Port Noarlunga South
Household income sits in the 48th percentile nationally, which means these buyers are stretching further than average relative to their earnings. A crime rate of 27.1 per 1,000 residents and a 5.5% disability assistance rate signal a generally stable, lower-risk community.
Local council: Onkaparinga
Population
3,058
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,530/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
76
Median House
$940K
First quarter 2026
Stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 91.9%, with 65.5% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 27.6% having 4 or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, even though household income sits only at the 48th percentile nationally. The 43.1% mortgage-holder share indicates a market with active recent buyers.
For Buyers
Stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 91.9%, with 65.5% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 27.6% having 4 or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, even though household income sits only at the 48th percentile nationally. The 43.1% mortgage-holder share indicates a market with active recent buyers.
For Investors
Rental demand is moderate with 22.6% of properties rented and weekly rent at $350. The vacancy rate of 7.6% is elevated compared to national norms, suggesting some supply overhang. With 58 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including land divisions and terrace construction, new supply continues entering the market. The 11.4% price gain over one year compared to a subdued rent level implies yield compression, with gross yield roughly 1.9%. The detached-house dominance (91.9%) and low-crime profile support owner-occupier demand, underpinning capital values more than rental returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
444
Last 12 Months
76
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+52.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Port Noarlunga South
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
South Port Primary School
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure. Overseas-born residents reach 20.4%, which is 1.2 percentage points below national. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,487), Scottish (345) and Irish (273), with German (238) also prominent. University qualifications at 24.0% are 6.1 percentage points below national, consistent with a workforce leaning toward trade, healthcare and community roles. Household size of 2.5 matches the national average. The volunteering rate of 16.8% and 29.1% couples-without-children share indicate a settled population. Christianity dominates at 943 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.9%
Houses
1.5%
Townhouse
6.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into mortgage holders (43.1%), outright owners (34.2%) and renters (22.6%). The 34.2% outright-owner share points to long-held, debt-free holdings. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 91.9%, with apartments at only 6.6%, so density options are scarce. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 65.5% and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 27.6%. Mortgage-to-income and rent-to-income both sit at 22.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$786
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.6%
Unoccupied
96
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.6%
Couples with children
40.7%
Couples, no children
17.2%
Single parent
877
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 21.9% of employed residents (226 workers), above the national share for any single sector, reflecting proximity to Southern Health Network facilities. Construction follows at 13.8% (142 workers) and Education at 11.3% (116 workers), with Public Admin at 9.0% and Professional/Tech at 6.8%. Professionals lead by occupation at 262, followed by Community/Personal service at 247 and Clerical/Admin at 193. The participation rate of 59.4% is below national averages because 814 residents are outside the labour force. Unemployment is 5.1%, higher than typical inner-metro Adelaide levels.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
1,577
Unemployed
75
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.1%
Part-time
36.8%
Participation
63.6%
Employed
1,502
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.0%
Postgraduate
4.9%
Born Overseas
20.4%
Dwellings
1,174
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 89.7% of residents drive to work and only 3.7% use public transport, lower than inner-Adelaide averages. The crime rate of 27.1 per 1,000 residents is broadly low for an SA coastal suburb. Both mortgage-to-income and rent-to-income ratios sit at 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. Only 5.5% of residents (162 people) require daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the boundary, so families rely on nearby Port Noarlunga, Christies Beach and Noarlunga Downs institutions.
Drive
79.8%
Public Transport
3.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
11.0%
Growth Outlook
The 58 development applications in 12 months, including land divisions and terrace projects, show active housing supply response within a 3.2 km2 footprint. The 17.4% turnover rate means 82.6% of residents stayed at the same address, indicating a stable rather than speculative population base. Household income sits at the 48th percentile nationally, so this price growth is running ahead of local income capacity, which is a risk to sustaining the current pace.
Population trend: Onkaparinga council area
Port Noarlunga South sits in the Onkaparinga council area. These are the council area's residents, not Port Noarlunga South's.
Residents 2025
184,827
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.9%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
83
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
27.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Port Noarlunga South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Port Noarlunga South a good suburb to live in?
Port Noarlunga South suits families and established owner-occupiers. The crime rate is 27.1 per 1,000 residents and both mortgage-to-income and rent-to-income ratios sit at 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb is car-dependent with 89.7% of residents driving to work, so access to a vehicle is essential.
What schools are in Port Noarlunga South?
No schools are recorded inside the Port Noarlunga South boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Port Noarlunga, Christies Beach and Noarlunga Downs. The local university qualification rate is 24.0%, which is 6.1 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Port Noarlunga South safe?
The suburb recorded 83 total crime incidents in the measured period, giving a rate of 27.1 per 1,000 residents, which is broadly low for an SA coastal suburb. The disability assistance rate is 5.5% (162 residents), and housing stress indicators remain below national thresholds.
How is Port Noarlunga South's population changing?
The suburb has 3,058 residents across 3.2 km2, with a turnover rate of 17.4%, meaning 82.6% of residents stayed at the same address over the measured period. This is a stable, low-churn profile. No forward population forecast is available in the current dataset, though 58 development applications in 12 months indicate continued housing activity.
How much development is happening in Port Noarlunga South?
There were 58 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent examples include a land division (1 into 2 Torrens Title), shed construction and a 3-dwelling terrace project, indicating a mix of infill subdivision and new housing supply within the suburb's 3.2 km2 area.
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).
Explore Port Noarlunga South on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map