North Adelaide
Few inner-city suburbs pair a $2,480,000 median house price with a 48.2% renter share, yet North Adelaide does both because its stock is dominated by attached dwellings rather than freestanding homes. Semi-detached terraces make up 50.4% of housing and apartments another 28.1%, leaving separate houses at just 21.4%, which keeps the scarce detached stock expensive while flats feed a deep rental pool. The suburb scores decile 10 on the SEIFA index of education and occupation, the top tier nationally, and university qualifications reach 57.0%, 26.9 points above the national figure. Population has grown 40.4% over the decade, far faster than most established areas, driven by overseas migration of about 1,240 people a year.
Population
6,823
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,867/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
118
Median House
$2.5M
Median 1Q 2026
The $2,480,000 median house price climbed 8.7% from $2,282,500 in the first quarter of 2025 to $2,480,000 a year later, placing North Adelaide among Adelaide's dearest markets. Buyers chasing a freestanding home face thin supply because separate houses are only 21.4% of dwellings, while semi-detached terraces account for 50.4% and apartments 28.1%. Stock skews small: two-bedroom dwellings lead at 41.4% and three-bedroom at 32.6%, with four-plus bedroom homes just 10.9%. Despite steep prices, the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold, because household income ranks in the 67.4th percentile nationally and outright owners (34.1%) outnumber mortgage holders (17.7%). That tenure split signals housing held by established, debt-free owners rather than a churn of recent purchasers.
For Buyers
The $2,480,000 median house price climbed 8.7% from $2,282,500 in the first quarter of 2025 to $2,480,000 a year later, placing North Adelaide among Adelaide's dearest markets. Buyers chasing a freestanding home face thin supply because separate houses are only 21.4% of dwellings, while semi-detached terraces account for 50.4% and apartments 28.1%. Stock skews small: two-bedroom dwellings lead at 41.4% and three-bedroom at 32.6%, with four-plus bedroom homes just 10.9%. Despite steep prices, the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold, because household income ranks in the 67.4th percentile nationally and outright owners (34.1%) outnumber mortgage holders (17.7%). That tenure split signals housing held by established, debt-free owners rather than a churn of recent purchasers.
For Investors
A 48.2% renter share gives landlords a deep tenant base, but the headline numbers favour caution. Weekly rent of $390 against the $2,480,000 median implies a gross yield near 0.8%, very low even by inner-Adelaide standards. The 16.3% vacancy rate points to genuine oversupply in the apartment segment, which is 28.1% of dwellings. Demand support is uneven: net overseas migration adds roughly 1,240 residents a year while internal migration removes about 255, so the growth engine is migration rather than local churn. Development activity is steady at 108 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations and additions to existing dwellings rather than new supply. With annual population growth of 2.75% and rent growth of 23.1% over the period, the case rests on capital growth and rising rents more than current yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
643
Last 12 Months
118
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in North Adelaide iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
North Adelaide Primary School
R-6 · 296 students
St Dominic's Priory College
R-12 · 658 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1.0 year below the national figure, a younger profile than the premium price tag suggests, sustained by an apartment stock that suits singles and couples. Average household size is just 1.9, which is 0.6 below national, and couples without children make up 49.5% of families. Overseas-born residents reach 30.5%, 8.9 points above national, with English (2,481), Irish (782) and Scottish (698) the leading ancestries and Mandarin (81), Greek (55) and Italian (43) the top non-English languages. University qualifications at 57.0% run 26.9 points above the national level, among the highest in the state. The trajectory is slowly aging: the senior share rose 3.8 points over the decade while the young share edged up only 0.7 points, consistent with an established, professional resident base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
21.4%
Houses
50.4%
Townhouse
28.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans heavily toward renting: 48.2% rent, 34.1% own outright and only 17.7% carry a mortgage. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders by nearly two to one points to long-held, debt-free wealth rather than recent buying. The stock is 50.4% semi-detached and 28.1% apartments, leaving separate houses at just 21.4%, and that scarcity keeps detached-house prices elevated. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.4% and three-bedroom at 32.6%, while four-plus bedroom homes are 10.9%. The median house price rose from $2,282,500 to $2,480,000 across 2025 to 2026, an 8.7% move in a single year. Mortgage-to-income at 23.7% and rent-to-income at 20.9% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, a comfort that reflects incomes in the 67.4th percentile relative to the attached, smaller-format housing on offer.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,914
Rent / wk
$390
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$964
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
16.3%
Unoccupied
556
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.5%
Couples, no children
3,629
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in knowledge and care sectors: Healthcare leads at 21.4% (571 workers), Professional and Tech follows at 15.9% (424) and Education at 12.6% (336), with Public Admin at 7.3% and Hospitality at 5.6%. By occupation, Professionals (1,398) and Managers (542) dominate, aligning with the decile 10 SEIFA score for education and occupation, the top tier nationally. Unemployment reads 6.4% and the full-time employment rate is 61.0%, while participation sits at 56.0%, held down by 2,153 residents not in the labour force. One anomaly stands out: the economic-resources index sits at decile 3 against decile 10 for education, because the 48.2% renter base depresses aggregate household-wealth measures even though incomes rank in the 67.4th percentile.
Unemployment
7.5%
Labour Force
14,087
Unemployed
1,057
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.0%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
56.0%
Employed
3,312
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.0%
Postgraduate
20.0%
Born Overseas
30.5%
Dwellings
2,851
Transport to Work
Getting around leans on walking and public transport more than in most suburbs: 21.7% walk or cycle and 11.4% take public transport, while 62.1% drive, below the national reliance on cars, a pattern supported by the dense 1,340 residents per square kilometre layout. The suburb scores decile 9 on the SEIFA index of advantage and decile 10 for education and occupation, both near the top tier nationally, meaning few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 23.9% and only 5.2% of residents (329 people) need daily assistance. The main caveat is safety: the crime rate of 112.3 per 1,000 residents is high, partly inflated by daytime visitors to the parklands and hospital precinct rather than the resident base alone. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions nearby.
Drive
62.1%
Public Transport
11.4%
Walk / Cycle
21.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.75%/yr
(+622 people/yr)
EstablishedNorth Adelaide grew 40.4% over the past decade, far above the pace of most established suburbs, and the trend is set to continue at 2.75% a year. Forecasts lift the SA2 population from about 22,657 in 2025 to roughly 25,795 by 2031 under the medium scenario. The single driver is overseas migration, adding about 1,240 residents annually, while net internal migration removes around 255, so newcomers from abroad more than offset locals leaving. Gentrification reads early signs at a score of 25, with the renter share accelerating from 17% to 39% as a marker. Affordability improved from 67.0% in 2011 to 55.1% in 2021, though it stays high relative to most markets, and real incomes rose 21.7% over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+1,240
Net Internal / yr
-255
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -255/yr, Strong overseas inflow +1240/yr, Accelerating: 17% → 39%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
766
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
112.3
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How North Adelaide compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Adelaide a good suburb to live in?
North Adelaide scores decile 10 on the SEIFA index of education and occupation, the top tier nationally, with university qualifications at 57.0%, 26.9 points above national. It is walkable, with 21.7% walking or cycling. The main trade-offs are a $2,480,000 median house price and a high crime rate of 112.3 per 1,000.
What is the median house price in North Adelaide?
The median house price is $2,480,000, among Adelaide's highest. It rose 8.7% from $2,282,500 in early 2025 over a single year. Weekly rent averages $390 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 23.7%, below the 30% stress threshold thanks to incomes in the 67.4th percentile.
What schools are in North Adelaide?
No schools are recorded inside the North Adelaide boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 57.0%, which is 26.9 points above the national figure.
Is North Adelaide safe?
The recorded crime rate is 112.3 per 1,000 residents, with 766 incidents, which is high and partly inflated by daytime visitors to the parklands and hospital precinct. As an offsetting indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on the SEIFA advantage index, near the top tier nationally.
Is North Adelaide good for property investment?
Rent of $390 a week against a $2,480,000 median gives a gross yield near 0.8%, very low, and the 16.3% vacancy rate signals apartment oversupply. Net overseas migration of about 1,240 a year and 2.75% annual population growth support demand, so returns lean on capital growth over yield.
How is North Adelaide's population changing?
Population grew 40.4% over the decade and is forecast to keep rising at 2.75% a year, lifting the local area toward 25,795 by 2031. Overseas migration adds about 1,240 residents annually while net internal migration removes around 255, so growth is driven by arrivals from abroad.
What languages are spoken in North Adelaide?
About 30.5% of residents were born overseas, 8.9 points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Mandarin (81 speakers), Greek (55), Italian (43) and Hindi (37) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a modest but international resident mix.
How much development is happening in North Adelaide?
There were 108 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are alterations and additions to existing dwellings, such as carports, two-storey rear extensions and pool infills, rather than new supply, consistent with an established area growing at 2.75% a year.
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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