Vale Park
Household income ranks in the 76th percentile nationally, and university qualifications reach 52.5%, which is 22.4 percentage points above the national figure. Median age sits at 42, two years above national. The housing stock is 82.8% separate houses and 43% of households own their home outright, reflecting a wealth profile well established over time rather than recent speculative activity. Development applications ran at 31 in the past 12 months, confirming ongoing owner reinvestment in an already mature residential area.
Local council: Walkerville
Population
2,452
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,031/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Median House
$1.5M
First quarter 2026
Separate houses make up 82.8% of stock, so detached homes are the dominant purchase option, with 34.3% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 52% having 3 bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7% sits below the 30% stress threshold, which is manageable compared to many premium suburban markets. Outright owners at 43% outnumber mortgage holders at 35.5%, indicating that much of the estate is held by long-term residents rather than leveraged buyers entering at current prices.
For Buyers
Separate houses make up 82.8% of stock, so detached homes are the dominant purchase option, with 34.3% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 52% having 3 bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7% sits below the 30% stress threshold, which is manageable compared to many premium suburban markets. Outright owners at 43% outnumber mortgage holders at 35.5%, indicating that much of the estate is held by long-term residents rather than leveraged buyers entering at current prices.
For Investors
Renters account for 21.5% of households, relatively low compared to inner-city markets, and weekly rent averages $410. The 6.2% vacancy rate signals limited excess supply but also moderate rental demand in a predominantly owner-occupied suburb. Development activity ran at 31 applications over 12 months, mostly upgrades to existing dwellings such as verandahs and outbuildings rather than new supply. The rent-to-income ratio for tenants sits at 20.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so existing tenants are financially stable. Investors should weight this market toward capital growth given the 20.2% annual price increase, rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
250
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-30.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Vale Park
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Vale Park Primary School
Demographics
The median age of 42 is two years above the national figure, and the household composition reflects that maturity: 31.3% of families are couples with no children, consistent with a post-child-raising cohort. Overseas-born residents reach 31.9%, which is 10.3 percentage points above national, with Italian (292), Chinese (229) and Scottish (191) ancestries prominent alongside the English majority (741). The top non-English languages are Mandarin (51 speakers), Italian (34) and Greek (31). University qualifications at 52.5% are 22.4 percentage points above the national average, and the volunteering rate of 19.4% is above typical suburban norms. The average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure, though the couples-without-children profile means smaller household sizes are growing.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.8%
Houses
13.7%
Townhouse
2.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by ownership: 43% own outright and 35.5% are paying a mortgage, leaving only 21.5% renting. That outright ownership rate is high, meaning a large share of the housing stock is held debt-free by long-term residents, which reduces forced selling pressure. Separate houses account for 82.8% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 13.7% and apartments just 2.5%. Three-bedroom homes are the modal type at 52%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 34.3%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7% and rent-to-income of 20.2% are both below stress levels, which supports stability in the existing ownership base even at elevated price points.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$410
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$890
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
62
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.4%
Couples with children
43.2%
Couples, no children
12.0%
Single parent
733
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 24% of the working population (225 workers), more than double the next sector. Education accounts for 12.2% (115 workers) and Professional/Tech for 11.3% (106 workers), together creating a knowledge-economy concentration that aligns with the 52.5% university qualification rate. Public Admin (9.3%) and Finance (5.8%) round out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (437) and Managers (191) together represent the majority of employed residents. The unemployment rate of 3.9% is low, and the full-time employment rate of 62.3% is solid. The participation rate of 61.8% is below average, partly because the older median age of 42 produces a larger cohort of 692 residents not in the labour force.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
1,316
Unemployed
49
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.1%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
64.0%
Employed
1,267
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.5%
Postgraduate
17.6%
Born Overseas
31.9%
Dwellings
949
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 83.5% of residents commuting by car and only 6.9% using public transport, compared to higher public transport rates in inner-Adelaide. Walking and cycling account for 3% of commutes, limited by the suburb's primarily residential street layout. Crime recorded 97 incidents in the reference period, translating to a rate of 39.6 per 1,000 residents. The rent-to-income ratio of 20.2% and mortgage-to-income of 22.7% both sit comfortably below stress thresholds, giving the majority of households financial headroom. The need-for-assistance rate of 4.6% (109 residents) is modest relative to the population. No schools are recorded within the 1.01 square kilometre boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs such as Walkerville and Prospect.
Drive
71.2%
Public Transport
5.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
14.7%
Growth Outlook
With just 31 development applications in the past 12 months and most of those being alterations rather than new dwellings, supply growth in Vale Park is constrained by both lot size and zoning, which means demand pressure feeds directly into prices rather than new stock. The turnover rate of 27.4% indicates that about one in four residents moved to the suburb in the past five years, above the 72.6% who stayed, suggesting net inflow is active. Healthcare and education sector growth in adjacent precincts along Portrush Road and Lower Torrens supports longer-term demand from professional workers seeking the suburb's detached-house stock.
Population trend: Walkerville council area
Vale Park sits in the Walkerville council area. These are the council area's residents, not Vale Park's.
Residents 2025
8,673
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.9%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
97
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
39.6
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Vale Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Vale Park?
No schools are recorded within Vale Park's 1.01 square kilometre boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, the local population is highly educated: 52.5% hold university qualifications, which is 22.4 percentage points above the national average, reflecting the professional demographic that makes up most of the workforce.
Is Vale Park safe?
Vale Park recorded 97 incidents in the reference period, giving a crime rate of 39.6 per 1,000 residents. As additional context, 43% of households own their homes outright and the area has low housing stress, with mortgage-to-income at 22.7% and rent-to-income at 20.2%, both well below the 30% stress threshold, factors generally associated with residential stability.
How is Vale Park's population changing?
Vale Park has a population of 2,452 in a 1.01 square kilometre area, giving a density of 2,435 per square kilometre. The turnover rate of 27.4% means roughly one in four residents arrived in the past five years, while 72.6% stayed long-term. The median age of 42 is 2 years above national, pointing to gradual aging of the resident base over time.
What languages are spoken in Vale Park?
About 31.9% of Vale Park residents were born overseas, which is 10.3 percentage points above the national average. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (51 speakers), Italian (34) and Greek (31). Ancestry data shows Italian (292) and Chinese (229) communities are among the most established alongside the English majority of 741 residents.
How much development is happening in Vale Park?
Vale Park recorded 31 development applications in the past 12 months. Most are upgrades to existing dwellings, such as verandahs, sheds and tree removals, rather than new housing supply. This pattern is typical for a mature suburb where 82.8% of homes are separate houses and 43% of households own outright, with owners investing in their existing properties rather than subdividing.
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).
Explore Vale Park on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map