Plympton
Plympton is younger than the national comparison at a median age of 34, while 41.7% of residents were born overseas and 51.6% have university qualifications, 21.5 percentage points above the national figure. Compared with nearby Kurralta Park and Plympton Park, its 45.4% renting share and apartment, semi-detached and house mix give it a more urban, tenant-oriented profile.
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
86
Median House
$1.4M
First quarter 2026
The monthly mortgage figure is $1,662, and mortgage payments represent 24.0% of household income, below the 45.4% share renting. Housing choice is mixed, with 51.4% separate houses, 23.4% semi-detached homes and 25.0% apartments. The apartment share is below separate houses, while 39.3% of dwellings have 2 bedrooms and 39.1% have 3, supporting demand from singles, couples and smaller families.
For Buyers
The monthly mortgage figure is $1,662, and mortgage payments represent 24.0% of household income, below the 45.4% share renting. Housing choice is mixed, with 51.4% separate houses, 23.4% semi-detached homes and 25.0% apartments. The apartment share is below separate houses, while 39.3% of dwellings have 2 bedrooms and 39.1% have 3, supporting demand from singles, couples and smaller families.
For Investors
Plympton has a substantial tenant base, with 45.4% of households renting compared with 23.8% owning outright. Weekly rent is $300 and the vacancy rate is 7.5%, giving renters more choice than in a tightly constrained market and making property condition, pricing and tenant appeal important. Development activity is notable, with 87 applications recorded over 12 months, including a proposal for a 5-dwelling residential flat building. Forecast growth is driven by overseas migration, while rent growth of 25.0% is higher than real income growth of 15.9%, creating upside but also a need to test affordability carefully.
Development Activity
Total DAs
320
Last 12 Months
86
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+68.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Plympton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Plympton Primary School
Plympton International College
Errington Special Education Centre
Demographics
Plympton has a relatively young population, with a median age of 34, six years below the national comparison. Its overseas-born share is 41.7%, 20.1 percentage points above the national figure, and university attainment reaches 51.6%, 21.5 points above national levels. English ancestry counts 1,440 residents, followed by Other ancestry at 1,214, Chinese at 419, Indian at 397 and Irish at 394. The average household size is 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national comparison, while couples without children account for 46.2% of households. A 30.2% turnover rate means the suburb changes faster than its 69.8% staying rate suggests, supporting a mobile, internationally connected population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
51.4%
Houses
23.4%
Townhouse
25.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses make up 51.4% of dwellings, below the combined 48.4% share of apartments and semi-detached homes by only a small margin. Renting is higher than outright ownership at 45.4% versus 23.8%, while 29.0% hold a mortgage. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 39.3% and three-bedroom dwellings 39.1%, so the stock is concentrated below the 4-plus-bedroom category of 12.5%. Mortgage costs equal 24.0% of household income, compared with rent at 18.8%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,662
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$300
Census 2021
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
36.6%
Couples with children
46.2%
Couples, no children
13.8%
Single parent
1,476
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Plympton's leading employment industry at 27.7%, or 661 workers, followed by Education at 9.8% and 235 workers, Professional and Technical services at 8.3%, Public Administration at 7.8% and Hospitality at 7.6%. Occupations are led by 830 Professionals and 601 Community and Personal Service workers, with 408 in Clerical and Administrative roles. The labour-force participation rate is 72.0%, unemployment is 4.7% and 1,847 workers are employed full-time. Educational advantage sits above economic-resource measures: IEO is in decile 7, while IER is below it at decile 3. IRSD and IRSAD both sit at decile 6, and household income is around the 52.5th percentile.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
3,431
Unemployed
162
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.5%
Part-time
38.9%
Participation
72.0%
Employed
3,269
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.6%
Postgraduate
15.1%
Born Overseas
41.7%
Dwellings
2,351
Transport to Work
Plympton's compact 1.75 sq km footprint supports short local trips, although travel remains car-led: 66.0% drove to work compared with 13.8% using public transport and 3.8% walking or cycling. Public transport use is higher than active travel, while 10.5% worked from home. Three government schools serve the suburb, covering primary education, a combined primary and secondary format, and special education. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. Recorded crime totalled 364 incidents, or 66.7 per 1,000 residents. An IRSAD decile of 6 is above the lowest socioeconomic group, but safety and street-level amenity should still be assessed property by property.
Drive
66.0%
Public Transport
13.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
10.5%
Population Forecast
+1.22%/yr
(+349 people/yr)
EstablishedPlympton has an established growth outlook, with the forecast annual trend at 1.22% and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 16.3% over 10 years, while the trajectory is labelled Mixed rather than uniformly accelerating. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 32, and the separate shift measure records a score of 37 with the same stage label. Rent growth of 25.0% is higher than real income growth of 15.9%, which can encourage redevelopment and smaller dwelling formats but may also limit affordability. The 87 development applications in 12 months reinforce ongoing change in the built environment.
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 can suit residents wanting an inner-west location, mixed housing and access to government schools. It has 5,459 residents, a median age of 34 and 13.8% public transport use. Housing is relatively urban, with 25.0% apartments and 45.4% renting, so it may suit smaller households more than buyers seeking large blocks.
What schools are in Plympton?
Plympton has 3 government schools covering primary, combined primary and secondary, and special education. The local options include Plympton Primary School, Plympton International College and Errington Special Education Centre. Enrolment zones should be checked for the exact address, as eligibility can differ between properties by several streets.
Is Plympton safe?
Plympton recorded 364 offences at a rate of 66.7 incidents per 1,000 residents. That figure should be compared with nearby suburbs and reviewed by street, property type and offence category before making a decision. Visiting at different times, checking lighting and considering local movement patterns can add useful context beyond the annual rate.
How is Plympton's population changing?
Plympton has 5,459 residents today and a forecast annual growth trend of 1.22%. Population change across the wider area is 16.3% over 10 years, driven primarily by overseas migration. The gentrification stage is Early signs with a score of 32, while the broader shift trajectory is Mixed rather than clearly accelerating or declining.
What languages are spoken in Plympton?
Plympton has a high overseas-born share of 41.7%. Nepali is recorded for 196 residents, followed by Mandarin at 128, Punjabi at 103, Greek at 90 and Hindi at 58. These figures sit alongside English, Chinese, Indian and Irish ancestry counts of 1,440, 419, 397 and 394 respectively.
What development is happening in Plympton?
There were 87 development applications in the past 12 months, indicating active change in an established suburb. Examples include internal alterations to existing dwellings and a performance-assessed proposal for a 2-storey residential flat building containing 5 dwellings. Buyers should check approvals and construction activity near any property before purchasing.
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), SA Department for Housing and Urban Development (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), 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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