North Haven
North Haven's median age of 51 is 11 years above the national comparison, making its aging profile more pronounced than in many suburbs. Detached homes account for 73.4% of stock and owner-occupiers make up 44.2% outright owners plus 36.6% mortgage holders. Compared with nearby Osborne and Taperoo, North Haven reads as a quieter, older coastal housing market, with 0.48% annual growth and balanced migration rather than rapid expansion.
Population
5,585
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,568/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
74
Median House
$998K
First quarter 2026
North Haven suits buyers seeking conventional family housing, but the entry point is no longer low. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 61.4%, with 4-plus-bedroom dwellings another 23.6%, while separate houses account for 73.4% and semi-detached homes 21.6%. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,636 monthly, and mortgage costs at 24.1% of income are slightly higher than rent costs at 23.3%. Check coastal exposure, renovation condition and exact school zones before paying the suburb median.
For Buyers
North Haven suits buyers seeking conventional family housing, but the entry point is no longer low. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 61.4%, with 4-plus-bedroom dwellings another 23.6%, while separate houses account for 73.4% and semi-detached homes 21.6%. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,636 monthly, and mortgage costs at 24.1% of income are slightly higher than rent costs at 23.3%. Check coastal exposure, renovation condition and exact school zones before paying the suburb median.
For Investors
Investor appeal comes from a tenant base of 16.1%, weekly rent of $365 and a 7.9% vacancy rate, although the vacancy figure calls for careful property selection. Rents have grown 36.4% in the shift indicators, while the wider growth outlook is modest at 0.48% annually and migration is labelled Balanced. Development activity reached 76 applications in 12 months, which can improve housing choice but may also add competing stock. Compared with a tightly supplied rental market, a 7.9% vacancy rate gives renters more choice, so investors should favour renovated three-bedroom homes and monitor leasing times, insurance and maintenance costs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
389
Last 12 Months
74
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+39.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in North Haven
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
North Haven School
Demographics
North Haven has an older, settled population: the median age is 51, or 11 years above the national comparison, and 85.4% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period. University qualification attainment is 22.5%, 7.6 percentage points below the national figure, while 20.6% were born overseas, 1.0 point below it. English ancestry leads with 2,481 people, followed by Scottish at 585 and Irish at 495. Christianity accounts for 2,649 people and no religion for 2,580, showing two similarly sized affiliations. Household size averages 2.3, 0.2 below the national comparison, aligning with 50.3% of families being couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.4%
Houses
21.6%
Townhouse
4.0%
Apartment
Tenure
North Haven's housing is predominantly low-rise and owner occupied. Outright ownership is 44.2%, mortgage ownership 36.6% and renting 16.1%, with 3.1% in other tenure categories. Separate houses make up 73.4% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 21.6% and apartments 4.0%, explaining why three-bedroom homes dominate at 61.4%. Compared with the earlier quarter, buyers face a higher capital threshold, although affordability shifted only from 41.2% in 2011 to 41.7% in 2021 and is labelled stable.
Mortgage / mo
$1,636
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$365
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$758
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.9%
Unoccupied
198
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.2%
Couples with children
50.3%
Couples, no children
13.4%
Single parent
1,731
Total families
Economy & Employment
North Haven's employment base leans toward essential and service-linked sectors: healthcare employs 275 people, education 189, manufacturing 184, public administration 174 and construction 133. Leading occupations include professionals at 462, clerical and administrative workers at 449, trades at 428, community and personal service workers at 345, and managers at 317. Unemployment is 4.5% with 58.2% participation, while household income sits at the 51.1 percentile, near the middle rather than above it. SEIFA places education and occupation, economic resources, disadvantage and advantage at decile 3, lower than the income percentile alone suggests. Stable work is present, but formal qualifications and broader resources rank below the national midpoint.
Unemployment
4.5%
Labour Force
2,832
Unemployed
128
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.9%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
58.2%
Employed
2,704
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.5%
Postgraduate
4.6%
Born Overseas
20.6%
Dwellings
2,310
Transport to Work
Daily life is car oriented: 82.6% of commuters drive, compared with 3.6% using public transport, while 8.5% work from home. North Haven School is the local government primary school; families should check enrolment zones and secondary access against the exact address rather than assume suburb boundaries. Recorded crime is 194 incidents, or 34.7 per 1,000 residents, so buyers should compare the immediate street and property security before purchase. The IRSAD score is decile 3, and 6.0% of residents need assistance, supporting practical checks on services and accessibility. With density at 1,787.1 people per square kilometre, convenience depends more on shops, health services and the car network than walkability.
Drive
82.6%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
8.5%
Population Forecast
+0.48%/yr
(+75 people/yr)
EstablishedNorth Haven is on an aging, slow-growth trajectory rather than a rapid expansion path. The forecast annual trend is 0.48%, migration is labelled Balanced, and population change across the wider area is 5.3% over 10 years. The shift indicators show a 4.6% rise in the senior share, a 1.9% fall in the working share and 36.4% rent growth, so demand may be shaped more by established households and downsizers than by a surge of young families. Gentrification is scored 8 and staged Not gentrifying, while the shift indicator is 31 with an Early signs label. Compared with a high-growth corridor, the outlook is steadier and more incremental.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+80
Net Internal / yr
+66
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +66/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
194
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
34.7
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How North Haven compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Haven a good suburb to live in?
North Haven can suit buyers wanting established, detached housing and a settled pace. The median age is 51, 85.4% stayed at the same address, and 82.6% commute by car, so it suits households comfortable with driving. Check traffic, services, coastal exposure and school zones at the exact address.
What schools are in North Haven?
North Haven School is the local government primary school in the suburb. Families should confirm enrolment zones, year levels and secondary pathways for the exact address, because school catchments can cross suburb boundaries. With 61.4% of homes having 3 bedrooms, family demand is a relevant consideration.
Is North Haven safe?
North Haven records 194 incidents, equal to 34.7 incidents per 1,000 residents. That rate should be read alongside the exact street, lighting, parking and property security rather than treated as a guarantee for every pocket. Buyers can compare recent local conditions with nearby Osborne or Taperoo before deciding.
Is North Haven good for property investment?
North Haven may suit a selective, income-focused investor, but the numbers do not point to a low-risk growth play. Weekly rent is $365, vacancy is 7.9%, and 76 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Rent growth is 36.4%, while the forecast trend is 0.48% annually, so property condition and tenant appeal matter.
How is North Haven's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 5.3% over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.48% and migration labelled Balanced. North Haven's trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 4.6% while the working share has fallen 1.9%. That points to gradual change and an older resident profile rather than rapid expansion.
What development is happening in North Haven?
Development activity reached 76 applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include verandahs and decks, pointing to a mix of home alterations rather than a clearly identified new-dwelling pipeline. Owners and buyers should check approvals, construction impacts and any nearby changes before committing.
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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