Sefton Park
At just 0.49 km2, Sefton Park packs 1,274 residents into a density of 2,595 per km2, and the education profile stands out: 51.2% hold university qualifications, which is 21.1 percentage points above the national average. Separate houses dominate at 75.6% of dwellings, giving this compact suburb a character more typical of mid-ring family areas than high-density corridors.
Local council: Port Adelaide Enfield (69% of the suburb; the rest sits in a neighbouring council)
Population
1,274
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,663/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,775, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.7%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses account for 75.6% of dwellings, well above the typical inner-suburban mix, so buyers get detached stock at a price that remains below comparable inner-Adelaide options. Semi-detached homes cover 13.6% and apartments 10.8%, providing some entry-level alternatives. Outright owners and mortgaged households each hold around 35%, signalling a stable, long-held ownership base rather than rapid churn.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,775, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.7%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses account for 75.6% of dwellings, well above the typical inner-suburban mix, so buyers get detached stock at a price that remains below comparable inner-Adelaide options. Semi-detached homes cover 13.6% and apartments 10.8%, providing some entry-level alternatives. Outright owners and mortgaged households each hold around 35%, signalling a stable, long-held ownership base rather than rapid churn.
For Investors
Renters make up 29.0% of households, generating steady demand against a vacancy rate of 6.2%, which is moderate and suggests the market is not oversupplied. Development activity is modest at 14 applications in 12 months, meaning new supply is not putting pressure on existing stock. The turnover rate is 18.6%, with 81.4% of residents having stayed in place, indicating low speculative churn. Rent-to-income sits at 18.6%, well below the 30% stress level, which keeps tenant default risk low.
Development Activity
Total DAs
60
Last 12 Months
10
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 39 is 1 year below the national figure, placing Sefton Park slightly younger than average. University qualifications reach 51.2%, a rate 21.1 percentage points above the national average, one of the more striking education gaps you find at suburb level. Overseas-born residents account for 30.6%, which is 9.0 percentage points above national. Ancestry is led by English (388 residents), Italian (186) and Irish (110), with Greek, Gujarati and Punjabi among the non-English languages spoken. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure, and couples with children form 416 of 1,042 total families, the largest single household type at roughly 40%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.6%
Houses
13.6%
Townhouse
10.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split is roughly balanced between ownership and renting: 35.7% own outright, 35.3% are paying off a mortgage and 29.0% rent. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 48.7%, with four-plus bedrooms at 19.3% and two-bedroom at 28.3%, a profile that matches the family-oriented separate-house stock. Separate houses represent 75.6% of all dwellings, well above the typical inner-ring suburb, while semi-detached and apartments account for the remaining quarter. Rent-to-income of 18.6% keeps the rental side affordable relative to national benchmarks.
Mortgage / mo
$1,775
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$310
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$784
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
33
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.6%
Couples with children
34.6%
Couples, no children
13.7%
Single parent
358
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 22.4% of employed residents (105 workers), followed by Education at 12.8% (60 workers) and Public Admin at 10.0% (47 workers). Professionals are the largest occupation group with 183 workers, ahead of Managers at 95, reflecting the high university qualification rate of 51.2%. The full-time employment rate is 60.4%, and the unemployment rate is 6.7%, above the national norm, with 46 residents recorded as unemployed. Labour force participation is 64.7%, with 317 residents not in the labour force. Weekly household income of $1,663 places the suburb at the 57.6th percentile nationally, above the midpoint but below the top quartile.
Unemployment
6.4%
Labour Force
724
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
37.6%
Participation
67.9%
Employed
678
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.2%
Postgraduate
13.4%
Born Overseas
30.6%
Dwellings
492
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high at 81.7% of residents driving to work, while 9.3% use public transport and 4.0% walk or cycle, ratios typical of an established mid-ring Adelaide suburb. No schools are recorded within the 0.49 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families draw on institutions in neighbouring areas. Crime totals 96 incidents, giving a rate of 75.4 per 1,000 residents; no breakdown by category is available in this dataset to compare against state averages. Volunteering stands at 16.3% of residents, and only 5.4% (67 people) need daily assistance. Rent-to-income at 18.6% and mortgage-to-income at 24.7% both sit below stress thresholds, pointing to a financially comfortable resident base.
Drive
71.3%
Public Transport
8.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
12.7%
Growth Outlook
Population forecast data is not available for Sefton Park at the time of this brief, but the suburb's residential stability gives some context: 81.4% of residents remained in place over the measured period, compared to a turnover rate of 18.6%. Development applications numbered just 14 in the past 12 months, indicating limited new supply coming through relative to the established stock. The compact 0.49 km2 footprint constrains further horizontal expansion, meaning any growth in dwelling numbers is likely to come from infill or redevelopment. The high university qualification rate of 51.2%, which is 21.1 percentage points above national, suggests the suburb will continue attracting professional households.
Population trend: Port Adelaide Enfield council area
About 69% of Sefton Park sits in Port Adelaide Enfield; the rest is in a neighbouring council. These are the council area's residents, not Sefton Park's.
Residents 2025
143,022
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.2%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
96
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
75.4
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sefton Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sefton Park a good suburb to live in?
Sefton Park offers a stable, education-heavy population with 51.2% holding university qualifications, which is 21.1 percentage points above the national average. Household income sits at the 57.6th percentile nationally. With 75.6% separate houses and mortgage-to-income at 24.7%, below the stress threshold, it suits families and professional households who want a compact suburb without financial overextension.
What schools are in Sefton Park?
No schools are recorded within the Sefton Park boundary (0.49 km2) in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident population is highly educated, with 51.2% holding university qualifications, which is 21.1 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Sefton Park safe?
Sefton Park recorded 96 total crime incidents, giving a rate of 75.4 per 1,000 residents. No category breakdown is available in this dataset to directly compare against state averages. As a broader indicator, rent-to-income is 18.6% and mortgage-to-income is 24.7%, both below stress thresholds, reflecting a financially stable community.
Is Sefton Park good for property investment?
The vacancy rate is 6.2% and renters make up 29.0% of households, providing a steady tenant base. With only 14 development applications in 12 months and a compact 0.49 km2 footprint, new supply is constrained, which supports existing values over the medium term.
How is Sefton Park's population changing?
Population forecast data is not available for Sefton Park in this dataset. The suburb's turnover rate is 18.6%, with 81.4% of residents having remained in place, indicating strong residential stability. The population of 1,274 is concentrated into just 0.49 km2, giving a density of 2,595 residents per km2.
What languages are spoken in Sefton Park?
About 30.6% of residents were born overseas, which is 9.0 percentage points above the national average. Greek, Gujarati and Punjabi each have around 16 to 19 speakers, with Italian (18) and Mandarin (13) also represented. The top ancestries are English (388 residents), Italian (186) and Irish (110).
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
Explore Sefton Park on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map