South Brighton
The suburb's median age of 44 runs 4 years above the national figure, and 43.2% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 13.1 percentage points higher than the national average. Owner-occupiers dominate tenure at 71.8% combined, while a 79.5% stay-rate signals that residents who arrive tend to stay, pointing to genuine residential attachment rather than transient demand.
Local council: Holdfast Bay
Population
2,763
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,601/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
49
Median House
$1.2M
First quarter 2026
Three-bedroom dwellings account for 49.7% of stock, making them the most common purchase target, while two-bedroom homes cover 25.1%. Separate houses represent 71.3% of all dwellings, higher than many comparable Adelaide coastal suburbs, giving buyers reasonable choice in that format. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,898, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.4%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 38.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 33.5%, a sign of long-held, lower-leverage ownership common in established suburban markets.
For Buyers
Three-bedroom dwellings account for 49.7% of stock, making them the most common purchase target, while two-bedroom homes cover 25.1%. Separate houses represent 71.3% of all dwellings, higher than many comparable Adelaide coastal suburbs, giving buyers reasonable choice in that format. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,898, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.4%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 38.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 33.5%, a sign of long-held, lower-leverage ownership common in established suburban markets.
For Investors
South Brighton's 28.1% renter share and $335 weekly rent reflect a tenant pool that is modest in size but relatively stable. The 6.4% vacancy rate is elevated compared to a healthy market benchmark of 2-3%, suggesting limited immediate rental competition but also softer short-term rent growth. Development activity reached 42 applications in the past 12 months, mostly residential alterations consistent with an established suburb. The 2% price growth over the year from Q1 2025 to Q1 2026 is modest, so buyers need a medium-term horizon to realise returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
274
Last 12 Months
49
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-14.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, placing South Brighton firmly in older-household territory. University qualifications at 43.2% run 13.1 percentage points above the national average, one of the most distinctive features of the suburb. Overseas-born residents make up 25.0% of the population, 3.4 points above national. Ancestry skews Anglo-Celtic: English is the leading group at 1,267 residents, followed by Irish (354) and Scottish (291). Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national figure of 2.5, consistent with the older, couples-without-children profile. Couples with children (799 families) outnumber couples without children (635), though at 30.7% the childless-couple share is still notable.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
71.3%
Houses
25.9%
Townhouse
2.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in South Brighton splits towards ownership: 38.3% own outright, 33.5% hold a mortgage, and 28.1% rent, a combined owner-occupier share well above the national average. Separate houses account for 71.3% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 25.9% and apartments minimal at 2.8%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.7%, followed by two-bedroom at 25.1% and four-plus bedroom at 22.1%. Mortgage-to-income at 27.4% and rent-to-income at 20.9% both sit below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are proportionate to local incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,898
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$335
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$820
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
77
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.6%
Couples with children
42.1%
Couples, no children
14.6%
Single parent
755
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 20.0% (191 workers), well above many metropolitan averages, followed by Education at 13.6% (130) and Public Administration at 10.9% (104). Professional/Technical services add a further 10.0% (95 workers). By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 367, ahead of Community/Personal roles at 185 and Managers at 182. The full-time employment rate is 61.6% and the unemployment rate is 6.2%, marginally above the national headline. Participation at 56.6% is lower than national norms, partly because the older age profile pulls more residents out of the labour force: 885 people report not being in the labour force. Household income sits at the 52.6th percentile nationally, placing South Brighton close to the median.
Unemployment
5.9%
Labour Force
1,401
Unemployed
82
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.2%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
59.7%
Employed
1,319
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
43.2%
Postgraduate
11.0%
Born Overseas
25.0%
Dwellings
1,138
Transport to Work
South Brighton's crime rate of 26.1 incidents per 1,000 residents is a key livability signal, and the suburb's low-crime identity is one of its defining characteristics. Car travel dominates at 82.7% of commuters, with public transport at 8.7% and walking or cycling at 3.4%, typical for a suburban Adelaide location outside the inner ring. Rent-to-income at 20.9% keeps housing affordable for tenants. Volunteering participation reaches 18.2%, above typical metropolitan rates, and only 6.2% of residents need daily assistance despite the older median age of 44. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby institutions. Housing stress is low on both measures: mortgage-to-income at 27.4% and rent-to-income at 20.9% both sit below standard stress thresholds.
Drive
69.8%
Public Transport
7.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
15.1%
Growth Outlook
Price growth from Q1 2025 to Q1 2026 was 2.0%, modest compared to stronger periods in the Adelaide market. The suburb's 79.5% stay-rate, where only 20.5% of residents moved in the reference period, indicates an established community with low churn rather than rapid demographic change. With no forecast or gentrification data available, current signals point to stable, slow-growth dynamics rather than an inflection point. Development activity of 42 applications in 12 months is consistent with renovation and improvement of existing stock rather than new supply additions. The combination of high outright ownership, an older median age of 44, and limited new construction suggests population levels will remain stable rather than expand sharply.
Population trend: Holdfast Bay council area
South Brighton sits in the Holdfast Bay council area. These are the council area's residents, not South Brighton's.
Residents 2025
39,683
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.0%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.8%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
72
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
26.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Brighton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Brighton a good suburb to live in?
South Brighton offers a low crime rate of 26.1 incidents per 1,000 residents and high educational attainment, with 43.2% of residents holding university qualifications, 13.1 points above the national average. The 79.5% stay-rate suggests most residents who move here choose to remain long-term. Housing costs are manageable, with mortgage-to-income at 27.4% and rent-to-income at 20.9%, both below stress thresholds.
What schools are in South Brighton?
No schools are recorded within the South Brighton suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the suburb draw on schools in neighbouring areas. The local population is highly educated, with 43.2% holding university qualifications, 13.1 percentage points above the national figure, suggesting strong demand for quality schooling nearby.
Is South Brighton safe?
South Brighton has a crime rate of 26.1 incidents per 1,000 residents based on the most recent data, and the suburb is classified as having a low crime rate relative to comparable areas. Only 6.2% of residents (around 166 people) require daily assistance, consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage environment.
How is South Brighton's population changing?
South Brighton's current population is 2,763 across a 0.92 km2 area, giving a density of around 3,002 residents per km2. The 79.5% stay-rate indicates low population churn and a stable community. The suburb's older median age of 44, which is 4 years above national, and high outright-ownership share suggest gradual rather than rapid demographic change.
How much development is happening in South Brighton?
There were 42 development applications lodged in South Brighton in the past 12 months. Recent applications include residential outbuildings, verandahs, and building alterations, consistent with renovation of existing dwellings rather than significant new supply. This pattern is typical for an established suburb with a high 38.3% outright-ownership rate.
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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