Athelstone, SA: suburb profile

The population of Athelstone SA is 9,601 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Athelstone is $829 per week ($43,108 per year). Median rent in Athelstone is $360 per week ($1,560 per month). Athelstone has a median age of 43 years, older than the national median of 38. Athelstone has a population density of 1,548 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Athelstone is Italy. The most common religion is Catholic (33.5% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Athelstone is $1,733.

There were 73 recorded offences in Athelstone in 2025-26, a rate of 8 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (36 offences).

Population
9,601
Census 2021
Median income
$829/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$360/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
43years
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.

Athelstone vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Athelstone is $829 a week, 9% above the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 229th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $360 a week, $60 more than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 18.5% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 43, the same age as in the typical SA suburb.

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureAthelstoneTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$829/wk$759/wk +9%$766/wk
Household income$1,941/wk$1,494/wk +30%$1,637/wk
Rent$360/wk$300/wk +20%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,733/mo$1,534/mo +13%$1,733/mo
Median age4343 0 yrs42
Rent share of household income18.5%19.5% −0.9 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 Athelstone, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Athelstone Population

9,601 residents at the 2021 Census.

Athelstone Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$829/wk
$43,108 per year
Ranked 3,117 of 14,663
Median Rent
$360/wk
$1,560 per month
Ranked 2,908 of 14,663
Median Age
43years
5 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg household size: 2.7 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Athelstone Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,941/wk
Median rent $360/wk
Rent to income 18.5%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Athelstone against your income

About $8,411 a month
Median rent $360/wk
Left after rent $1,581/wk
Rent share 18.5%

Athelstone Schools

8
schools nearby
5
government
1082
avg ICSEA score
4,939
total students
Saint Ignatius' College Catholic
Combined · R-12 · 1,421 students
1151
ICSEA
Stradbroke School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 694 students
1111
ICSEA
Athelstone School Government
Primary · R-6 · 368 students
1100
ICSEA
Torrens Valley Christian School Independent
Combined · R-12 · 565 students
1085
ICSEA
Thorndon Park Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 266 students
1069
ICSEA
Rostrevor College Catholic
Combined · R-12 · 985 students
1064
ICSEA
Highbury Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 499 students
1054
ICSEA
Paradise Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 141 students
1022
ICSEA

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

All schools near Athelstone, with a map

Athelstone Map

Athelstone, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Athelstone

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 50.0% (4,802) Female 50.0% (4,801)

Population Density

1,548
people per km²
9,601 people · 6.2 km²

Households

2.7
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,267
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

Italy
4.7%
England
4.2%
India
2.2%
China
1.9%
Malaysia
1.5%
South Africa
0.7%
Iran
0.7%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Italian
7.3%
Mandarin
2.3%
Greek
1.8%
Arabic
1.4%
Cantonese
1.4%
Punjabi
1.1%
Hindi
0.7%

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

Ancestry

Italian
27.6%
English
27.5%
Australian
25.1%
Scottish
6.4%
Irish
6.2%
Chinese
5.3%
German
5.3%
Greek
3.3%
Indian
2.4%
Dutch
1.7%
Polish
1.5%

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

Catholic
33.5%
No religion
32.2%
Anglican
4.8%
Uniting Church
4.7%
Not stated
4.0%
Eastern Orthodox
3.6%
Other religions
2.3%
Christian (other)
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.6%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
57.1% 4,596
Separated
2.1% 170
Divorced
6.8% 545
Widowed
4.3% 348
Never married
29.7% 2,390

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
37.5%
Couple: no children under 15
26.4%
Couple: no children
25.8%
One parent: no children under 15
6.1%
One parent: children under 15
4.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
18.8%
2 persons
34.0%
3 persons
18.9%
4 persons
20.0%
5 persons
6.5%
6+ persons
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Athelstone

Housing Tenure

Of the 3,542 occupied private dwellings in Athelstone at the 2021 Census, 12.8% were rented, 44.0% owned outright and 41.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 43 dwellings
Owned outright
44.0% 1,558 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
41.1% 1,456 dwellings
Rented
12.8% 453 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 37 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
86.6%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
11.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
0.3%
2 bedrooms
6.8%
3 bedrooms
50.8%
4 bedrooms
34.9%
5 bedrooms
6.2%
6+ bedrooms
1.0%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.6%
$300-$449/mo
2.7%
$450-$599/mo
1.7%
$600-$799/mo
3.7%
$800-$999/mo
3.8%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
15.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
19.6%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
27.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
11.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
7.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
2.8%
1 vehicle
28.9%
2 vehicles
43.6%
3 vehicles
15.0%
4+ vehicles
9.7%

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

Work, income and education in Athelstone

Employment

Employed full-time
38.6% 2,957 people
Employed part-time
25.5% 1,949 people
Unemployed
3.0% 232 people
Not in labour force
32.9% 2,516 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
35.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
14.3%
Managers
13.9%
Clerical & Administrative
13.4%
Community & Personal Service
10.8%
Sales Workers
5.0%
Labourers
4.3%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.8%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.3%
$1-$149/wk
0.4%
$150-$299/wk
1.1%
$300-$399/wk
1.5%
$400-$499/wk
4.9%
$500-$649/wk
3.2%
$650-$799/wk
6.0%
$800-$999/wk
5.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.5%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
12.0%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
10.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
9.0%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.3%
$4,000+/wk
12.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.6%
$1-$149/wk
5.0%
$150-$299/wk
7.1%
$300-$399/wk
4.4%
$400-$499/wk
3.0%
$500-$649/wk
3.2%
$650-$799/wk
8.1%
$800-$999/wk
10.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.3%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.6%
$3,500+/wk
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
75.0%
Did not go to work
11.1%
Bus
6.1%
Car (passenger)
5.1%
Truck
0.7%
Bicycle
0.6%
Walked only
0.5%
Other
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
69.7%
Year 11 or equivalent
16.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
11.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.8%

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
35.9%
Certificate III/IV
27.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.4%
Postgraduate Degree
12.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.3%
Certificate I/II
1.6%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
24.8%
Engineering
15.4%
Society & Culture
13.1%
Health
12.4%
Education
10.2%
Architecture & Building
6.1%
Creative Arts
4.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.4%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.9%
Information Technology
3.7%
Agriculture & Environment
1.7%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.3%
Secondary: Catholic
17.4%
Secondary: Government
14.4%
Primary: Catholic
14.1%
Vocational Education
9.1%
Pre-school
8.3%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.9%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.4%

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
93.1%
Has need for assistance
4.6%
Need for assistance not stated
2.3%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
732
Asthma
317
Arthritis
296
Diabetes
291
Heart disease
271
Cancer
146
Lung condition
127
Stroke
73
Kidney disease
51
Dementia
21

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.5% 1,209
Did not provide
84.5% 6,612

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.1% 1,423
Not a volunteer
81.9% 6,437

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 8
Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 13
Previously served
2.5% 198
Never served
97.2% 7,661

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
29.7%
1 child
13.5%
2 children
35.9%
3 children
15.9%
4 children
4.4%
5+ children
0.8%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
62
1951: 1960
364
1961: 1970
432
1971: 1980
200
1981: 1990
257
1991: 2000
237
2001: 2010
550
2011: 2015
305
2016
51
2017
48
2018
60
2019
68
2020
28
2021
4

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

Population Mobility

9.6%
moved in the last year
29.8%
moved in the last 5 years
4.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
66.6%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
8,413
Moved from SA
670
Moved: same area (SA2)
110
Moved from overseas
34
Moved from NSW
25
Moved from VIC
25
Moved from NT
6
Moved from ACT
5
Moved from WA
4
Moved from QLD
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.2%
5: 14 hours
32.0%
15: 29 hours
14.9%
30+ hours
8.8%
Did not do domestic work
22.1%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
92.9%
Step family: no other children
4.4%
Blended family: no other children
2.2%
Intact family: other children present
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Athelstone Crime Statistics

73 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
36
Assault
20
Property Damage
8
Break & Enter
7
Fraud
2

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 Athelstone

The closest suburb to Athelstone is Highbury (SA), 2.1 km away.

Highbury (SA)
2.1 km away · income $856/wk · rent $369/wk
Newton
2.6 km away · income $752/wk · rent $350/wk
Rostrevor
2.8 km away · income $783/wk · rent $380/wk
Hope Valley (SA)
2.8 km away · income $658/wk · rent $320/wk
Dernancourt
2.9 km away · income $801/wk · rent $380/wk
Paradise (SA)
2.9 km away · income $710/wk · rent $330/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Athelstone

What is the population of Athelstone SA?

The population of Athelstone SA is 9,601 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,548 people per km². Athelstone is ranked #689 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Athelstone?

The median personal income in Athelstone SA is $829 per week, or $43,108 per year. The median household income is $1,941 per week. Family income is $2,267 per week. Athelstone is ranked #3,117 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Athelstone?

Median rent in Athelstone SA is $360 per week ($1,560 per month). Rent represents 18.5% of household income, which is considered affordable. Athelstone ranks #2,908 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Athelstone?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Athelstone 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 Athelstone?

The median age in Athelstone SA is 43 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Athelstone a good suburb to live in?

Athelstone is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 9,601. The median income is $829/wk, which is above the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.5% 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: 40049. All dollar figures in AUD.