Brighton, SA: suburb profile

The population of Brighton SA is 3,834 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Brighton is $875 per week ($45,500 per year). Median rent in Brighton is $360 per week ($1,560 per month). Brighton has a median age of 49 years, older than the national median of 38. Brighton has a population density of 2,505 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Brighton is England. The most common religion is No religion (46.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Greek. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brighton is $1,939.

There were 172 recorded offences in Brighton in 2025-26, a rate of 45 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (122 offences).

Population
3,834
Census 2021
Median income
$875/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$360/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
49years
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.

Brighton vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Brighton is $875 a week, 15% above the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 156th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $360 a week, $60 more than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 21.3% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 49, 6 years older 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.
MeasureBrightonTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$875/wk$759/wk +15%$766/wk
Household income$1,692/wk$1,494/wk +13%$1,637/wk
Rent$360/wk$300/wk +20%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,939/mo$1,534/mo +26%$1,733/mo
Median age4943 +6 yrs42
Rent share of household income21.3%19.5% +1.8 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 Brighton, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Brighton Population

3,834 residents at the 2021 Census.

Brighton Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$875/wk
$45,500 per year
Ranked 2,435 of 14,663
Median Rent
$360/wk
$1,560 per month
Ranked 2,908 of 14,663
Median Age
49years
11 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,939/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Brighton Rent Prices & Affordability

21% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,692/wk
Median rent $360/wk
Rent to income 21.3%

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

Median rent in Brighton against your income

About $7,332 a month
Median rent $360/wk
Left after rent $1,332/wk
Rent share 21.3%

Brighton Schools

14
schools nearby
8
government
1078
avg ICSEA score
10,091
total students
Dara School Independent
Combined · R-10 · 93 students
1176
ICSEA
Westminster School Independent
Combined · R-12 · 1,401 students
1139
ICSEA
Paringa Park Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 515 students
1101
ICSEA
McAuley Community School Catholic
Primary · R-6 · 451 students
1099
ICSEA
Seacliff Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 356 students
1094
ICSEA
Stella Maris Parish School Catholic
Primary · R-6 · 429 students
1086
ICSEA
Sacred Heart College Catholic
Combined · 7-12 · 2,033 students
1083
ICSEA
Christ the King School Catholic
Primary · R-6 · 179 students
1079
ICSEA
Brighton Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 726 students
1077
ICSEA
Brighton Secondary School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,737 students
1071
ICSEA
Seaview Downs Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 324 students
1051
ICSEA
Seaview High School Government
Secondary · U, 7-12 · 1,377 students
1038
ICSEA
Warradale Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 286 students
1032
ICSEA
Darlington Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 184 students
964
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 Brighton, with a map

Brighton Map

Brighton, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Brighton

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.3% (1,850) Female 51.7% (1,981)

Population Density

2,505
people per km²
3,834 people · 1.5 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$2,371
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

England
9.4%
Scotland
1.5%
New Zealand
1.4%
South Africa
1.0%
India
0.7%
Brazil
0.5%
Ireland
0.5%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Greek
0.8%
Mandarin
0.6%
Portuguese
0.6%
Italian
0.4%
Arabic
0.4%
German
0.4%
Spanish
0.3%

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

Ancestry

English
47.6%
Australian
33.4%
Irish
12.0%
Scottish
11.0%
German
6.8%
Italian
4.7%
Greek
2.0%
Dutch
1.5%
Chinese
1.4%
Polish
1.4%
Indian
1.1%

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
46.6%
Catholic
19.0%
Anglican
10.8%
Uniting Church
5.9%
Not stated
4.4%
Lutheran
2.0%
Christian (other)
2.0%
Eastern Orthodox
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.0%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
50.5% 1,677
Separated
3.0% 98
Divorced
10.2% 339
Widowed
7.0% 232
Never married
29.3% 972

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
36.3%
Couple: children under 15
35.6%
Couple: no children under 15
18.0%
One parent: no children under 15
5.6%
One parent: children under 15
4.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
32.3%
2 persons
38.7%
3 persons
10.9%
4 persons
12.7%
5 persons
4.0%
6+ persons
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Brighton

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,650 occupied private dwellings in Brighton at the 2021 Census, 23.5% were rented, 43.2% owned outright and 29.0% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.9% 48 dwellings
Owned outright
43.2% 713 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
29.0% 479 dwellings
Rented
23.5% 387 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 19 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
66.1%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
25.5%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
8.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.2%
2 bedrooms
28.4%
3 bedrooms
44.9%
4 bedrooms
19.0%
5 bedrooms
3.5%
6+ bedrooms
0.9%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
7.1%
$300-$449/mo
1.8%
$450-$599/mo
1.5%
$600-$799/mo
4.5%
$800-$999/mo
2.8%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
16.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
15.4%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
22.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
12.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
15.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
8.2%
1 vehicle
39.6%
2 vehicles
37.6%
3 vehicles
9.2%
4+ vehicles
5.4%

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

Work, income and education in Brighton

Employment

Employed full-time
33.5% 1,045 people
Employed part-time
23.1% 722 people
Unemployed
1.9% 60 people
Not in labour force
41.5% 1,295 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
39.4%
Managers
17.8%
Community & Personal Service
12.6%
Clerical & Administrative
11.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
11.0%
Sales Workers
4.3%
Labourers
2.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.3%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.3%
$1-$149/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
0.8%
$300-$399/wk
2.3%
$400-$499/wk
5.3%
$500-$649/wk
5.3%
$650-$799/wk
7.3%
$800-$999/wk
6.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.8%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
9.9%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.7%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.5%
$4,000+/wk
15.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
6.8%
$1-$149/wk
5.0%
$150-$299/wk
5.8%
$300-$399/wk
4.0%
$400-$499/wk
4.3%
$500-$649/wk
3.9%
$650-$799/wk
8.5%
$800-$999/wk
9.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.0%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
11.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.8%
$3,500+/wk
5.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
67.1%
Did not go to work
15.1%
Train
6.8%
Car (passenger)
3.6%
Walked only
3.1%
Bicycle
1.4%
Bus
0.9%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Other
0.6%
Tram/Light Rail
0.4%
Truck
0.3%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
69.5%
Year 11 or equivalent
15.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
12.7%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.5%

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
36.9%
Certificate III/IV
22.2%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.3%
Postgraduate Degree
13.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
6.9%
Certificate I/II
1.5%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
23.3%
Society & Culture
16.7%
Health
16.2%
Engineering
11.3%
Education
11.1%
Architecture & Building
5.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.5%
Creative Arts
3.1%
Information Technology
3.0%
Agriculture & Environment
1.4%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
24.0%
Secondary: Government
19.9%
Secondary: Catholic
12.6%
Primary: Catholic
10.9%
Vocational Education
9.7%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
9.4%
Pre-school
7.0%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
6.5%

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
91.4%
Has need for assistance
5.5%
Need for assistance not stated
2.9%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
327
Arthritis
145
Heart disease
140
Asthma
124
Diabetes
104
Cancer
78
Lung condition
75
Stroke
50
Kidney disease
24
Dementia
11

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
16.0% 512
Did not provide
84.0% 2,688

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
23.5% 752
Not a volunteer
76.5% 2,444

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.2% 6
Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 5
Previously served
3.6% 117
Never served
96.0% 3,084

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
31.5%
1 child
10.7%
2 children
35.7%
3 children
15.9%
4 children
5.6%
5+ children
0.6%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
23
1951: 1960
73
1961: 1970
153
1971: 1980
82
1981: 1990
83
1991: 2000
74
2001: 2010
156
2011: 2015
115
2016
9
2017
36
2018
28
2019
48
2020
5
2021
13

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

Population Mobility

11.6%
moved in the last year
37.4%
moved in the last 5 years
3.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
58.1%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,264
Moved from SA
271
Moved: same area (SA2)
61
Moved from overseas
36
Moved from VIC
28
Moved from WA
9
Moved from NT
9
Moved from NSW
8
Moved from ACT
6
Moved from TAS
5

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.1%
5: 14 hours
35.6%
15: 29 hours
14.6%
30+ hours
7.5%
Did not do domestic work
18.1%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.4%
Step family: no other children
7.4%
Blended family: no other children
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Brighton Crime Statistics

172 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
122
Property Damage
20
Break & Enter
13
Assault
10
Other Against Person
3
Fraud
3
Robbery
1

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 Brighton

The closest suburb to Brighton is Hove, 0.7 km away.

Hove
0.7 km away · income $778/wk · rent $328/wk
South Brighton
1.0 km away · income $820/wk · rent $335/wk
North Brighton
1.4 km away · income $793/wk · rent $395/wk
Dover Gardens
1.5 km away · income $728/wk · rent $339/wk
Warradale
1.6 km away · income $854/wk · rent $380/wk
Seacliff
1.8 km away · income $948/wk · rent $350/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Brighton

What is the population of Brighton SA?

The population of Brighton SA is 3,834 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,505 people per km². Brighton is ranked #1,987 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Brighton?

The median personal income in Brighton SA is $875 per week, or $45,500 per year. The median household income is $1,692 per week. Family income is $2,371 per week. Brighton is ranked #2,435 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Brighton?

Median rent in Brighton SA is $360 per week ($1,560 per month). Rent represents 21.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. Brighton ranks #2,908 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Brighton?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brighton SA is $1,939. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Brighton?

The median age in Brighton SA is 49 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Brighton a good suburb to live in?

Brighton is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 3,834. The median income is $875/wk, which is above the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (21.3% 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: 40160. All dollar figures in AUD.