Vista
At 1,035 residents packed into 1.84 square kilometres, Vista is one of Adelaide's smaller footprint suburbs, yet it punches above average on income, with household income at the 65.7th percentile nationally. Every dwelling in Vista is a separate house, a 100% detached rate that is unusual compared to most urban SA suburbs, and 40.9% of those homes are owned outright, reflecting an established, financially settled population. The median age of 43 sits 3.0 years above the national figure, and the aging trajectory is confirmed by a 6.9 point rise in the senior share over the decade.
Population
1,035
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,820/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$965K
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price reached $965,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up 18.8% from $812,000 a year earlier, a sharp single-year gain that puts Vista well above the SA state median. All dwellings are separate houses, so buyers face no unit or apartment alternatives within the suburb. The bedroom mix leans toward 3-bedroom homes at 61.7% and 4-plus bedroom at 34.2%, with very few smaller options. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,636, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means the current income base comfortably supports ownership at these prices. Outright ownership at 40.9% signals a mature community with long-held properties.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $965,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up 18.8% from $812,000 a year earlier, a sharp single-year gain that puts Vista well above the SA state median. All dwellings are separate houses, so buyers face no unit or apartment alternatives within the suburb. The bedroom mix leans toward 3-bedroom homes at 61.7% and 4-plus bedroom at 34.2%, with very few smaller options. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,636, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 20.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means the current income base comfortably supports ownership at these prices. Outright ownership at 40.9% signals a mature community with long-held properties.
For Investors
Rental demand is limited, with only 10.9% of households renting, far lower than the national average, and weekly rent at $370. Against a $965,000 median, that implies a gross yield under 2%, which is low. The vacancy rate of 2.5% is tight and suggests the small rental pool stays occupied. Development activity is modest at 19 applications over 12 months, mostly dwelling alterations and ancillary accommodation rather than new builds. Overseas migration is strong at a net 391 arrivals per year for the broader SA area, which supports long-term demand, but Vista's rental market is thin by design because most residents own their homes.
Development Activity
Total DAs
110
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+23.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Vista's median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, and the senior share rose 6.9 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.1 points, a classic aging trajectory. The overseas-born share is 19.0%, which is 2.6 points below the national figure. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English leads at 478 residents, followed by Scottish (98), Irish (94), German (87) and Italian (72). University qualifications reach 34.0%, which is 3.9 points above the national average, and the average household size of 2.6 is slightly above national. Couples with children (359 families) outnumber couples without children (262), which is consistent with a suburb that is family-oriented despite an aging median.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Vista is 100% separate houses, with no apartments or semi-detached dwellings recorded, a level of detached-housing dominance that is uncommon in urban Adelaide. Tenure splits into 40.9% outright owners, 48.2% mortgage holders and 10.9% renters. The high mortgage share at 48.2% relative to outright ownership suggests a good proportion of buyers entered in the last decade rather than a suburb that has fully cycled to debt-free holding. The median house price rose from $812,000 to $965,000 between the first quarters of 2025 and 2026, an 18.8% gain over one year. Bedroom distribution centres on 3-bedroom homes at 61.7%, with 4-plus bedroom homes providing a meaningful 34.2% share for families.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,636
Rent / wk
$370
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$848
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.5%
Unoccupied
10
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.1%
Couples, no children
901
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employment sector at 17.0% of local workers (59 people), followed by Education at 12.9% (45) and Construction at 11.2% (39), with Retail at 9.8% and Public Admin at 9.2%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 109 workers, ahead of Clerical/Admin (80), Managers (71), Sales (57) and Community/Personal service workers (48). The unemployment rate is low at 3.0%, and the full-time employment rate is 63.7%, with 309 workers employed full-time and 176 part-time. Household income sits at the 65.7th percentile nationally and personal weekly income averages $848, higher than many SA suburban benchmarks. Participation at 59.2% is pulled down by 301 residents not in the labour force, which reflects the older age profile.
Unemployment
2.7%
Labour Force
13,307
Unemployed
359
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.7%
Part-time
33.3%
Participation
59.2%
Employed
485
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.0%
Postgraduate
6.5%
Born Overseas
19.0%
Dwellings
397
Transport to Work
Vista is almost entirely car-dependent, with 85.3% of residents driving to work, while public transport use sits at just 7.5%, below typical urban SA levels. The suburb records a low crime rate of 13.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, with only 14 total incidents, placing it among the quieter residential pockets in Adelaide. Housing stress is absent on both measures: rent-to-income at 20.3% and mortgage-to-income at 20.8% are both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Volunteering at 17.1% is healthy, and 4.5% of residents (46 people) need daily assistance, a modest figure for a suburb with a median age of 43. No schools are recorded within the Vista boundary, so families rely on facilities in neighbouring suburbs.
Drive
85.3%
Public Transport
7.5%
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.17%/yr
(+272 people/yr)
EstablishedThe broader area has grown 16.5% over the past decade, and current annual growth runs at 1.17%, adding roughly 272 persons per year. Overseas migration is the primary driver, with a net 391 arrivals per year, while internal migration shows a net outflow of 82, consistent with an established suburb that attracts new arrivals from overseas rather than interstate movers. Medium forecasts project the regional population climbing from around 23,504 in 2026 to 24,862 by 2031. The gentrification score is low at 17 (not gentrifying), though there are early signals including a population rise of over 20% since 2011 and strong overseas inflow. Rent growth of 19.6% over the period shows housing costs tracking upward faster than inflation.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+391
Net Internal / yr
-82
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +20% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +391/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
14
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
13.5
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Vista compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vista a good suburb to live in?
Vista offers low housing stress (mortgage-to-income 20.8%), a low crime rate of 13.5 per 1,000 residents, and household income at the 65.7th percentile nationally. The suburb is 100% separate houses with 40.9% owned outright, indicating an established and financially stable community. The main trade-off is high car dependency at 85.3% and limited public transport at 7.5%.
What is the median house price in Vista?
The median house price in Vista reached $965,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up 18.8% from $812,000 in the first quarter of 2025. Weekly rent averages $370 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,636, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.8%.
What schools are in Vista?
No schools are recorded within the Vista boundary in this dataset. The suburb has 1,035 residents across 1.84 square kilometres, and families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. University qualifications among local residents reach 34.0%, which is 3.9 points above the national figure.
Is Vista safe?
Vista recorded 14 total crime incidents in the reference period, giving a rate of 13.5 per 1,000 residents. This is low compared to many urban SA suburbs. Only 4.5% of residents need daily assistance, and housing stress indicators are well below the 30% threshold, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Vista good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $370 against a $965,000 median implies a gross yield under 2%, which is low. However, the vacancy rate is tight at 2.5% and prices rose 18.8% in one year. The rental pool is thin at 10.9% renters, so investment returns depend heavily on capital growth rather than rental yield.
How is Vista's population changing?
The population of Vista is 1,035 and the broader area has grown 16.5% over the past decade. Annual growth currently runs at 1.17%. Overseas migration is the primary driver at net 391 arrivals per year, while internal migration shows a net outflow of 82. The suburb's own population is aging, with the senior share up 6.9 points over the decade.
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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