Norwood
Half of Norwood's dwellings are semi-detached terraces (50.4%), a share that shapes almost everything else about the suburb. Renters make up 46.4% of households, well above the typical owner-occupier suburb, and that tenant-heavy stock helps explain an 11.3% vacancy rate. University qualifications reach 59.5%, which is 29.4 points above the national figure, and household income sits in the 61.6th percentile. The suburb scores decile 9 on the education-and-occupation index but only decile 3 on economic resources, a gap driven by the large renting base. At 2,877 residents per square kilometre across 2.21 km2, this is dense inner-Adelaide living rather than detached-house suburbia.
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
134
Buying a freestanding house in Norwood means competing for scarce supply, because separate houses are only 34.8% of dwellings while semi-detached terraces make up 50.4% and apartments 14.6%. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 42.0% and three-bedroom at 39.6%, so larger family homes with 4-plus bedrooms (9.7%) are rare. Quarterly sales data shows a median around $1,700,000 in 1Q 2026, down 18.3% from the $2,080,000 recorded a year earlier, though that figure rests on only two quarters and is skewed by the small pool of detached sales. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, so households carrying loans here sit on comfortable ground relative to income.
For Buyers
Buying a freestanding house in Norwood means competing for scarce supply, because separate houses are only 34.8% of dwellings while semi-detached terraces make up 50.4% and apartments 14.6%. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 42.0% and three-bedroom at 39.6%, so larger family homes with 4-plus bedrooms (9.7%) are rare. Quarterly sales data shows a median around $1,700,000 in 1Q 2026, down 18.3% from the $2,080,000 recorded a year earlier, though that figure rests on only two quarters and is skewed by the small pool of detached sales. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, so households carrying loans here sit on comfortable ground relative to income.
For Investors
A 46.4% renter share gives landlords a deep tenant pool, the clearest investor signal in Norwood. Weekly rent averages $390 and rent grew 28.6% over the period, which supports income returns even as the 11.3% vacancy rate flags some softness in the terrace and apartment segment. Demand has a structural backstop: overseas migration is the primary growth driver at a net 380 residents a year, while internal migration removes 84, so the population still expands. Development is active with 123 applications lodged in the past 12 months, though the samples lean toward alterations, additions and tenancy fitouts rather than new dwelling supply. With rent-to-income at 22.3%, tenants have headroom, which underpins the case for rental escalation more than yield compression.
Development Activity
Total DAs
693
Last 12 Months
134
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+10.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Norwood iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Norwood Primary School
R-6 · 361 students
St Joseph's Memorial School
R-6 · 192 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, but the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 5.4 points while the working-age share fell 4.1 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 32.3%, which is 10.7 points above national, and the leading non-English languages are Mandarin (124 speakers), Italian (78) and Greek (70), echoing an ancestry mix led by English (2,218), Irish (682), Scottish (657) and Italian (600). University qualifications at 59.5% run 29.4 points above national, among the higher rates anywhere. Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below national, consistent with a profile where 40.0% of families are couples with no children, outnumbering the 1,399 couples with children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
34.8%
Houses
50.4%
Townhouse
14.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is unusually rental-skewed: 46.4% rent, 32.2% own outright and 21.5% carry a mortgage, so renters outnumber both owner groups. The stock is 50.4% semi-detached terraces and 14.6% apartments, leaving separate houses at just 34.8%, which keeps detached-house prices elevated through scarcity. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 42.0% and three-bedroom 39.6%, while 4-plus bedroom homes are only 9.7%. The quarterly median moved from $2,080,000 in 1Q 2025 to $1,700,000 in 1Q 2026, an 18.3% fall, though with just two quarters of data this reflects sale mix more than a true market drop. Mortgage-to-income at 26.4% and rent-to-income at 22.3% both sit below the 30% stress line, so housing costs are manageable relative to the 61.6th-percentile household income.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$390
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
40.0%
Couples, no children
4,142
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in knowledge and care sectors: Healthcare leads at 19.1% (514 workers), Professional/Tech follows at 16.6% (447) and Education at 12.8% (345), with Public Admin at 8.0% and Hospitality at 5.9%. By occupation, Professionals (1,354) and Managers (552) make up the bulk of jobs, which aligns with the decile 9 score on the education-and-occupation index. Unemployment is 5.7% and the full-time employment rate is 62.8%, while participation reads 61.4% because the aging profile leaves 1,740 residents not in the labour force. One anomaly stands out: the economic-resources index sits at decile 3 against decile 8 on overall advantage, because the 46.4% renter base depresses aggregate household-wealth measures even though incomes and education run high.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
7,409
Unemployed
228
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
31.5%
Participation
61.4%
Employed
3,238
Occupations
Top Industries
University
59.5%
Postgraduate
19.4%
Born Overseas
32.3%
Dwellings
2,909
Transport to Work
Norwood supports more active and public transport than car-dependent suburbs: 16.8% walk or cycle and 10.3% take public transport, while 67.3% drive. The suburb scores decile 8 on the overall advantage index and decile 7 on relative disadvantage, both above the national midpoint, meaning few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 21.7% and only 4.2% of residents (255 people) need daily assistance despite the median age of 40. Recorded crime totals 547 incidents, a rate of 86.1 per 1,000 residents, elevated by the dense 2,877-per-km2 inner-city setting and its commercial strip rather than purely residential conditions. No schools are recorded inside the 2.21 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs.
Drive
67.3%
Public Transport
10.3%
Walk / Cycle
16.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.07%/yr
(+131 people/yr)
EstablishedNorwood is classified as an established suburb growing at 1.07% a year, with the population up 11.1% over the past decade. Overseas migration is the primary driver, adding a net 380 residents annually, while internal migration removes 84, leaving steady net expansion. The gentrification reading is early signs, scoring 31, supported by a population rise of about 19% since 2011 and an accelerating growth trend. Affordability improved from 40.9% in 2011 to 38.6% in 2021, a modest easing even as rents climbed 28.6%. Real incomes grew 10.9% over the decade. The combination of aging residents, a 5.4-point rise in the senior share and continued overseas inflow points to slow, migration-fed densification rather than a development boom.
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
Is Norwood a good suburb to live in?
Norwood scores decile 8 on the overall advantage index and decile 9 on education and occupation, both above the national midpoint, with university qualifications at 59.5%, which is 29.4 points above national. The main trade-offs are an 11.3% vacancy rate and a recorded crime rate of 86.1 per 1,000 residents.
What is the median house price in Norwood?
Quarterly sales data shows a median near $1,700,000 in 1Q 2026, down 18.3% from $2,080,000 a year earlier, though this rests on only two quarters and a small pool of detached sales. Weekly rent averages $390 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,000.
What schools are in Norwood?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.21 km2 Norwood boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 59.5%, which is 29.4 points above the national figure.
Is Norwood safe?
Recorded crime totals 547 incidents, a rate of 86.1 per 1,000 residents, elevated by the dense inner-city setting at 2,877 residents per km2. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on the relative-disadvantage index, above the national midpoint, and only 4.2% of residents need daily assistance.
Is Norwood good for property investment?
Renters make up 46.4% of households, giving a deep tenant pool, and rent grew 28.6% to an average $390 a week. Net overseas migration of 380 a year supports demand, but the 11.3% vacancy rate signals some softness, so returns lean on rental growth more than low vacancy.
How is Norwood's population changing?
The population is growing about 1.07% a year and rose 11.1% over the past decade. Overseas migration drives this, adding a net 380 residents annually against an internal outflow of 84. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.4 points and the working-age share down 4.1 points.
What languages are spoken in Norwood?
About 32.3% of residents were born overseas, 10.7 points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Mandarin (124 speakers), Italian (78), Greek (70) and Cantonese (41) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a notable migrant share in this inner-Adelaide suburb.
How much development is happening in Norwood?
There were 123 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. The samples lean toward alterations, additions and tenancy fitouts rather than new dwelling supply, consistent with an established suburb growing about 1.07% a year through densification rather than greenfield building.
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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