Salisbury Plain
A compact 1.35 sq km suburb with 1,333 residents, Salisbury Plain combines a density of 986.0 people per sq km with a strongly detached housing base. Its median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure, while 34.4% of residents were born overseas, 12.8 percentage points above national levels. The profile is more mortgage-led than outright-owned, with 41.7% paying a mortgage and 29.9% owning outright. Compared with Salisbury's broader urban catchment, Salisbury Plain is a small, tightly defined residential pocket, and its low IRSAD decile of 1 points to socioeconomic pressure despite recent housing growth.
Local council: Salisbury
Population
1,333
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,258/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$730K
First quarter 2026
A typical mortgage repayment is $1,300 monthly and mortgage costs equal 23.9% of household income, so the profile is not flagged for mortgage stress. Stock is practical for families because 85.6% of homes are separate houses, with 64.8% containing 3 bedrooms and 22.4% containing 4 or more. Compared with Salisbury's broader catchment, the suburb's compact footprint and detached mix suit buyers prioritising established family layouts, but the 41.7% mortgage share means demand remains closely tied to borrowing capacity.
For Buyers
A typical mortgage repayment is $1,300 monthly and mortgage costs equal 23.9% of household income, so the profile is not flagged for mortgage stress. Stock is practical for families because 85.6% of homes are separate houses, with 64.8% containing 3 bedrooms and 22.4% containing 4 or more. Compared with Salisbury's broader catchment, the suburb's compact footprint and detached mix suit buyers prioritising established family layouts, but the 41.7% mortgage share means demand remains closely tied to borrowing capacity.
For Investors
Investment conditions are supported by a 27.8% renter share, $285 weekly rent and a 4.2% vacancy rate. Rent growth of 35.0% is higher than the 6.2% increase in the median house price from 1Q 2025 to 1Q 2026, which may favour income-focused owners, although the price comparison covers only 1 year. The 85.6% separate-house share points to a family rental market centred on houses, while 13 development applications in 12 months suggest incremental property activity. Overseas migration is the main forecast growth driver, so demand may receive support from population turnover, but the IRSAD decile of 1 calls for careful tenant and asset selection.
Development Activity
Total DAs
126
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-30.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Salisbury Plain has a median age of 37, 3 years below the national comparison, and an average household size of 2.6, only 0.1 above national levels. Overseas-born residents account for 34.4%, which is 12.8 percentage points higher than nationally, while the university-educated share of 20.3% is 9.8 points below the national figure. English ancestry is reported by 444 people, followed by Other at 336, Scottish at 95, Italian at 94 and Irish at 82. Christianity counts 545 residents, no religion 496 and Islam 98. Compared with Salisbury's broader catchment, this is a compact family profile with a stronger overseas migration influence. Recorded language counts include Nepali 40, Greek 18 and Italian 17. The 77.4% stay rate suggests continuity alongside cultural change.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.6%
Houses
14.4%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached: separate houses make up 85.6% of stock and semi-detached homes 14.4%. Tenure is tilted toward active owners, with 41.7% mortgaged, 29.9% owned outright and 27.8% rented. The bedroom mix centres on 3-bedroom homes at 64.8%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 22.4% and 2 bedrooms at 12.8%. The mortgage share is higher than outright ownership, which helps explain why affordability remains sensitive to interest rates even though mortgage costs are 23.9% of household income. Compared with nearby Salisbury's broader urban setting, Salisbury Plain is a smaller, detached-dominant housing pocket.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$285
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$577
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.2%
Unoccupied
22
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.2%
Couples with children
30.6%
Couples, no children
23.3%
Single parent
356
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest industry at 22.4% with 66 workers, followed by construction and education at 11.2% and 33 each, retail at 10.2% and 30, and manufacturing at 9.8% and 29. This mix gives the suburb practical employment links across care, building, education, shops and production. The labour force totals 583, with a 7.9% unemployment rate and 55.1% participation rate; 439 people are outside the labour force, helping explain why participation is lower than a full-time employment profile. Labourers lead occupations at 97, ahead of trades at 85 and professionals at 70. Socioeconomic conditions sit below national benchmarks: IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD are all decile 1, while household income ranks at the 28.1 percentile. That combination indicates a working local economy but lower resources than higher-decile suburbs.
Unemployment
7.9%
Labour Force
583
Unemployed
46
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.4%
Part-time
38.2%
Participation
55.1%
Employed
537
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.3%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
34.4%
Dwellings
494
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 88.8% travel as car drivers, compared with 1.8% using public transport, and 4.4% work from home. That pattern matters for access to shops, jobs and services because households are more dependent on road connections than transit. Safety is a major consideration, with 184 recorded crimes and a rate of 138.0 per 1,000 residents. Socioeconomic disadvantage is also pronounced: the IRSAD decile is 1, below the national midpoint, and 8.9% of residents need assistance. Families should check school enrolment zones and travel times against the exact address, particularly because local access can vary across northern Adelaide. Overall, Salisbury Plain is more practical for car-owning households than transit-first living, while the safety and decile 1 socioeconomic conditions deserve close attention.
Drive
88.8%
Public Transport
1.8%
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
4.4%
Growth Outlook
Growth is steady rather than explosive. The annual trend is 0.91%, and overseas migration is the primary driver, while the wider area records 16.2% population change over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Mixed, with affordability labelled Stable after moving from 49.9 in 2011 to 50.9 in 2021, rent growth of 35.0% and real income growth of 7.5%. Gentrification signals remain limited: the gentrification score is 16 and the stage is Not gentrifying, below the separate shift score of 30 and its Early signs label. This points to gradual demand and tenure change because overseas migration is the primary driver while affordability remains Stable. Salisbury Plain appears more established than transformational, with no clear premium-upgrade cycle yet.
Population trend: Salisbury council area
Salisbury Plain sits in the Salisbury council area. These are the council area's residents, not Salisbury Plain's.
Residents 2025
151,019
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.2%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
184
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
138.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Salisbury Plain compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salisbury Plain a good suburb to live in?
Salisbury Plain can suit buyers wanting a detached, family-oriented suburb within a compact 1.35 sq km setting. Its 88.8% car-driver share supports a road-based routine, while the 138.0 per 1,000 crime rate and IRSAD decile 1 mean safety and local amenity should be weighed carefully.
What schools are in Salisbury Plain?
School access depends on the exact address because enrolment zones and travel routes can cross suburb boundaries. Confirm nearby school options directly before buying, and compare the commute with the 88.8% car-driver pattern common locally.
Is Salisbury Plain safe?
Safety warrants careful checking. The suburb records 184 crimes and a crime rate of 138.0 per 1,000 residents, while its IRSAD result is in decile 1. Review recent incidents for the exact street and compare day and night access before renting or buying.
Is Salisbury Plain good for property investment?
It may suit an investor seeking detached rental stock, with 27.8% renting, $285 weekly rent and a 4.2% vacancy rate. Rent growth of 35.0% is higher than the 6.2% annual house-price increase, but the low IRSAD decile of 1 makes tenant, property and management due diligence important.
How is Salisbury Plain's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 16.2% over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.91% and overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while the suburb's current population is 1,333, indicating gradual growth rather than sudden expansion.
What is the rent in Salisbury Plain?
Weekly rent is $285 and the vacancy rate is 4.2%. Renting accounts for 27.8% of occupied dwellings, while rent growth of 35.0% is higher than the 6.2% rise in the median house price between 1Q 2025 and 1Q 2026.
What languages are spoken in Salisbury Plain?
Recorded language counts include Nepali at 40 residents, Greek at 18 and Italian at 17. These figures sit within an overseas-born share of 34.4%, which is 12.8 percentage points above the national comparison, so language needs may be relevant for local services.
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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