Semaphore, SA: suburb profile

The population of Semaphore SA is 2,749 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Semaphore is $857 per week ($44,564 per year). Median rent in Semaphore is $320 per week ($1,387 per month). Semaphore has a median age of 50 years, older than the national median of 38. Semaphore has a population density of 2,593 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Semaphore is England. The most common religion is No religion (53.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Semaphore is $1,733.

There were 86 recorded offences in Semaphore in 2025-26, a rate of 31 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (39 offences).

Population
2,749
Census 2021
Median income
$857/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$320/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
50years
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.

Semaphore vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Semaphore is $857 a week, 13% above the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 174th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $320 a week, $20 more than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 18.6% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 50, 7 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.
MeasureSemaphoreTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$857/wk$759/wk +13%$766/wk
Household income$1,718/wk$1,494/wk +15%$1,637/wk
Rent$320/wk$300/wk +7%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,733/mo$1,534/mo +13%$1,733/mo
Median age5043 +7 yrs42
Rent share of household income18.6%19.5% −0.8 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 Semaphore, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Semaphore Population

2,749 residents at the 2021 Census.

Semaphore Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$857/wk
$44,564 per year
Ranked 2,666 of 14,663
Median Rent
$320/wk
$1,387 per month
Ranked 4,051 of 14,663
Median Age
50years
12 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Semaphore Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,718/wk
Median rent $320/wk
Rent to income 18.6%

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

Median rent in Semaphore against your income

About $7,445 a month
Median rent $320/wk
Left after rent $1,398/wk
Rent share 18.6%

Semaphore Schools

9
schools nearby
6
government
1009
avg ICSEA score
3,199
total students
Portside Christian College Independent
Combined · R-12 · 626 students
1067
ICSEA
West Lakes Shore School Government
Primary · R-6 · 554 students
1060
ICSEA
Dominican School Catholic
Primary · R-6 · 230 students
1048
ICSEA
Westport Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 421 students
1025
ICSEA
Largs Bay School Government
Primary · R-6 · 418 students
1018
ICSEA
Alberton Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 262 students
1002
ICSEA
Le Fevre High School Government
Secondary · U, 7-12 · 456 students
951
ICSEA
Le Fevre Peninsula Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 232 students
902
ICSEA
Indie School Port Adelaide Campus Independent
Secondary

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

All schools near Semaphore, with a map

Semaphore Map

Semaphore, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Semaphore

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.7% (1,341) Female 51.3% (1,410)

Population Density

2,593
people per km²
2,749 people · 1.1 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,362
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
8.0%
New Zealand
1.5%
Scotland
1.2%
United States of America
1.0%
Italy
0.9%
Germany
0.8%
Netherlands
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
1.1%
Greek
1.0%
Mandarin
0.5%
Spanish
0.5%
German
0.4%
Arabic
0.4%
French
0.3%

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

Ancestry

English
42.8%
Australian
30.4%
Irish
12.7%
Scottish
12.6%
German
8.4%
Italian
6.9%
Dutch
2.7%
Greek
2.1%
Australian Aboriginal
1.9%
Polish
1.7%
Croatian
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
53.0%
Catholic
18.8%
Not stated
6.6%
Anglican
6.4%
Uniting Church
2.5%
Lutheran
1.8%
Eastern Orthodox
1.8%
Christian (other)
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.9%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
41.3% 1,005
Separated
3.7% 91
Divorced
11.8% 287
Widowed
4.4% 106
Never married
38.8% 943

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
35.3%
Couple: children under 15
31.0%
Couple: no children under 15
19.5%
One parent: no children under 15
8.4%
One parent: children under 15
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
31.7%
2 persons
39.2%
3 persons
14.1%
4 persons
10.5%
5 persons
3.5%
6+ persons
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Semaphore

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,141 occupied private dwellings in Semaphore at the 2021 Census, 30.2% were rented, 35.1% owned outright and 33.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.8% 9 dwellings
Owned outright
35.1% 400 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
33.1% 378 dwellings
Rented
30.2% 345 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.1% 13 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
74.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
18.3%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
7.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.5%
2 bedrooms
29.1%
3 bedrooms
44.3%
4 bedrooms
18.2%
5 bedrooms
3.3%
6+ bedrooms
0.5%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
11.3%
$300-$449/mo
1.7%
$450-$599/mo
1.2%
$600-$799/mo
4.9%
$800-$999/mo
6.1%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
13.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
16.9%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
21.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
13.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
10.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
8.2%
1 vehicle
40.2%
2 vehicles
36.7%
3 vehicles
9.3%
4+ vehicles
5.7%

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

Work, income and education in Semaphore

Employment

Employed full-time
39.0% 865 people
Employed part-time
23.5% 521 people
Unemployed
2.6% 57 people
Not in labour force
35.0% 776 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
34.5%
Managers
19.9%
Community & Personal Service
12.9%
Technicians & Trade Workers
11.1%
Clerical & Administrative
9.3%
Sales Workers
5.2%
Labourers
4.0%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.1%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.4%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.0%
$300-$399/wk
3.1%
$400-$499/wk
7.9%
$500-$649/wk
5.1%
$650-$799/wk
5.9%
$800-$999/wk
5.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.7%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.3%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.2%
$4,000+/wk
14.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.4%
$1-$149/wk
3.9%
$150-$299/wk
6.0%
$300-$399/wk
3.6%
$400-$499/wk
5.3%
$500-$649/wk
4.2%
$650-$799/wk
8.4%
$800-$999/wk
8.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
11.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$3,500+/wk
4.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
72.0%
Did not go to work
13.2%
Car (passenger)
4.1%
Train
3.6%
Walked only
2.8%
Bicycle
1.9%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.8%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%
Truck
0.4%
Other
0.3%
Bus
0.3%
Tram/Light Rail
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
65.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
18.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
13.6%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.0%

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

Bachelor Degree
31.1%
Certificate III/IV
29.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.7%
Postgraduate Degree
13.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
6.3%
Certificate I/II
2.2%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
21.3%
Society & Culture
17.7%
Health
16.2%
Engineering
15.4%
Education
8.5%
Architecture & Building
5.6%
Creative Arts
4.5%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.0%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.9%
Information Technology
1.6%
Agriculture & Environment
1.3%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
21.0%
Primary: Catholic
21.0%
Secondary: Catholic
17.1%
Vocational Education
13.7%
Secondary: Government
10.6%
Pre-school
7.0%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.4%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.1%

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
87.1%
Has need for assistance
7.1%
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
323
Asthma
130
Arthritis
95
Heart disease
81
Diabetes
77
Lung condition
75
Cancer
55
Stroke
35
Kidney disease
19
Dementia
15

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.4% 351
Did not provide
84.6% 1,927

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
20.5% 467
Not a volunteer
79.5% 1,816

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.8% 18
Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 4
Previously served
2.7% 62
Never served
96.3% 2,205

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
41.7%
1 child
13.9%
2 children
28.8%
3 children
11.0%
4 children
3.3%
5+ children
1.3%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
12
1951: 1960
68
1961: 1970
124
1971: 1980
84
1981: 1990
72
1991: 2000
54
2001: 2010
70
2011: 2015
40
2016
8
2017
19
2018
15
2019
13
2020
6
2021
5

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

Population Mobility

14.2%
moved in the last year
38.0%
moved in the last 5 years
4.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
62.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,202
Moved from SA
212
Moved: same area (SA2)
73
Moved from VIC
26
Moved from overseas
26
Moved from NSW
12
Moved from QLD
11
Moved from WA
7
Moved from ACT
6
Moved from NT
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
23.0%
5: 14 hours
36.0%
15: 29 hours
13.0%
30+ hours
6.8%
Did not do domestic work
21.3%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
93.1%
Step family: no other children
5.4%
Blended family: no other children
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Semaphore Crime Statistics

86 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
39
Assault
16
Property Damage
15
Fraud
7
Break & Enter
7
Other Against Person
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 Semaphore

The closest suburb to Semaphore is Exeter (SA), 0.7 km away.

Exeter (SA)
0.7 km away · income $849/wk · rent $310/wk
Semaphore South
0.9 km away · income $930/wk · rent $320/wk
Ethelton
1.3 km away · income $787/wk · rent $300/wk
Birkenhead
1.5 km away · income $858/wk · rent $315/wk
Largs Bay
1.7 km away · income $858/wk · rent $315/wk
Peterhead
1.7 km away · income $801/wk · rent $300/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Semaphore

What is the population of Semaphore SA?

The population of Semaphore SA is 2,749 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,593 people per km². Semaphore is ranked #2,557 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Semaphore?

The median personal income in Semaphore SA is $857 per week, or $44,564 per year. The median household income is $1,718 per week. Family income is $2,362 per week. Semaphore is ranked #2,666 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Semaphore?

Median rent in Semaphore SA is $320 per week ($1,387 per month). Rent represents 18.6% of household income, which is considered affordable. Semaphore ranks #4,051 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Semaphore?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Semaphore 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 Semaphore?

The median age in Semaphore SA is 50 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Semaphore a good suburb to live in?

Semaphore is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 2,749. The median income is $857/wk, which is above the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.6% 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: 41329. All dollar figures in AUD.