Meningie
At 375 square kilometres with only 1,118 residents, Meningie averages just 3 people per square kilometre, a density far below the national average. The median age of 55 is 15 years above the national figure, reflecting a strongly aging resident base. Household income sits in the 13.5th percentile nationally, meaning nearly 87% of Australian households earn more. Agriculture drives 22.7% of local employment, more than any other sector, anchoring a rural economy where 49.2% of households own their homes outright, well above the state norm. The combination of low density, older residents, and low incomes places Meningie firmly in regional SA's slower-moving property tier.
Population
1,118
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,022/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Median house price data is not available for Meningie, which is common for small towns where transaction volumes are too low for reliable price series. What is available points to affordability: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 97.6% of the dwelling stock, higher than almost anywhere in metropolitan SA, so buyers have clear choice in property type. The 3-bedroom home is most common at 60.5% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 23.2%. Outright ownership at 49.2% is notably high compared to national averages, suggesting many long-term residents have paid off their homes, which limits forced-sale pressure.
For Buyers
Median house price data is not available for Meningie, which is common for small towns where transaction volumes are too low for reliable price series. What is available points to affordability: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 97.6% of the dwelling stock, higher than almost anywhere in metropolitan SA, so buyers have clear choice in property type. The 3-bedroom home is most common at 60.5% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 23.2%. Outright ownership at 49.2% is notably high compared to national averages, suggesting many long-term residents have paid off their homes, which limits forced-sale pressure.
For Investors
The 23.1% vacancy rate is the most significant signal for investors, substantially higher than the 2-3% considered healthy in most markets. Weekly rent averages $200, low in absolute terms, and 26.4% of dwellings are rented. The rent-to-income ratio of 19.6% indicates renters are not under stress, but the high vacancy means finding and retaining tenants is the core challenge. Development activity recorded 24 applications in the past 12 months, mostly outbuildings and sheds, indicating little new residential supply. The low income base, with household incomes in just the 13.5th percentile nationally, constrains rent growth potential. Investors should weigh the low entry cost against the elevated vacancy and thin demand pool in a town of 1,118 people.
Development Activity
Total DAs
170
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-10.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Meningie iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Meningie Area School
R-12 · 153 students
Demographics
The median age of 55 is 15 years above the national figure and signals a community where retirement-age residents predominate. Only 14.9% hold university qualifications, which is 15.2 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a rural, trade and agriculture-oriented workforce. Overseas-born residents account for 9.5%, which is 12.1 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the area's Anglo-Celtic heritage, led by English (439), German (107) and Scottish (89) ancestry. Average household size is 2.1, slightly below the national figure of 2.5. Couples with no children make up 46% of family households, above typical rates, which aligns with an older resident base where children have grown and left. Volunteering reaches 35.1% of residents, well above national levels.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.6%
Houses
0.7%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses at 97.6% dominate the stock, higher than virtually all metropolitan areas, while apartments account for just 1.1% of dwellings. Three-bedroom homes are the most common type at 60.5%, followed by 4-plus bedroom properties at 23.2%. Tenure is skewed toward outright ownership: 49.2% own their homes free and clear, 24.5% carry a mortgage, and 26.4% rent. The high outright ownership rate compared to national averages reflects long-standing residents who have paid off their homes over decades. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6% is below the stress threshold, suggesting existing mortgage holders are not financially stretched. The 23.1% vacancy rate indicates a meaningful proportion of dwellings are unoccupied, whether as holiday properties or genuinely vacant.
Mortgage / mo
$1,000
Rent / wk
$200
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$607
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
23.1%
Unoccupied
135
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.0%
Couples, no children
722
Total families
Economy & Employment
Agriculture leads local employment at 22.7% of workers, nearly double the share of healthcare at 19.9%, which is the second largest sector. Education accounts for 11.6% and hospitality for 6.8%. By occupation, Managers (101 workers) and Labourers (79) are the two largest groups, which reflects the mix of farm owners and rural workers rather than a professional-services economy. The full-time employment rate is 59.3% and unemployment is low at 2.6%, well below the national rate. However, the participation rate of just 43.3% is significantly below national averages, because 376 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a retired or semi-retired population. SEIFA scores are not available for this suburb, but the 13.5th percentile household income places it in the lower income tier nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.3%
Part-time
38.1%
Participation
43.3%
Employed
405
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.9%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
9.5%
Dwellings
451
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 88.3% of residents driving to work, above most metropolitan benchmarks, which reflects the absence of public transport in a rural town. Walking and cycling account for 7.1% of commuters. Crime stands at 22 recorded incidents, producing a rate of 19.7 per 1,000 residents, which is low in absolute terms and below many metropolitan suburbs. No schools are recorded inside the Meningie boundary in this dataset, so families depend on facilities in nearby towns. The rent-to-income ratio of 19.6% keeps renters well below the 30% stress level. Residents needing daily assistance number 86, representing 8.7% of the population, above national rates, consistent with the high median age of 55. The volunteering rate of 35.1% is markedly above national levels, reflecting active community participation.
Drive
88.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
7.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
22
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
19.7
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Meningie compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Meningie a good suburb to live in?
Meningie suits those seeking a quiet, low-density rural lifestyle. Car ownership is essential as 88.3% of residents drive to work and public transport is not available. The crime rate of 19.7 incidents per 1,000 residents is low, and mortgage costs average $1,000 per month with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6%, below the stress threshold. Trade-offs include very limited services and a high vacancy rate of 23.1%.
What is the median house price in Meningie?
No reliable median house price is available for Meningie because transaction volumes in this town of 1,118 residents are too low for a stable price series. Indicative affordability benchmarks suggest monthly mortgage repayments average around $1,000, with weekly rent at $200. Nearly 49.2% of households own their home outright, reflecting long-term settlement rather than active market turnover.
What schools are in Meningie?
No schools are recorded inside the Meningie boundary in this dataset. Families with school-age children typically rely on facilities in nearby regional centres. The local university qualification rate of 14.9% is 15.2 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a rural community where vocational and trade pathways are more common than university education.
Is Meningie safe?
Meningie recorded 22 criminal incidents, a crime rate of 19.7 per 1,000 residents, which is low in absolute terms and lower than many SA regional towns. The small population of 1,118 means individual incidents can move the rate more than in larger areas. The high outright home ownership rate of 49.2% and low population turnover of 15.2% per year point to a stable, settled community.
Is Meningie good for property investment?
The 23.1% vacancy rate is the key concern for investors, substantially above the 2-3% considered healthy, meaning a meaningful share of dwellings sit untenanted. Weekly rent of $200 and household incomes in the 13.5th percentile nationally constrain yield and rent growth. Low entry costs and affordable mortgage repayments of $1,000 per month partly offset this, but the thin demand pool in a town of 1,118 makes tenant acquisition the central risk.
How is Meningie's population changing?
Detailed population growth forecasts are not available for Meningie, but the demographic signals point to slow decline rather than growth. The median age of 55 is 15 years above the national figure, which means natural attrition will increase over time. Residential stability is high, with 84.8% of residents staying at the same address year to year and turnover at just 15.2%, suggesting few new arrivals are replacing those who leave.
How much development is happening in Meningie?
There were 24 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, primarily for sheds and outbuildings rather than new dwellings. Recent examples include storage sheds and outbuilding permits, indicating landowners are expanding existing properties rather than building new homes. This level of activity is consistent with a stable rural community where the housing stock is maintained but not significantly expanded.
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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