Adelaide, SA: suburb profile

The population of Adelaide SA is 18,202 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Adelaide is $726 per week ($37,752 per year). Median rent in Adelaide is $400 per week ($1,733 per month). Adelaide has a median age of 31 years, younger than the national median of 38. Adelaide has a population density of 1,736 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Adelaide is China. The most common religion is No religion (52.9% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Adelaide is $1,733.

There were 3,857 recorded offences in Adelaide in 2025-26, a rate of 212 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (2,083 offences).

Population
18,202
Census 2021
Median income
$726/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$400/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
31years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au), 2025-26.

Adelaide vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Adelaide is $726 a week, 4% below the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 400th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $400 a week, $100 more than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 29.3% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 31, 12 years younger than in the typical SA suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureAdelaideTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$726/wk$759/wk −4%$766/wk
Household income$1,365/wk$1,494/wk −9%$1,637/wk
Rent$400/wk$300/wk +33%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,733/mo$1,534/mo +13%$1,733/mo
Median age3143 −12 yrs42
Rent share of household income29.3%19.5% +9.8 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Adelaide, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Adelaide Population

18,202 residents at the 2021 Census.

Adelaide Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$726/wk
$37,752 per year
Ranked 4,991 of 14,663
Median Rent
$400/wk
$1,733 per month
Ranked 1,854 of 14,663
Median Age
31years
7 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg household size: 1.8 · 1 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Adelaide Rent Prices & Affordability

29% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,365/wk
Median rent $400/wk
Rent to income 29.3%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Adelaide against your income

About $5,915 a month
Median rent $400/wk
Left after rent $965/wk
Rent share 29.3%

Adelaide Schools

36
schools nearby
11
government
1108
avg ICSEA score
17,434
total students
Wilderness School Independent
Combined · R-12 · 856 students
1176
ICSEA
Pulteney Grammar School Independent
Combined · R-12 · 839 students
1170
ICSEA
Annesley College Independent
Primary · R-6 · 292 students
1164
ICSEA
St Peter's College Independent
Combined · R-12 · 1,585 students
1164
ICSEA
Rose Park Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 525 students
1162
ICSEA
Unley Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 470 students
1154
ICSEA
Goodwood Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 408 students
1147
ICSEA
North Adelaide Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 296 students
1144
ICSEA
Prince Alfred College Independent
Combined · R-12 · 1,127 students
1143
ICSEA
Sunrise Christian School Fullarton Independent
Primary · R-6 · 175 students
1133
ICSEA
Parkside Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 331 students
1126
ICSEA
Richmond Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 362 students
1122
ICSEA
East Adelaide School Government
Primary · R-6 · 495 students
1117
ICSEA
St Thomas' School Catholic
Primary · R-6 · 297 students
1116
ICSEA
Sturt Street Community School Government
Primary · R-6 · 162 students
1114
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 36 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Adelaide, with a map

Adelaide Map

Adelaide, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Adelaide

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 52.5% (9,561) Female 47.5% (8,647)

Population Density

1,736
people per km²
18,202 people · 10.5 km²

Households

1.8
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$2,056
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

China
15.7%
India
3.7%
England
3.6%
Malaysia
3.6%
Hong Kong
2.7%
Vietnam
2.0%
South Korea
1.6%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
17.8%
Cantonese
4.2%
Vietnamese
2.0%
Hindi
1.5%
Korean
1.5%
Spanish
1.1%
Arabic
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Chinese
25.5%
English
23.8%
Australian
14.2%
Irish
7.1%
Scottish
6.5%
German
4.3%
Indian
4.1%
Italian
3.7%
Vietnamese
2.3%
Korean
1.7%
Greek
1.6%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
52.9%
Not stated
10.8%
Catholic
10.5%
Buddhism
4.9%
Anglican
3.9%
Hinduism
3.2%
Islam
2.9%
Christian (other)
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
23.3% 4,027
Separated
2.6% 449
Divorced
8.1% 1,398
Widowed
2.0% 344
Never married
64.0% 11,046

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
60.4%
Couple: children under 15
21.2%
Couple: no children under 15
6.4%
One parent: children under 15
6.2%
One parent: no children under 15
5.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
45.4%
2 persons
39.6%
3 persons
10.1%
4 persons
3.9%
5 persons
0.6%
6+ persons
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Adelaide

Housing Tenure

Of the 8,254 occupied private dwellings in Adelaide at the 2021 Census, 63.8% were rented, 17.5% owned outright and 15.0% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.3% 187 dwellings
Owned outright
17.5% 1,445 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
15.0% 1,234 dwellings
Rented
63.8% 5,266 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.4% 117 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Semi-detached (2+ storey)
61.4%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
24.7%
Separate house
13.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
24.7%
2 bedrooms
53.9%
3 bedrooms
18.7%
4 bedrooms
2.0%
5 bedrooms
0.3%
6+ bedrooms
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.2%
$300-$449/mo
2.6%
$450-$599/mo
2.1%
$600-$799/mo
3.8%
$800-$999/mo
6.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
16.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
20.8%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
24.4%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
10.9%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
6.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
37.7%
1 vehicle
48.5%
2 vehicles
11.8%
3 vehicles
1.4%
4+ vehicles
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Adelaide

Employment

Employed full-time
33.4% 5,195 people
Employed part-time
22.4% 3,486 people
Unemployed
6.9% 1,071 people
Not in labour force
37.3% 5,793 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
43.3%
Managers
13.6%
Community & Personal Service
11.3%
Clerical & Administrative
11.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
8.9%
Sales Workers
5.3%
Labourers
4.7%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
7.3%
$1-$149/wk
1.8%
$150-$299/wk
3.2%
$300-$399/wk
4.0%
$400-$499/wk
5.3%
$500-$649/wk
5.7%
$650-$799/wk
4.3%
$800-$999/wk
6.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.9%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.9%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.6%
$4,000+/wk
9.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
18.1%
$1-$149/wk
3.7%
$150-$299/wk
6.6%
$300-$399/wk
3.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.6%
$500-$649/wk
4.3%
$650-$799/wk
6.9%
$800-$999/wk
8.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
8.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.3%
$3,500+/wk
4.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Walked only
33.8%
Car (driver)
31.2%
Did not go to work
10.8%
Bus
10.0%
Car (passenger)
3.8%
Bicycle
3.4%
Tram/Light Rail
3.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
1.1%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.9%
Other
0.8%
Train
0.7%
Truck
0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
84.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
6.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.5%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
46.3%
Postgraduate Degree
23.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
13.4%
Certificate III/IV
10.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.7%
Certificate I/II
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
28.2%
Society & Culture
14.5%
Health
13.5%
Engineering
10.3%
Creative Arts
7.3%
Information Technology
6.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.1%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.7%
Education
4.4%
Architecture & Building
4.3%
Agriculture & Environment
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Vocational Education
42.7%
Primary: Government
22.0%
Secondary: Government
12.2%
Pre-school
6.1%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
5.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
4.9%
Primary: Catholic
3.9%
Secondary: Catholic
3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
88.3%
Has need for assistance
2.9%
Need for assistance not stated
8.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
1,660
Asthma
487
Arthritis
352
Heart disease
308
Diabetes
302
Cancer
211
Lung condition
175
Stroke
92
Kidney disease
75
Dementia
25

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
7.9% 1,228
Did not provide
92.1% 14,412

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
19.6% 3,074
Not a volunteer
80.4% 12,587

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.2% 25
Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 32
Previously served
1.6% 250
Never served
98.0% 15,404

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
71.5%
1 child
9.9%
2 children
12.3%
3 children
4.6%
4 children
1.5%
5+ children
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
43
1951: 1960
180
1961: 1970
295
1971: 1980
225
1981: 1990
337
1991: 2000
358
2001: 2010
1,040
2011: 2015
1,501
2016
715
2017
960
2018
1,087
2019
1,549
2020
807
2021
146

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

37.5%
moved in the last year
75.8%
moved in the last 5 years
10.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
59.1%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
10,357
Moved from SA
2,794
Moved: same area (SA2)
1,724
Moved from overseas
438
Moved from NSW
395
Moved from VIC
393
Moved from QLD
195
Moved from WA
62
Moved from NT
60
Moved from TAS
46
Moved from ACT
36

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.6%
5: 14 hours
28.4%
15: 29 hours
7.8%
30+ hours
3.7%
Did not do domestic work
35.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
89.8%
Step family: no other children
9.0%
Blended family: no other children
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Adelaide Crime Statistics

3,857 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
2,083
Assault
874
Property Damage
433
Break & Enter
210
Fraud
158
Other Against Person
68
Robbery
31

Total offences by year

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Adelaide

The closest suburb to Adelaide is Kent Town, 1.8 km away.

Kent Town
1.8 km away · income $831/wk · rent $330/wk
North Adelaide
1.9 km away · income $964/wk · rent $390/wk
Wayville
2.3 km away · income $979/wk · rent $350/wk
Unley
2.5 km away · income $1,066/wk · rent $372/wk
Rose Park
2.6 km away · income $1,132/wk · rent $365/wk
Parkside (SA)
2.7 km away · income $1,038/wk · rent $395/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Adelaide

What is the population of Adelaide SA?

The population of Adelaide SA is 18,202 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,736 people per km². Adelaide is ranked #179 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Adelaide?

The median personal income in Adelaide SA is $726 per week, or $37,752 per year. The median household income is $1,365 per week. Family income is $2,056 per week. Adelaide is ranked #4,991 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Adelaide?

Median rent in Adelaide SA is $400 per week ($1,733 per month). Rent represents 29.3% of household income, which is considered moderate. Adelaide ranks #1,854 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Adelaide?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Adelaide SA is $1,733. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Adelaide?

The median age in Adelaide SA is 31 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Adelaide a good suburb to live in?

Adelaide is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 18,202. The median income is $726/wk, which is below the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (29.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 40002. All dollar figures in AUD.