Solomontown
With household income sitting at the 5.5th percentile nationally, Solomontown is one of Port Pirie's most affordable pockets, yet that low income sits alongside a 14.2% vacancy rate and a crime rate of 107.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, both well above typical regional SA figures. The suburb covers 3.88 square kilometres with 1,088 residents and a median age of 44, which is 4 years above the national figure. Nearly 90% of dwellings are separate houses, reflecting a regional Queensland streetscape dominated by detached homes rather than higher-density infill.
Population
1,088
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$836/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
No recent median house price is recorded for Solomontown, which limits direct price benchmarking, but the rental market gives a reference point: weekly rent averages $195, very low compared to metropolitan SA. Monthly mortgage repayments average $758, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers who secure finance can service loans comfortably on local incomes. Separate houses account for 89.9% of stock, with three-bedroom homes the dominant type at 58.9%. Owner-occupiers are split between outright owners at 33.6% and mortgage holders at 30.5%, while renters make up 36.0%. The high detached-house share suits families seeking space at lower price points than metropolitan areas.
For Buyers
No recent median house price is recorded for Solomontown, which limits direct price benchmarking, but the rental market gives a reference point: weekly rent averages $195, very low compared to metropolitan SA. Monthly mortgage repayments average $758, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers who secure finance can service loans comfortably on local incomes. Separate houses account for 89.9% of stock, with three-bedroom homes the dominant type at 58.9%. Owner-occupiers are split between outright owners at 33.6% and mortgage holders at 30.5%, while renters make up 36.0%. The high detached-house share suits families seeking space at lower price points than metropolitan areas.
For Investors
A 14.2% vacancy rate is the key risk signal for investors: at that level, rental income is far from guaranteed, and the rate sits markedly higher than the national long-run average near 2-3%. Weekly rent of $195 implies gross yields would be tight even on modest purchase prices. Renters form 36.0% of the market, a reasonable tenant base, but the thin demand is underscored by the vacancy figure. Development activity is low at 9 applications in the past 12 months, dominated by minor works such as verandahs and carports, so no new supply wave is coming to reshape the market. An unemployment rate of 13.3%, well above state and national averages, compresses rental capacity and limits rent growth potential.
Development Activity
Total DAs
62
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-35.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Solomontown skews older, with a median age of 44, which is 4 years above the national median. The overseas-born share is 9.9%, which is 11.7 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with an Anglo-Celtic demographic composition. English (440), German (77), Scottish (70) and Irish (66) are the leading ancestries, pointing to long-established settler heritage. University qualifications reach only 9.9% of residents, which is 20.2 percentage points below national, the clearest educational gap in the profile. Average household size is 2.1, slightly below the national average of 2.5. The labour force participation rate is 42.2%, low relative to the national norm, partly because of the older age profile leaving 411 residents outside the labour force entirely.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.9%
Houses
6.3%
Townhouse
1.5%
Apartment
Tenure
The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 89.9% separate houses, 6.3% semi-detached and just 1.5% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 58.9% of all dwellings, with two-bedroom at 22.5% and four-plus at 14.4%. Tenure is spread across three roughly equal groups: 33.6% own outright, 30.5% hold a mortgage and 36.0% rent. The outright-ownership share of 33.6% is notable for a lower-income suburb, suggesting a cohort of long-term residents who paid off homes over decades. Weekly rent of $195 is very affordable in absolute terms, and rent-to-income at 23.3% stays below the 30% stress threshold. The 14.2% vacancy rate is the structural weakness, pointing to demand soft spots in a market that lacks the population growth to absorb existing stock.
Mortgage / mo
$758
Rent / wk
$195
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$512
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.2%
Unoccupied
78
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.3%
Couples, no children
732
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 29.1% of employed residents (59 workers), followed by Manufacturing at 12.8% (26) and Education at 9.9% (20). By occupation, Community and Personal Services lead with 66 workers, Labourers at 65 and Machinery and Drivers at 50, a profile consistent with a blue-collar, service-dependent town. The unemployment rate is 13.3%, significantly higher than the national average, and the full-time employment rate is 54.7%. Household income at the 5.5th percentile nationally means most residents earn well below the national median. SEIFA scores are not available for this suburb, so comparative disadvantage cannot be quantified by that measure, but the income percentile alone places Solomontown among the lowest-income suburbs in SA.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.7%
Part-time
32.0%
Participation
42.2%
Employed
333
Occupations
Top Industries
University
9.9%
Postgraduate
1.3%
Born Overseas
9.9%
Dwellings
474
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 83.8% of residents driving to work, while 7.3% walk or cycle, above zero but modest. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in neighbouring parts of Port Pirie. The crime rate of 107.5 incidents per 1,000 residents is elevated, placing Solomontown in a higher-risk tier than most regional SA suburbs. Rent-to-income at 23.3% and mortgage-to-income at 20.9% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, so housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes. A volunteering rate of 14.0% reflects reasonable community participation. About 10.3% of residents (100 people) need daily assistance, which is above the national average, consistent with the older-than-national median age of 44.
Drive
83.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
7.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
117
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
107.5
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Solomontown compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Solomontown a good suburb to live in?
Solomontown suits buyers and renters who prioritise affordability and space. Housing costs are manageable, with rent-to-income at 23.3% and mortgage-to-income at 20.9%. However, household income sits at the 5.5th percentile nationally, the unemployment rate is 13.3%, and the crime rate of 107.5 per 1,000 residents is elevated relative to most regional SA towns.
What is the median house price in Solomontown?
No median house price is recorded for Solomontown in current data, reflecting thin transaction volumes. Weekly rent averages $195 and monthly mortgage repayments average $758, which at a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9% suggests entry prices are low by SA standards.
What schools are in Solomontown?
No schools are recorded within the Solomontown boundary. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Port Pirie suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach only 9.9%, which is 20.2 percentage points below the national average, reflecting broader regional education access patterns.
Is Solomontown safe?
The recorded crime rate is 107.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 117 total incidents, which is elevated compared to most regional SA areas. No breakdown by crime category is available in this dataset, so specific risk types cannot be quantified further.
Is Solomontown good for property investment?
The 14.2% vacancy rate is the primary concern for investors, sitting well above the national norm of 2-3%. Weekly rent of $195 is low in absolute terms and the unemployment rate of 13.3% limits rent growth capacity. Low entry costs may appeal to yield-focused investors, but rental income continuity is the key risk to model.
How is Solomontown's population changing?
No forward population forecast is available for Solomontown. The current population is 1,088 across 3.88 square kilometres. Residential stability is high, with 80.7% of residents staying in place, and development activity is low at 9 applications in the past 12 months, both suggesting a steady rather than fast-changing suburb.
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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