Mile End
One of Mile End's more striking features is the gap between its compact inner-west setting and its reported crime rate of 95.9 incidents per 1,000 residents. The suburb has 4,536 people across 1.79 square kilometres, with a median age of 36, while university attainment at 52.6% sits 22.5 percentage points above the national comparison. Housing is mixed, with 60.9% separate houses and 27.9% semi-detached dwellings. Compared with nearby Torrensville and Richmond, its small footprint supports a denser, more urban feel, while the 45.1% rental share adds regular turnover.
Population
4,536
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,726/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
63
Median House
$1.1M
First quarter 2026
That change may improve negotiating room, although the latest result is based on only 2 quarters of history. The housing mix broadens choice: 60.9% of homes are separate houses, 27.9% semi-detached and 11.1% apartments. A typical mortgage payment is $1,800 monthly, equal to 24.1% of household income and not flagged as mortgage stress. Compared with apartment-heavy parts of Adelaide's inner west, Mile End suits buyers prioritising established houses, while 47.5% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms.
For Buyers
That change may improve negotiating room, although the latest result is based on only 2 quarters of history. The housing mix broadens choice: 60.9% of homes are separate houses, 27.9% semi-detached and 11.1% apartments. A typical mortgage payment is $1,800 monthly, equal to 24.1% of household income and not flagged as mortgage stress. Compared with apartment-heavy parts of Adelaide's inner west, Mile End suits buyers prioritising established houses, while 47.5% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms.
For Investors
Rental demand has a mixed profile. Mile End has 45.1% of occupied dwellings rented, a weekly median rent of $345 and a vacancy rate of 7.8%, so landlords may face more leasing competition than in tighter markets. The 68 development applications recorded over 12 months indicate ongoing alteration and infill activity, but the samples include additions, a driveway change and a single detached dwelling rather than a confirmed pipeline of new rentals. Compared with lower-turnover owner-occupier suburbs, the 29.1% mobility rate points to a more changeable tenant base, although 70.9% stayed at the same address. The 23.1% price decline between 1Q 2025 and 1Q 2026 makes careful valuation and cash-flow checks important.
Development Activity
Total DAs
382
Last 12 Months
63
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-21.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Mile End has a younger, more educated profile than the national comparison: its median age is 36, four years below the national figure, and 52.6% of residents hold a university qualification, 22.5 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents account for 29.9%, 8.3 points above national, supporting a culturally varied inner-west population. English, Greek, Irish and Italian are the largest recorded ancestries, while Greek is the leading non-English language with 185 speakers. Average household size is 2.3, 0.2 below national, which aligns with 39.8% of families being couples without children. Compared with nearby Torrensville and Richmond, Mile End reads as a compact, mobile suburb with a 29.1% turnover rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.9%
Houses
27.9%
Townhouse
11.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Mile End's housing market is expensive but varied. Tenure is finely split: 27.4% own outright, 26.3% have a mortgage and 45.1% rent. The dwelling mix is led by separate houses at 60.9%, followed by semi-detached homes at 27.9% and apartments at 11.1%; 47.5% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 18.3% have 4 or more. Compared with nearby Torrensville and Richmond, the 1.79 square kilometre suburb offers a tighter mix of established housing types, but its price relative to a household income percentile of 60.6 deserves scrutiny.
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$345
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$820
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
157
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.6%
Couples with children
39.8%
Couples, no children
18.9%
Single parent
1,094
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mile End's workforce is anchored by health and knowledge services. Healthcare is the largest industry at 19.4% with 360 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 13.3% and 248, Education at 11.2% and 208, Public Administration at 9.7% and 181, and Construction at 6.4% and 119. Occupations reinforce that pattern: Professionals number 838, ahead of Community/Personal at 317, Clerical/Admin at 310, Managers at 309 and Trades at 256. Employment participation is 68.1%, unemployment is 4.8% and full-time employment is 57.7%. Compared with a more industrial outer-suburban labour market, this mix is more service-led, but the 129 unemployed residents and 962 part-time workers show that not every household benefits equally.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
2,707
Unemployed
129
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.7%
Part-time
37.3%
Participation
68.1%
Employed
2,578
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.6%
Postgraduate
15.2%
Born Overseas
29.9%
Dwellings
1,847
Transport to Work
Mile End is compact and reasonably connected, with a practical trade-off between inner-west access and car reliance. Public transport accounts for 11.4% of reported travel, 63.3% drive, 8.9% walk or cycle and 11.0% work from home. The reported crime rate is 95.9 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 435 total offences, so address-level checks and practical evening travel matter. Families should verify enrolment zones and nearby school options against the exact address, since boundaries can cross suburb lines. Compared with lower-density outer suburbs, Mile End's 2,527.4 residents per square kilometre can shorten trips, but its 1.79 square kilometre footprint also means busier streets and less separation between land uses.
Drive
63.3%
Public Transport
11.4%
Walk / Cycle
8.9%
Work from Home
11.0%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
435
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
95.9
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mile End compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mile End a good suburb to live in?
Mile End suits residents who value an inner-west location, established housing and access to Adelaide employment areas. It has 4,536 residents, a median age of 36 and 52.6% university attainment, but the reported crime rate of 95.9 incidents per 1,000 residents warrants careful street-level checking.
What schools are in Mile End?
Families should check nearby public and private options by exact address because enrolment boundaries do not always follow suburb lines. Mile End has a density of 2,527.4 people per square kilometre, so several school choices may be within a short trip, but eligibility and availability should be confirmed.
Is Mile End safe?
Mile End recorded 435 offences and a crime rate of 95.9 incidents per 1,000 residents. Treat that as a screening indicator rather than a verdict on every street, and check recent local patterns, lighting, parking areas and evening travel routes before renting or buying.
Is Mile End good for property investment?
Mile End has a substantial rental base at 45.1%, a median weekly rent of $345 and a 7.8% vacancy rate. The 68 development applications in 12 months show physical change, while the 23.1% price decline between 1Q 2025 and 1Q 2026 makes cash-flow and valuation checks essential.
How is Mile End's population changing?
Mile End has 4,536 residents. Residential mobility is 29.1%, while 70.9% stayed at the same address, suggesting a settled base alongside regular turnover. Sixty-eight development applications in 12 months point to ongoing physical change, but they do not establish a specific future population total.
Is development active in Mile End?
Yes. Mile End recorded 68 development applications over 12 months, including additions, alterations, driveway works and a proposed detached dwelling. The volume indicates active renewal, but the examples do not confirm 68 new homes, so buyers should distinguish renovation activity from net dwelling growth.
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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