Ridleyton
At 0.42 square kilometres, Ridleyton packs 2,798 residents per km2 into one of Adelaide's more compact inner-western pockets. More than half of residents rent rather than own, a share that sits well above the national average, and a crime rate of 203 per 1,000 people flags a safety profile that buyers and tenants should weigh carefully. University qualifications reach 44.9%, which is 14.8 percentage points above the national figure, and the median age of 35 is 5 years below the national median, pointing to a younger, professionally oriented population that differs markedly from Australia's typical suburban profile.
Local council: Charles Sturt
Population
1,180
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,465/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
12
Median House
$900K
First quarter 2026
Separate houses make up 61.3% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes accounting for a further 35.0%, so terrace and cottage stock is more common here than apartments, which cover just 3.7%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 48.5% of dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,687, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 26.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means the purchase cost is manageable compared to many inner-city markets at a similar price point. Outright owners account for only 19.3% of residents, lower than a typical established suburb, because renters at 51.8% represent the majority tenure.
For Buyers
Separate houses make up 61.3% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes accounting for a further 35.0%, so terrace and cottage stock is more common here than apartments, which cover just 3.7%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 48.5% of dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,687, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 26.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means the purchase cost is manageable compared to many inner-city markets at a similar price point. Outright owners account for only 19.3% of residents, lower than a typical established suburb, because renters at 51.8% represent the majority tenure.
For Investors
Ridleyton's 51.8% renter majority is the headline investment signal: demand for rental properties is structurally high in this suburb compared to the national average. Only 11 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating limited new supply coming to market and little construction pressure on existing stock. The 5.3% price decline from peak-to-latest indicates short-term softening, so investors targeting capital growth will need to look at the longer-term pattern. The young median age of 35 and high university qualification rate of 44.9% support ongoing rental demand from graduates and young professionals.
Development Activity
Total DAs
71
Last 12 Months
12
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+9.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 35 sits 5 years below the national figure, skewing the suburb toward working-age adults and households without children. University qualifications at 44.9% are 14.8 percentage points above the national average, which is consistent with the occupational profile where Professionals (178 workers) are the single largest group. Overseas-born residents reach 33.4%, which is 11.8 percentage points above the national rate, reflecting a history of post-war European settlement visible in Italian (94) and Greek (93) ancestry entries. Greek and Italian are among the most spoken non-English languages alongside Mandarin (23 speakers). Average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below the national figure, aligned with the couples-without-children composition where 32% of families have no dependent children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
61.3%
Houses
35.0%
Townhouse
3.7%
Apartment
Tenure
This renter-majority pattern is more typical of inner-city apartment precincts than a suburb where 61.3% of dwellings are separate houses. Three-bedroom homes are the most common dwelling size at 48.5%, followed by two-bedroom at 32.3%. Rent at $300 per week produces a rent-to-income ratio of 20.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress level, meaning current tenants face limited rental affordability pressure relative to national benchmarks.
Mortgage / mo
$1,687
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$300
Census 2021
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$842
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.2%
Unoccupied
41
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.8%
Couples with children
41.9%
Couples, no children
16.2%
Single parent
291
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 16.3% of the local workforce (76 workers), followed by Education at 10.5% (49) and Public Admin at 10.3% (48), with Professional and Technical services at 10.1%. This public-sector and knowledge-sector concentration explains the university qualification rate that sits well above the state average. By occupation, Professionals lead at 178 workers, Clerical and Admin follow at 102 and Managers at 88. The unemployment rate of 5.1% is slightly above the low-unemployment benchmarks typical of high-qualification suburbs, and the participation rate of 62.1% suggests a meaningful share of working-age residents are not actively seeking employment. Household income sits at the 45th percentile nationally, below the median, which appears anomalous given the occupational mix but reflects the high renter share and smaller average household size of 2.1.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
682
Unemployed
33
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.4%
Part-time
30.4%
Participation
65.3%
Employed
649
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.9%
Postgraduate
11.5%
Born Overseas
33.4%
Dwellings
535
Transport to Work
Car use at 77.9% of commuters is the dominant transport mode, above what inner-Adelaide density might suggest, while only 8.3% use public transport and 4.8% walk or cycle. The crime rate of 203 per 1,000 residents is the most significant livability risk factor, running well above typical suburban rates. Rent-to-income at 20.5% means current tenants face limited financial pressure relative to national benchmarks for housing stress. The volunteering rate of 13.2% and 7.5% needing daily assistance (85 residents) are broadly consistent with a suburb of this demographic profile.
Drive
64.6%
Public Transport
11.2%
Walk / Cycle
4.0%
Work from Home
12.8%
Growth Outlook
The suburb's compact 0.42 km2 footprint limits new supply and means density is already high at 2,798 per km2, which historically caps large population increases. Mobility data shows that 26.1% of residents moved in the five years before the 2021 census, indicating a moderately transient population that turns over faster than more established owner-occupier suburbs. Development activity is low at 11 applications in 12 months, two of which are new dwelling proposals. Population of 1,180 across 0.42 km2 leaves little room for the subdivision activity that drives growth in outer suburban markets.
Population trend: Charles Sturt council area
Ridleyton sits in the Charles Sturt council area. These are the council area's residents, not Ridleyton's.
Residents 2025
130,841
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.4%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
240
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
203.4
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ridleyton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ridleyton a good suburb to live in?
Ridleyton suits younger renters and professionals: the median age of 35 is 5 years below the national figure and university qualifications at 44.9% are 14.8 percentage points above average. The key trade-off is a crime rate of 203 per 1,000 residents, which is elevated compared to most suburban benchmarks. Rent-to-income at 20.5% is manageable.
What schools are in Ridleyton?
No schools are recorded inside the Ridleyton boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers only 0.42 square kilometres, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite the lack of local schools, university qualifications among residents reach 44.9%, which is 14.8 percentage points above the national average.
Is Ridleyton safe?
The crime rate in Ridleyton is 203 per 1,000 residents, based on 240 recorded incidents, which is elevated compared to most suburban averages. This is one of the suburb's identity signals flagged in council data. Prospective buyers and tenants should factor this into their decision alongside the suburb's other characteristics.
How is Ridleyton's population changing?
The current population of 1,180 is spread across 0.42 square kilometres at a density of 2,798 per km2. Turnover data shows 26.1% of residents moved in the five years before the 2021 census, indicating a moderately transient profile. The compact footprint limits large-scale new supply or population increases typical of outer suburbs.
What languages are spoken in Ridleyton?
About 33.4% of residents were born overseas, which is 11.8 percentage points above the national figure. The most common non-English languages are Greek (31 speakers), Mandarin (23), Italian (15) and Cantonese (13), reflecting long-standing Mediterranean and more recent Asian community settlement patterns.
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).
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