Pennington
At 3,773 residents packed into 1.38 km2, Pennington's density of 2,726 people per km2 tells the first part of its story. The second part is the price: a $858,500 median house in a suburb where household income sits only at the 29.2nd percentile nationally, creating one of greater Adelaide's sharper affordability gaps. Overseas-born residents make up 37.5% of the population, which is 15.9 percentage points above the national figure, and the crime rate runs at 91.2 incidents per 1,000 residents, a signal the suburb carries above-average public safety pressure. Despite these tensions, house prices rose 5.7% year-on-year from $812,500 to $858,500, suggesting steady buyer demand in a compact, low-supply setting.
Population
3,773
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,276/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
35
Median House
$858K
Median 1Q 2026
The $858,500 median house price in the first quarter of 2026 is up 5.7% from $812,500 a year earlier. Stock is detached-dominant, with 70.4% separate houses and only 0.9% apartments, so buyers are largely competing for houses rather than units. Three-bedroom homes account for 54.4% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 16.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold even though household income is in the 29.2nd percentile nationally. The spread between income rank and purchase price means buyers are stretching further than they would in most comparable-income suburbs, making pre-purchase cash flow analysis important before committing.
For Buyers
The $858,500 median house price in the first quarter of 2026 is up 5.7% from $812,500 a year earlier. Stock is detached-dominant, with 70.4% separate houses and only 0.9% apartments, so buyers are largely competing for houses rather than units. Three-bedroom homes account for 54.4% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 16.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold even though household income is in the 29.2nd percentile nationally. The spread between income rank and purchase price means buyers are stretching further than they would in most comparable-income suburbs, making pre-purchase cash flow analysis important before committing.
For Investors
Pennington's 39.7% renter share is well above the national average, pointing to a large tenant base, but weekly rent of $250 sets an unambitious yield floor. Against the $858,500 median, that rent implies a gross yield around 1.5%, which is low relative to the income profile of the suburb. Vacancy sits at 7.3%, elevated compared to the state average, indicating supply is ahead of current demand. Development activity is active at 36 applications in the past 12 months, including land division and multi-dwelling proposals by the South Australian Housing Trust, which signals ongoing government-led supply additions. The 5.7% price growth over the past year and a 7.3% unemployment rate point to a market in transition rather than stable growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
200
Last 12 Months
35
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+16.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Pennington iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Pennington School R-6
U, R-6 · 262 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 matches the national figure almost exactly, a contrast to Pennington's other demographic signals. Overseas-born residents reach 37.5%, which is 15.9 percentage points above the national figure, with the largest ancestry groups being English (921), Vietnamese (505) and Scottish (212). The top non-English languages spoken at home are Greek (33), Serbian (32), Arabic (31) and Punjabi (26). University qualifications reach 27.6%, which is 2.5 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades and services. The household composition skews toward couples with children (1,035 families) and couples without children (543 families), with an average household size of 2.5 matching the national average.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.4%
Houses
28.0%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure divides into three unequal bands: 34.7% carry mortgages, 39.7% rent and 25.6% own outright, a renter-majority profile that is higher than the state average. The stock is 70.4% separate houses, 28.0% semi-detached and just 0.9% apartments. Three-bedroom homes are the modal type at 54.4%, followed by 2-bedroom at 26.0% and 4-plus bedroom at 16.7%. Price history covers two data points: $812,500 in the first quarter of 2025 and $858,500 in the first quarter of 2026, a 5.7% annual gain. With housing stress measures sitting below the stress threshold (mortgage-to-income 27.5%, rent-to-income 19.6%), most current owners and renters are not in acute financial strain despite incomes ranked at only the 29.2nd percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$568
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
111
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.9%
Couples, no children
2,731
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates Pennington's employment base at 22.2% of workers (218 people), well ahead of Education at 10.8% (106) and Manufacturing at 8.9% (87). Construction follows at 8.7% (85) and Retail at 6.4% (63). By occupation, Professionals lead at 288, followed by Community and Personal Service Workers (233) and Labourers (222), a mix that reflects service and trades activity rather than a knowledge-economy concentration. The unemployment rate is 7.3%, and the participation rate of 51.7% is low, with 1,281 residents not in the labour force. Personal weekly income averages $568, below state and national medians, which explains why household income ranks at the 29.2nd percentile nationally despite the cost of housing.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.5%
Part-time
33.2%
Participation
51.7%
Employed
1,522
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.6%
Postgraduate
5.2%
Born Overseas
37.5%
Dwellings
1,398
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 85.2% of workers driving to work, compared to only 5.7% using public transport and 2.5% walking or cycling. No schools are recorded inside the Pennington boundary, so families depend on institutions in surrounding suburbs. The crime rate of 91.2 incidents per 1,000 residents is elevated relative to suburban norms and is consistent with the high-crime-rate identity signal in the data. About 12.2% of residents (435 people) need daily assistance with core activities, higher than average, and the volunteering rate of 10.8% is moderate. Rent-to-income at 19.6% keeps renters below the 30% stress threshold, while mortgage-to-income at 27.5% is also below the stress line, giving current occupants reasonable room before financial pressure bites.
Drive
85.2%
Public Transport
5.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
344
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
91.2
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Pennington compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pennington a good suburb to live in?
Pennington offers affordable renting (rent-to-income ratio 19.6%) and detached housing dominance (70.4% separate houses) in a compact, high-density suburb. The trade-offs are a crime rate of 91.2 per 1,000 residents, elevated above average, and household incomes ranked at only the 29.2nd percentile nationally, which puts pressure on buyers at the $858,500 median house price.
What is the median house price in Pennington?
The median house price in Pennington is $858,500 as of the first quarter of 2026, up 5.7% from $812,500 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $250 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,517, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, below the standard 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Pennington?
No schools are recorded within the Pennington boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. About 27.6% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 2.5 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting a workforce concentrated more in trades, healthcare and community services.
Is Pennington safe?
Pennington's crime rate is 91.2 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 344 recorded incidents across a population of 3,773, which is above average for Adelaide suburbs. This high-crime-rate signal means buyers and renters should factor safety into their assessment, particularly for families.
Is Pennington good for property investment?
The 39.7% renter share is above the national average, providing a solid tenant pool, but weekly rent of $250 against a $858,500 median implies a gross yield near 1.5%, which is low. Vacancy sits at 7.3%, above average. The 5.7% price gain over the past year and 36 development applications in 12 months signal an active market, but yields favour patient capital-growth investors more than income seekers.
How is Pennington's population changing?
Pennington's current population is 3,773 across 1.38 km2, giving a density of 2,726 people per km2. Residential turnover is low, with 83.7% of residents remaining at the same address, suggesting a stable base. Government-led development including South Australian Housing Trust multi-dwelling projects indicates incremental densification is underway rather than large-scale expansion.
What languages are spoken in Pennington?
About 37.5% of Pennington residents were born overseas, which is 15.9 percentage points above the national average. The top non-English languages spoken at home are Greek (33 speakers), Serbian (32), Arabic (31) and Punjabi (26), while English, Vietnamese and Scottish ancestry groups are prominent in the wider community.
How much development is happening in Pennington?
There were 36 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including land divisions into battle-axe allotments and multi-dwelling projects by the South Australian Housing Trust. This level of activity is notable for a suburb of 1.38 km2, suggesting gradual infill and densification rather than large greenfield development.
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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