Murray Bridge
Murray Bridge's standout trait is scale with affordability pressure, not price heat: 15,043 people live at 576.1 per sq km, yet household income sits in only the 12.8th percentile nationally. Compared with Mannum or Tailem Bend, it functions more as a regional service centre because healthcare alone employs 23.4% of local workers and 7 schools sit in suburb. The profile is detached and older, with 85.4% separate houses, a median age of 42, and crime at 96.2 per 1,000 residents.
Population
15,043
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,005/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
178
For homebuyers, Murray Bridge is mainly a detached-house market: 85.4% of dwellings are separate houses, while apartments are just 0.6% and semi-detached homes 13.4%. The typical dwelling is practical rather than compact, with 57.1% having 3 bedrooms and 22.6% having 4 or more. Mortgage costs take 24.9% of income, below common stress thresholds, because the median monthly mortgage is $1,083. The trade-off is car dependence, with 85.8% driving to work.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Murray Bridge is mainly a detached-house market: 85.4% of dwellings are separate houses, while apartments are just 0.6% and semi-detached homes 13.4%. The typical dwelling is practical rather than compact, with 57.1% having 3 bedrooms and 22.6% having 4 or more. Mortgage costs take 24.9% of income, below common stress thresholds, because the median monthly mortgage is $1,083. The trade-off is car dependence, with 85.8% driving to work.
For Investors
Investors should see Murray Bridge as a high-rental-share but high-vacancy market. Renters make up 42.0% of households, which is higher than many owner-occupier regional markets, and the median rent is $240 per week. Vacancy is also 10.5%, so tenant depth needs street-level checking rather than assuming shortage. Activity is not static: 159 development applications in 12 months and rent growth of 29.7% point to change because the town is attracting both new residents and projects.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1,129
Last 12 Months
178
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-16.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Murray Bridge iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Unity College
R-12 · 761 students
St Joseph's School
R-9 · 428 students
Tyndale Christian School Murray Bridge
R-12 · 263 students
Murray Bridge North School
U, R-6 · 486 students
Murray Bridge High School
U, 7-12 · 1228 students
Demographics
Murray Bridge is older, more Australian-born and less university-credentialed than the national profile. The median age is 42, which is 2.0 years above national, while 16.0% were born overseas, 5.6 percentage points below national. University attainment is 14.8%, or 15.3 points lower than national, shaping a workforce tilted toward hands-on and service roles. English ancestry is the largest group at 5,844 people, followed by German at 1,786, and households average 2.2 people.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.4%
Houses
13.4%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is dominated by established family stock rather than density. Separate houses account for 85.4% of dwellings, compared with just 0.6% apartments, and 57.1% of homes have 3 bedrooms. Tenure is more rental-heavy than a classic regional ownership market: 42.0% rent, 29.9% own outright and 28.1% hold a mortgage. The median house price is not currently stated, so affordability is better read through repayments, with the $1,083 median monthly mortgage equal to 24.9% of income.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wk
$240
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$574
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.5%
Unoccupied
702
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.1%
Couples, no children
10,452
Total families
Economy & Employment
The economy is anchored by local services. Healthcare is the largest industry at 23.4% and 690 workers, well above manufacturing at 9.5%, education at 9.3%, retail at 8.4% and construction at 7.9%. Occupations skew practical, with 1,332 labourers and 889 community or personal service workers. SEIFA sits in decile 1 for IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD, because low household income at the 12.8th percentile and 8.2% unemployment outweigh the presence of schools and health jobs.
Unemployment
6.4%
Labour Force
9,028
Unemployed
579
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.7%
Part-time
32.1%
Participation
44.6%
Employed
5,122
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.8%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
16.0%
Dwellings
5,965
Transport to Work
Daily life in Murray Bridge is convenient for drivers and school choice, but weaker for transit. Car driving accounts for 85.8% of commutes, far higher than public transport at 0.2%, while walking or cycling is 4.3%. There are 7 local schools across Independent, Catholic and Government sectors; Unity College leads on ICSEA at 1004, followed by St Joseph's School at 955 and Tyndale Christian School at 940, with the full ICSEA range from 818 to 1004. Crime is 96.2 per 1,000, and IRSAD decile 1 points to below-average advantage.
Drive
85.8%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
4.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.15%/yr
(+230 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The medium forecast reaches 21,346 people by 2031, built on 1.15% annual growth and about 230 extra residents a year. Migration is the main engine: overseas migration averages +227 people a year compared with +70 from internal migration, making overseas migration the primary driver. The shift is aging, with the senior share up 4.8 points and young share down 2.1 points; gentrification is scored 24 and remains at Early signs.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+227
Net Internal / yr
+70
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +17% since 2011, Net internal migration +70/yr, Strong overseas inflow +227/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,447
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
96.2
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Murray Bridge compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Murray Bridge a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers wanting a regional service centre with 7 schools, 85.4% separate houses and weekly rent around $240, but it suits car-based households because 85.8% drive to work and only 0.2% use public transport. The main cautions are 96.2 offences per 1,000 residents and lower SEIFA decile 1 scores.
What is the median house price in Murray Bridge?
The current median house price is not stated. Affordability can still be gauged from housing costs: the median monthly mortgage is $1,083, rent is $240 per week and mortgage payments take 24.9% of income, which is below common stress levels.
What schools are in Murray Bridge?
Murray Bridge has 7 local schools. Unity College is Independent with ICSEA 1004 and 761 enrolments, St Joseph's School is Catholic with ICSEA 955 and 428 enrolments, and Murray Bridge High School is Government with 1,228 enrolments.
Is Murray Bridge safe?
Safety is mixed. The recorded crime rate is 96.2 offences per 1,000 residents from 1,447 total offences, which is a clear caution for households. Street choice matters, and buyers should compare locations near schools, shops and quieter residential pockets before committing.
Is Murray Bridge good for property investment?
Murray Bridge can suit investors who accept vacancy risk. Renters are 42.0% of households and median rent is $240 per week, but vacancy is high at 10.5%. The 159 development applications in 12 months and 29.7% rent growth point to activity, not a simple shortage story.
How is Murray Bridge's population changing?
Murray Bridge is growing and aging. The forecast adds about 230 people a year at 1.15% annual growth, reaching 21,346 by 2031 under the medium path. Overseas migration is the primary driver at +227 people a year, above internal migration at +70.
What development is happening in Murray Bridge?
Development activity is elevated, with 159 applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include a business classification change on Bridge Street, a verandah and carport, and a swimming pool, so activity spans commercial reuse and household upgrades.
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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