SA 5069 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

St Peters

A $2,400,000 median house price in a suburb of just 3,231 people and 1.5 square kilometres places St Peters among Adelaide's most expensive postcodes, yet incomes tell the same story from the other direction: household income sits in the 87.2nd percentile nationally. SEIFA scores reinforce the picture, with IRSAD at decile 9 and IEO at decile 9, both in the top tier nationally. University qualifications reach 61.2%, which is 31.1 percentage points above the national figure. Residents are notably settled, with 76.1% remaining at the same address for five years, a stability rate that reflects the established-wealth character of the suburb.

St Peters urban fabric map

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

19

Median House

$2.4M

Median 1Q 2026

1.5 km²· 2,158.5 people/km²· Family income $3,254/wk

At $2,400,000 the median house price rose 20% from $2,000,000 in 1Q 2025 to 1Q 2026, a move that outpaced most Adelaide markets in one year. Separate houses account for 72.2% of dwellings, so the market is dominated by detached stock rather than apartments, which make up only 17.1%. Four-bedroom or larger homes represent 37.8% of the stock and three-bedroom homes 36.1%, meaning most buyers are competing for substantial family homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,700, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5% sits below the 30% stress threshold despite the steep entry price, because household incomes are in the 87.2nd percentile nationally. Outright owners at 44.2% significantly outnumber mortgage holders at 28.4%, indicating a base of long-term, debt-free owners who dampen resale turnover.

For Buyers

At $2,400,000 the median house price rose 20% from $2,000,000 in 1Q 2025 to 1Q 2026, a move that outpaced most Adelaide markets in one year. Separate houses account for 72.2% of dwellings, so the market is dominated by detached stock rather than apartments, which make up only 17.1%. Four-bedroom or larger homes represent 37.8% of the stock and three-bedroom homes 36.1%, meaning most buyers are competing for substantial family homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,700, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5% sits below the 30% stress threshold despite the steep entry price, because household incomes are in the 87.2nd percentile nationally. Outright owners at 44.2% significantly outnumber mortgage holders at 28.4%, indicating a base of long-term, debt-free owners who dampen resale turnover.

For Investors

Renters make up 27.3% of households, a meaningful tenant pool for a suburb where weekly rent is $310. Against a $2,400,000 median, that implies a gross yield below 1%, which is low by any measure. The vacancy rate of 7.6% is elevated, suggesting rental supply exceeds current demand in some segments. Development activity is modest at 19 applications in the past 12 months, mainly alterations to existing dwellings rather than new supply additions. Price growth of 20% over the year to 1Q 2026 is the strongest investment argument, though a single year of data needs context. With 76.1% of residents staying put over five years, tenant churn is low, but so is yield, meaning the investment case depends heavily on continued capital appreciation rather than rental income.

Development Activity

Total DAs

100

Last 12 Months

19

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+18.8%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Tree Removal
7
Renovation / Extension
6
Deck / Pergola / Patio
4
New Dwelling
3
Demolition
2
Signage / Advertising
2
Garage / Carport / Shed
2
Fencing
2

Schools in St Peters iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

St Peter's College

ICSEA 1164 Combined Independent

R-12 · 1585 students

East Adelaide School

ICSEA 1117 Primary Government

R-6 · 495 students

Demographics

The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national median, consistent with the established family and empty-nester profile common at this income level. University qualifications at 61.2% run 31.1 percentage points above the national average, one of the higher concentrations seen across Adelaide suburbs. Overseas-born residents reach 28.4%, which is 6.8 points above the national figure. English ancestry leads at 1,072 residents, followed by Italian at 392 and Scottish at 300, a broadly Anglo-Celtic base with a notable Southern European layer. The average household size of 2.5 matches the national average exactly. Couples with children account for 1,049 families against 703 couples without children, and volunteering runs at 24.3%, above what most suburbs record.

Age Distribution

0-14
15.9%
15-24
12.8%
25-44
22.4%
45-64
29.2%
65+
19.3%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
6.2%
2 bed
19.9%
3 bed
36.1%
4+ bed
37.8%

Dwelling Structure

72.2%

Houses

10.7%

Townhouse

17.1%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 44.2% Mortgage 28.4% Rent 27.3%

Tenure is tilted toward long-term ownership: 44.2% own outright, 28.4% carry a mortgage and 27.3% rent. The outright ownership rate at 44.2% is notably high compared to suburban Adelaide, pointing to an older, debt-free owner cohort who bought in previous decades. Stock is predominantly separate houses at 72.2%, with semi-detached at 10.7% and apartments at 17.1% making up the rest. Bedroom distribution centres on three and four-plus homes, at 36.1% and 37.8% respectively, with smaller two-bedroom stock at only 19.9%. The median house price moved from $2,000,000 in 1Q 2025 to $2,400,000 in 1Q 2026, a 20% rise. Mortgage-to-income at 27.5% and rent-to-income at 13.7% both sit below stress thresholds, meaning affordability pressure is low for current residents even at these price levels.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$2,700

Rent / wk

$310

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

Mandarin
66
Italian
39
Greek
36
Canton
16
Urdu
16

Ancestry

English
1,072
Italian
392
Other
383
Scottish
300
Irish
273
Chinese
263

Household Composition

27.7%

Couples, no children

2,540

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is the dominant employer at 26.2% of the local workforce (356 workers), well above its typical share in suburban Adelaide, and Professional/Tech follows at 15.5% (211). Education accounts for 11.6% (158) and Public Administration 8.3% (112), together giving the suburb a strong knowledge-sector and public-service character. By occupation, Professionals (759) and Managers (300) together hold more than half of all jobs, consistent with the IEO decile 9 score for education and occupation advantage. The unemployment rate of 4.5% is moderate and the full-time employment rate is 58.3%. SEIFA scores across all four indexes range from decile 6 (IER) to decile 9 (IRSAD, IEO), with IER scoring lower because a 27.3% renter share and modest weekly rent of $310 temper aggregate wealth measures despite the high house prices.

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

Overall advantage
9
Disadvantage
8
Economic resources
6
Education & occupation
9

Full-time

58.3%

Part-time

37.2%

Participation

64.0%

Employed

1,660

Occupations

Professionals 759
Managers 300
Clerical/Admin 204
Community/Personal 136
Sales 109
Labourers 60
Machinery/Drivers 30

Top Industries

Healthcare 26.2%
Professional/Tech 15.5%
Education 11.6%
Public Admin 8.3%
Construction 5.2%

University

61.2%

Postgraduate

18.9%

Born Overseas

28.4%

Dwellings

1,218

Transport to Work

Car dependence is high at 78.0% driving to work, above the national average, though 9.9% walk or cycle, a share that is above average for Adelaide. Public transport use is low at 6.6%, reflecting the inner-fringe location where parking is available and routes are infrequent. The IRSAD decile 9 score places the suburb in the top advantage tier nationally for access to resources and lower disadvantage. The crime rate of 56.9 incidents per 1,000 residents is based on 184 recorded offences and should be read in context: no breakdown by category is available from the brief, so a direct comparison to state averages is not possible. No schools are recorded within the St Peters boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. The rent-to-income ratio of 13.7% and mortgage-to-income of 27.5% both sit comfortably below stress levels.

Drive

78.0%

Public Transport

6.6%

Walk / Cycle

9.9%

Work from Home

N/A

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

Population
Top 16%
Household Income
Top 13%
Rent Level
Top 36%
Apartments
Top 21%
Renters
Top 33%
Uni Educated
Top 4%
Public Transport
Top 24%
Born Overseas
Top 16%
Density
Top 7%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is St Peters a good suburb to live in?

St Peters ranks at SEIFA decile 9 on both IRSAD and IEO, placing it in the top advantage tier nationally. Household income sits in the 87.2nd percentile, university qualifications are 31.1 points above the national average, and 76.1% of residents stay for at least 5 years, signalling high resident satisfaction. The main trade-off is a $2,400,000 median house price.

What is the median house price in St Peters?

The median house price is $2,400,000 as of 1Q 2026, up 20% from $2,000,000 in 1Q 2025. Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,700, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, below the 30% stress threshold.

What schools are in St Peters?

No schools are recorded inside the St Peters boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 61.2% holding university qualifications, which is 31.1 percentage points above the national figure, suggesting strong school engagement in the broader area.

Is St Peters safe?

There were 184 recorded offences in St Peters, giving a rate of 56.9 per 1,000 residents. No category breakdown is available for direct comparison to the SA state average. As context, the suburb scores IRSAD decile 9 nationally and only 5.0% of residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, stable community.

Is St Peters good for property investment?

Prices rose 20% in one year to $2,400,000, the strongest argument for investment. However, weekly rent of $310 against a $2,400,000 median implies a gross yield below 1%, and the vacancy rate of 7.6% is elevated. With only 19 development applications in 12 months, new supply is limited, so capital growth rather than yield drives the investment case.

How is St Peters's population changing?

St Peters has a population of 3,231 in a 1.5 square kilometre suburb, giving a density of 2,159 per square kilometre. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, pointing to gradual aging. Residential stability is high, with 76.1% of residents staying at the same address over 5 years, suggesting slow compositional change.

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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