SA 5063 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Parkside

A $1,776,500 median house price in a 1.39 km2 inner-Adelaide suburb tells you most of the story: Parkside trades on scarcity, not space. The price climbed 11.7% in a single year from $1,590,000 in 1Q 2025, and household income sits in the 76.4th percentile nationally. University qualifications reach 59.9%, which is 29.8 points above the national figure, and the suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSAD, IRSD and IEO indexes, the second-highest advantage tier. The population of 5,126 is packed at 3,701 residents per km2, with a median age of 39, one year below national, kept young by a 39.5% renter share.

Parkside urban fabric map

Population

5,126

Median Age

39.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,040/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

79

Median House

$1.8M

Median 1Q 2026

1.39 km²· 3,701.1 people/km²· Family income $2,621/wk

The $1,776,500 median makes Parkside a premium entry, and the 11.7% one-year jump from $1,590,000 shows demand is still firm rather than cooling. The stock favours buyers wanting a freestanding home more than most inner suburbs do: 54.0% are separate houses, with semi-detached at 27.2% and apartments only 18.8%. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 39.8% and two-bedroom at 34.9%, while 4-plus bedroom homes are just 17.3%, so larger family houses are scarce and command a premium. Despite the high prices, the cost of ownership is manageable for resident incomes: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 24.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, because buyers here draw on household incomes in the 76.4th percentile.

For Buyers

The $1,776,500 median makes Parkside a premium entry, and the 11.7% one-year jump from $1,590,000 shows demand is still firm rather than cooling. The stock favours buyers wanting a freestanding home more than most inner suburbs do: 54.0% are separate houses, with semi-detached at 27.2% and apartments only 18.8%. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 39.8% and two-bedroom at 34.9%, while 4-plus bedroom homes are just 17.3%, so larger family houses are scarce and command a premium. Despite the high prices, the cost of ownership is manageable for resident incomes: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 24.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, because buyers here draw on household incomes in the 76.4th percentile.

For Investors

A 39.5% renter share gives landlords a deep tenant pool, the largest of the three tenure groups, ahead of the 32.1% who own outright. Weekly rent of $395 against the $1,776,500 median implies a gross yield near 1.2%, very low, so the case rests on capital growth rather than cash flow. The 9.3% vacancy rate points to softness in the rental segment, which matters because apartments make up only 18.8% of stock and may turn over slowly. Development is active at 75 applications in 12 months, though the recent samples are land divisions, dwelling additions and carports rather than new apartment supply, so net dwelling growth stays low. With rent-to-income at 19.4%, tenants have headroom, which supports rent escalation over time more than yield does today.

Development Activity

Total DAs

430

Last 12 Months

79

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

-3.7%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
57
Garage / Carport / Shed
20
Deck / Pergola / Patio
18
Swimming Pool / Spa
15
Demolition
9
Fencing
9
Tree Removal
7
Commercial / Industrial
7

Schools in Parkside iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Parkside Primary School

ICSEA 1126 Primary Government

R-6 · 331 students

St Raphael's School

ICSEA 1048 Primary Catholic

R-6 · 96 students

Demographics

The median age of 39 runs 1.0 year below the national figure, a younger profile than most premium inner suburbs, driven by the 39.5% who rent. Overseas-born residents reach 28.4%, which is 6.8 points above national, and the ancestry mix leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,839), Irish (552) and Scottish (539), with Italian (452) a notable fifth. The top non-English languages are Greek (102 speakers), Mandarin (82) and Italian (63), reflecting Adelaide's long-established southern European communities. University qualifications at 59.9% sit 29.8 points above national, among the highest you will find. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, consistent with the 28.7% of families who are couples without children.

Age Distribution

0-14
16.5%
15-24
10.6%
25-44
30.6%
45-64
24.4%
65+
17.7%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
8.0%
2 bed
34.9%
3 bed
39.8%
4+ bed
17.3%

Dwelling Structure

54.0%

Houses

27.2%

Townhouse

18.8%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 32.1% Mortgage 28.3% Rent 39.5%

Tenure is unusually balanced: 39.5% rent, 32.1% own outright and 28.3% carry a mortgage, so renters narrowly outnumber both owner groups. The stock is 54.0% separate houses, higher than typical for a suburb this dense at 3,701 residents per km2, with semi-detached at 27.2% and apartments 18.8%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 39.8% and two-bedroom at 34.9%, while 4-plus bedroom dwellings are only 17.3%. The median house price rose from $1,590,000 in 1Q 2025 to $1,776,500 in 1Q 2026, an 11.7% one-year move and a fresh peak. Affordability is better than the price suggests: mortgage-to-income at 24.5% and rent-to-income at 19.4% both sit below the 30% stress line, because the 76.4th-percentile incomes can absorb the cost.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$2,167

Rent / wk

$395

HH Size

2.3

Personal Income / wk

$1,038

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

9.3%

Unoccupied

216

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

19.4%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

24.5%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Greek
102
Mandarin
82
Italian
63
Canton
29
Arabic
15
German
14

Ancestry

English
1,839
Other
659
Irish
552
Scottish
539
Italian
452
German
366

Household Composition

28.7%

Couples, no children

3,829

Total families

Economy & Employment

The workforce concentrates in human-services and knowledge sectors: Healthcare leads at 21.1% (466 workers), Professional/Tech follows at 17.2% (381) and Education at 12.8% (283), with Public Admin at 8.1% and Retail at 4.9%. By occupation, Professionals (1,148) and Managers (447) dominate, which aligns with the decile 9 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.3% and the full-time employment rate is 62.9%, while participation reads 65.5%. The IER score for economic resources sits at decile 6, lower than the decile 9 on the other three SEIFA indexes, because the 39.5% renter base depresses aggregate household wealth measures even though incomes rank in the 76.4th percentile. Around 1,240 residents are not in the labour force.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
9
Disadvantage
9
Economic resources
6
Education & occupation
9

Full-time

62.9%

Part-time

32.8%

Participation

65.5%

Employed

2,681

Occupations

Professionals 1,148
Managers 447
Clerical/Admin 339
Community/Personal 272
Sales 199
Labourers 117
Machinery/Drivers 44

Top Industries

Healthcare 21.1%
Professional/Tech 17.2%
Education 12.8%
Public Admin 8.1%
Retail 4.9%

University

59.9%

Postgraduate

17.9%

Born Overseas

28.4%

Dwellings

2,103

Transport to Work

Travel patterns favour active and local trips: 18.2% walk or cycle and 6.7% take public transport, while 68.7% drive, in line with Adelaide's broader car reliance. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSAD, the second-highest advantage tier nationally, and decile 9 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning very few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 20.4% and only 5.8% (288 people) need daily assistance. The recorded crime rate is 50.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, from 257 total incidents, a level typical of busy inner suburbs with commercial frontage rather than quiet residential pockets. No schools sit inside the 1.39 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off for compact inner-city living.

Drive

68.7%

Public Transport

6.7%

Walk / Cycle

18.2%

Work from Home

N/A

Safety & Crime

Total Offences

257

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

50.1

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Parkside compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 11%
Household Income
Top 24%
Rent Level
Top 18%
Apartments
Top 19%
Renters
Top 16%
Uni Educated
Top 4%
Public Transport
Top 23%
Born Overseas
Top 16%
Density
Top 2%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Parkside a good suburb to live in?

Parkside scores decile 9 on the IRSAD, IRSD and IEO indexes, the second-highest advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 76.4th percentile. University qualifications reach 59.9%, which is 29.8 points above national. The main trade-off is a high $1,776,500 median house price in a compact 1.39 km2 area.

What is the median house price in Parkside?

The median house price is $1,776,500 as of 1Q 2026, up 11.7% from $1,590,000 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $395 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.5%, below the 30% stress threshold.

What schools are in Parkside?

No schools are recorded inside the 1.39 km2 Parkside boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is highly educated, with university qualifications at 59.9%, which is 29.8 points above the national figure.

Is Parkside safe?

The recorded crime rate is 50.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, from 257 total incidents, a level typical of inner suburbs with commercial frontage. As an indirect indicator, Parkside scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the second-highest tier, with only 5.8% of residents needing daily assistance.

Is Parkside good for property investment?

Rent of $395 a week against the $1,776,500 median gives a gross yield near 1.2%, very low, and the 9.3% vacancy rate signals rental softness. With a 39.5% renter share but slow new supply from 75 development applications, returns depend on capital growth rather than yield.

How is Parkside's population changing?

Parkside is a built-out inner suburb of 5,126 residents at 3,701 per km2, so it grows through infill rather than new land. Development ran at 75 applications over 12 months, mostly land divisions and additions, while the median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below national, kept young by the 39.5% renter share.

How much development is happening in Parkside?

There were 75 development applications lodged in the past 12 months across the 1.39 km2 suburb. Recent samples are land divisions, single-storey dwelling additions and carports rather than large new apartment projects, so net dwelling growth stays modest at a density of 3,701 residents per km2.

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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