage repayments run $1,786, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, which is below the 30% stress threshold. Owner-occupiers dominate, with 32.7% owning outright and 55.9% carrying a mortgage, compared to only 11.4% renting. For a $1 million-plus suburb, the debt serviceability is manageable because household income is in the 81.3rd percentile nationally.
For Investors
The investment fundamentals are thin for a suburb at this price point. The 11.4% renter share is low, meaning landlords compete for a shallow tenant pool, and median weekly rent of $350 against a $1,112,000 purchase price implies a gross yield under 1.7%, well below typical investment thresholds. Vacancy sits at 5.2%, elevated for such a small rental market. On the positive side, 42 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including ancillary accommodation and pool installations, reflecting active owner investment in existing stock. Overseas migration adds roughly 17 residents annually while internal migration is slightly negative at minus 14, giving a balanced but thin net inflow. Rent growth of 31.6% over the census period outpaced real income growth of 12.0%, suggesting rental demand has firmed even from a small base.
Development Activity
Total DAs
211
Last 12 Months
49
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+63.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mclaren Flat iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
McLaren Flat Primary School
R-6 · 207 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, but the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 5.8 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 1.4 points. University qualifications reach 26.7%, which is 3.4 points below the national rate, consistent with the trades and construction employment mix. Overseas-born residents account for 16.4% of the population, 5.2 points below the national average, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (877), Scottish (187), Irish (139) and German (117). Average household size is 3.0, which is 0.5 above the national figure, pointing toward families with children: 45.1% of families are couples with children. The volunteering rate of 22.7% is high relative to most suburbs, reinforcing the settled, community-embedded character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
McLaren Flat is unusual in that 100% of its dwellings are separate houses, a figure that stands apart from any suburb with mixed density. Ownership rates are high: 32.7% own outright and 55.9% are on mortgages, leaving just 11.4% in rental accommodation. The four-plus bedroom category dominates at 54.5%, with three-bedroom at 38.0% and two-bedroom at only 7.5%, pointing to large family homes on generous lots across the suburb's 27.92 square kilometre area. Price growth was sharp over the past year, rising 11.2% from $1,000,000 to $1,112,000 between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026. Mortgage stress is not a material concern here: the mortgage-to-income ratio is 19.4% and rent-to-income is 16.4%, both well below stress thresholds compared to national benchmarks.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,786
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$842
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
28
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.0%
Couples, no children
1,440
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 16.3% of workers (95 people), followed by Construction at 12.9% (75) and Manufacturing at 12.7% (74), with Education at 10.8% and Public Admin at 8.2%. The occupation mix is broad: Professionals lead with 161 workers, but Clerical/Admin (136), Managers (131), Community/Personal Service (106) and Labourers (106) are close behind, reflecting the mixed blue-collar and white-collar economy of a regional area. The unemployment rate is 2.6%, below most suburban averages, and the full-time employment rate is 57.1%. SEIFA indexes place the suburb at decile 4 on IEO and IRSAD, below the national median, which appears to tension with the 81.3rd-percentile household income. The divergence is explained by education and occupation mix: while incomes are high, formal qualifications and professional job concentration are lower than decile 4 would suggest for a metropolitan suburb.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
2,157
Unemployed
62
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.1%
Part-time
40.3%
Participation
66.2%
Employed
813
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.7%
Postgraduate
5.8%
Born Overseas
16.4%
Dwellings
517
Transport to Work
Cars are the dominant mode of transport: 94.3% of residents drive to work, higher than most South Australian suburbs, because the 27.92 square kilometre footprint and the McLaren Vale hinterland location make public transit impractical. Only 2.3% walk or cycle. Crime is low at 11.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, well below the SA state average for comparable areas. No schools are recorded inside the McLaren Flat boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in McLaren Vale and surrounding suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 4 suggests the suburb sits below the national median on the combined advantage-disadvantage measure, but this sits alongside low housing stress ratios and a high ownership rate. Residential stability is high: 85.7% of residents stayed in place over the reference period, compared to typical turnover rates of 20-30% in outer suburban areas.
Drive
94.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.48%/yr
(+20 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation in the wider McLaren Flat SA2 area has been effectively flat, sitting at 4,185 in 2025 compared to 4,223 in 2023. Annual growth is 0.48%, adding roughly 20 people a year, and medium forecasts project the population reaching approximately 4,367 by 2031. The 10-year population change was 4.3%, classified as slow growth. Migration is balanced, with overseas migration adding 17 residents annually and internal migration removing 14, giving a net near-zero position. Gentrification is not occurring, and the gentrification score of 14 out of 100 reflects a suburb that is already owner-dominated and shows no signs of tenure or income shift. Affordability has been stable: mortgage-to-income moved from 34.9% in 2011 to 33.3% in 2021, a modest improvement relative to national trends.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+17
Net Internal / yr
-14
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
18
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
11.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mclaren Flat compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is McLaren Flat a good suburb to live in?
McLaren Flat suits owner-occupier families seeking space and quiet in the McLaren Vale region. Every dwelling is a separate house, the crime rate is low at 11.1 per 1,000 residents, and 85.7% of residents stayed put over the reference period. Household income is in the 81.3rd percentile nationally. The trade-off is a $1,112,000 median house price and limited public transport.
What is the median house price in McLaren Flat?
The median house price in McLaren Flat is $1,112,000 as of Q1 2026, up 11.2% from $1,000,000 in Q1 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,786, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 19.4%, below the 30% stress threshold. All dwellings are separate houses; there are no apartments in the suburb.
What schools are in McLaren Flat?
No schools are recorded inside the McLaren Flat boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in McLaren Vale and surrounding suburbs. The suburb has a university qualification rate of 26.7%, which is 3.4 points below the national figure, reflecting a workforce mix weighted toward trades and community services.
Is McLaren Flat safe?
McLaren Flat recorded 18 total crimes in the reference period, giving a rate of 11.1 incidents per 1,000 residents. This is low compared to broader South Australian averages. The suburb also scores well on stability: 85.7% of residents remained in the same address over the period, which correlates with lower crime in comparable areas.
Is McLaren Flat good for property investment?
The investor case is constrained by thin rental fundamentals. The 11.4% renter share is low and weekly rent of $350 against a $1,112,000 median implies a gross yield under 1.7%. Vacancy is 5.2%. On the other hand, the 11.2% price gain in 12 months and 31.6% rent growth over the census decade show the market has moved. Best suited to capital-growth investors rather than yield seekers.
How is McLaren Flat's population changing?
Population in the wider area has been stable, sitting at around 4,185 in 2025 after a minor decline from 4,223 in 2023. Annual growth is 0.48%, adding roughly 20 people a year. Medium forecasts project the population reaching about 4,367 by 2031. The suburb is aging, with the senior share rising 5.8 points over the decade.
How much development is happening in McLaren Flat?
There were 42 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, covering ancillary accommodation, in-ground swimming pools, verandahs and similar works. This level of activity reflects owner investment in existing large-lot properties rather than new subdivision. With 100% separate house stock and a low 0.48% annual growth rate, the suburb sees upgrades rather than new stock creation.
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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