Plympton
At a median age of 34, Plympton runs 6.0 years below the national figure, and that youth tracks with how renters dominate the suburb: 46.2% of dwellings are leased against owner-occupiers, well above most established Adelaide pockets. Overseas-born residents reach 41.7%, which is 20.1 points above national, and university qualifications sit at 51.6%, fully 21.5 points higher than the national rate. The 1.75 km2 footprint packs 3,112 people per km2, yet separate houses still make up 51.4% of stock. Household income lands in the 52.5th percentile, almost exactly mid-table, while SEIFA reads decile 6 on IRSAD, a moderately advantaged profile rather than a wealthy one.
Population
5,459
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,598/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
72
Median House
$1.4M
Median 1Q 2026
Buyers should treat the headline median house price of $1,415,000 with caution because it rests on a thin two-quarter sample that jumped 38.0% from $1,025,000 a year earlier, a move too large to reflect genuine market shift in 12 months. The underlying stock favours modest homes: two-bedroom dwellings account for 39.3% and three-bedroom 39.1%, while four-plus bedroom houses are just 12.5%, so larger family homes are scarce. Separate houses still represent 51.4% of dwellings against 25.0% apartments and 23.4% semi-detached. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,662 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which means servicing costs are manageable even though the reported median looks steep relative to the 52.5th-percentile household income.
For Buyers
Buyers should treat the headline median house price of $1,415,000 with caution because it rests on a thin two-quarter sample that jumped 38.0% from $1,025,000 a year earlier, a move too large to reflect genuine market shift in 12 months. The underlying stock favours modest homes: two-bedroom dwellings account for 39.3% and three-bedroom 39.1%, while four-plus bedroom houses are just 12.5%, so larger family homes are scarce. Separate houses still represent 51.4% of dwellings against 25.0% apartments and 23.4% semi-detached. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,662 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which means servicing costs are manageable even though the reported median looks steep relative to the 52.5th-percentile household income.
For Investors
Plympton is a renter's suburb, with 46.2% of dwellings leased, far higher than the owner-occupier majority typical of suburban Adelaide, giving landlords a deep tenant pool. Weekly rent averages $300 and the vacancy rate sits at 7.5%, looser than a tight market, so pricing power is limited near term. Rent grew 25.0% over the measured period, and the demand outlook leans on migration: net overseas inflow runs at 773 a year against a net internal outflow of 368, so population gains depend on new arrivals rather than locals moving in. Development is active at 64 applications in 12 months, weighted toward single detached dwellings and Torrens title land division rather than large apartment supply, which supports gradual densification without flooding the rental market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
292
Last 12 Months
72
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Plympton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St John the Baptist Catholic School
R-6 · 361 students
Plympton Primary School
R-6 · 272 students
Plympton International College
R-12 · 825 students
Demographics
The median age of 34 is 6.0 years below national, marking a younger profile than most established suburbs, and the working-age share rose 1.9 points while the senior share fell 1.1 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 41.7%, which is 20.1 points above national, and that international mix shows in the languages: Nepali leads non-English speech at 196 residents, ahead of Mandarin (128) and Punjabi (103). Ancestry is led by English (1,440), with Chinese (419) and Indian (397) cohorts following. University qualifications at 51.6% run 21.5 points above national, unusually high for a mid-income area, because the suburb draws educated migrants and renters rather than long-settled owners. Hinduism (653 residents) is a notable second faith behind Christianity (1,974).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
51.4%
Houses
23.4%
Townhouse
25.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renting: 46.2% lease, 29.5% carry a mortgage and only 24.3% own outright, so leased dwellings outnumber both owner categories, a sign of a transient, younger base. The stock is 51.4% separate houses, 25.0% apartments and 23.4% semi-detached, and by size two-bedroom (39.3%) and three-bedroom (39.1%) homes dominate while four-plus bedroom houses are just 12.5%. The reported median house price rose from $1,025,000 to $1,415,000 across a single year, a 38.0% jump that should be read as a small-sample artefact rather than a stable trend. Mortgage-to-income at 24.0% and rent-to-income at 18.8% both sit below the 30% stress line, so on the income measures housing remains affordable despite the inflated headline price.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,662
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$843
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
190
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.9%
Couples, no children
3,886
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is anchored in Healthcare, which employs 27.7% of workers (661 people), more than double the next sector, Education at 9.8% (235), with Professional/Tech at 8.3% and Public Administration at 7.8%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 830, ahead of Community and Personal Service workers at 601, consistent with the healthcare concentration. Unemployment is moderate at 4.9% and participation reads 68.9%, with a full-time employment rate of 59.2%. SEIFA tells a split story: IEO sits at decile 7 reflecting strong education and occupation, but IER drops to decile 3 on economic resources, because the 46.2% renter base and mid-table 52.5th-percentile incomes hold down aggregate household wealth even where qualifications are high. Real incomes grew 15.9% over the decade.
Unemployment
2.2%
Labour Force
17,732
Unemployed
385
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.2%
Part-time
35.9%
Participation
68.9%
Employed
3,118
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.6%
Postgraduate
15.1%
Born Overseas
41.7%
Dwellings
2,351
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 76.7% driving to work against just 12.0% on public transport and 4.4% walking or cycling, which reflects the suburb's middle-ring position rather than a transit hub. The recorded crime rate is 66.7 incidents per 1,000 residents from 364 total offences, a moderate figure for a densely settled area at 3,112 people per km2. SEIFA reads decile 6 on both IRSAD and IRSD, a moderately advantaged profile where relative disadvantage is below average but not absent. Only 3.9% of residents (205 people) need daily assistance, low given the population mix, and volunteering runs at 15.1%. No schools are recorded inside the 1.75 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off for compact inner-ring locations.
Drive
76.7%
Public Transport
12.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.22%/yr
(+349 people/yr)
EstablishedPlympton is classified as an established suburb yet it is growing steadily, with annual population growth of 1.22% adding about 349 people a year, and a 16.3% rise over the past decade. Medium forecasts lift the wider area from 28,751 in 2026 to 30,494 by 2031, an upward trend continuation rather than a plateau. The primary driver is overseas migration at a net 773 a year, which more than offsets the net internal outflow of 368, so growth is import-led. The gentrification stage reads early signs, scoring 32, supported by population up 22% since 2011 and rent growth accelerating from 5% to 15%. Affordability improved from 43.1% in 2011 to 37.8% in 2021, a better entry point than many gentrifying inner-ring suburbs offer.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+773
Net Internal / yr
-368
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Net internal outflow -368/yr, Strong overseas inflow +773/yr, Accelerating: 5% → 15%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
364
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
66.7
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Plympton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plympton a good suburb to live in?
Plympton scores decile 6 on the IRSAD index, a moderately advantaged profile, with household income in the 52.5th percentile. University qualifications reach 51.6%, which is 21.5 points above national, and mortgage-to-income at 24.0% stays below the 30% stress line, so servicing costs are manageable for a middle-ring suburb.
What is the median house price in Plympton?
The reported median house price is $1,415,000, up 38.0% from $1,025,000 a year earlier, though this rests on a thin two-quarter sample and should be read with caution. Weekly rent averages $300 and average monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,662.
What schools are in Plympton?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.75 km2 Plympton boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 51.6%, which is 21.5 points above the national figure.
Is Plympton safe?
Plympton recorded 364 total offences, a crime rate of 66.7 per 1,000 residents, a moderate level for an area housing 3,112 people per km2. The suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, indicating below-average deprivation.
Is Plympton good for property investment?
Renters make up 46.2% of dwellings, far above the owner-occupier majority typical of suburban Adelaide, giving a deep tenant pool. The 7.5% vacancy rate is loose, but net overseas migration of 773 a year supports demand, and rent rose 25.0% over the measured period.
How is Plympton's population changing?
Population grows 1.22% annually, about 349 people a year, with a 16.3% rise over the past decade. Growth is import-led: net overseas migration adds 773 a year against a net internal outflow of 368, and forecasts lift the wider area toward 30,494 by 2031.
What languages are spoken in Plympton?
About 41.7% of residents were born overseas, 20.1 points above national. English dominates, but Nepali leads non-English languages at 196 speakers, ahead of Mandarin (128), Punjabi (103) and Greek (90), reflecting a strongly international resident mix.
How much development is happening in Plympton?
There were 64 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, weighted toward single detached dwellings and Torrens title land division rather than large apartment projects. This supports gradual densification consistent with the suburb's 1.22% annual population growth.
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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