Walkley Heights
Household stability stands out in Walkley Heights: 85.2% of residents stayed at the same address, while 81.0% of homes are separate houses and the median age is 42. The suburb has 3,513 residents across 1.63 sq km, with household income at the 62.5th percentile nationally. Compared with nearby Ingle Farm and Salisbury, Walkley Heights has a notably detached housing profile, with only 1.3% of homes recorded as apartments. Its overseas-born share is 32.8%, or 11.2 percentage points above the national figure, while reported crime is 23.1 incidents per 1,000 residents.
Population
3,513
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,773/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$1.3M
First quarter 2026
Walkley Heights suits buyers prioritising established, family-sized homes, but the entry point is substantial. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 44.1% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes 39.7%, supporting family use rather than apartment-led demand. The tenure mix is 30.6% owned outright and 44.0% mortgaged, so many buyers are likely to be upgrading or carrying debt. Mortgage costs equal 22.1% of household income, higher than the 20.9% rent-to-income figure.
For Buyers
Walkley Heights suits buyers prioritising established, family-sized homes, but the entry point is substantial. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 44.1% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes 39.7%, supporting family use rather than apartment-led demand. The tenure mix is 30.6% owned outright and 44.0% mortgaged, so many buyers are likely to be upgrading or carrying debt. Mortgage costs equal 22.1% of household income, higher than the 20.9% rent-to-income figure.
For Investors
Walkley Heights presents a low-renter, owner-occupier-heavy investment market. Only 12.5% of households rent, below the 44.0% share with a mortgage, which can support neighbourhood stability but may limit the depth of the tenant pool compared with more rental-oriented suburbs. Weekly rent is $370 and vacancy is 4.1%, indicating that leasing conditions are not exceptionally tight. Fourteen development applications in 12 months suggest ongoing incremental housing activity rather than a large project pipeline.
Development Activity
Total DAs
68
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+27.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Walkley Heights has an older age profile than Australia overall, with a median age of 42, which is 2 years above the national figure. University attainment is 36.0%, or 5.9 percentage points above the national comparison, while 32.8% of residents were born overseas, 11.2 points above the national share. English ancestry is most common at 1,104 people, followed by Other at 576, Indian at 255, German at 232 and Scottish at 213. Christianity is recorded for 1,659 residents, no religion for 1,058 and Hinduism for 171. The average household size is 2.7, 0.2 above the national figure, because couples with children make up 49.7% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.0%
Houses
17.7%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Walkley Heights is strongly detached and family-oriented: 81.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 17.7% are semi-detached and 1.3% are apartments. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 44.1% and three-bedroom homes 39.7%, so the stock is weighted toward larger households. Ownership is split between 30.6% outright owners, 44.0% mortgage holders and 12.5% renters, with 12.9% in other tenure categories. The latest price is higher than the earlier quarter, while mortgage costs at 22.1% of household income remain close to the 20.9% rent burden.
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$370
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$715
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.1%
Unoccupied
53
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.7%
Couples with children
36.1%
Couples, no children
14.2%
Single parent
973
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Walkley Heights' largest employment industry at 21.4%, representing 231 workers, followed by Education at 14.6% and 158 workers, Public Administration at 11.1% and 120, Professional and Technical services at 7.9% and 85, and Manufacturing at 7.1% and 77. The occupation mix is led by Professionals at 376 people, Clerical and Administrative workers at 270, Trades at 209, Managers at 202 and Community and Personal Service workers at 183. The unemployment rate is 3.9%, with a 59.8% participation rate and 59.7% working full time. Household income is $1,773 per week, placing the suburb at the 62.5th percentile nationally, because professional, public-sector and service employment supports earnings above the midpoint of the national distribution.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
1,707
Unemployed
67
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.7%
Part-time
36.4%
Participation
59.8%
Employed
1,640
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.0%
Postgraduate
8.6%
Born Overseas
32.8%
Dwellings
1,246
Transport to Work
Walkley Heights is highly car-dependent: 80.0% of residents drive to work, compared with 5.2% using public transport and 0.8% walking or cycling. That pattern makes private vehicle access important for commuting, while 8.8% work from home. Reported crime totals 81 incidents, equal to 23.1 per 1,000 residents, supporting the suburb's low-crime profile, although street-level conditions can vary. The suburb covers 1.63 sq km at a density of 2,159.9 residents per sq km, so local services and arterial-road access matter more than a large open-suburb layout. Volunteering is 17.1%, and 8.2% of residents need assistance, indicating some demand for accessible community services.
Drive
80.0%
Public Transport
5.2%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
8.8%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
81
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
23.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Walkley Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Walkley Heights a good suburb to live in?
Walkley Heights suits households seeking detached homes, relatively stable occupancy and a low reported crime rate of 23.1 incidents per 1,000 residents. The trade-off is car dependence, with 80.0% driving to work compared with 5.2% using public transport.
What schools are in Walkley Heights?
School choices should be checked against the exact address and nearby catchments. Walkley Heights covers 1.63 sq km, so families should confirm enrolment eligibility, transport options and before or after-school care before buying or renting.
Is Walkley Heights safe?
Walkley Heights recorded 81 reported crimes, equal to 23.1 incidents per 1,000 residents. That supports a low-crime profile, but buyers and renters should still inspect the immediate street and compare conditions around major roads and shared facilities.
How is Walkley Heights's population changing?
Walkley Heights has 3,513 residents, with 85.2% staying at the same address and 14.8% turning over. That pattern indicates relatively stable population movement, while 14 development applications in 12 months point to gradual housing change.
What languages are spoken in Walkley Heights?
The overseas-born share is 32.8%. Punjabi is recorded for 91 residents, followed by Guj at 24, Hindi at 23, Mandarin at 21 and Malayalam at 20, reflecting language needs beyond English in local services.
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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