West Beach, SA: suburb profile

The population of West Beach SA is 5,175 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in West Beach is $896 per week ($46,592 per year). Median rent in West Beach is $320 per week ($1,387 per month). West Beach has a median age of 45 years, older than the national median of 38. West Beach has a population density of 1,235 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in West Beach is England. The most common religion is No religion (41.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Greek. The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Beach is $2,000.

There were 65 recorded offences in West Beach in 2025-26, a rate of 13 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (35 offences).

Population
5,175
Census 2021
Median income
$896/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$320/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
45years
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.

West Beach vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in West Beach is $896 a week, 18% above the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 131st of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $320 a week, $20 more than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 18.3% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 45, 2 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.
MeasureWest BeachTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$896/wk$759/wk +18%$766/wk
Household income$1,746/wk$1,494/wk +17%$1,637/wk
Rent$320/wk$300/wk +7%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,000/mo$1,534/mo +30%$1,733/mo
Median age4543 +2 yrs42
Rent share of household income18.3%19.5% −1.1 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 West Beach, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

West Beach Population

5,175 residents at the 2021 Census.

West Beach Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$896/wk
$46,592 per year
Ranked 2,182 of 14,663
Median Rent
$320/wk
$1,387 per month
Ranked 4,051 of 14,663
Median Age
45years
7 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,000/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

West Beach Rent Prices & Affordability

18% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,746/wk
Median rent $320/wk
Rent to income 18.3%

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

Median rent in West Beach against your income

About $7,566 a month
Median rent $320/wk
Left after rent $1,426/wk
Rent share 18.3%

West Beach Schools

10
schools nearby
7
government
1084
avg ICSEA score
5,570
total students
Immanuel Primary School Independent
Primary · R-6 · 575 students
1120
ICSEA
Immanuel College Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,184 students
1117
ICSEA
Henley Beach Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 354 students
1104
ICSEA
Fulham North Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 395 students
1095
ICSEA
West Beach Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 297 students
1089
ICSEA
St Francis School Catholic
Primary · R-6 · 457 students
1075
ICSEA
Lockleys North Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 422 students
1069
ICSEA
Brooklyn Park Primary School Government
Primary · U, R-6 · 118 students
1066
ICSEA
St Leonards Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 387 students
1064
ICSEA
Henley High School Government
Secondary · U, 7-12 · 1,381 students
1045
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 West Beach, with a map

West Beach Map

West Beach, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

West Beach, South Australia: 34.9467°S, 138.5079°E

West Beach Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (10)

People in West Beach

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.1% (2,541) Female 50.9% (2,632)

Population Density

1,235
people per km²
5,175 people · 4.2 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,360
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
6.2%
India
1.9%
Scotland
1.1%
Italy
1.0%
South Africa
1.0%
Greece
0.9%
Germany
0.8%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Greek
3.3%
Italian
1.5%
Punjabi
1.0%
Mandarin
0.8%
German
0.6%
Polish
0.6%
Russian
0.6%

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

Ancestry

English
38.7%
Australian
32.4%
Scottish
9.4%
Irish
8.9%
Italian
8.0%
German
7.2%
Greek
5.7%
Chinese
2.5%
Indian
1.7%
Polish
1.5%
Dutch
1.2%

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
41.3%
Catholic
20.9%
Anglican
10.0%
Eastern Orthodox
6.4%
Not stated
4.8%
Uniting Church
4.1%
Christian (other)
2.4%
Lutheran
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
51.5% 2,258
Separated
2.2% 95
Divorced
8.2% 359
Widowed
6.3% 276
Never married
31.8% 1,394

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
38.9%
Couple: no children
30.4%
Couple: no children under 15
21.5%
One parent: no children under 15
4.9%
One parent: children under 15
4.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
28.6%
2 persons
35.6%
3 persons
13.4%
4 persons
16.4%
5 persons
4.8%
6+ persons
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in West Beach

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,052 occupied private dwellings in West Beach at the 2021 Census, 26.4% were rented, 39.2% owned outright and 32.7% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.1% 22 dwellings
Owned outright
39.2% 804 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
32.7% 670 dwellings
Rented
26.4% 542 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.5% 10 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
84.1%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
11.4%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
4.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.2%
2 bedrooms
22.8%
3 bedrooms
42.9%
4 bedrooms
25.5%
5 bedrooms
3.8%
6+ bedrooms
0.8%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.9%
$300-$449/mo
1.6%
$450-$599/mo
1.8%
$600-$799/mo
4.0%
$800-$999/mo
4.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
13.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
13.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
19.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
16.5%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
16.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.4%
1 vehicle
37.4%
2 vehicles
38.9%
3 vehicles
12.5%
4+ vehicles
6.8%

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

Work, income and education in West Beach

Employment

Employed full-time
36.7% 1,510 people
Employed part-time
23.4% 962 people
Unemployed
3.3% 134 people
Not in labour force
36.6% 1,504 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
35.2%
Managers
18.1%
Clerical & Administrative
12.3%
Technicians & Trade Workers
12.3%
Community & Personal Service
11.0%
Sales Workers
5.4%
Labourers
3.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.1%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.3%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
0.7%
$300-$399/wk
2.1%
$400-$499/wk
5.5%
$500-$649/wk
4.3%
$650-$799/wk
6.1%
$800-$999/wk
7.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.2%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.4%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.6%
$4,000+/wk
15.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.5%
$1-$149/wk
4.9%
$150-$299/wk
4.5%
$300-$399/wk
3.3%
$400-$499/wk
4.0%
$500-$649/wk
3.3%
$650-$799/wk
8.6%
$800-$999/wk
9.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
11.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.3%
$3,500+/wk
5.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
75.0%
Did not go to work
12.3%
Car (passenger)
4.0%
Bus
3.4%
Bicycle
1.9%
Walked only
1.1%
Truck
0.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.5%
Other
0.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%
Tram/Light Rail
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
69.3%
Year 11 or equivalent
15.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
12.5%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.3%

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
36.1%
Certificate III/IV
28.0%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.2%
Postgraduate Degree
11.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.8%
Certificate I/II
1.7%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
25.0%
Engineering
15.3%
Health
14.8%
Society & Culture
14.3%
Education
7.4%
Architecture & Building
6.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.0%
Creative Arts
3.7%
Information Technology
3.4%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.2%
Agriculture & Environment
1.2%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.1%
Secondary: Government
18.8%
Vocational Education
11.1%
Pre-school
10.1%
Primary: Catholic
8.3%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
7.9%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
7.5%
Secondary: Catholic
7.4%

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
91.5%
Has need for assistance
5.4%
Need for assistance not stated
3.1%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
371
Arthritis
185
Asthma
169
Heart disease
153
Diabetes
129
Cancer
96
Lung condition
79
Stroke
56
Kidney disease
50
Dementia
27

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.6% 577
Did not provide
86.4% 3,660

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
19.0% 807
Not a volunteer
81.0% 3,440

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 3
Previously served
3.1% 131
Never served
96.9% 4,128

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
34.3%
1 child
12.4%
2 children
35.2%
3 children
13.9%
4 children
4.0%
5+ children
0.3%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
14
1951: 1960
101
1961: 1970
149
1971: 1980
86
1981: 1990
112
1991: 2000
92
2001: 2010
198
2011: 2015
178
2016
46
2017
45
2018
49
2019
54
2020
27
2021
6

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

Population Mobility

12.8%
moved in the last year
37.0%
moved in the last 5 years
5.0%
unemployment rate (Census)
62.8%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
4,350
Moved from SA
429
Moved: same area (SA2)
70
Moved from overseas
40
Moved from VIC
29
Moved from NSW
23
Moved from QLD
19
Moved from WA
15
Moved from TAS
3
Moved from NT
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.4%
5: 14 hours
32.6%
15: 29 hours
13.9%
30+ hours
7.9%
Did not do domestic work
23.2%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
89.3%
Step family: no other children
5.9%
Blended family: no other children
4.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

West Beach Crime Statistics

65 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
35
Assault
11
Property Damage
8
Fraud
6
Other Against Person
2
Break & Enter
2
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

Clare (SA)
Income: $726/wk Rent: $250/wk $70/wk less rent
Port Adelaide
Income: $754/wk Rent: $293/wk $27/wk less rent
One Tree Hill
Income: $842/wk Rent: $305/wk $15/wk less rent
Whyalla Playford
Income: $771/wk Rent: $200/wk $120/wk less rent
Whyalla
Income: $815/wk Rent: $200/wk $120/wk less rent
Angaston
Income: $733/wk Rent: $249/wk $71/wk less rent
Alberton (SA)
Income: $779/wk Rent: $279/wk $41/wk less rent
Cheltenham (SA)
Income: $766/wk Rent: $290/wk $30/wk less rent

Suburbs near West Beach

The closest suburb to West Beach is Henley Beach South, 1.9 km away.

Henley Beach South
1.9 km away · income $1,040/wk · rent $340/wk
Fulham (SA)
2.2 km away · income $812/wk · rent $315/wk
Glenelg North
2.5 km away · income $950/wk · rent $320/wk
Novar Gardens
3.0 km away · income $630/wk · rent $165/wk
Lockleys
3.2 km away · income $878/wk · rent $350/wk
Fulham Gardens
3.5 km away · income $767/wk · rent $370/wk

Compare West Beach (SA)

Frequently Asked Questions About West Beach

What is the population of West Beach SA?

The population of West Beach SA is 5,175 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,235 people per km². West Beach is ranked #1,520 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in West Beach?

The median personal income in West Beach SA is $896 per week, or $46,592 per year. The median household income is $1,746 per week. Family income is $2,360 per week. West Beach is ranked #2,182 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in West Beach?

Median rent in West Beach SA is $320 per week ($1,387 per month). Rent represents 18.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. West Beach ranks #4,051 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in West Beach?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Beach SA is $2,000. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in West Beach?

The median age in West Beach SA is 45 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is West Beach a good suburb to live in?

West Beach is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 5,175. The median income is $896/wk, which is above the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.3% 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: 41564. All dollar figures in AUD.