Nailsworth
Nailsworth's premium housing market sits in a compact 0.79 sq km footprint with 2,235 residents and density of 2,813.4 people per sq km. Median household income is $2,059 a week, at the 77.2nd percentile, while the median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure. That profile points to an established, relatively affluent inner-north setting rather than a growth-fringe market. Compared with nearby Prospect, Nailsworth is smaller in scale but shares convenient access to the same northern Adelaide services and employment catchment. Its 52.7% university-educated share is 22.6 percentage points above the national level, helping explain premium pricing and professional employment.
Local council: Prospect
Population
2,235
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,059/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
31
Median House
$1.6M
First quarter 2026
For buyers, the key trade-off is price versus established housing choice. Separate houses make up 69.3% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the largest group at 43.2%; 4-plus-bedroom homes account for 21.7%. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,995 monthly, and mortgage commitments equal 22.4% of household income. Renting at $300 a week may suit a trial stay, but buyers should compare renovation needs, land size and nearby Prospect or Collinswood sales before committing because the suburb's small 0.79 sq km footprint concentrates demand across established homes.
For Buyers
For buyers, the key trade-off is price versus established housing choice. Separate houses make up 69.3% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the largest group at 43.2%; 4-plus-bedroom homes account for 21.7%. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,995 monthly, and mortgage commitments equal 22.4% of household income. Renting at $300 a week may suit a trial stay, but buyers should compare renovation needs, land size and nearby Prospect or Collinswood sales before committing because the suburb's small 0.79 sq km footprint concentrates demand across established homes.
For Investors
The gross rent signal is therefore modest before costs, while a 7.0% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied market would normally suggest and may indicate more tenant choice. Renting households account for 32.8%, creating a meaningful tenant pool, and 31 development applications in 12 months could add competition or improve the local housing mix depending on what proceeds. Forecast growth is 0.53% annually, driven primarily by overseas migration, so the case is more about established demand and location than rapid regional expansion. Compared with lower-priced suburbs, investors should stress-test yield, insurance, maintenance and holding costs rather than rely on capital growth alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
142
Last 12 Months
31
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+29.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Nailsworth
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Nailsworth Primary School
Demographics
Nailsworth has 2,235 residents, a median age of 39, and average household size of 2.6. The age profile is 1 year below the national median, while 52.7% of residents hold university qualifications, 22.6 percentage points above the national level. English ancestry counts 729 people, followed by Other at 259, Irish at 218, Italian at 198 and Scottish at 196; Christianity and no religion are almost evenly represented at 958 and 932. Overseas-born residents make up 25.9%, 4.3 points above the national share, with Guj, Greek, Italian, Mandarin and Punjabi spoken in smaller groups. Compared with nearby Prospect, the pattern supports an educated, settled inner-north population, reinforced by an 83.0% stay rate because households are not turning over rapidly.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
69.3%
Houses
20.4%
Townhouse
10.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached homes remain the main housing form at 69.3%, but semi-detached dwellings account for 20.4% and apartments 10.3%, giving more choice than a purely detached market. The bedroom mix centres on 3-bedroom properties at 43.2%, with 2-bedroom homes at 28.2% and 4-plus homes at 21.7%. Tenure is split between 28.9% outright owners, 36.2% mortgagors and 32.8% renters. Compared with nearby Collinswood, buyers should expect a premium price point because limited land in a 0.79 sq km suburb concentrates demand across established homes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,995
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$300
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$925
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.0%
Unoccupied
64
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
53.1%
Couples with children
32.1%
Couples, no children
12.4%
Single parent
604
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is anchored by healthcare at 18.6% or 161 workers, education at 16.3% or 141, professional and technical services at 11.0% or 95, public administration at 10.3% or 89, and construction at 7.5% or 65. Professionals number 376 and managers 182, ahead of clerical and administrative workers at 162, indicating a skilled occupational base. The unemployment rate is 3.3% across a labour force of 1,256, with participation at 69.4%, supporting local spending power. SEIFA IEO is decile 8, IRSD is decile 8 and IRSAD is decile 8, all above the midpoint, while IER is decile 5. That gap suggests qualifications and professional roles are stronger than the broader economic-resources position. Household income ranks at the 77.2nd percentile, consistent with an advantaged but not uniformly wealthy area.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
1,256
Unemployed
41
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.5%
Part-time
37.3%
Participation
69.4%
Employed
1,215
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.7%
Postgraduate
14.1%
Born Overseas
25.9%
Dwellings
847
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 73.2% travel as car drivers, compared with 6.0% using public transport, while 11.8% work from home and 4.1% walk or cycle. One government primary school is located in the suburb; families should check enrolment zones and secondary options across the surrounding area because school catchments do not follow every street boundary. Recorded crime is 45.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 102 total incidents, so normal address-level checks remain worthwhile. IRSAD sits in decile 8, above the midpoint, and the compact 0.79 sq km area supports short local trips even though commuting patterns favour cars. Compared with a more transit-dependent inner suburb, Nailsworth suits households that value parking and road access.
Drive
73.2%
Public Transport
6.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
11.8%
Growth Outlook
Nailsworth's outlook is established rather than fringe-led. The forecast trend is 0.53% annual growth, with overseas migration the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 8.7% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Mixed: rent growth reached 25.5%, real income growth 13.4%, and the senior share increased 2.6 percentage points, even as the young share slipped 0.1 points. Affordability improved from 36.8% in 2011 to 33.1% in 2021, which may support demand despite premium prices. The headline gentrification score is 0, labelled Not gentrifying, although shift indicators record 31 and Early signs. Compared with faster-growth corridors, this points to gradual change because the suburb is already built up and tightly defined.
Population trend: Prospect council area
Nailsworth sits in the Prospect council area. These are the council area's residents, not Nailsworth's.
Residents 2025
23,459
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.5%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
102
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
45.6
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Nailsworth compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nailsworth a good suburb to live in?
Nailsworth can suit buyers seeking established inner-north housing, professional employment access and a settled population. It has 2,235 residents, a 52.7% university-educated share and IRSAD in decile 8, above the midpoint. Car access is important because 73.2% commute as drivers.
What schools are in Nailsworth?
Nailsworth has 1 government primary school, Nailsworth Primary School. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone for any address and investigate secondary options across nearby suburbs, because catchments can differ by street. School access should be assessed alongside the 0.79 sq km suburb's transport and housing choices.
Is Nailsworth safe?
Nailsworth recorded 102 total crimes, equal to 45.6 incidents per 1,000 residents. That figure should be considered alongside the exact street, property security and recent local conditions rather than used as a standalone verdict. Buyers and tenants should compare the address with nearby suburbs before deciding.
How is Nailsworth's population changing?
The wider area's population change is forecast at 8.7% over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.53% and overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, with the senior share up 2.6 percentage points and the young share down 0.1 points. That suggests gradual change rather than rapid expansion.
What development is happening in Nailsworth?
There were 31 development applications in the past 12 months, including a proposed 1-into-4 community title land division, a front fence and a carport. The volume is above a very inactive market, but the listed examples are mostly small-scale or property-specific. Buyers should check approvals and construction impacts for the exact street.
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).
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