Northfield
Renters outnumber outright owners two to one here, 41.9% against 20.6%, in a market where the median house still reached $885,000, a combination that defines Northfield's character. The median age of 35 sits 5.0 years below the national figure, kept young by an overseas-born share of 42.5%, which runs 20.9 points above national and is led by an Indian community of 720 residents. University qualifications reach 44.6%, 14.5 points above national, yet household income lands only in the 41.7th percentile, a gap that reflects the detached, family-heavy stock where 80.8% of dwellings are separate houses and 67.8% have three bedrooms.
Population
5,043
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,420/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
42
Median House
$885K
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price of $885,000 rose from $830,000 in the first quarter of 2025, a 6.6% one-year gain, which is brisk for an established suburb. Buyers compete almost entirely for detached homes because separate houses make up 80.8% of the stock while apartments are just 2.4%, so genuine standalone supply is the norm rather than the exception. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 67.8% and four-plus bedroom homes at 12.7%, pointing to a family buyer rather than a downsizer. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,580, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in the 41.7th percentile. That affordability headroom exists because repayments stay modest relative to the metro median, making the market accessible to mortgage holders, who already form the largest tenure group at 37.5%.
For Buyers
The median house price of $885,000 rose from $830,000 in the first quarter of 2025, a 6.6% one-year gain, which is brisk for an established suburb. Buyers compete almost entirely for detached homes because separate houses make up 80.8% of the stock while apartments are just 2.4%, so genuine standalone supply is the norm rather than the exception. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 67.8% and four-plus bedroom homes at 12.7%, pointing to a family buyer rather than a downsizer. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,580, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in the 41.7th percentile. That affordability headroom exists because repayments stay modest relative to the metro median, making the market accessible to mortgage holders, who already form the largest tenure group at 37.5%.
For Investors
A renter share of 41.9% gives landlords a deep tenant pool, well above the typical owner-occupier suburb, and weekly rent of $307 against the $885,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.8%. The 7.5% vacancy rate is elevated and signals that supply is not tight, which tempers rent-growth expectations in the short term. Demand support comes from migration: net overseas inflow of 305 residents a year is the primary driver, offsetting net internal outflow of 86. Development is active with 38 applications lodged in 12 months, several of them conventional land divisions splitting one allotment into two plus a four-dwelling infill project, so new supply is being added. With rent having grown 50.0% over the longer period, the investment case rests more on tenant demand and infill yield than on the current vacancy reading, which counsels patience.
Development Activity
Total DAs
185
Last 12 Months
42
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Northfield iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Northfield Primary School
R-6 · 352 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5.0 years below the national figure, a youth skew driven by migration rather than local births. Overseas-born residents reach 42.5%, which is 20.9 points above national, and the largest non-English languages are Gujarati (212 speakers), Punjabi (171) and Hindi (65), consistent with an Indian ancestry group of 720 that ranks among the suburb's largest. University qualifications at 44.6% run 14.5 points above national, a strong figure for a middle-income area. Average household size is 2.6, marginally above the national 2.5, reflecting the family profile where couples with children (1,665 families) far outnumber couples without (616, or 18.7%). Religion is varied: Christianity leads with 1,228 residents, followed by Hinduism at 663 and Islam at 432, the Hindu and Muslim shares both well above what most Australian suburbs record.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.8%
Houses
16.8%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renters and mortgage holders rather than the debt-free: 41.9% rent, 37.5% carry a mortgage and only 20.6% own outright, a structure typical of a younger, migration-fed population still building equity. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 80.8% separate houses, with semi-detached at 16.8% and apartments a negligible 2.4%, so density comes from land subdivision rather than vertical building. Three-bedroom homes account for 67.8% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom 12.7%, leaving little small-format stock for singles. The median house price climbed from $830,000 to $885,000 across 2025 and 2026, a 6.6% rise. Mortgage-to-income sits at 25.7% and rent-to-income at 21.6%, both below the 30% stress line, which keeps the suburb more affordable than its $885,000 median alone would suggest.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,580
Rent / wk
$307
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$679
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
127
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.7%
Couples, no children
3,293
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans heavily on one sector: Healthcare employs 25.4% of workers (343 people), far above the next industries, Manufacturing at 8.2% and Public Administration at 7.9%, with Professional and Technical services at 7.2% and Retail at 7.0%. By occupation, Professionals (348) lead, followed by Community and Personal Service workers (301) and Labourers (263), a spread that explains why university qualifications can be high at 44.6% while household income stays in the 41.7th percentile. SEIFA scores are mixed: the IEO education and occupation index sits at decile 7, but the IER economic resources index falls to decile 4, with IRSD at decile 5 and IRSAD at decile 6. That IEO-versus-IER gap arises because residents are well educated yet the 41.9% renter base and modest incomes depress aggregate wealth measures. Unemployment reads 7.6%, above the national average.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
10,617
Unemployed
256
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.4%
Part-time
30.0%
Participation
46.2%
Employed
1,783
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.6%
Postgraduate
15.0%
Born Overseas
42.5%
Dwellings
1,570
Transport to Work
Northfield is car-dependent, with 84.0% of commuters driving and only 8.1% using public transport, above the suburb's 1.9% who walk or cycle, a pattern set by the detached, low-density layout at 2,279 residents per square kilometre. No schools are recorded inside the 2.21 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a trade-off offset by the high 44.6% university-qualified share, 14.5 points above national. Safety is a real consideration: 440 offences were recorded at a rate of 87.2 per 1,000 residents, higher than many comparable suburbs. On the SEIFA disadvantage measures the suburb sits mid-table, decile 5 on IRSD and decile 6 on IRSAD, indicating a moderate-advantage profile rather than either deprivation or affluence, with 7.5% of residents needing daily assistance.
Drive
84.0%
Public Transport
8.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.73%/yr
(+540 people/yr)
EstablishedNorthfield is forecast to grow 2.73% a year, adding about 540 residents annually, a high-growth rate that puts it well above most established Adelaide suburbs. The longer record backs this up: the population changed 58.5% over the past decade, among the steeper rises in the metro area. The engine is migration, with net overseas inflow of 305 a year set against net internal outflow of 86, so new arrivals more than replace those who leave. Affordability has held broadly stable, moving from 41.8% in 2011 to 43.7% in 2021, while real incomes grew 16.7%. The gentrification reading is mixed: one model flags early signs with a score of 40, another rates it not gentrifying at 10, the divergence reflecting that strong overseas inflow is lifting demand without yet displacing the existing renter base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+305
Net Internal / yr
-86
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Strong overseas inflow +305/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
440
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
87.2
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Northfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Northfield a good suburb to live in?
Northfield suits families and migrants, with 80.8% detached houses and a median age of 35, which is 5.0 years below national. University qualifications reach 44.6%, 14.5 points above national. The main trade-offs are a crime rate of 87.2 per 1,000 and a mid-table SEIFA position at decile 5 on IRSD.
What is the median house price in Northfield?
The median house price is $885,000 as of the first quarter of 2026, up 6.6% from $830,000 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $307 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,580, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Northfield?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.21 square kilometre Northfield boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is well educated, with university qualifications at 44.6%, which is 14.5 points above the national figure.
Is Northfield safe?
Northfield recorded 440 offences at a rate of 87.2 per 1,000 residents, higher than many comparable suburbs. On the SEIFA index of relative disadvantage it sits at decile 5, mid-table nationally, and 7.5% of its residents need daily assistance, pointing to a moderate-disadvantage profile rather than a low-risk one.
Is Northfield good for property investment?
Rent of $307 a week against an $885,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.8%, and the renter share is high at 41.9%. The 7.5% vacancy rate is elevated, but net overseas migration of 305 a year and 38 development applications in 12 months support longer-term demand and infill yield.
How is Northfield's population changing?
The population is forecast to grow 2.73% a year, about 540 residents annually, well above most established suburbs, after a 58.5% rise over the past decade. Growth is migration-led, with net overseas inflow of 305 a year offsetting net internal outflow of 86.
What languages are spoken in Northfield?
About 42.5% of residents were born overseas, 20.9 points above the national figure. After English, the most common languages are Gujarati (212 speakers), Punjabi (171), Hindi (65) and Mandarin (57), reflecting a large Indian community of 720 residents among the suburb's largest ancestry groups.
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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