Onkaparinga Hills
At a median age of 45, Onkaparinga Hills skews 5 years older than the national figure, and that age profile explains much of what the data shows. The suburb sits on 25 square kilometres south of Adelaide with just 2,610 residents and a density of 104 per km2, giving it a semi-rural character uncommon this close to metro services. The median house price hit $996,750 in early 2026, up 23.8% in a single year from $805,000, yet household income ranks in the 78th percentile nationally. That combination produces a detached-dominant, equity-rich owner base where 40.3% own outright and only 4.5% rent, well below state and national renter averages.
Population
2,610
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,078/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
41
Median House
$997K
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price reached $996,750 in 1Q 2026, a 23.8% jump from $805,000 twelve months earlier. With 99.4% of dwellings being separate houses, buyers face very limited alternatives to a full detached purchase. The bedroom profile leans large, with 62.7% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and 35.8% at 3 bedrooms, so entry points are high. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, which reflects that many buyers bring substantial equity. The 40.3% outright ownership rate, compared to a lower national average, signals that established residents have held properties for years, reducing forced selling and underpinning price floors.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $996,750 in 1Q 2026, a 23.8% jump from $805,000 twelve months earlier. With 99.4% of dwellings being separate houses, buyers face very limited alternatives to a full detached purchase. The bedroom profile leans large, with 62.7% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and 35.8% at 3 bedrooms, so entry points are high. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, which reflects that many buyers bring substantial equity. The 40.3% outright ownership rate, compared to a lower national average, signals that established residents have held properties for years, reducing forced selling and underpinning price floors.
For Investors
The investment case here is thin on yield but strong on occupier stability. With only 4.5% of residents renting, well below the national average, the tenant pool is small and weekly rent of $385 against a $996,750 median produces a gross yield under 2%. The vacancy rate of 3.9% suggests moderate rental availability. On the positive side, 39 development applications lodged in the past 12 months indicate steady local activity, and net internal migration averages 85 residents a year, supporting organic demand. Rent growth reached 15.4% over the measured period, outpacing many comparable SA suburbs. Investors suited to this market are typically long-horizon buyers banking on capital growth, given the low turnover rate of 12% and a resident base where 88% stayed put over 5 years.
Development Activity
Total DAs
213
Last 12 Months
41
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+20.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure, and the trend accelerates that gap: the senior share grew 7.8 points while the working-age share fell 3.1 points over the decade. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,288 residents), Scottish (248), Irish (210) and German (192), with overseas-born residents at 19.3%, which is 2.3 points below national. Average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above national, consistent with the couples-with-children and large-home profile: 30.1% of families are couples without children and 791 are couples with children. The volunteering rate of 17.5% suggests an engaged community. University qualifications at 21.5% run 8.6 points below national, reflecting the trades and services employment base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.4%
Houses
0.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership tenure is the defining characteristic of Onkaparinga Hills housing. A combined 95.5% of residents are owners, either outright (40.3%) or with a mortgage (55.2%), compared to a much lower national ownership rate. Renters at 4.5% are rare. The dwelling type is nearly uniform: 99.4% are separate houses, with just 0.6% semi-detached and no recorded apartments. Bedroom sizes skew large, with 62.7% of homes at 4 or more bedrooms and 35.8% at 3 bedrooms. Prices moved from $805,000 in 1Q 2025 to $996,750 in 1Q 2026, a 23.8% gain in one year. Mortgage-to-income is 18.1% and rent-to-income 18.5%, both below stress thresholds, indicating the current owner cohort is financially comfortable relative to their housing costs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wk
$385
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$825
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.9%
Unoccupied
35
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.1%
Couples, no children
2,277
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading employer at 21.3% of the local workforce (195 workers), followed by Construction at 13.7% (125), Education at 9.6% (88), Manufacturing at 8.6% (79) and Retail at 7.4% (68). By occupation, Professionals (218) and Clerical/Admin (214) are the largest groups, followed closely by Managers (189) and Community/Personal service workers (189). The unemployment rate of 3.8% is low relative to state averages, and full-time employment reaches 61%. However, the SEIFA decile picture is mixed: the IRSAD decile of 2 and IEO decile of 2 place the suburb among the lower-advantage tiers nationally, despite household incomes landing in the 78th percentile, which partly reflects the older population's accumulated assets rather than current earnings.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
3,998
Unemployed
195
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.0%
Part-time
35.2%
Participation
62.6%
Employed
1,312
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.5%
Postgraduate
4.5%
Born Overseas
19.3%
Dwellings
868
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total, with 92% of residents commuting as a car driver and only 2.7% using public transport, reflecting the suburb's low density of 104 persons per km2 across 25 square kilometres. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families rely on services in neighbouring areas. The crime rate of 19.5 incidents per 1,000 residents is low relative to broader metropolitan SA benchmarks. The IRSAD decile of 2 places the suburb in the lower-advantage tier nationally, but the housing stress data tells a more comfortable story: mortgage-to-income at 18.1% and rent-to-income at 18.5% are both below the 30% threshold. Disability assistance needs affect 4.5% of residents (113 people), and the 17.5% volunteering rate sits above many comparable semi-rural SA postcodes.
Drive
92.0%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.85%/yr
(+63 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 0.85% annually, adding around 63 residents per year. The 10-year population change was 7.1%, modest but consistent. The SA2 area population, tracked at 7,261 in 2023 and 7,376 in 2025, projects to around 7,617 by 2031 under the medium forecast. Internal migration is the primary driver, averaging net 85 residents annually, while overseas migration adds 34. The gentrification score of 30 signals early signs of change, backed by signals including 12% population growth since 2011 and accelerating rent growth from near-flat to 15.4%. The affordability ratio improved from 50.1% in 2011 to 44.9% in 2021, indicating that incomes rose faster than housing costs over that period, though the sharp 2025-2026 price jump has likely reversed recent gains.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+34
Net Internal / yr
+85
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +12% since 2011, Net internal migration +85/yr, Accelerating: -3% → 16%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
51
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
19.5
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Onkaparinga Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Onkaparinga Hills a good suburb to live in?
Onkaparinga Hills suits established families and older owner-occupiers well. The crime rate is 19.5 per 1,000 residents, which is low by SA standards, 95.5% of residents own their home, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.1% is below the 30% stress benchmark. The trade-offs are car-dependent transport (92% drive) and no recorded schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Onkaparinga Hills?
The median house price is $996,750 as of 1Q 2026, up 23.8% from $805,000 in 1Q 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625. Weekly rent is $385. With 99.4% of dwellings being separate houses, buyers have very few alternatives to a full detached purchase.
What schools are in Onkaparinga Hills?
No schools are recorded within the Onkaparinga Hills suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The suburb's university qualification rate is 21.5%, which is 8.6 points below the national figure, consistent with a trades and services employment base.
Is Onkaparinga Hills safe?
The suburb recorded 51 total crimes in the measured period, giving a rate of 19.5 incidents per 1,000 residents. The IRSD decile of 3 indicates below-average disadvantage nationally. Only 4.5% of residents (113 people) require daily assistance, and the suburb's identity signals include low-crime-rate as a defining characteristic.
Is Onkaparinga Hills good for property investment?
Gross rental yield is low, with $385 weekly rent against a $996,750 median, implying under 2%. The renter pool is thin at just 4.5% of residents compared to national averages. However, prices rose 23.8% in one year and rent growth reached 15.4% over the measured period. The 3.9% vacancy rate and 85 net internal migrants per year provide modest demand support for long-term capital growth buyers.
How is Onkaparinga Hills's population changing?
The suburb grows at 0.85% annually, adding roughly 63 residents per year. The 10-year population change was 7.1%. Internal migration of 85 net residents per year is the primary driver. The trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 7.8 points while working-age share fell 3.1 points over the decade. The medium forecast projects around 7,617 residents in the SA2 area by 2031.
How much development is happening in Onkaparinga Hills?
There were 39 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent examples include dwelling additions, sheds and outbuildings. This level of activity is moderate for a suburb of 2,610 residents and reflects the predominantly established housing stock rather than new-build expansion.
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.
Explore Onkaparinga Hills on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map