Unley Park
At 0.85 km2 with just 1,383 residents, Unley Park is one of Adelaide's most compact prestige suburbs, where household income sits in the 97.1st percentile nationally and the median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure. The median house price reached $3,037,500 in Q1 2026, placing it among the most expensive suburbs in South Australia. Nearly half of all homes are owned outright at 49.7%, and 44.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, a profile that reflects long-established, debt-free ownership rather than a transient market. University qualifications at 64.2% sit 34.1 points above the national average, underscoring the suburb's concentration of professional households.
Population
1,383
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,990/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Median House
$3.0M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price of $3,037,500 in Q1 2026 is a significant correction from the $4,150,000 peak recorded in Q1 2025, a fall of 26.8% over one year. Separate houses dominate at 76.6% of the housing stock, with apartments at 19.3%, so buyers are mostly competing for large freestanding homes on a tightly held land bank. The 4-plus bedroom segment accounts for 44.4% of all dwellings, meaning the suburb skews toward family-sized homes rather than entry-level product. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1%, which is below stress thresholds despite the ultra-premium price point, because household incomes rank in the top 3% nationally. Outright owners at 49.7% outnumber mortgage holders at 32.6%, indicating that most of the housing stock is held by established, long-tenure owners with no debt.
For Buyers
The median house price of $3,037,500 in Q1 2026 is a significant correction from the $4,150,000 peak recorded in Q1 2025, a fall of 26.8% over one year. Separate houses dominate at 76.6% of the housing stock, with apartments at 19.3%, so buyers are mostly competing for large freestanding homes on a tightly held land bank. The 4-plus bedroom segment accounts for 44.4% of all dwellings, meaning the suburb skews toward family-sized homes rather than entry-level product. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1%, which is below stress thresholds despite the ultra-premium price point, because household incomes rank in the top 3% nationally. Outright owners at 49.7% outnumber mortgage holders at 32.6%, indicating that most of the housing stock is held by established, long-tenure owners with no debt.
For Investors
The investment case for Unley Park is mixed. The weekly rent of $350 against a median house price above $3 million implies a gross yield well below 1%, which is low by any standard. The vacancy rate of 10.1% is elevated and signals limited rental demand for such an expensive, low-density suburb. The renter share of 17.7% is below average compared to most metropolitan suburbs, reflecting an owner-occupier-dominant market. Development activity is modest at 16 applications over 12 months, most involving alterations to existing dwellings rather than new supply. The price decline of 26.8% from peak to Q1 2026 adds short-term capital risk. High stability is evident from the 81.3% of residents who did not move in the previous year, suggesting turnover is low and stock rarely comes to market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
113
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-9.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure, making Unley Park one of Adelaide's older residential communities. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (565 residents), followed by Scottish (155), German (141) and Irish (141), which is typical of inner-Adelaide established suburbs and sits above national average for English-heritage background. Overseas-born residents represent 22.4%, just 0.8 percentage points above the national average, so the community is not markedly more international than Australia broadly. University qualifications reach 64.2%, which is 34.1 points above the national figure, one of the highest rates in the country. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national average, and couples with children (373 families) slightly outnumber couples without children (347 families), reflecting the prevalence of large family homes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.6%
Houses
4.1%
Townhouse
19.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The price trajectory shows a sharp correction: the median house price fell from $4,150,000 in Q1 2025 to $3,037,500 in Q1 2026, a 26.8% decline over one year. Even at the lower price, Unley Park remains well above state and national medians. Tenure is heavily skewed toward ownership, with 49.7% owning outright and 32.6% on a mortgage, while renters at 17.7% are well below the national average. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 76.6%, with apartments at 19.3% and semi-detached at 4.1%. The bedroom profile is large: 44.4% have four or more bedrooms and 32.1% have three bedrooms, while one-bedroom or studio units make up only 1.9%. Mortgage-to-income at 20.1% and rent-to-income at 11.7% are both below stress thresholds, reflecting that incomes rank in the 97.1st percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,346
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.1%
Unoccupied
59
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
11.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.5%
Couples, no children
1,136
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 28.5% of workers (149 people), a share well above national norms and consistent with proximity to the Royal Adelaide and Ashford private hospital precinct. Professional and technical services follow at 17.4% (91 workers) and Education at 9.4% (49 workers), together accounting for more than half of all local employment. By occupation, Professionals (292) and Managers (147) together represent the clear majority of the working population, a structure that aligns with household income in the 97.1st percentile. The full-time employment rate of 55.9% is moderate, and the unemployment rate of 4.7% is broadly consistent with metropolitan SA levels. The participation rate of 61.4% is tempered by a large cohort not in the labour force (395 people), reflecting the suburb's older median age of 47 and a significant retired population.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.9%
Part-time
39.4%
Participation
61.4%
Employed
689
Occupations
Top Industries
University
64.2%
Postgraduate
20.5%
Born Overseas
22.4%
Dwellings
518
Transport to Work
Car use is high at 79.8% of commuters, which is above most inner-Adelaide suburbs, while public transport accounts for 8.3% and walking or cycling for 5.9%. No schools are recorded within Unley Park's 0.85 km2 boundary, so families rely on schools in adjacent suburbs. The crime rate of 35.4 incidents per 1,000 residents is a useful benchmark, though context matters given the suburb's small population of 1,383. The volunteering rate of 24.5% is notably high compared to national averages, a reflection of the older, established demographic with time and resources to contribute. Only 3.1% of residents (41 people) need daily assistance, below what might be expected for a suburb with a median age 7 years above national. Rent-to-income at 11.7% is very low, keeping the small renter cohort of 17.7% in comfortable financial territory.
Drive
79.8%
Public Transport
8.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
49
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
35.4
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Unley Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Unley Park a good suburb to live in?
Unley Park offers household income in the 97.1st percentile nationally and a university qualification rate of 64.2%, which is 34.1 points above the national average. The median age of 47 and a volunteering rate of 24.5% signal an established, professionally dominated community. The main trade-offs are limited stock, a median house price of $3,037,500, and low walkability with 79.8% of residents relying on cars.
What is the median house price in Unley Park?
The median house price is $3,037,500 as of Q1 2026. This is a significant fall from the $4,150,000 peak recorded in Q1 2025, a decline of 26.8% in one year. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.1% below stress thresholds.
What schools are in Unley Park?
No schools are recorded within Unley Park's 0.85 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Unley and Malvern. Despite the absence of local schools, the suburb has a university qualification rate of 64.2%, which is 34.1 points above the national figure, reflecting a highly educated resident base.
Is Unley Park safe?
The recorded crime rate is 35.4 incidents per 1,000 residents, covering 49 total incidents across the suburb's population of 1,383. This is a low absolute volume because the suburb is very small. Only 3.1% of residents need daily assistance and household income ranks in the 97.1st percentile nationally, both consistent with a low-disadvantage residential area.
Is Unley Park good for property investment?
The investment case is challenging at current prices. Weekly rent of $350 against a $3,037,500 median implies a gross yield well below 1%, and a vacancy rate of 10.1% indicates limited rental demand for the suburb's stock. The 26.8% price decline from Q1 2025 to Q1 2026 adds capital risk. The renter share of 17.7% is below average compared to typical investment suburbs.
How is Unley Park's population changing?
Unley Park has a small, stable population of 1,383 across 0.85 km2. The resident stability rate of 81.3% shows that most households do not move year to year, indicating low turnover rather than growth. With only 16 development applications in the past 12 months and a largely built-out footprint, significant population expansion is unlikely in the near term.
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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