West Beach
A $1,530,000 median house price sits beside a 9.9% rental vacancy rate in West Beach, an unusual pairing for a beachside Adelaide suburb. Household income reads in the 61.2nd percentile nationally, more modest than the price tag implies, which means much of the value is locational rather than income-driven. The suburb scores decile 8 on both IRSAD and IRSD, a high but not top advantage tier, and the population skews older at a median age of 45, fully 5.0 years above the national figure. Separate houses dominate the stock at 66.0%, university qualifications reach 41.7% (11.6 points above national), and the population of 5,175 is growing slowly at 0.91% a year.
Population
5,175
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,746/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
69
Median House
$1.5M
Median 1Q 2026
The $1,530,000 median places West Beach among Adelaide's pricier coastal markets, and prices rose 6.6% over a single year from $1,435,500 in 1Q 2025. The stock favours families: 66.0% are separate houses against just 20.7% apartments, and three-bedroom homes lead at 42.8% with four-plus bedroom dwellings at 30.0%. Despite the high median, monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 26.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, because outright owners (39.9%) outnumber mortgage holders (33.2%). That tenure split tells buyers the market is held by established, debt-free owners rather than recent purchasers, so detached-house listings turn over slowly and command a premium.
For Buyers
The $1,530,000 median places West Beach among Adelaide's pricier coastal markets, and prices rose 6.6% over a single year from $1,435,500 in 1Q 2025. The stock favours families: 66.0% are separate houses against just 20.7% apartments, and three-bedroom homes lead at 42.8% with four-plus bedroom dwellings at 30.0%. Despite the high median, monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 26.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, because outright owners (39.9%) outnumber mortgage holders (33.2%). That tenure split tells buyers the market is held by established, debt-free owners rather than recent purchasers, so detached-house listings turn over slowly and command a premium.
For Investors
A 26.9% renter share with weekly rent of $320 gives landlords a tenant pool, but the yield math is tight. Against the $1,530,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 1.1%, very low even for coastal Adelaide. The 9.9% vacancy rate also points to softer rental demand than a beachside location might suggest. Rent grew 23.1% over the period, so escalation rather than current yield carries the case. Demand support leans on overseas migration, the primary driver at 75 net arrivals a year versus only 10 net internal, and 66 development applications were lodged in 12 months, mostly pools, verandahs and ancillary accommodation rather than new dwellings. With 0.91% annual population growth, returns depend more on capital growth than volume or yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
416
Last 12 Months
69
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+15.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in West Beach iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
West Beach Primary School
U, R-6 · 297 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 runs 5.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is gently aging: the senior share rose 1.3 points while the working-age share fell 0.8 points. Overseas-born residents reach 23.7%, only 2.1 points above national, so the suburb is more Anglo-leaning than most coastal Adelaide. Ancestry is led by English (2,002), Scottish (485), Irish (462) and Italian (416), and the top non-English languages are Greek (81 speakers), Italian (33) and Punjabi (29). University qualifications at 41.7% sit 11.6 points above national, pointing to a professional resident base. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, consistent with the 30.1% share of families that are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
66.0%
Houses
12.6%
Townhouse
20.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward outright ownership: 39.9% own their home outright, 33.2% carry a mortgage and 26.9% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders signals long-held, debt-free wealth rather than a churn of recent buyers. The stock is 66.0% separate houses, 20.7% apartments and 12.6% semi-detached, so the suburb keeps a low-density family character. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 42.8% and four-plus bedroom homes 30.0%, leaving two-bedroom stock at 22.7%. The median house price rose from $1,435,500 to $1,530,000 across 2025-2026, a 6.6% move. Mortgage-to-income at 26.5% and rent-to-income at 18.3% both sit below stress thresholds, a comfort that reflects the high share of established owners despite household income in only the 61.2nd percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$896
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.9%
Unoccupied
226
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.1%
Couples, no children
4,069
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in services rather than industry: Healthcare leads at 18.6% (341 workers), Education follows at 11.3% (208) and Professional/Tech at 10.3% (188), with Construction at 9.3% and Public Admin at 8.9%. By occupation, Professionals (696) and Managers (436) dominate, which aligns with the decile 7 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment sits at 5.3% and the full-time rate at 61.0%, while participation reads 59.7%, held down by the older profile that leaves 1,503 residents not in the labour force. Real incomes grew 13.5% over the decade. SEIFA reads decile 8 on IRSAD and IRSD but decile 7 on both IEO and IER, a step lower because household income lands in the 61.2nd percentile, modest relative to the suburb's property values.
Unemployment
1.2%
Labour Force
3,180
Unemployed
39
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.0%
Part-time
33.7%
Participation
59.7%
Employed
2,477
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.7%
Postgraduate
10.0%
Born Overseas
23.7%
Dwellings
2,045
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high at 87.7% driving, while only 4.0% take public transport and 3.6% walk or cycle, below the active-transport mix of inner suburbs and a reflection of the low-density coastal layout. The suburb earns decile 8 on IRSAD, a high advantage tier nationally, and decile 8 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, so few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 19.0% and 5.6% of residents (281 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 45. Crime totals 184 recorded incidents, a rate of 35.6 per 1,000 residents. No schools are recorded inside the 4.19 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the beachside setting at 1,235 residents per km2.
Drive
87.7%
Public Transport
4.0%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.91%/yr
(+50 people/yr)
EstablishedWest Beach is a slow, steady grower: population expands 0.91% a year, about 50 people, and rose 15.5% over the past decade to 5,175 residents. Historical counts climbed from 5,374 in 2023 to 5,487 in 2025, and medium forecasts carry the population to 5,777 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 75 net arrivals a year, far outweighing the 10 net internal arrivals. The gentrification stage reads early signs with a score of 31, supported by 23.1% rent growth and affordability improving from 40.5% in 2011 to 35.7% in 2021. The classification is an established suburb rather than a high-growth frontier, so expansion stays measured rather than rapid.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+75
Net Internal / yr
+10
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +17% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
184
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
35.6
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How West Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is West Beach a good suburb to live in?
West Beach scores decile 8 on both the IRSAD and IRSD SEIFA indexes, a high advantage tier nationally, with university qualifications at 41.7%, 11.6 points above national. It is a low-density family area where 66.0% of dwellings are separate houses. The main trade-off is a high $1,530,000 median house price.
What is the median house price in West Beach?
The median house price is $1,530,000 as of 1Q 2026, up 6.6% from $1,435,500 a year earlier. Weekly rent averages $320 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in West Beach?
No schools are recorded inside the 4.19 km2 West Beach boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local resident base is well educated, with university qualifications at 41.7%, which is 11.6 points above the national figure.
Is West Beach safe?
West Beach recorded 184 crime incidents, a rate of 35.6 per 1,000 residents. As a supporting indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a high tier, and only 5.6% of its residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is West Beach good for property investment?
Rent of $320 a week against a $1,530,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.1%, very low, and the 9.9% vacancy rate signals softer rental demand. Net overseas migration of 75 a year supports demand, but 0.91% population growth means returns depend on capital growth more than yield.
How is West Beach's population changing?
Population grows 0.91% annually, about 50 people, and rose 15.5% over the past decade to 5,175 residents. Medium forecasts carry it to 5,777 by 2031. The profile is gently aging, with the senior share up 1.3 points and overseas migration the primary growth driver at 75 net arrivals a year.
How much development is happening in West Beach?
There were 66 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are pools, verandahs and ancillary accommodation on existing dwellings rather than new supply, consistent with an established, low-density suburb where 66.0% of stock is separate houses and growth runs at 0.91% a year.
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.
Explore West Beach on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map