Underdale
A median house price of $1,551,000 in a suburb of just 2,429 people signals how tightly held and in-demand Underdale has become relative to its size. Compressed into 1.03 square kilometres on Adelaide's western fringe, the suburb averages 2,354 residents per km2 and sits at 47% university qualification, which is 16.9 percentage points above the national figure. House prices rose 41% from $1,100,000 in 1Q 2025 to $1,551,000 in 1Q 2026, a pace that dramatically outpaced typical Australian growth over the same period. The 38% renter share and median age of 38, two years below national, suggest a mix of established owner-occupiers alongside younger professionals who cannot yet afford to buy.
Population
2,429
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,578/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Median House
$1.6M
Median 1Q 2026
The $1,551,000 median house price as of 1Q 2026 is the headline figure, and the 41% jump from $1,100,000 just 12 months prior reflects strong demand in a market with very limited land. Separate houses account for 63.6% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the most common at 46.9%, followed by 2-bedroom at 30.2%. Apartments are 18.7% of stock and semi-detached 17.8%, giving buyers some entry-point options below the house median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,786, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are around the 51.5th percentile nationally. Outright owners (30.3%) and mortgage holders (31.7%) are roughly matched, with renters at 38.0%, pointing to a suburb that retains long-held properties but also draws new buyers steadily.
For Buyers
The $1,551,000 median house price as of 1Q 2026 is the headline figure, and the 41% jump from $1,100,000 just 12 months prior reflects strong demand in a market with very limited land. Separate houses account for 63.6% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the most common at 46.9%, followed by 2-bedroom at 30.2%. Apartments are 18.7% of stock and semi-detached 17.8%, giving buyers some entry-point options below the house median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,786, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are around the 51.5th percentile nationally. Outright owners (30.3%) and mortgage holders (31.7%) are roughly matched, with renters at 38.0%, pointing to a suburb that retains long-held properties but also draws new buyers steadily.
For Investors
Underdale's 38.0% renter share is a solid base for landlords, but weekly rent of $310 against a $1,551,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.0%, which is lower than most SA investment benchmarks. The 7.7% vacancy rate is elevated and worth monitoring, as it suggests some softness in rental demand relative to stock. On the positive side, 21 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including a 6-dwelling residential flat building and multiple Torrens title land divisions, indicating active densification that signals council acceptance of higher-density development. The 41% price growth from 1Q 2025 to 1Q 2026 confirms the suburb has delivered strong capital returns, but investors entering at today's median face a challenging yield environment compared to other Adelaide markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
143
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-37.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Underdale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Underdale High School
7-12 · 629 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2.0 years below the national figure, consistent with the suburb attracting professionals in their 30s rather than retirees. University qualifications reach 47.0%, which is 16.9 percentage points above the national average, among the highest you will find in metropolitan Adelaide. Overseas-born residents account for 33.6%, running 12.0 percentage points above national. English (596) and Italian (340) lead by ancestry, followed by Greek (207) and Chinese (167), reflecting a southern European heritage that is more prominent here than in most SA suburbs. Among non-English languages, Greek (71 speakers) and Italian (47) feature alongside Punjabi (51) and Mandarin (46), a combination of established Mediterranean communities and newer arrivals. Household size averages 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, fitting the proportion of couples without children at 28.4%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
63.6%
Houses
17.8%
Townhouse
18.7%
Apartment
Tenure
The price trajectory is the defining housing story: $1,100,000 in 1Q 2025 to $1,551,000 in 1Q 2026 represents a 41% move over a single year, placing Underdale well above typical SA market growth rates. Despite this, the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 26.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, and the rent-to-income ratio at 19.6% is comfortable for tenants. Tenure splits across three near-equal groups: 30.3% own outright, 31.7% carry a mortgage, 38.0% rent. Stock is predominantly 3-bedroom separate houses (46.9% bedrooms, 63.6% separate house), with apartments at 18.7% offering a lower entry tier. The 7.7% vacancy rate is the one caution flag in an otherwise tight market, suggesting not all rental stock is absorbed. At 1.03 km2, new supply is physically constrained, which is the structural driver behind the price premium.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,786
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$830
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.7%
Unoccupied
84
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.4%
Couples, no children
1,826
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 20.8% of workers (196 residents), followed by Education at 11.8% (111) and Public Administration at 9.4% (89), a pattern consistent with proximity to major Adelaide hospitals and the university precinct to the east. Professional/Tech services add 8.8% and Construction 7.1%. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group (316), ahead of Clerical/Admin (198) and Community/Personal (175), which aligns with the 47% university qualification rate that is 16.9 points above national. The unemployment rate is 5.7% and the full-time employment rate is 60.7%, with a participation rate of 63.3%. Household income sits at the 51.5th percentile nationally, slightly above the median, reflecting the professional orientation without the top-decile incomes of more expensive SA postcodes.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.7%
Part-time
33.6%
Participation
63.3%
Employed
1,234
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.0%
Postgraduate
13.0%
Born Overseas
33.6%
Dwellings
1,008
Transport to Work
Car use is the dominant commute mode at 81.0% of residents, while 7.1% use public transport and 6.9% walk or cycle, broadly in line with inner-to-middle Adelaide patterns. No schools are recorded within the 1.03 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families depend on institutions in adjacent suburbs. The crime rate of 70.0 incidents per 1,000 residents (170 total incidents) provides a raw safety indicator, though the figure should be read alongside the relatively small resident population of 2,429 where any incident lifts the rate noticeably. Volunteering runs at 15.4% and only 4.0% of residents (95 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the younger-than-national median age of 38. The rent-to-income ratio of 19.6% keeps Underdale comfortable for the 38% of households who rent, which is below the 30% stress threshold by a meaningful margin.
Drive
81.0%
Public Transport
7.1%
Walk / Cycle
6.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
170
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
70.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Underdale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Underdale a good suburb to live in?
Underdale suits professionals who value proximity to central Adelaide and strong neighbours. University qualifications reach 47%, which is 16.9 percentage points above the national average, and the median age of 38 is 2 years below national, pointing to an active and educated community. The main trade-off is cost: the median house price hit $1,551,000 in 1Q 2026 and the vacancy rate of 7.7% warrants attention for renters checking availability.
What is the median house price in Underdale?
The median house price in Underdale is $1,551,000 as of 1Q 2026, up 41% from $1,100,000 in 1Q 2025. Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments are around $1,786, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.1%, which is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Underdale?
No schools are recorded within the Underdale boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated: 47% hold university qualifications, which is 16.9 percentage points above the national figure, and the suburb's proximity to Adelaide's university corridor supports this pattern.
Is Underdale safe?
Underdale recorded 170 total incidents, giving a crime rate of 70.0 per 1,000 residents. That figure is influenced by the small resident base of 2,429, where any incident lifts the per-capita rate. The 4.0% of residents needing daily assistance (95 people) is low, consistent with a relatively young and able population at a median age of 38.
Is Underdale good for property investment?
The 41% price growth from $1,100,000 to $1,551,000 between 1Q 2025 and 1Q 2026 shows strong capital performance. However, weekly rent of $310 against a $1,551,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.0%, and the 7.7% vacancy rate signals some softness in rental demand. The 21 development applications in 12 months, including land divisions and a 6-dwelling flat building, indicate densification activity that could add supply.
How is Underdale's population changing?
Underdale has a population of 2,429 within its 1.03 km2 boundary, giving a density of 2,354 per km2. The 21.6% annual turnover rate means more than 1 in 5 residents relocated in the reference year, higher than settled suburbs, suggesting the area attracts mobile professionals rather than long-term stayers. The 78.4% who stayed indicates a stable core alongside that turnover.
What languages are spoken in Underdale?
Underdale has 33.6% overseas-born residents, which is 12.0 percentage points above the national average. Non-English languages include Greek (71 speakers), Punjabi (51), Italian (47) and Mandarin (46), reflecting both established Mediterranean communities from older migration waves and newer arrivals. Italian (340) and Greek (207) feature prominently in ancestry data.
How much development is happening in Underdale?
There were 21 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including a 6-dwelling residential flat building and multiple Torrens and community title land divisions creating 2 allotments from 1. This level of activity in a 1.03 km2 suburb shows developers responding to constrained land supply by subdividing and building denser residential product.
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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