Unley
The suburb has a median age of 41 and household income at the 76.3rd percentile, supporting an established-wealth profile. University attainment is 62.3%, or 32.2 percentage points above the national figure. Compared with nearby Parkside and Goodwood, Unley is an inner-south choice for buyers who value central access, established housing and professional networks, although its 27.3% price fall from 1Q 2025 adds recent market uncertainty.
Population
3,997
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,037/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
80
Median House
$1.7M
First quarter 2026
Housing choice is broader than a conventional detached market: 52.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 20.3% semi-detached and 27.3% apartments. Two and three-bedroom homes dominate at 34.3% and 41.6%, while mortgage costs equal 24.6% of household income, higher than rent's 18.3%. This suits buyers trading land size for location, but address-level inspection matters because the stock is mixed.
For Buyers
Housing choice is broader than a conventional detached market: 52.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 20.3% semi-detached and 27.3% apartments. Two and three-bedroom homes dominate at 34.3% and 41.6%, while mortgage costs equal 24.6% of household income, higher than rent's 18.3%. This suits buyers trading land size for location, but address-level inspection matters because the stock is mixed.
For Investors
Unley has a meaningful tenant base, with 35.9% renting, a higher share than the 27.4% with a mortgage. Weekly rent is $372 and vacancy is 9.3%, so leasing demand may be easier to test than in a tightly constrained market, but the vacancy figure creates more negotiation risk for landlords. The 25.0% rent growth signal supports the income case, while 79 development applications in 12 months point to active property turnover. Because the examples include a carport, verandah and illuminated sign rather than confirmed new dwellings, investors should assess each asset's condition, tenant appeal and achievable rent instead of assuming broad supply growth. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, although Unley's aging trajectory may temper family-led growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
454
Last 12 Months
80
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+6.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Unley
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Unley Primary School
Demographics
Unley is older and more highly educated than the national profile: median age is 41, 1 year above national, and university attainment is 62.3%, or 32.2 percentage points higher. Overseas-born residents account for 28.2%, 6.6 points above the national comparison, with English, Scottish, Irish and Italian ancestry prominent at 1,458, 409, 370 and 342 people. Greek and Mandarin are the most common listed non-English languages, at 83 and 60 people. Average household size is 2.2, below the national comparison by 0.3, consistent with 43.7% of couples having no children. The aging trajectory matters because senior share has risen 6.1 points while working share fell 4.2 points, shaping demand toward established services and smaller households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
52.4%
Houses
20.3%
Townhouse
27.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Unley's housing market is expensive but mixed in form. Tenure is split between 35.1% owning outright, 27.4% with a mortgage and 35.9% renting. Separate houses remain the largest category at 52.4%, but apartments at 27.3% and semi-detached homes at 20.3% provide more choice than a purely detached market. Three-bedroom homes lead at 41.6%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 34.3%. Compared with nearby Parkside and Goodwood, buyers should compare street character, lot size and building condition rather than rely on the suburb median alone.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$372
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,066
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.3%
Unoccupied
177
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.6%
Couples with children
43.7%
Couples, no children
12.2%
Single parent
1,068
Total families
Economy & Employment
Unley's economic base is professional and service-oriented because healthcare employs 366 people, or 21.9% of workers, followed by professional and technical services at 282 and 16.9%, education at 200 and 12.0%, public administration at 128 and 7.7%, and construction at 80 and 4.8%. Occupations reinforce that pattern: 877 professionals and 394 managers are higher than clerical and administrative workers at 236 and trades at 159. Unemployment is 4.1% with 66.7% participation, while full-time employment is 59.0%. Household income sits at the 76.3rd percentile. SEIFA is uneven: education and occupation deciles are 9 and 9, IRSAD is also 9, but economic resources is lower at decile 6, suggesting strong skills and status alongside less exceptional resource scores.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
2,266
Unemployed
92
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.0%
Part-time
35.7%
Participation
66.7%
Employed
2,174
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
62.3%
Postgraduate
20.4%
Born Overseas
28.2%
Dwellings
1,724
Transport to Work
Unley supports a walkable inner-suburban routine, although the car remains dominant: 56.1% drive, compared with 14.9% who walk or cycle and 7.3% using public transport. Working from home accounts for 16.6%, adding flexibility for professional households. One local government primary school, Unley Primary School, is located in the suburb; families should check enrolment zones and nearby secondary options against the exact address rather than infer access from the suburb name. The crime rate is 70.3 incidents per 1,000 residents across 281 recorded incidents, so street-level checking remains sensible. IRSAD and IEO both sit in decile 9, above the middle of the national distribution, supporting strong socioeconomic amenity, while IER is lower at decile 6.
Drive
56.1%
Public Transport
7.3%
Walk / Cycle
14.9%
Work from Home
16.6%
Population Forecast
+0.54%/yr
(+121 people/yr)
EstablishedUnley fits an established, gradually changing pattern rather than a rapid expansion story. The forecast annual trend is 0.54%, with overseas migration named as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 6.9% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share is above its earlier level by 6.1%, working share is lower by 4.2%, and rent growth is 25.0%. Gentrification is rated Not gentrifying with a score of 10, although a separate shift indicator records 27 and Early signs. That combination points to selective reinvestment and demographic change because premium housing, overseas arrivals and established services can sustain demand without implying a broad redevelopment cycle.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+486
Net Internal / yr
-53
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Strong overseas inflow +486/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
281
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
70.3
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Unley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Unley?
Unley Primary School is the listed local school, and it is a government primary school. Families should check the enrolment zone for an exact address and investigate nearby secondary options, because school access can differ across boundaries even within an established area of 1.5 square kilometres.
Is Unley safe?
Unley's recorded crime rate is 70.3 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 281 total incidents in the supplied measure. That figure should be considered alongside the exact street, property type and time period. A practical inspection at different times of day is sensible before making a decision.
How is Unley's population changing?
Unley has 3,997 residents today, with a forecast annual trend of 0.54% and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. The wider area's 10-year population change is 6.9%. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 6.1% and working share down 4.2%, pointing to gradual demographic change rather than rapid expansion.
What development is occurring in Unley?
There were 79 development applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include a carport, a verandah and an illuminated business sign, so the activity reflects property upgrades and commercial changes as well as possible redevelopment. Buyers should check the specific application history for any address of interest.
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.
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