Mclaren Vale
The 4,061 residents have a median age of 54, 14.0 years above the national comparison, and 85.4% of homes are separate houses. Compared with nearby Willunga, McLaren Vale gives buyers a more vineyard-oriented rural-residential context within the Southern Vales market. Household income sits at the 33.4th percentile, so price growth is running ahead of local earning power.
Population
4,061
Median Age
54.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,331/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
88
Median House
$950K
First quarter 2026
The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached at 85.4%, with 3-bedroom homes making up 47.0% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 31.0%, so the suburb suits buyers seeking conventional family layouts more than apartment living, where the share is 2.4%. Mortgage costs are listed at $1,560 monthly, while mortgage repayments equal 27.1% of household income and rents equal 24.6%. The 58.53 sq km footprint and density of 69.4 mean location within the suburb matters for driving time and daily convenience.
For Buyers
The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached at 85.4%, with 3-bedroom homes making up 47.0% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 31.0%, so the suburb suits buyers seeking conventional family layouts more than apartment living, where the share is 2.4%. Mortgage costs are listed at $1,560 monthly, while mortgage repayments equal 27.1% of household income and rents equal 24.6%. The 58.53 sq km footprint and density of 69.4 mean location within the suburb matters for driving time and daily convenience.
For Investors
Investors face a small rental base, with only 15.5% of occupied dwellings rented, a weekly median rent of $328 and a 7.5% vacancy rate. That vacancy level is higher than the renter share might suggest, so leasing outcomes may vary by dwelling quality, seasonality and tenant demand rather than follow a simple shortage story. Eighty-six development applications in the past 12 months indicate ongoing activity, including tourist accommodation and dwelling alterations. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, but the aging trajectory means investors should test accessibility, maintenance and resale depth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
556
Last 12 Months
88
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-10.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mclaren Vale
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
McLaren Vale Primary School
Demographics
McLaren Vale has an older, settled population: median age is 54, 14.0 years above the national comparison, while 84.5% stayed at the same address and turnover was 15.5%. Couples without children account for 52.3% of households, compared with 35.0% for couples with children, helping explain the 2.3-person average household size, 0.2 below the national figure. University attainment is 26.2%, 3.9 percentage points below national, while overseas-born residents are 27.2%, 5.6 points above national. English, Scottish and Irish ancestry counts are 2,191, 499 and 377. Compared with nearby Aldinga Beach's coastal setting, McLaren Vale has a more inland lifestyle context, with community participation reflected in a 20.3% volunteering rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.4%
Houses
10.5%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
McLaren Vale's housing is detached and ownership-heavy, with 44.7% of homes owned outright, 32.3% held with a mortgage and 15.5% rented. Three-bedroom homes account for 47.0% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 31.0%, while apartments are only 2.4%, so supply is shaped more by houses than compact dwellings. Rent is $328 weekly and rent-to-income is 24.6%; mortgage-to-income is 27.1%, indicating less immediate stress than the purchase price alone might imply. Compared with nearby Willunga, buyers should compare land, maintenance and access because a 58.53 sq km suburb with density of 69.4 can produce different housing experiences.
Mortgage / mo
$1,560
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$328
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$687
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
135
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.0%
Couples with children
52.3%
Couples, no children
12.5%
Single parent
1,196
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is McLaren Vale's largest listed industry at 16.3% with 188 workers, followed by education at 12.2% and manufacturing at 11.4%; construction contributes 10.6% and professional or technical work 7.5%. The occupation mix is led by professionals at 323, managers at 320 and trades at 264, indicating a blend of service, supervisory and practical work. Unemployment is 4.4% and participation is 53.0%, while 1,466 people are outside the labour force, consistent with a median age of 54. Economic resources rank higher than current household cash income might suggest: IEO is decile 6, IER decile 8, IRSD decile 7 and IRSAD decile 6, compared with a household income percentile of 33.4. Outright ownership at 44.7% helps explain that gap.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
1,859
Unemployed
81
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.3%
Part-time
38.5%
Participation
53.0%
Employed
1,778
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.2%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
27.2%
Dwellings
1,642
Transport to Work
McLaren Vale is car-oriented: 74.7% travel as car drivers, versus 1.6% using public transport and 4.7% walking or cycling. Work from home reaches 15.8%, but the 58.53 sq km footprint and density of 69.4 make private transport important for daily trips. One local school, McLaren Vale Primary School, provides government primary education; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address and consider the wider Southern Vales for additional options. Recorded crime is 31.0 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 126 total incidents, while IRSAD sits in decile 6 and IRSD in decile 7. Compared with a transit-focused suburb, the lower public transport share means buyers should test school, shopping and work routes at peak times.
Drive
74.7%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
4.7%
Work from Home
15.8%
Population Forecast
+2.28%/yr
(+200 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is positive but shaped by demographic ageing. The annual trend is 2.28%, with Internal migration identified as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 28.3% over ten years. The shift trajectory is Aging, supported by a 3.8 percentage point rise in the senior share and a 1.8 point fall in the young share. Gentrification is scored 57 and classified Active, higher than the shift score of 40 labelled Early signs, so buyer interest is moving beyond a purely speculative signal. Rent growth of 29.6% and real income growth of 14.3% point to changing demand, but the median age of 54 means new housing and services need to support older households as well as incoming workers.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+36
Net Internal / yr
+288
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +50% since 2011, Net internal migration +288/yr, Accelerating: 4% → 44%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
126
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
31.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mclaren Vale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is McLaren Vale a good suburb to live in?
McLaren Vale can suit buyers seeking a quieter, established setting, but affordability is a key trade-off. The median age is 54, separate houses make up 85.4% of dwellings, and public transport use is only 1.6%, so car access and housing budget matter.
What schools are in McLaren Vale?
There is 1 local listed school, McLaren Vale Primary School, and it is a government primary school. Families should confirm the current enrolment zone for an exact address and compare nearby options across the Southern Vales when secondary schooling is required.
Is McLaren Vale safe?
Recorded crime is 31.0 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 126 total incidents. That rate should be considered alongside the exact street, property security and time of day, rather than treated as a guarantee about any individual household's experience.
How is McLaren Vale's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 28.3% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 2.28% and Internal migration as the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.8 percentage points and the young share down 1.8 points.
What development is happening in McLaren Vale?
Development activity includes 86 applications in the past 12 months, with examples covering tourist accommodation, tree removal and alterations to existing dwellings. This points to ongoing change, but an application is not the same as an approved project or a new dwelling, so check the exact address and approval status.
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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