St Peters
The suburb has 3,231 residents across 1.5 square kilometres, creating a density of 2,158.5 people per square kilometre. Its 72.2% separate-house share gives it a more established, detached-home profile than nearby Norwood and Stepney. Household income sits at the 87.2nd percentile, supporting a higher-than-average price point, although a 26.9% renting share keeps some tenant demand in the mix.
Population
3,231
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,266/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$2.4M
First quarter 2026
St Peters suits buyers prioritising established character and larger homes over entry-level affordability. Housing is 72.2% separate houses, with 37.8% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 36.1% having 3 bedrooms. Mortgage repayments of $2,700 a month equal 27.5% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged, while outright ownership is 43.6%. Compared with nearby Norwood and Stepney, buyers are paying for a more established premium address, so due diligence on condition and land value matters.
For Buyers
St Peters suits buyers prioritising established character and larger homes over entry-level affordability. Housing is 72.2% separate houses, with 37.8% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 36.1% having 3 bedrooms. Mortgage repayments of $2,700 a month equal 27.5% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged, while outright ownership is 43.6%. Compared with nearby Norwood and Stepney, buyers are paying for a more established premium address, so due diligence on condition and land value matters.
For Investors
Investors get a premium, low-yield profile rather than a high-cash-flow proposition. Renting accounts for 26.9% of households and vacancy is 7.6%, which points to an established tenant base but more available stock than a tightly constrained market. Development activity reached 19 applications in 12 months, while annual forecast growth is 1.0% and overseas migration is the primary driver. Investors should compare returns with nearby Norwood and Stepney before assuming premium prices will translate into premium yields.
Development Activity
Total DAs
105
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+17.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in St Peters
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
East Adelaide School
Demographics
St Peters has an older, highly educated profile: median age is 43, which is 3.0 years above the national figure, while university attainment is 61.2%, or 31.1 percentage points higher than nationally. Average household size is 2.5 people, matching the national comparison. Couples with children make up 48.5% of families and couples without children 40.7%. English, Italian and Scottish are the leading reported ancestries at 1,072, 392 and 300 people. Overseas-born residents account for 28.4%, 6.8 points above the national comparison, while 76.1% stayed at the same address. Compared with nearby Norwood and Stepney, this points to established households with strong professional credentials rather than a predominantly transient market.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.2%
Houses
10.7%
Townhouse
17.1%
Apartment
Tenure
St Peters is detached-house dominant but not exclusively low-density: separate houses make up 72.2%, apartments 17.1% and semi-detached dwellings 10.7%. Ownership is relatively strong, with 43.6% owned outright and 28.0% under mortgage, while 26.9% rent. The 2.5-person average household size and 37.8% share of 4-plus-bedroom homes suggest family-scale stock. Compared with nearby Norwood and Stepney, the housing mix reads as more detached and premium, which helps explain the elevated price point.
Mortgage / mo
$2,700
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
$1,097
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.6%
Unoccupied
101
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.5%
Couples with children
40.7%
Couples, no children
10.1%
Single parent
872
Total families
Economy & Employment
St Peters has a professional employment base, with healthcare accounting for 26.2% of workers, followed by professional and technical services at 15.5% and education at 11.6%. Public administration contributes 8.3% and construction 5.2%, giving the local economy exposure to essential services as well as knowledge work. Professionals number 759 and managers 300, while the unemployment rate is 4.3% and participation is 67.1%. Household income sits at the 87.2nd percentile. Socioeconomic advantage is above the national midpoint, with IEO in decile 9, IER in decile 6, IRSD in decile 8 and IRSAD in decile 9. The gap between occupation and resource deciles suggests professional status is stronger than resources alone, so not every household has identical spending power.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
1,821
Unemployed
78
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.5%
Part-time
39.7%
Participation
67.1%
Employed
1,743
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
61.2%
Postgraduate
18.9%
Born Overseas
28.4%
Dwellings
1,218
Transport to Work
St Peters has a car-oriented travel pattern because 64.7% drive to work, compared with 5.7% using public transport, while 8.2% walk or cycle and 16.9% work from home. Families have access to 1 listed local school, East Adelaide School, a government primary school; enrolment zones and year-level availability should be checked against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 184 incidents, equal to 56.9 per 1,000 residents, so street-level checks remain sensible before renting or buying. An IRSAD decile of 9 places the suburb above the national socioeconomic midpoint, and only 5.0% report needing assistance. The combination of strong resources, established housing and work-from-home capacity supports day-to-day livability, although transport is less public-transit-led than car-led.
Drive
64.7%
Public Transport
5.7%
Walk / Cycle
8.2%
Work from Home
16.9%
Population Forecast
+1.0%/yr
(+90 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive: the annual trend is 1.0%, with overseas migration named as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area runs at 15.1% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Mixed. Gentrification signals are also mixed: the gentrification stage is "Not gentrifying" with a score of 6, while the shift assessment records an Active stage and a score of 45. That combination suggests an established suburb where demand is changing without a straightforward displacement cycle. Rents have grown 40.0% and real incomes 32.5%, supporting continued demand, while the 2.0-point rise in senior share and 0.4-point rise in young share indicate gradual demographic change. Compared with a speculative growth story, St Peters is more measured and established.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+170
Net Internal / yr
-78
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +17% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
184
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
56.9
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How St Peters compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in St Peters?
East Adelaide School is the listed local option, operating as a government primary school. There is 1 listed school within the suburb, but families should check enrolment zones and year-level availability for the exact address because nearby schooling options can extend beyond suburb boundaries.
Is St Peters safe?
St Peters recorded 184 offences, equivalent to a crime rate of 56.9 per 1,000 residents. That figure is a useful comparison point rather than a guarantee for an individual address. Check recent local incident patterns and visit the street at different times before signing a lease or purchasing, particularly if parking or late-night movement is important.
How is St Peters's population changing?
Population change across the wider area runs at 15.1% over 10 years, with annual growth of 1.0% and overseas migration the primary driver. The shift trajectory is Mixed, while St Peters has a current population of 3,231. This points to measured change rather than a sudden expansion story, with senior share up 2.0 points and young share up 0.4 points.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore St Peters on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map