Median house price
—
No data available
SA · Playford Council
Macdonald Park, 5121
Est. population · Jun 2025
678
Growth (1 yr)
+12.3%
Growth (5 yr)
+59.5%
Median age
49
Median income
$1,557/wk
Employment rate
55.1%
Languages at home
17.2%non-English
Most common: Vietnamese, Greek, Khmer
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Playford Council, Macdonald Park is a settled smaller community where everyday shopping leans on neighbouring suburbs. A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Everyday cafés are limited locally, with the wider metro area covering the bigger food and entertainment trips.
Open space is thinner than in many metro suburbs, so residents often travel a little further for a longer park day. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk. Housing is expensive relative to much of the state.
Local crime has been trending higher of late. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
The desirability picture is below average, weighed down by softer community and employment relative to similar metro suburbs. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Macdonald Park snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$800/wk
Population (ERP)
678
+12% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
6.5%
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
#68
among Metro Adelaide · Mature
Safety
72nd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
100th
percentile in SA
Advantage (IRSAD)
5/10
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
- 22.9/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6510th in Australia
- State rank
- 645th in SA
- Peer rank
- #68 among Metro Adelaide · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #349 among Metro Adelaide suburbs
- Data confidence
- 52%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- Houses (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
- $800
Median weekly rent from SA Housing Authority rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Median house sale prices cover metropolitan Adelaide and selected fringe councils (19 LGAs, including Adelaide Hills and Gawler), not all of regional South Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- SA rent report & metro median house sales — Government of South Australia · 1 January - 31 March 2026 · Updated · Quarterly; metro-fringe sales only
Population
Estimated resident population
678(June 2025)
+12.3% annual · +59.5% over 5 years · 100th percentile in SA
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +12.3%
- 5-year growth
- +59.5%
- Change in 1 year
- +74
- Change in 5 years
- +253
- Growth rank in SA
- 100th 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 (~1,000), extrapolated at +7.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 503
- Median age
- 49
- Median household income / week
- $1,557
- Dwelling vacancy
- 6.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 12 of 185
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,509
- Employment rate
- 55.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 169 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs 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
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs 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 (2024–25)
- 42
- Against the person
- 6
- Against property
- 36
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 61.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 84 residents
- State safety percentile
- 72.4th (lower crime is better)
- Family & domestic abuse offences
- 30
- Increase (daily rate)
- +91.4%
Most common offence types
- Other Property Damage And Environmental8
- Other Theft9
- Sct - Non Residence4
- Serious Assault Resulting In Injury3
- Theft/Illegal Use Of Mv5
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · 2023-24 → 2024-25; 2024-25 · Updated · Financial-year releases
Family & Lifestyle
Amenities
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 places of worship
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 0/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 0
Other(1)
- Place of worship
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Places of worship
1 places of worship within ~1.5 km
- Place of worship
From OpenStreetMap within ~1.5 km of the suburb centre.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Lyell McEwin Hospital (8.9 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Public Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & GP Plus clinics (SA) — SA Health · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 34
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 50.1
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
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
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 (15%)
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
July 2026
- Swim Spa and Stair Safety Barrier8 KENT RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Under Assessment
June 2026
- New Single Sotery housing - Double Garage - Indoor and door living/entertainment - 4 x Bedroom - 2 x Bathroom25 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Under Assessment
- Proposed Single Storey Residential Building, Swimming Pool, two outbuildings and Tree Damaging Activity (Removal of 4 Regulated and 2 Significant Trees)38 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Under Assessment
May 2026
- Torrens Title Land Division Creating 1 Additional Allotment (1 into 2)81 ELWOOD RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- Shelter (free standing verandah) over two outbuildings (in the form of two shipping containers).44 GARTRELL RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Under Assessment
February 2026
- Relocation of an outbuilding (approved in DA 24013913) and carport.91 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- Single storey dwelling addition, and construction of a domestic outbuilding (shed)151 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- Construction of a single storey detached dwelling.82 MCINTYRE RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Under Assessment
January 2026
- Construction of an outbuilding (garage) and tree damaging activity922 HEASLIP RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
2025· 12 proposals
December 2025
- Ancillary Accommodation18 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- Outbuilding31 SPENCER ST MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
October 2025
- Verandah and tree damaging activity190 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
September 2025
- Outbuilding (garage)15 GARTRELL RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- Change in use of existing outbuilding to animal keeping (dog kenneling and breeding) and from existing private open space to ancillary dog running yard17 SPENCER ST MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
July 2025
- Outbuilding (Shed)70 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- Construction of an outbuilding and carport44 GARTRELL RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
May 2025
- Dwelling Addition31 MASLIN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
April 2025
- Outbuilding135 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
February 2025
- Ancillary accommodation167 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Under Assessment
- Domestic outbuilding (storage shed) and verandah62 ELWOOD RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
January 2025
- Single storey detached dwelling.27 GARTRELL RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
2024· 13 proposals
December 2024
- Partial change of use from wholly residential to include the parking of a heavy vehicle (a truck and trailer exceeding 3000 kilograms), associated storage, fencing and landscaping6 DEVON RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Under Assessment
- Retrospective Application - Swimming Pool70 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
November 2024
- Carport and verandah718 HEASLIP RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
October 2024
- Outbuilding - shed42 LYNDON RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
September 2024
- Verandah12 DEVON RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
July 2024
- Domestic Outbuilding with lean-to91 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
May 2024
- Single storey detached dwelling27 GARTRELL RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- freestanding flat roof verandah102 ELWOOD RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
April 2024
- Construction of an extension of a bathroom and en-suite along with the renovation of the existing kitchen.190 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- Construction of two Carports190 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- Non-inhabitable domestic outbuilding868 HEASLIP RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
March 2024
- Non-inhabitable domestic outbuilding190 JULIAN RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
- Domestic Outbuilding -Garage.790 HEASLIP RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
2023· 6 proposals
December 2023
- Existing dwelling to be demolished and replaced with a detached dwelling.62 ELWOOD RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
November 2023
- Domestic Outbuilding (Shed) including the parking of a heavy vehicle - vintage truck for hobby purposes.111 ELWOOD RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
September 2023
- Store (storage of recreational vehicles)708 HEASLIP RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
August 2023
- Dwelling addition25 LYNDON RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
July 2023
- Partial change of use to horse keeping (maximum of 2 horses on site) including associated paddock fencing and horse shelters42 MCINTYRE RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
June 2023
- Construction of a gable carport15 GARTRELL RD MACDONALD PARK SA 5121Decision Made
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · 2026 · Updated
Roadworks & transport
2 active roadworks / incidents
- Traffic ManagementHeaslip Road Ramp, Heaslip Rd16 Jul 2026 – 17 Aug 2026
- Water MainsHeaslip Road, Buckby Rd20 May 2026 – 17 Aug 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Traffic SA road events — Department for Infrastructure and Transport (SA) · current · Updated
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid against all current SA Planning risk layers (high, medium, general, urban interface, regional, outback). Safer places from CFS designated locations.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Bushfire & hazard overlays (SA) — Government of South Australia · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Spence
- Member of Parliament
- Matt BURNELL (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 138,898
- Turnout (2025)
- 87.5%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +2.4 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 34.7%Labor 65.3%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 4.8 km away).
Coalition 31.4%Labor 68.5%
3.2 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +3.4 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Andrews FarmLabor 69.0% · Coalition 31.0% TPP (2025)2.3 km away
- EyreLabor 73.6% · Coalition 26.4% TPP (2025)3.0 km away
- Smithfield PlainsLabor 69.8% · Coalition 30.2% TPP (2025)3.1 km away
- Angle Vale (Spence)Labor 59.8% · Coalition 40.2% TPP (2025)3.4 km away
- Davoren ParkLabor 69.2% · Coalition 30.9% TPP (2025)3.7 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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 (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
This suburb ranks highly for
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
More in Playford Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of South Australia.