Risdon Park
With household income at the 17.4th percentile nationally, Risdon Park sits well below average on economic resources, yet 75.8% of its 3,878 residents live in separate houses on a 14.11 km2 footprint, a detached-dominant profile that distinguishes it from most low-income suburbs. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, pointing to a settled, aging community where 83.8% of residents did not move in the year prior. A vacancy rate of 11.1% is elevated compared to typical suburban averages, reflecting soft demand rather than rapid turnover. University qualifications reach only 16.8%, which is 13.3 points below the national average.
Population
3,878
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,096/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
30
Median house price data is not available for Risdon Park in this dataset, but monthly mortgage repayments average $1,024, well below state capital norms, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 21.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. This indicates housing remains accessible to buyers at local income levels. Separate houses make up 75.8% of dwellings, making detached homes the dominant purchase option, with three-bedroom homes the most common configuration at 61.6% of the stock. Outright ownership at 32.5% slightly exceeds mortgage holders at 31.2%, a pattern more typical of older, established suburbs than growth corridors. The low national income percentile of 17.4 suggests price-sensitive buyers drive most purchasing decisions here.
For Buyers
Median house price data is not available for Risdon Park in this dataset, but monthly mortgage repayments average $1,024, well below state capital norms, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 21.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. This indicates housing remains accessible to buyers at local income levels. Separate houses make up 75.8% of dwellings, making detached homes the dominant purchase option, with three-bedroom homes the most common configuration at 61.6% of the stock. Outright ownership at 32.5% slightly exceeds mortgage holders at 31.2%, a pattern more typical of older, established suburbs than growth corridors. The low national income percentile of 17.4 suggests price-sensitive buyers drive most purchasing decisions here.
For Investors
Renters account for 36.3% of households, providing a reasonable tenant base, but the investment fundamentals are constrained. Weekly rent of $180 is low relative to most SA markets, and the vacancy rate of 11.1% is high, signaling that demand does not absorb available rental stock. No median house price is available to calculate yield directly, but the $180 weekly rent implies that gross returns depend heavily on entry price. Development activity logged 29 applications in the past 12 months, mostly smaller residential works such as verandahs and carports, with no new dwelling approvals visible in the sample. Household income at the 17.4th percentile limits rent growth potential, and the 7.0% unemployment rate is elevated compared to national benchmarks.
Development Activity
Total DAs
174
Last 12 Months
30
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, consistent with the suburb's long-established, low-turnover character, where 83.8% of residents stayed in place over a one-year period. Overseas-born residents make up just 7.6% of the population, which is 14 points below the national average, reinforcing the suburb's strongly Anglo-Celtic composition: English (1,601), Irish (299), German (282) and Scottish (277) are the top ancestries. University-qualified residents at 16.8% are 13.3 points below national, and the average household size of 2.2 is slightly below the national average of 2.5. Couples with children make up 34.3% of families, while 30.1% are couples without children, fitting the older demographic profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.8%
Houses
18.1%
Townhouse
6.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses dominate at 75.8% of dwellings, with semi-detached properties at 18.1% and apartments at 6.1%. Three-bedroom homes account for 61.6% of the stock, the clear majority, with four-plus bedroom homes at 21.5%. Tenure divides almost evenly between outright owners (32.5%), mortgage holders (31.2%) and renters (36.3%), a balanced split that is unusual compared to more polarised markets. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,024 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6% suggest debt service is manageable relative to incomes. The 11.1% vacancy rate is notably higher than typical suburban levels, indicating the housing supply is not fully absorbed, which keeps downward pressure on rents at $180 per week.
Mortgage / mo
$1,024
Rent / wk
$180
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$577
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.1%
Unoccupied
200
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.1%
Couples, no children
2,767
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 27.7% of employed residents (238 workers), well above the typical suburban share, followed by Manufacturing at 15.3% (132 workers) and Education at 11.2% (96 workers). Community and Personal service occupations lead at 228 workers, with Professionals second at 211 and Labourers third at 185, a workforce mix more manual and care-oriented than nationally. Unemployment sits at 7.0%, which is elevated relative to the national rate, and the participation rate of 49.1% is low, partly because 1,354 residents are not in the labour force. Personal weekly income of $577 and household income in the 17.4th percentile nationally reflect the low-wage composition of the dominant industries.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.6%
Part-time
32.4%
Participation
49.1%
Employed
1,454
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.8%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
7.6%
Dwellings
1,600
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 89.3% of residents drive to work, while only 0.6% use public transport and 3.8% walk or cycle, the latter well below national norms. This reflects the suburb's regional location within the 14.11 km2 footprint at a density of only 274.8 people per km2. No schools are recorded within Risdon Park in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding areas. The crime rate of 78.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 305 total recorded crimes, provides context for personal safety assessments. Rent-to-income at 16.4% and mortgage-to-income at 21.6% are both below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are proportionate to local incomes despite the low 17.4th percentile income ranking nationally.
Drive
89.3%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
305
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
78.6
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Risdon Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Risdon Park a good suburb to live in?
Risdon Park suits residents who value affordable housing and a settled, low-turnover community. Housing costs are manageable, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6% and rent-to-income of 16.4%, both below stress thresholds. The trade-offs are household income at the 17.4th percentile nationally, a 7.0% unemployment rate, and near-total car dependence with only 0.6% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Risdon Park?
A median house price is not available for Risdon Park in this dataset. As a guide, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,024 and weekly rent averages $180, suggesting entry-level pricing compared to major SA markets. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6% indicates housing remains accessible relative to local incomes.
What schools are in Risdon Park?
No schools are recorded within the Risdon Park boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in surrounding areas. The suburb's university qualification rate of 16.8% is 13.3 points below the national average, consistent with a regional area where access to higher education institutions is limited.
Is Risdon Park safe?
Risdon Park recorded 305 crimes in the reference period, giving a rate of 78.6 per 1,000 residents. A breakdown by category is not available in this dataset. As a comparison reference, the suburb's low population density of 274.8 people per km2 and high owner-occupier stability (83.8% of residents stayed in place) are typically associated with lower crime-opportunity environments.
Is Risdon Park good for property investment?
The investment case is cautious. Weekly rent of $180 is low and the vacancy rate of 11.1% is elevated, indicating rental stock exceeds current demand. Household income at the 17.4th percentile nationally and an unemployment rate of 7.0% limit rent growth potential. Development activity of 29 applications in 12 months shows no new dwelling supply pressure, which is a positive for existing owners.
How is Risdon Park's population changing?
Detailed population growth forecasts are not available for Risdon Park in this dataset. The suburb's profile, with a median age of 43 that is 3 years above the national average and 83.8% of residents staying in place over one year, points to a stable, slow-changing community rather than a growth area. The 11.1% vacancy rate suggests population inflows are limited.
How much development is happening in Risdon Park?
There were 29 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, triggering the active-development threshold. Recent applications are dominated by smaller residential works including verandahs, carports and outdoor structures, with no new dwelling approvals visible in the sample data, consistent with an established suburb at a maintenance phase.
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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