Paradise
Despite the median house price reaching $1,076,500 in 1Q 2026, household income sits at just the 39.5th percentile nationally, an unusual mismatch that defines this north-eastern Adelaide pocket. The gap is bridged by ownership tenure rather than earnings: 38.4% own outright, well above the 32.7% still carrying a mortgage, so high property values rest on long-held, debt-free homes rather than current incomes. Detached houses make up 75.7% of stock and three-bedroom homes 58.3%, while the median age of 43 runs 3 years above the national figure. The Italian ancestry count of 1,780 nearly matches English at 1,808, a legacy of post-war migration that still shows in the 263 Italian speakers.
Population
7,217
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,386/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
92
Median House
$1.1M
Median 1Q 2026
The $1,076,500 median rose 4.8% from $1,027,000 a year earlier, and at the latest quarter prices are at their peak, signalling steady demand rather than a correction. Buyers get space: 75.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 58.3% have three bedrooms and 22.4% have four or more, with apartments just 8.4% of stock. Affordability leans on tenure, not income, because 38.4% of homes are owned outright. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.6% stays below the 30% stress threshold even though household income ranks only in the 39.5th percentile, which works because monthly repayments average a modest $1,597. The trade-off for buyers is heavy car dependence, with 81.6% driving and only 1.4% walking or cycling.
For Buyers
The $1,076,500 median rose 4.8% from $1,027,000 a year earlier, and at the latest quarter prices are at their peak, signalling steady demand rather than a correction. Buyers get space: 75.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 58.3% have three bedrooms and 22.4% have four or more, with apartments just 8.4% of stock. Affordability leans on tenure, not income, because 38.4% of homes are owned outright. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.6% stays below the 30% stress threshold even though household income ranks only in the 39.5th percentile, which works because monthly repayments average a modest $1,597. The trade-off for buyers is heavy car dependence, with 81.6% driving and only 1.4% walking or cycling.
For Investors
Renters make up 28.9% of households, a smaller tenant pool than the owner-occupier dominated profile suggests, with 38.4% owning outright and 32.7% on mortgages. Weekly rent of $330 against the $1,076,500 median produces a gross yield near 1.6%, low by any standard and a consequence of detached house values outpacing rents. The vacancy rate of 6.6% is elevated and points to soft rental demand. Development activity is the brighter signal: 82 development applications were lodged in 12 months, above the threshold for active rebuilding, including two-storey detached dwellings that suggest knock-down-rebuild interest. Capital growth of 4.8% over the past year, with prices at peak, offers more upside than the thin yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
464
Last 12 Months
92
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+29.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Paradise iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sunrise Christian School Paradise
R-6 · 175 students
Paradise Primary School
U, R-6 · 141 students
Charles Campbell College
U, R-12 · 1188 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, and the average household size of 2.4 sits 0.1 below national, consistent with an established, settling population. Overseas-born residents at 35.0% run 13.4 points above the national average, driven historically by Italian migration: Italian ancestry (1,780) almost matches English (1,808), and Italian is the top non-English language with 263 speakers, ahead of Mandarin (160) and Punjabi (130). University qualifications at 41.0% are 10.9 points above national, higher than the modest income percentile would imply. Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 3,865, while couples with children (1,987) outnumber couples without (1,644), reflecting a family-oriented rather than transient suburb, reinforced by a low 21.1% residential turnover.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.7%
Houses
15.8%
Townhouse
8.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers dominate, with 38.4% owning outright and 32.7% holding a mortgage against just 28.9% renting, a tenure profile that explains why high prices coexist with average incomes. Stock is overwhelmingly detached at 75.7%, semi-detached at 15.8% and apartments only 8.4%, while three-bedroom homes (58.3%) and four-plus (22.4%) account for four-fifths of dwellings. The median climbed from $1,027,000 to $1,076,500 in a year, up 4.8% and now at peak. The IER decile of 3 (economic resources) looks low beside the IEO decile of 6 (education and occupation), a divergence typical of asset-rich, income-modest retiree and established households. Both mortgage-to-income (26.6%) and rent-to-income (23.8%) stay below stress thresholds.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,597
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$710
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.6%
Unoccupied
201
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.1%
Couples, no children
5,468
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 20.5% (488 workers), well ahead of Education at 12.4% (294), Professional/Tech at 9.3% (222), Construction at 8.4% (199) and Public Admin at 8.2% (195), a care-and-services base rather than a corporate one. Professionals (841) top occupations, followed by Community and Personal Service workers (481) and Clerical/Admin (473), aligning with the healthcare concentration. The full-time employment rate of 58.5% and unemployment of 5.4% sit near typical levels, but the participation rate of 56.6% is held down by an older population, with 2,317 residents not in the labour force. The SEIFA IRSAD and IRSD deciles both at 5 place the suburb squarely at the national midpoint for overall advantage.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.5%
Part-time
36.1%
Participation
56.6%
Employed
3,337
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.0%
Postgraduate
11.8%
Born Overseas
35.0%
Dwellings
2,830
Transport to Work
Transport is car-centric, with 81.6% driving, only 11.7% using public transport and a negligible 1.4% walking or cycling, a function of the detached, low-density layout at 2,019.8 people per square kilometre. The crime rate of 36.7 per 1,000 residents (265 offences) is moderate and below the levels seen in denser inner-city suburbs, supporting the family appeal evident in the 1,987 couples with children. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 5 places overall advantage at the national midpoint, neither disadvantaged nor affluent. Community connection shows in a volunteering rate of 14.8% and low residential turnover of 21.1%, while 8.2% of residents (573 people) report needing assistance, slightly above what the aging median age of 43 would alone predict.
Drive
81.6%
Public Transport
11.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
265
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
36.7
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Paradise compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paradise a good suburb to live in?
Paradise suits families and established owner-occupiers: 75.7% of homes are detached, 38.4% are owned outright, and the crime rate of 36.7 per 1,000 is moderate. The median age of 43 is 3 years above national, signalling a settled population. The main trade-off is car dependence, with 81.6% driving and only 1.4% walking or cycling.
What is the median house price in Paradise?
The median house price is $1,076,500 as of 1Q 2026, up 4.8% from $1,027,000 a year earlier and currently at its peak. Weekly rent averages $330 and monthly mortgage repayments around $1,597, keeping mortgage costs at 26.6% of income, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Paradise?
The dataset does not list schools located within the Paradise suburb boundary, so families typically rely on schools in neighbouring north-eastern Adelaide suburbs. Education is nonetheless a major local employer at 12.4% of jobs (294 workers), and university qualifications among residents reach 41.0%, 10.9 points above the national average.
Is Paradise safe?
Paradise records a crime rate of 36.7 offences per 1,000 residents, with 265 total offences across a population of 7,217. This is moderate and below the rates of denser inner-city areas, consistent with the low-density detached profile (2,019.8 people per square kilometre) and the high share of long-term residents at 78.9%.
Is Paradise good for property investment?
Yields are thin: $330 weekly rent against a $1,076,500 median gives a gross yield near 1.6%, and the vacancy rate of 6.6% is elevated. Renters are only 28.9% of households. The upside is capital growth of 4.8% over the year and 82 development applications in 12 months, signalling rebuild and renewal activity.
How is Paradise's population changing?
The population of 7,217 is aging, with a median age of 43, three years above the national figure, and 78.9% of residents staying put over the period. Change comes through rebuilding rather than churn: 82 development applications were lodged in 12 months, and the median house price rose 4.8% to $1,076,500.
What languages are spoken in Paradise?
With 35.0% of residents born overseas, 13.4 points above the national average, Italian is the leading non-English language at 263 speakers, reflecting post-war migration where Italian ancestry (1,780) nearly matches English (1,808). Mandarin (160), Punjabi (130) and Greek (75) follow.
How much new development is happening in Paradise?
Paradise saw 82 development applications lodged over 12 months, above the level that signals an active rebuilding market. Recent examples include two-storey detached dwellings and internal renovations, consistent with the suburb's 75.7% detached housing stock being progressively upgraded rather than densified.
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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