Risdon Park South
Two facts set Risdon Park South apart from typical South Australian suburbs: household income sits at only the 39.4th percentile nationally, yet mortgage stress is well below the stress threshold at 21.7% of income. That combination reflects a local housing cost base that remains genuinely affordable relative to earnings, because weekly rent averages just $185 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300. The suburb covers 18.67 square kilometres with a population of 2,230, giving a density of 119 people per square kilometre. Detached housing dominates at 81.7% of dwellings, and 83.9% of residents did not move in the past year, pointing to a stable, settled community rather than a high-churn rental market.
Population
2,230
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,385/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
45
Median house price data is not available for Risdon Park South, but the affordability signals are clear: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability is well below what most SA buyers face in higher-income suburbs. Stock is heavily detached, with 81.7% of dwellings being separate houses and only 0.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 61.9% of the housing mix, while four-plus bedroom homes make up a substantial 32.9%, suggesting families with space requirements are the primary market. Outright owners at 35.1% and mortgage holders at 36.7% are roughly matched, indicating a market split between long-term residents who have paid off their homes and those still building equity.
For Buyers
Median house price data is not available for Risdon Park South, but the affordability signals are clear: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability is well below what most SA buyers face in higher-income suburbs. Stock is heavily detached, with 81.7% of dwellings being separate houses and only 0.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 61.9% of the housing mix, while four-plus bedroom homes make up a substantial 32.9%, suggesting families with space requirements are the primary market. Outright owners at 35.1% and mortgage holders at 36.7% are roughly matched, indicating a market split between long-term residents who have paid off their homes and those still building equity.
For Investors
A 28.2% renter share provides a moderate tenant base, and weekly rent of $185 is low by state standards, reflecting a suburb whose household income sits at the 39.4th percentile nationally. Vacancy rate is 7.4%, which is elevated and signals some softness in rental demand relative to supply. On the positive side, 40 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating ongoing building confidence in the area. Low turnover, with 83.9% of residents staying put, suggests tenant retention is strong once leased. The low rent-to-income ratio of 13.4% means tenants face minimal financial pressure, reducing arrears risk. Investors should weigh the low yield environment against the affordable entry price point, which is lower than higher-income SA suburbs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
163
Last 12 Months
45
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+18.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 41 matches the national figure, placing Risdon Park South in the middle of the national age distribution rather than skewing older or younger. Overseas-born residents account for just 8.9% of the population, which is 12.7 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born community. Ancestry is led by English (837 residents), followed by Italian (200), German (178), Scottish (174) and Irish (165), a distinctly Anglo-European mix. University qualifications stand at 17.4%, which is 12.7 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades, healthcare and manufacturing rather than professional services. Average household size is 2.4, marginally below the national figure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.7%
Houses
17.5%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is strongly oriented toward detached living: 81.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 17.5% are semi-detached, and apartments are almost absent at 0.3%. This composition, compared to more urbanised SA suburbs, suits families and owner-occupiers over apartment renters. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant configuration at 61.9%, with four-plus bedroom homes at 32.9%, indicating the area caters for households that need multiple bedrooms. Tenure divides into three groups: 35.1% own outright, 36.7% hold a mortgage, and 28.2% rent. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300 and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7% is below the 30% stress threshold, while rent-to-income at 13.4% is also low, meaning housing costs do not dominate household budgets for either owners or renters.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$185
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$713
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.4%
Unoccupied
71
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.2%
Couples, no children
1,781
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 21.8% of employed residents (138 workers), followed by Manufacturing at 16.1% (102 workers) and Education at 9.5% (60 workers). This distribution places the local economy closer to essential-services and blue-collar industries than national knowledge-economy benchmarks. By occupation, Professionals (161) lead, followed by Community and Personal service workers (146) and Clerical and Admin staff (122). Unemployment sits at 4.6%, which is close to the national rate, and the full-time employment rate of 63.3% is a reasonable indicator of job security for those working. The participation rate is 57.6%, with 641 residents not in the labour force, partly explained by the 41-year median age producing a moderate retired or semi-retired cohort. Weekly household income averages $1,385, placing the suburb at the 39.4th income percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
32.1%
Participation
57.6%
Employed
986
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.4%
Postgraduate
4.1%
Born Overseas
8.9%
Dwellings
890
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 91.9% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average where a larger share uses public transport. Only 0.7% use public transport and 1.9% walk or cycle, which is low nationally and reflects the suburban and semi-rural character of the 18.67 square kilometre area. The crime rate of 45.3 incidents per 1,000 residents provides a baseline safety measure, though comparison to the broader SA average requires council-level data. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on schools in neighbouring areas. Volunteering sits at 20.6% of residents, above many comparable suburbs, suggesting community engagement is a genuine feature of local life. Housing stress is low for both owners and renters: mortgage-to-income at 21.7% and rent-to-income at 13.4% are both well below stress thresholds.
Drive
91.9%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
101
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
45.3
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 South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Risdon Park South a good suburb to live in?
Risdon Park South offers affordable housing costs relative to incomes, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7% and rent-to-income of 13.4%, both well below stress thresholds. The low residential turnover of 16.1% reflects a settled population of 2,230 with long-term roots. The main trade-offs are high car dependence at 91.9% of commuters and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Risdon Park South?
A median house price is not available for Risdon Park South in current sales data. However, affordability signals are clear: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300 and rent averages $185 per week, indicating prices well below major SA metropolitan benchmarks. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Risdon Park South?
No schools are recorded within the Risdon Park South boundary in this dataset, so residents rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local workforce has a university qualification rate of 17.4%, which is 12.7 percentage points below the national average, suggesting educational facilities are not the primary draw to the suburb.
Is Risdon Park South safe?
The recorded crime rate in Risdon Park South is 45.3 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 101 total incidents in the dataset period. Detailed crime category breakdowns are not available. The low housing stress environment, where both mortgage and rent costs are well below stress thresholds, and the high volunteering rate of 20.6% are indirect indicators of community stability.
Is Risdon Park South good for property investment?
The 28.2% renter share and weekly rent of $185 provide a tenant pool, but the 7.4% vacancy rate is elevated and points to some oversupply risk. Low rent-to-income of 13.4% means tenants face minimal financial pressure. The 40 development applications in the past 12 months show ongoing building activity. Entry prices are accessible given household incomes at the 39.4th percentile nationally.
How is Risdon Park South's population changing?
Risdon Park South has a population of 2,230 and a low annual residential turnover rate of 16.1%, meaning 83.9% of residents did not change address in the prior year. The overseas-born share of 8.9% is 12.7 percentage points below the national average, so international migration is not a significant growth driver. Development activity of 40 applications in 12 months suggests moderate but ongoing housing investment.
How much development is happening in Risdon Park South?
Risdon Park South recorded 40 development applications in the past 12 months, including new dwelling construction, sheds, verandahs and performance-assessed applications. For a suburb of 2,230 residents, this is a moderate level of activity and suggests steady private investment in property improvement and incremental new supply.
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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