suburb.guide

SA · Adelaide Hills Council

Houghton, 5131

Est. population · Jun 2025

540

Growth (1 yr)

+0.8%

Growth (5 yr)

+2.5%

Median age

50

Median income

$2,356/wk

Employment rate

67.9%

University qualified

23.5%

Work from home

12.3%

Languages at home

3.2%non-English

Most common: Polish

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

45.6/100
Average

Top 37% of South Australia's suburbs

Verified 84% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Hills
  • Rural living
What Houghton is known for: Hills, Rural living

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Houghton, SA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Houghton, SA Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/sa/houghton

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Suburb profile

Houghton is a semi-rural locality near Adelaide, in Adelaide Hills Council. Notable landmarks include Houghton War Memorial.

Open-space access is better than in most comparable places, well above typical levels for semi-rural and lifestyle localities. Household incomes are a relative strength, with household incomes 40% above the peer median, and green cover is another area where the suburb performs particularly well. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The main trade-offs are weaker population growth and higher recorded crash rates relative to resident population, with population growth 59% below the peer median.

Overall, Houghton suits people prioritising open space over population growth.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Semi-rural locality · compared with semi-rural and lifestyle localities in South Australia (227)

Strengths

  • Household incomes are a relative strength
  • Green cover is a relative strength
  • Open-space access is better than in most comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Population has been growing more slowly than in comparable places, or declining
  • Recorded crashes relative to resident population are elevated

What stands out

  • Houghton War Memorial
  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Houghton compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$373/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

540

+0.8% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

4.8%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#45

among Metro Adelaide · Mature

Crime rate

40th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

63rd

percentile in SA

Rented dwellings

3%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

9/10

national SEIFA decile

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
45.6/100 — Average
State standing
Top 37% of South Australia's suburbs
National rank
2988th in Australia
State rank
259th in SA
Peer rank
#45 among Metro Adelaide · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#182 among Metro Adelaide suburbs
Data confidence
84%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

540(June 2025)

+0.8% annual · +2.5% over 5 years · 63th percentile in SA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.8%
5-year growth
+2.5%
Change in 1 year
+4
Change in 5 years
+13
Growth rank in SA
63th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~550), extrapolated at +0.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
511
Median age
50
Median household income / week
$2,356
Dwelling vacancy
4.8%
Unoccupied private dwellings
9 of 186
Median monthly mortgage
$1,970
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$373
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
43.2% / 53.4% / 3.4%
Employment rate
67.9%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
12.3% / 1% / 71.3%
Walked or cycled to work
2%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
176 / 3 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Qualifications

23.5% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 21.9% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified23.5% · 22.6% SA
  • Diploma qualified9.8% · 8.6% SA
  • Trade / vocational21.9% · 17.5% SA
  • Year 12 or below44.7% · 51.2% SA

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Engineering and related technologies22.5%
  • Management and commerce17.3%
  • Health14%
  • Education12.2%
  • Architecture and building9.6%
  • Society and culture8.9%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$57,918

67th percentile in SA · -1% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$60,743

62nd percentile in SA · -7% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
18.0%

94th percentile in SA · +30% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$130,151

94th percentile in SA · +106% vs Australia

Residents with business income
11.0%

57th percentile in SA · +6% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 5131 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
689
Taxpayers reporting net rent
123
Median net rent
-$1,161
Taxpayers reporting business income
73
Taxable income vs state median
+7%
Salary / wages vs state median
+6%
Rental investment vs state median
+50%
Super vs state median
+67%
Business income vs state median
0%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in SA, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Community & culture

3.2% speak a language other than English at home; 18.6% born overseas

Language at home
481 English only · 16 other
Non-English at home
3.2%
Born overseas
93 (18.6%)
Australian citizens
477
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
1

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Polish8 · 100%

Religion

49.3%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 49.3%, while 45.2% reported no religion.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion45.2%45.2%
Christianity49.3%40%
Other / not stated5.5%14.7%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic13.1%15.5%
Uniting Church12.1%4.8%
Anglican9.2%7.2%
Pentecostal4.9%1.1%
Lutheran2.5%2.4%
Christian (not further defined)2.3%2.6%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2025–26)
14
Against the person
1
Against property
13
Rate per 1,000 residents
25.9
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 511 residents
State crime-rate percentile
40th (higher = more crime)
Family & domestic abuse offences
2
Increase (daily rate)
+133.3%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
56
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
103.7

Most common offence types

  • Damage Or Destroy Property3
  • Motor Vehicle Theft And Related Offences2
  • Other Acts That Harm Or Endanger Persons1
  • Receive Or Handle Proceeds Of Crime1
  • Theft From A Person4

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Public transport

1 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Lower North East Rd / Blackhill Rd - West side (Houghton Square)

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

5 mapped amenities

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
2/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
1.96
Sport & outdoors(3)
  • Collarbone Creek DownhillCycling route
  • Park
  • Sports field
Other(2)
  • Trail HeadInformation
  • Parking

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
18.8%
Woodland / forest cover
18.7%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
1
Parks (OSM)
1
Typical summer maximum
29°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
Modbury Hospital (5.9 km)
Nearest hospital type
Public Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
16
Participants per 1,000 residents
29.6

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
29° / 14°
Rainfall
67 mm · ~8 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
23° / 10°
Rainfall
97 mm · ~12 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
16° / 6°
Rainfall
148 mm · ~18 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
22° / 9°
Rainfall
119 mm · ~15 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from PlanSA register and EPA licensed activities.

2026· 9 proposals

  • September 2026

  • Dwelling addition
    1277 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Under Assessment

  • July 2026

  • Outbuilding (shed)
    54 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • June 2026

  • Retaining wall
    59 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Under Assessment

  • May 2026

  • Decking
    54 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Under Assessment

  • April 2026

  • Centenary Verandah
    26 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Installation of Swimming pool and safety barriers
    1359 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Horse keeping
    59 MURPHY RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • March 2026

  • Deck
    1 WILLOWBANK RISE HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • February 2026

  • Retaining walls, Deck, Tree damaging activity Regulated tree (Retrospective)
    54 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Under Assessment
2025· 15 proposals

  • October 2025

  • Construction of a swimming pool and a retaining wall
    59 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • September 2025

  • Decking & Verandah repairs/reroofing
    77 AMBERDALE RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • August 2025

  • Construction of a domestic outbuilding
    59 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • July 2025

  • Outbuilding
    1 WILLIAM ST HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • internal renovations and change to roof form.
    7 HORN ST HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Verandah
    27 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Construction of a verandah
    1361 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • June 2025

  • Outbuilding
    79 AMBERDALE RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • May 2025

  • Verandah
    7 JOHNS RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • April 2025

  • Boundary Re-Alignment
    19 -23 BLACKHILL RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Outbuilding
    9 BLACKHILL RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Under Assessment

  • March 2025

  • Carport
    1 WILLOWBANK RISE HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • February 2025

  • Partial demolition of existing dwelling, dwelling addition and alterations, outbuilding, deck, and swimming pool and associated safety features
    1872 NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Under Assessment

  • January 2025

  • Swimming pool & safety fences
    1357 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Outbuilding
    17 AMBERDALE RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
2024· 6 proposals

  • December 2024

  • Replacement building (Retaining Wall)
    15 HOUGHTON HOLLOW RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • November 2024

  • Retaining wall and fence structure
    1377 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Under Assessment

  • August 2024

  • Two storey detached dwelling, retaining walls & above ground water storage tank
    1353 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • May 2024

  • Verandah
    37 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Community title land division (1 into 3)
    1349 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Domestic outbuilding
    1357 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
2023· 11 proposals

  • September 2023

  • Attached verandah
    6 WILLIAM ST HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Carport
    79 RANGE RD S HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • August 2023

  • Outbuilding
    6 HORN ST HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • July 2023

  • Outbuilding
    1343A LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • June 2023

  • Fence
    7 JOHNS RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • May 2023

  • Alterations and additions to single storey detached dwelling including deck
    1419 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Three storey detached dwelling, swimming pool and associated safety barriers, retaining walls
    14 HOUGHTON HOLLOW RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • April 2023

  • Two storey alterations and additions to existing detached dwelling including deck and balcony
    1862 NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Under Assessment
  • Carports x 2
    1344 LOWER NORTH EAST RD HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

  • March 2023

  • Carport
    7 HORN ST HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made
  • Change of use of existing dwelling to tourist accommodation
    9 HORN ST HOUGHTON SA 5131Decision Made

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

3 heritage places

  • Houghton Union Chapel21 Blackhill Road HOUGHTONState heritage
  • Houghton War Memorial4 Blackhill Road HOUGHTONLocal heritage
  • Former Newman's Nursery Site, Anstey Hill Recreation ParkAnstey Hill TEA TREE GULLYState heritage

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
100% of suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid against all current SA Planning risk layers (high, medium, general, urban interface, regional, outback). Flood cover is the share of the suburb boundary overlapping current SA Planning flood overlays (flooding and evidence required). Safer places from CFS designated locations.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Mayo
Member of Parliament
Rebekha SHARKIE (Centre Alliance)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
137,818
Turnout (2025)
94.2%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+3.4 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 45.0%Labor 55.0%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 13.7 km away).

Coalition 55.1%Labor 44.9%

10.1 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -1.0 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • HoughtonLabor 44.8% · Coalition 55.2% TPP (2025)0.6 km away
  • Cudlee CreekLabor 47.7% · Coalition 52.3% TPP (2025)5.6 km away
  • KersbrookLabor 49.2% · Coalition 50.8% TPP (2025)10.2 km away
  • Norton SummitLabor 61.3% · Coalition 38.7% TPP (2025)11.0 km away
  • GumerachaLabor 53.5% · Coalition 46.5% TPP (2025)11.5 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
9/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Adelaide Hills Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of South Australia.