SA 5169 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Seaford Meadows

A median age of 31, fully 9 years below the national figure, marks Seaford Meadows as one of Adelaide's younger growth fronts, and the housing stock reflects it. Some 88.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 55.2% have three bedrooms and 36.9% have four or more, the family-formation footprint you would expect where 49.0% of households carry a mortgage. The median house price reached $841,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up 11.6% from $753,250 a year earlier. Household income sits in the 57.6th percentile nationally and SEIFA places the suburb in decile 4 on IRSAD, a mid-pack advantage tier rather than an affluent one, which is what gives this expanding mortgage belt its room to grow.

Seaford Meadows urban fabric map

Population

5,102

Median Age

31.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,663/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

24

Median House

$841K

Median 1Q 2026

3.56 km²· 1,432.6 people/km²· Family income $1,876/wk

The $841,000 median house price climbed 11.6% in a single year from $753,250, a faster move than most established Adelaide suburbs, yet the entry profile still suits owner-occupiers more than it suits the median of metropolitan Sydney or Melbourne. Stock is overwhelmingly detached at 88.4% with only 7.5% apartments, and floor plans run large: 55.2% are three-bedroom homes and 36.9% carry four or more bedrooms, so buyers are purchasing family houses rather than units. Mortgage holders make up 49.0% of households against just 13.1% who own outright, the signature of a young buyer base early in its repayment cycle. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,610 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite the recent price surge.

For Buyers

The $841,000 median house price climbed 11.6% in a single year from $753,250, a faster move than most established Adelaide suburbs, yet the entry profile still suits owner-occupiers more than it suits the median of metropolitan Sydney or Melbourne. Stock is overwhelmingly detached at 88.4% with only 7.5% apartments, and floor plans run large: 55.2% are three-bedroom homes and 36.9% carry four or more bedrooms, so buyers are purchasing family houses rather than units. Mortgage holders make up 49.0% of households against just 13.1% who own outright, the signature of a young buyer base early in its repayment cycle. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,610 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite the recent price surge.

For Investors

Renters make up 38.0% of households, above the share in most detached-house suburbs, giving landlords a workable tenant pool in what is otherwise an owner-occupier market. Weekly rent of $360 against the $841,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.2%, modest, but the 3.7% vacancy rate is tight and signals real demand rather than oversupply. The growth case is stronger than the yield case: population has risen 44.8% over the past decade and the forecast trend runs at 2.37% a year, supported by balanced migration adding a net 76 internal and 118 overseas residents annually. Development is steady at 22 applications in 12 months, a mix that includes supported accommodation rather than large new estates. With rent-to-income at 21.6%, tenants have headroom for rent growth, which has already run 25.0% over the period.

Development Activity

Total DAs

154

Last 12 Months

24

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

-29.4%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Deck / Pergola / Patio
35
Commercial / Industrial
7
Garage / Carport / Shed
4
Swimming Pool / Spa
4
Subdivision
3
Landscaping / Retaining Wall
2
Signage / Advertising
1
New Dwelling
1

Demographics

The median age of 31 is 9.0 years below the national figure, the clearest demographic signal here and the driver behind the large family homes and high mortgage share. Average household size is 2.7, marginally above national by 0.2, consistent with the 1,984 couple-with-children families that outnumber the 940 childless couples. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-leaning, led by English at 2,481 residents, then Scottish (498), Irish (401) and German (342). Overseas-born residents sit at 21.6%, in line with the national average rather than above it. University qualifications reach 23.7%, which is 6.4 points below national, a practical rather than credentialed workforce profile that aligns with the suburb's trade and care-sector employment base.

Age Distribution

0-14
24.5%
15-24
12.6%
25-44
36.4%
45-64
18.0%
65+
8.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.2%
2 bed
7.7%
3 bed
55.2%
4+ bed
36.9%

Dwelling Structure

88.4%

Houses

4.1%

Townhouse

7.5%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 13.1% Mortgage 49.0% Rent 38.0%

Tenure tilts firmly toward buyers paying down debt: 49.0% of households hold a mortgage, 38.0% rent and just 13.1% own outright, the inverse of older, established suburbs where outright ownership dominates. The stock is 88.4% separate houses with apartments at only 7.5% and semi-detached at 4.1%, so detached living defines the market. Three-bedroom homes account for 55.2% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes 36.9%, leaving two-bedroom stock at 7.7%. The median house price rose from $753,250 to $841,000 across 2025 to 2026, an 11.6% one-year gain. Mortgage-to-income at 22.4% and rent-to-income at 21.6% both sit below the 30% stress line, so despite rapid price growth the suburb remains more affordable in repayment terms than its headline median against the 57.6th income percentile would suggest.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$1,610

Rent / wk

$360

HH Size

2.7

Personal Income / wk

$854

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

3.7%

Unoccupied

71

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

21.6%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

22.4%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Arabic
13

Ancestry

English
2,481
Scottish
498
Irish
401
German
342
Other
342
Ancestry NS
173

Household Composition

21.8%

Couples, no children

4,307

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare and social assistance dominates local employment at 22.2% (400 workers), more than double the next sector, Construction at 9.6% (173), followed by Retail at 9.4%, Education at 8.9% and Public Administration at 7.9%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 442, with Community and Personal Service workers (389) and Clerical and Administrative staff (380) close behind, a care-and-trades mix rather than a corporate one. The participation rate is 67.4% and full-time employment runs at 64.5%, while unemployment sits at 6.2%, slightly elevated. SEIFA reads consistently mid-tier: decile 4 on IRSAD, IRSD and IEO, with IER one notch higher at decile 5, meaning economic resources rank marginally above education and occupation, a pattern typical of a younger, asset-building mortgage belt rather than a high-income one.

Unemployment

4.3%

Labour Force

8,534

Unemployed

367

Quarterly Trend

Jun-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
4
Disadvantage
4
Economic resources
5
Education & occupation
4

Full-time

64.5%

Part-time

29.3%

Participation

67.4%

Employed

2,434

Occupations

Professionals 442
Community/Personal 389
Clerical/Admin 380
Managers 287
Sales 266
Labourers 231
Machinery/Drivers 145

Top Industries

Healthcare 22.2%
Construction 9.6%
Retail 9.4%
Education 8.9%
Public Admin 7.9%

University

23.7%

Postgraduate

4.4%

Born Overseas

21.6%

Dwellings

1,861

Transport to Work

Car dependence is high: 87.6% of commuters drive, while only 6.2% use public transport and 1.7% walk or cycle, well below the public-transport uptake of denser inner suburbs, a function of the outer-fringe location at 1,432.6 residents per square kilometre. No schools are recorded inside the 3.56 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off for a newer growth area. On safety, 299 offences were recorded for a crime rate of 58.6 per 1,000 residents, a moderate figure for an outer-metropolitan suburb. SEIFA decile 4 on IRSD points to mid-range relative disadvantage, and just 5.2% of residents (257 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the suburb's young median age of 31.

Drive

87.6%

Public Transport

6.2%

Walk / Cycle

1.7%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+2.37%/yr

(+366 people/yr)

Established

Seaford Meadows is one of Adelaide's faster-expanding fringe suburbs, with population up 44.8% over the past decade and a forecast trend of 2.37% annual growth, well above the flat trajectories of established inner suburbs. The gentrification reading is early-stage at a score of 27, flagged by population up 54% since 2011 and net internal migration of 76 residents a year. Growth is balanced across sources, drawing a net 118 overseas and 76 internal migrants annually rather than relying on either alone. Affordability has improved over time, easing from 52.9% in 2011 to 46.4% in 2021 even as prices rose, because real incomes grew 16.0% across the period. The senior share edged up 2.0 points while the working-age share slipped 1.2 points, a mild maturing within an otherwise youthful base.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Balanced

Net Overseas / yr

+118

Net Internal / yr

+76

27

Gentrification Signal

Early signs

Population +54% since 2011, Net internal migration +76/yr

Safety & Crime

Total Offences

299

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

58.6

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Seaford Meadows compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 11%
Household Income
Top 42%
Rent Level
Top 24%
Apartments
Top 36%
Renters
Top 18%
Uni Educated
Bottom 50%
Public Transport
Top 26%
Born Overseas
Top 26%
Density
Top 12%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Seaford Meadows a good suburb to live in?

Seaford Meadows suits younger families: the median age is 31, fully 9 years below national, and 88.4% of homes are separate houses. SEIFA reads decile 4 on IRSAD, a mid-tier advantage level, and mortgage-to-income sits at a comfortable 22.4%, below the 30% stress threshold.

What is the median house price in Seaford Meadows?

The median house price was $841,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up 11.6% from $753,250 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $360 and average monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,610, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4%.

What schools are in Seaford Meadows?

No schools are recorded inside the 3.56 square kilometre Seaford Meadows boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. University qualifications among residents sit at 23.7%, which is 6.4 points below the national figure.

Is Seaford Meadows safe?

There were 299 recorded offences, a crime rate of 58.6 per 1,000 residents, moderate for an outer-metropolitan suburb. SEIFA scores decile 4 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, mid-range, and only 5.2% of residents need daily assistance.

Is Seaford Meadows good for property investment?

Rent of $360 a week against an $841,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.2%, modest, but the 3.7% vacancy rate is tight. Population grew 44.8% over a decade with a 2.37% annual forecast, so returns lean toward capital growth more than yield.

How is Seaford Meadows's population changing?

The population of 5,102 has grown 44.8% over the past decade, with a forecast trend of 2.37% a year. Growth is balanced, drawing a net 118 overseas and 76 internal migrants annually, and the gentrification reading is early-stage at a score of 27.

How much development is happening in Seaford Meadows?

There were 22 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, modest for a 3.56 square kilometre suburb. The mix includes supported accommodation units and minor works like verandahs and retaining walls rather than large new estates, consistent with steady infill in a growing 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), 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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