Old Noarlunga
The 1,531-person suburb occupies 3.65 square kilometres on the Onkaparinga River floodplain, with 94.8% of dwellings being separate houses, a detached-house share far above the national average. The suburb carries a high-crime-rate signal at 92.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, and household income sits at the 46.3rd percentile nationally, roughly in the middle of Australian suburbs. Those two facts together explain why the rapid price growth attracts buyers seeking undervalued detached stock rather than premium-priced alternatives closer to Adelaide's CBD.
Local council: Onkaparinga
Population
1,531
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,485/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
Median House
$830K
First quarter 2026
That is an unusually steep move for a suburb with household income at the 46.3rd percentile nationally, and it signals buyer demand outpacing local earnings capacity. Separate houses represent 94.8% of the stock, so there is very little apartment or semi-detached competition. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 56.4%, with four-plus bedroom homes at 30.7%, making the suburb suited to families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,395, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 32.3% and mortgage holders at 49.2% suggest a stable tenure mix without signs of speculative churn.
For Buyers
That is an unusually steep move for a suburb with household income at the 46.3rd percentile nationally, and it signals buyer demand outpacing local earnings capacity. Separate houses represent 94.8% of the stock, so there is very little apartment or semi-detached competition. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 56.4%, with four-plus bedroom homes at 30.7%, making the suburb suited to families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,395, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 32.3% and mortgage holders at 49.2% suggest a stable tenure mix without signs of speculative churn.
For Investors
A renter share of 18.5% is low compared to the national average, meaning demand for rental stock is narrower than in higher-density suburbs. Vacancy sits at 5.9%, elevated relative to most suburban markets, which reflects limited rental demand rather than oversupply. Development activity shows 27 applications lodged in the past 12 months, a solid pipeline for a suburb of 1,531 people, with recent approvals including land divisions and new double-storey dwellings. The 24.9% price gain from 2025 to 2026 is the standout data point for investors, though the low yield and above-average vacancy suggest capital growth has run ahead of rental fundamentals.
Development Activity
Total DAs
181
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+57.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Old Noarlunga
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Old Noarlunga Primary School
Demographics
The median age is 41, matching the national figure within one year, so Old Noarlunga does not skew unusually young or old. Overseas-born residents make up 19.8% of the population, 1.8 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (739), Scottish (184) and Irish (136) dominate. University qualifications reach only 17.6%, which is 12.5 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a blue-collar occupational profile. Average household size of 2.5 is in line with national norms. Couples with children account for 484 families versus 339 couples without children, pointing to a family-oriented composition. Volunteering is recorded at 13.6% of residents, moderate by Australian suburban standards.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.8%
Houses
0.5%
Townhouse
4.7%
Apartment
Tenure
That is well above typical SA state price growth over the same period. Tenure is weighted toward ownership, with 32.3% owning outright and 49.2% on mortgages, leaving only 18.5% renting, lower than the national rental share. The stock is almost exclusively separate houses at 94.8%, and the bedroom split concentrates in three-bedroom (56.4%) and four-plus bedroom (30.7%) homes, so the market caters to families rather than singles or couples seeking smaller dwellings. Rent-to-income at 20.5% keeps tenants out of stress, and mortgage-to-income at 21.7% is similarly comfortable relative to the national median.
Mortgage / mo
$1,395
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$305
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$704
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.9%
Unoccupied
36
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.0%
Couples with children
39.4%
Couples, no children
17.2%
Single parent
429
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 20.0% of local workers (90 people), followed by Construction at 17.1% (77 people), which explains the strong Labourer occupation category at 103 workers. Retail accounts for 7.3% and Professional/Technical services 6.4%, giving the economy a service and trades orientation rather than a white-collar professional base. Full-time employment runs at 60.4% and the unemployment rate is 6.1%, above the national average, consistent with the lower university qualification rate of 17.6%. The participation rate of 57.6% sits below typical metropolitan rates, partly because 411 residents are outside the labour force. Personal weekly income averages $704, which places local earnings below the national median, and family weekly income of $1,845 is similarly moderate by state and national benchmarks.
Unemployment
5.7%
Labour Force
775
Unemployed
44
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.4%
Part-time
36.9%
Participation
61.5%
Employed
731
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.6%
Postgraduate
3.0%
Born Overseas
19.8%
Dwellings
572
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 90.0% of commuters driving, versus just 3.3% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling. This is above the national car-reliance level and reflects the suburb's position on the urban fringe without strong rail or bus connections. Crime records 141 incidents totalling 92.1 per 1,000 residents, which is elevated compared to metropolitan Adelaide averages and is the primary livability concern. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on facilities in neighbouring Noarlunga and Morphett Vale. Rent stress is absent, with rent-to-income at 20.5% below the 30% threshold. About 7.0% of residents (102 people) need daily assistance, a moderate figure for a suburb with median age 41, slightly above national norms for its age profile.
Drive
81.5%
Public Transport
3.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
9.4%
Growth Outlook
Population of 1,531 across 3.65 square kilometres gives a density of 419.5 people per km2, which is low by metropolitan standards and leaves room for infill development. The turnover rate of 20.9% means roughly one in five residents moved or arrived within the measured period, higher than the 79.1% who stayed, indicating the suburb is attracting new residents rather than stagnating. Development applications totalled 27 in the past 12 months including land divisions and new dwellings, which is a meaningful activity level relative to the suburb's size. The combination of above-average price growth and active development suggests increasing buyer interest in what remains a below-median-income suburb.
Population trend: Onkaparinga council area
Old Noarlunga sits in the Onkaparinga council area. These are the council area's residents, not Old Noarlunga's.
Residents 2025
184,827
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.9%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
141
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
92.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Old Noarlunga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Old Noarlunga a good suburb to live in?
Old Noarlunga suits families who prioritise detached housing and affordable mortgage repayments. Monthly mortgage costs average $1,395 against a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. The main drawbacks are a crime rate of 92.1 per 1,000 residents, which is above metropolitan Adelaide averages, and high car dependency at 90.0% of commuters.
What schools are in Old Noarlunga?
No schools are recorded inside the Old Noarlunga suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Noarlunga Centre and Morphett Vale. University qualifications in the suburb stand at 17.6%, which is 12.5 percentage points below the national average.
Is Old Noarlunga safe?
Old Noarlunga recorded 141 incidents in the most recent period, giving a crime rate of 92.1 per 1,000 residents. This is flagged as a high-crime-rate area relative to South Australian suburban benchmarks. Residents are advised to review current SA Police statistics for detailed category breakdowns.
How is Old Noarlunga's population changing?
Old Noarlunga has a population of 1,531 across 3.65 km2. A turnover rate of 20.9% indicates new residents are arriving, with 79.1% of residents having stayed in place. Development activity totalled 27 applications in the past 12 months, including land divisions and new dwellings, pointing to gradual residential expansion.
How much development is happening in Old Noarlunga?
There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent approvals include a community land division (1 into 2 lots), a double-storey detached dwelling and a verandah addition. This is a moderate but steady activity level relative to the suburb's 1,531 residents, consistent with incremental suburban infill.
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).
Explore Old Noarlunga on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map