McLaren Flat, SA: suburb profile

The population of McLaren Flat SA is 1,625 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in McLaren Flat is $842 per week ($43,784 per year). Median rent in McLaren Flat is $350 per week ($1,517 per month). McLaren Flat has a median age of 40 years, older than the national median of 38. McLaren Flat has a population density of 58 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in McLaren Flat is England. The most common religion is No religion (57.9% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in McLaren Flat is $1,786.

There were 6 recorded offences in McLaren Flat in 2025-26, a rate of 4 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was property damage (2 offences).

Population
1,625
Census 2021
Median income
$842/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$350/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
40years
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.

McLaren Flat vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in McLaren Flat is $842 a week, 11% above the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 206th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $350 a week, $50 more than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 16.4% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 40, 3 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.
MeasureMcLaren FlatTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$842/wk$759/wk +11%$766/wk
Household income$2,129/wk$1,494/wk +43%$1,637/wk
Rent$350/wk$300/wk +17%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,786/mo$1,534/mo +16%$1,733/mo
Median age4043 −3 yrs42
Rent share of household income16.4%19.5% −3.0 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 McLaren Flat, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

McLaren Flat Population

1,625 residents at the 2021 Census.

McLaren Flat Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$842/wk
$43,784 per year
Ranked 2,918 of 14,663
Median Rent
$350/wk
$1,517 per month
Ranked 3,104 of 14,663
Median Age
40years
2 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,786/mo
Avg household size: 3 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

McLaren Flat Rent Prices & Affordability

16% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $2,129/wk
Median rent $350/wk
Rent to income 16.4%

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

Median rent in McLaren Flat against your income

About $9,226 a month
Median rent $350/wk
Left after rent $1,779/wk
Rent share 16.4%

McLaren Flat Schools

1
schools nearby
1
government
1030
avg ICSEA score
207
total students
McLaren Flat Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 207 students
1030
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 McLaren Flat, with a map

McLaren Flat Map

McLaren Flat, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

McLaren Flat, South Australia: 35.1994°S, 138.6120°E

McLaren Flat Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (1)

People in McLaren Flat

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 51.2% (835) Female 48.8% (795)

Population Density

58
people per km²
1,625 people · 27.9 km²

Households

3
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,262
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
9.8%
Scotland
0.9%
Germany
0.6%
New Zealand
0.6%
Ireland
0.4%
Italy
0.4%
Thailand
0.4%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Italian
0.9%
German
0.5%
Portuguese
0.4%
Mandarin
0.3%
Greek
0.3%
French
0.2%
Afrikaans
0.0%

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

Ancestry

English
54.0%
Australian
41.7%
Scottish
11.5%
Irish
8.6%
German
7.2%
Italian
4.2%
Dutch
1.5%
Welsh
1.2%
Australian Aboriginal
1.0%
Polish
0.9%
French
0.7%

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
57.9%
Catholic
10.2%
Anglican
9.8%
Not stated
7.4%
Uniting Church
4.8%
Christian (other)
3.2%
Lutheran
2.0%
Baptist
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.9%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
61.1% 771
Separated
2.1% 27
Divorced
6.9% 87
Widowed
2.1% 26
Never married
27.8% 351

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
46.1%
Couple: no children under 15
23.1%
Couple: no children
22.2%
One parent: children under 15
5.6%
One parent: no children under 15
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
11.3%
2 persons
31.5%
3 persons
19.0%
4 persons
25.0%
5 persons
10.7%
6+ persons
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in McLaren Flat

Housing Tenure

Of the 517 occupied private dwellings in McLaren Flat at the 2021 Census, 11.0% were rented, 31.7% owned outright and 54.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.6% 3 dwellings
Owned outright
31.7% 164 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
54.2% 280 dwellings
Rented
11.0% 57 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 6 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
100.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

2 bedrooms
7.5%
3 bedrooms
38.0%
4 bedrooms
45.7%
5 bedrooms
8.1%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.9%
$300-$449/mo
2.9%
$450-$599/mo
1.5%
$600-$799/mo
3.3%
$800-$999/mo
5.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
15.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
21.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
28.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
12.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
0.6%
1 vehicle
17.8%
2 vehicles
44.6%
3 vehicles
22.1%
4+ vehicles
14.9%

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

Work, income and education in McLaren Flat

Employment

Employed full-time
40.7% 459 people
Employed part-time
30.6% 346 people
Unemployed
1.6% 18 people
Not in labour force
27.1% 306 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
27.0%
Managers
17.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
15.4%
Clerical & Administrative
12.9%
Community & Personal Service
12.6%
Labourers
7.3%
Sales Workers
4.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.0%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.1%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$300-$399/wk
0.9%
$400-$499/wk
3.0%
$500-$649/wk
3.0%
$650-$799/wk
5.3%
$800-$999/wk
5.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.3%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.0%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
13.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
9.8%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
6.6%
$4,000+/wk
11.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.5%
$1-$149/wk
5.1%
$150-$299/wk
7.5%
$300-$399/wk
3.7%
$400-$499/wk
1.7%
$500-$649/wk
5.2%
$650-$799/wk
9.2%
$800-$999/wk
11.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
10.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.7%
$3,500+/wk
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
78.0%
Did not go to work
15.2%
Car (passenger)
2.9%
Walked only
1.5%
Other
1.2%
Truck
0.4%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.4%
Bicycle
0.4%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
58.9%
Year 11 or equivalent
20.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
17.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.7%

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

Certificate III/IV
42.0%
Bachelor Degree
24.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.3%
Postgraduate Degree
6.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.6%
Certificate I/II
4.1%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
19.0%
Engineering
14.4%
Society & Culture
14.2%
Health
13.7%
Education
8.9%
Architecture & Building
7.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
7.1%
Natural & Physical Sciences
6.4%
Agriculture & Environment
4.2%
Creative Arts
3.5%
Information Technology
0.7%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
43.4%
Secondary: Government
15.2%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
11.7%
Pre-school
9.4%
Vocational Education
8.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.8%
Secondary: Catholic
5.8%

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
91.8%
Has need for assistance
2.9%
Need for assistance not stated
5.7%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
122
Asthma
67
Arthritis
64
Heart disease
30
Diabetes
25
Cancer
22
Lung condition
14
Stroke
8
Dementia
4
Kidney disease
3

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.9% 154
Did not provide
87.1% 1,044

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
22.7% 271
Not a volunteer
77.3% 921

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.3% 3
Previously served
2.7% 32
Never served
97.1% 1,161

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
25.9%
1 child
11.9%
2 children
39.2%
3 children
17.3%
4 children
4.8%
5+ children
0.9%

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

When Migrants Arrived

1951: 1960
16
1961: 1970
31
1971: 1980
23
1981: 1990
28
1991: 2000
14
2001: 2010
78
2011: 2015
30
2017
3
2018
7
2019
9
2020
6

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

Population Mobility

8.8%
moved in the last year
29.0%
moved in the last 5 years
2.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
70.5%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,386
Moved from SA
81
Moved: same area (SA2)
30
Moved from VIC
16
Moved from NT
4
Moved from ACT
3
Moved from overseas
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
23.0%
5: 14 hours
34.4%
15: 29 hours
17.3%
30+ hours
10.8%
Did not do domestic work
14.5%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
90.4%
Step family: no other children
7.2%
Blended family: no other children
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

McLaren Flat Crime Statistics

6 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Property Damage
2
Theft
1
Assault
1
Other Against Person
1
Homicide
1

Total offences by year

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Bordertown
Income: $819/wk Rent: $220/wk $130/wk less rent
Hendon (SA)
Income: $681/wk Rent: $285/wk $65/wk less rent
Peterhead
Income: $801/wk Rent: $300/wk $50/wk less rent
Allenby Gardens
Income: $796/wk Rent: $323/wk $27/wk less rent
Mount Compass
Income: $725/wk Rent: $340/wk $10/wk less rent
St Morris
Income: $829/wk Rent: $343/wk $7/wk less rent
Boston
Income: $993/wk Rent: $345/wk $5/wk less rent
Risdon Park South
Income: $713/wk Rent: $185/wk $165/wk less rent

Suburbs near McLaren Flat

The closest suburb to McLaren Flat is McLaren Vale, 5.5 km away.

McLaren Vale
5.5 km away · income $687/wk · rent $328/wk
Onkaparinga Hills
8.6 km away · income $825/wk · rent $385/wk
Willunga
8.8 km away · income $780/wk · rent $330/wk
Hackham
9.7 km away · income $613/wk · rent $297/wk
Huntfield Heights
10.0 km away · income $623/wk · rent $290/wk
Old Noarlunga
10.2 km away · income $704/wk · rent $305/wk

Compare McLaren Flat

Frequently Asked Questions About McLaren Flat

What is the population of McLaren Flat SA?

The population of McLaren Flat SA is 1,625 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 58 people per km². McLaren Flat is ranked #3,293 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in McLaren Flat?

The median personal income in McLaren Flat SA is $842 per week, or $43,784 per year. The median household income is $2,129 per week. Family income is $2,262 per week. McLaren Flat is ranked #2,918 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in McLaren Flat?

Median rent in McLaren Flat SA is $350 per week ($1,517 per month). Rent represents 16.4% of household income, which is considered affordable. McLaren Flat ranks #3,104 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in McLaren Flat?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in McLaren Flat SA is $1,786. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in McLaren Flat?

The median age in McLaren Flat SA is 40 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is McLaren Flat a good suburb to live in?

McLaren Flat is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 1,625. The median income is $842/wk, which is above the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (16.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Adelaide Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 40851. All dollar figures in AUD.