Peterborough, SA: suburb profile

The population of Peterborough SA is 1,490 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Peterborough is $456 per week ($23,712 per year). Median rent in Peterborough is $160 per week ($693 per month). Peterborough has a median age of 55 years, older than the national median of 38. Peterborough has a population density of 40 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Peterborough is England. The most common religion is No religion (44.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is German. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Peterborough is $569.

There were 38 recorded offences in Peterborough in 2025-26, a rate of 26 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was assault (12 offences).

Population
1,490
Census 2021
Median income
$456/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$160/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
55years
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.

Peterborough vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Peterborough is $456 a week, 40% below the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 695th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $160 a week, $140 less than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 22.7% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 55, 12 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.
MeasurePeterboroughTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$456/wk$759/wk −40%$766/wk
Household income$706/wk$1,494/wk −53%$1,637/wk
Rent$160/wk$300/wk −47%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$569/mo$1,534/mo −63%$1,733/mo
Median age5543 +12 yrs42
Rent share of household income22.7%19.5% +3.2 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 Peterborough, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Peterborough Population

1,490 residents at the 2021 Census.

Peterborough Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$456/wk
$23,712 per year
Ranked 8,603 of 14,663
Median Rent
$160/wk
$693 per month
Ranked 8,125 of 14,663
Median Age
55years
17 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$569/mo
Avg household size: 1.8 · 0.6 per bedroom

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

Peterborough Rent Prices & Affordability

23% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $706/wk
Median rent $160/wk
Rent to income 22.7%

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

Median rent in Peterborough against your income

About $3,059 a month
Median rent $160/wk
Left after rent $546/wk
Rent share 22.7%

Peterborough Schools

3
schools nearby
2
government
897
avg ICSEA score
155
total students
Peterborough High School Government
Secondary · U, 7-12 · 53 students
931
ICSEA
Peterborough Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 40 students
887
ICSEA
St Joseph's School Catholic
Combined · R-9 · 62 students
873
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 Peterborough, with a map

Peterborough Map

Peterborough, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Peterborough

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 50.0% (746) Female 50.0% (745)

Population Density

40
people per km²
1,490 people · 37.0 km²

Households

1.8
Avg household size
0.6
Persons per bedroom
$970
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
3.9%
New Zealand
1.1%
Germany
0.8%
India
0.7%
Scotland
0.7%
Netherlands
0.6%
Poland
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

German
0.5%
Punjabi
0.3%
Thai
0.3%
Polish
0.2%
Afrikaans
0.0%
Arabic
0.0%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.0%

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

Ancestry

Australian
41.3%
English
39.7%
Scottish
7.9%
Irish
7.8%
German
7.6%
Australian Aboriginal
6.9%
Polish
1.3%
Dutch
1.1%
Italian
0.9%
Welsh
0.8%
Maori
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
44.6%
Not stated
16.7%
Catholic
12.3%
Anglican
9.1%
Uniting Church
7.4%
Christian (other)
1.7%
Baptist
1.5%
Christinty Jehvahs Witnses
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

7.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
36.3% 470
Separated
5.4% 70
Divorced
16.2% 209
Widowed
9.1% 118
Never married
32.9% 426

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
43.8%
Couple: children under 15
21.6%
One parent: children under 15
17.2%
One parent: no children under 15
8.8%
Couple: no children under 15
8.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
46.8%
2 persons
36.8%
3 persons
7.4%
4 persons
5.1%
5 persons
1.8%
6+ persons
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Peterborough

Housing Tenure

Of the 666 occupied private dwellings in Peterborough at the 2021 Census, 22.8% were rented, 49.5% owned outright and 22.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.7% 11 dwellings
Owned outright
49.5% 330 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
22.2% 148 dwellings
Rented
22.8% 152 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
3.3% 22 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
96.6%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.4%
2 bedrooms
18.7%
3 bedrooms
64.6%
4 bedrooms
12.0%
5 bedrooms
1.2%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
16.2%
$300-$449/mo
20.6%
$450-$599/mo
14.7%
$600-$799/mo
24.3%
$800-$999/mo
8.1%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
10.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
3.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
11.1%
1 vehicle
44.9%
2 vehicles
27.2%
3 vehicles
11.4%
4+ vehicles
5.4%

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

Work, income and education in Peterborough

Employment

Employed full-time
16.7% 181 people
Employed part-time
16.9% 184 people
Unemployed
6.0% 65 people
Not in labour force
60.4% 657 people

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

Occupation

Community & Personal Service
22.1%
Labourers
17.3%
Managers
14.4%
Professionals
12.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
10.6%
Clerical & Administrative
8.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
7.7%
Sales Workers
7.2%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.6%
$1-$149/wk
1.8%
$150-$299/wk
3.6%
$300-$399/wk
7.9%
$400-$499/wk
19.9%
$500-$649/wk
8.1%
$650-$799/wk
12.6%
$800-$999/wk
10.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.5%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
4.3%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
1.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$4,000+/wk
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.8%
$1-$149/wk
3.3%
$150-$299/wk
12.9%
$300-$399/wk
13.9%
$400-$499/wk
13.8%
$500-$649/wk
6.7%
$650-$799/wk
10.9%
$800-$999/wk
8.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
6.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
3.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
2.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
2.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.7%
$3,500+/wk
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
67.4%
Did not go to work
16.6%
Walked only
9.1%
Car (passenger)
4.1%
Bus
1.1%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.8%
Other
0.8%

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

Education Level

Year 10 or equivalent
32.2%
Year 12 or equivalent
29.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
25.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
13.0%

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
53.8%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.4%
Bachelor Degree
14.8%
Certificate I/II
9.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.8%
Postgraduate Degree
1.9%

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

Field of Study

Engineering
23.4%
Society & Culture
16.9%
Management & Commerce
15.9%
Health
13.9%
Education
10.4%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
8.5%
Agriculture & Environment
5.0%
Architecture & Building
4.5%
Information Technology
1.5%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
28.6%
Primary: Catholic
25.8%
Secondary: Government
24.2%
Vocational Education
12.1%
Pre-school
7.7%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
1.6%

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
74.9%
Has need for assistance
10.3%
Need for assistance not stated
14.9%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
200
Arthritis
104
Heart disease
79
Diabetes
76
Asthma
59
Lung condition
55
Cancer
31
Stroke
22
Kidney disease
12
Dementia
3

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.3% 167
Did not provide
84.7% 926

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
22.4% 247
Not a volunteer
77.6% 854

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
5.9% 66
Never served
94.1% 1,045

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
20.0%
1 child
12.2%
2 children
28.5%
3 children
23.2%
4 children
11.6%
5+ children
4.6%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
11
1951: 1960
29
1961: 1970
40
1971: 1980
17
1981: 1990
11
1991: 2000
7
2001: 2010
9
2011: 2015
4
2016
4
2018
3
2019
6

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

Population Mobility

9.5%
moved in the last year
27.9%
moved in the last 5 years
13.1%
unemployment rate (Census)
35.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,138
Moved from SA
67
Moved: same area (SA2)
37
Moved from NT
6
Moved from VIC
4
Moved from NSW
4
Moved from QLD
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
15.4%
5: 14 hours
25.2%
15: 29 hours
12.7%
30+ hours
11.9%
Did not do domestic work
34.8%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
76.9%
Step family: no other children
7.7%
Blended family: no other children
7.7%
Other couple: children only
7.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Peterborough Crime Statistics

38 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Assault
12
Theft
7
Property Damage
7
Break & Enter
6
Other Against Person
6

Total offences by year

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Peterborough

What is the population of Peterborough SA?

The population of Peterborough SA is 1,490 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 40 people per km². Peterborough is ranked #3,403 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Peterborough?

The median personal income in Peterborough SA is $456 per week, or $23,712 per year. The median household income is $706 per week. Family income is $970 per week. Peterborough is ranked #8,603 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Peterborough?

Median rent in Peterborough SA is $160 per week ($693 per month). Rent represents 22.7% of household income, which is considered affordable. Peterborough ranks #8,125 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Peterborough?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Peterborough SA is $569. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Peterborough?

The median age in Peterborough SA is 55 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Peterborough a good suburb to live in?

Peterborough is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 1,490. The median income is $456/wk, which is below the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (22.7% 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: 41143. All dollar figures in AUD.