Norwood
At 2,877.2 people per square kilometre, Norwood accommodates 6,354 residents in just 2.21 square kilometres, giving it a compact, established feel. Compared with nearby Kensington and Rose Park, Norwood presents a particularly compact, mixed-dwelling choice, with 50.4% semi-detached homes and 14.6% apartments. Its 59.5% university-educated share is 29.4 percentage points above national, although a 5.4% increase in senior share supports an aging outlook.
Population
6,354
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,752/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
145
Median House
$1.7M
First quarter 2026
Norwood suits buyers who value a central, established setting but can manage a premium entry price. That comparison covers only 2 quarters, so buyers should treat the recent fall as a short-term signal rather than a complete market cycle. Housing is not dominated by detached homes: 50.4% is semi-detached, 34.8% separate houses and 14.6% apartments. The mixed form matters because 42.0% of dwellings have 2 bedrooms and 39.6% have 3 bedrooms. A $2,000 monthly mortgage represents 26.4% of household income, while buyers should also check strata costs and renovation requirements.
For Buyers
Norwood suits buyers who value a central, established setting but can manage a premium entry price. That comparison covers only 2 quarters, so buyers should treat the recent fall as a short-term signal rather than a complete market cycle. Housing is not dominated by detached homes: 50.4% is semi-detached, 34.8% separate houses and 14.6% apartments. The mixed form matters because 42.0% of dwellings have 2 bedrooms and 39.6% have 3 bedrooms. A $2,000 monthly mortgage represents 26.4% of household income, while buyers should also check strata costs and renovation requirements.
For Investors
Norwood's rental case rests on tenant depth rather than a tight market. Renting accounts for 44.8%, above the 31.0% owned-outright share, and weekly rent is $390. Vacancy is 11.3%, so leasing conditions may be less competitive than in a tightly supplied market and investors should allow for periods of slower letting. Development activity is material at 147 applications in 12 months, which could increase future choice. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, supporting demand, although the established and aging trajectory may produce a different tenant mix than a younger growth suburb.
Development Activity
Total DAs
733
Last 12 Months
145
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+28.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Norwood
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Norwood Primary School
Demographics
Norwood's demographic profile is educated, internationally connected and characterised by small households. Median age is 40, matching the national comparison at 0.0 percentage points, while 59.5% have university qualifications, 29.4 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents account for 32.3%, 10.7 percentage points above national, helping explain Mandarin, Italian, Greek, Canton and Hindi among the leading languages. English ancestry is recorded for 2,218 residents, followed by Other at 775, Irish at 682, Scottish at 657 and Italian at 600. Average household size is 2.0, 0.5 below national, consistent with 51.6% of couples having no children. The 5.4% rise in senior share supports an aging reading, while 68.3% stayed at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
34.8%
Houses
50.4%
Townhouse
14.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Semi-detached dwellings make up 50.4%, compared with 34.8% separate houses and 14.6% apartments. That form supports smaller households, with 42.0% of homes containing 2 bedrooms and 39.6% containing 3. Tenure is split between 31.0% owned outright, 20.7% mortgaged and 44.8% rented, with renting higher than outright ownership. Rent is $390 a week and rent-to-income is 22.3%, while mortgage-to-income is 26.4% and mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with nearby Kensington and Rose Park, Norwood's semi-detached concentration makes dwelling type an important buyer consideration.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$390
Census 2021
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,002
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.3%
Unoccupied
374
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.0%
Couples with children
51.6%
Couples, no children
13.4%
Single parent
1,617
Total families
Economy & Employment
Norwood's economy is anchored by service-sector work and a highly qualified occupational base. Healthcare leads at 19.1% or 514 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 16.6% or 447, Education at 12.8% or 345, Public Administration at 8.0% or 215 and Hospitality at 5.9% or 160. Professionals number 1,354 and Managers 552, supporting the 59.5% university-educated share, 29.4 percentage points above national. Participation is 64.2%, unemployment 5.5% and full-time employment 59.9%. Household income sits at the 61.6 percentile. SEIFA is uneven: IEO decile 9 and IRSAD decile 8 are high, IRSD decile 7 is above midpoint, while IER decile 3 is lower, indicating strong education and occupational advantage alongside mixed economic conditions.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
3,594
Unemployed
196
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.9%
Part-time
35.4%
Participation
64.2%
Employed
3,398
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
59.5%
Postgraduate
19.4%
Born Overseas
32.3%
Dwellings
2,909
Transport to Work
Norwood is practical for residents who can combine driving with walking, cycling or public transport. Car-driver trips account for 55.7%, compared with 13.9% walking or cycling and 8.7% public transport; 17.1% work from home. One local school is listed, Norwood Primary School, and it is a government primary school. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because access can differ by street. Recorded crime is 547 incidents, or 86.1 per 1,000 residents, so street-level checking and normal security habits matter more than relying on a broad suburb label. IRSAD is in decile 8 and the need-assistance rate is 4.2%, pointing to social conditions above the national midpoint overall. Density is 2,877.2 people per square kilometre, higher than a low-density suburban setting, which supports walkable errands but makes parking worth assessing.
Drive
55.7%
Public Transport
8.7%
Walk / Cycle
13.9%
Work from Home
17.1%
Population Forecast
+1.07%/yr
(+131 people/yr)
EstablishedNorwood's growth outlook is positive but mature rather than explosive. The forecast trend is 1.07% annual growth, higher than zero, with Overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 11.1% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging: senior share is up 5.4% and working share is down 4.1%. Gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 31, and the shift measure also records a score of 28. Rent growth of 28.6% and real income growth of 10.9% support ongoing demand, while affordability improved from 40.9% in 2011 to 38.6% in 2021. Compared with a static established suburb, Norwood has measurable momentum, tempered by an older resident profile.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+380
Net Internal / yr
-84
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +19% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +380/yr, Accelerating: 1% → 18%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
547
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
86.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Norwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Norwood?
Norwood Primary School is the listed local school, and it is a government primary school. Families should compare the exact address with enrolment zones because school access can differ by street. The suburb has 1 named local school, so households seeking secondary, independent or specialist options should assess nearby areas as well.
Is Norwood safe?
Recorded crime is 547 incidents, equivalent to 86.1 per 1,000 residents. That figure is a broad suburb rate rather than a guarantee for every street, so compare the immediate block, lighting, parking areas and building security before renting or buying. Normal checks matter particularly in a dense suburb of 2,877.2 people per square kilometre.
How is Norwood's population changing?
Norwood's wider-area population trend is positive, with 11.1% change over 10 years and forecast annual growth of 1.07%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 5.4% and the working share is down 4.1%. Compared with a static suburb, that indicates ongoing change, but not a youthful growth profile.
What languages are spoken in Norwood?
Norwood has an overseas-born share of 32.3%, which is 10.7 percentage points above national. Mandarin is recorded for 124 residents, followed by Italian at 78, Greek at 70, Canton at 41 and Hindi at 31. English ancestry is the largest listed ancestry at 2,218, compared with 600 for Italian ancestry, indicating a mixed cultural profile.
Is there significant development in Norwood?
Development activity is substantial at 147 applications in 12 months. Recent examples include a planning-consent variation, a commercial fit-out and a dwelling addition. Compared with a no-change setting, this suggests an active built environment, although these examples do not establish a specific pipeline of new dwellings. Buyers should check individual approvals and likely construction impacts.
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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