Modbury Heights is a semi-rural locality near Adelaide, in Tea Tree Gully Council, with mainly mixed commercial and residential development. It is set against Mount Lofty Ranges.
Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places. Open-space access is exceptionally strong, placing it among the highest-ranked semi-rural and lifestyle localities, and school access is strong, with school access 50% above the peer median. Green cover is a relative strength. The clearer weaknesses are weaker population growth and higher rents, with population growth 69% below the peer median.
Overall, the suburb suits people prioritising open space and daily services 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
Open-space access is exceptionally strong
Green cover is a relative strength
Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places
School access is strong
Weaknesses
Population growth is a relative weakness
Median rents are a relative weakness
What stands out
Overseas-born and multilingual community
Mount Lofty Ranges
Who it suits
Stars are audience-fit ratings derived from Suburb.Guide data, not demographic counts or user reviews.
Families★★★☆☆
Professionals★★☆☆☆
Retirees★☆☆☆☆
Students★☆☆☆☆
Budget buyers★★☆☆☆
Housing, growth and risk
How Modbury Heights compares
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median house price
$913k
+8.6% change
Median rent
$630/wk
Houses $630 · Units $580
Population (ERP)
7,138
+0.1% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
3.8%
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
#34
among Metro Adelaide · Established
Crime rate
32nd
percentile in state (higher = more crime)
Pop. growth
48th
percentile in SA
Rented dwellings
18%
2021 Census tenure
Advantage (IRSAD)
5/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
61st
percentile among schools with ICSEA
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
49.3/100 — Average
State standing
Top 23% of South Australia's suburbs
National rank
2142nd in Australia
State rank
163rd in SA
Peer rank
#34 among Metro Adelaide · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#120 among Metro Adelaide suburbs
Data confidence
98%
Data sources & freshness
Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
Flats / units (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$580
Houses (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$630
All types (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$630
Rental bonds lodged (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
35
Median house price (Q1 2026)
$912,500
Median price change
+8.6%
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.
Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band
Data sources & freshness
SA rent report & metro median house sales — Government of South Australia · 1 January - 31 March 2026; 1Q 2026 · Updated · Quarterly; metro-fringe sales only
Population
Estimated resident population
7,138(June 2025)
+0.1% annual · +1.8% over 5 years · 48th percentile in SA
Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.1%
5-year growth
+1.8%
Change in 1 year
+7
Change in 5 years
+129
Growth rank in SA
48th 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 (~7,200), extrapolated at +0.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
Population
6,995
Median age
40
Median household income / week
$1,573
Dwelling vacancy
3.8%
Unoccupied private dwellings
103 of 2,729
Median monthly mortgage
$1,495
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$340
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
36.5% / 45.8% / 17.7%
Employment rate
61.3%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
8.6% / 6.9% / 70.8%
Walked or cycled to work
0.8%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
2,407 / 210 / 5
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.
19.8% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 20.4% have a trade or vocational qualification.
University qualified19.8% · 22.6% SA
Diploma qualified10.5% · 8.6% SA
Trade / vocational20.4% · 17.5% SA
Year 12 or below49.3% · 51.2% SA
Highest qualification field
Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).
Management and commerce21.9%
Engineering and related technologies20.1%
Society and culture13.5%
Health11%
Education9.2%
Food, hospitality and personal services6.4%
How these groups are defined
Measure
Definition
University qualified
Bachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualified
Advanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocational
Certificate III + IV
Year 12
Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12
Year 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)
$55,266
55th percentile in SA · -6% vs Australia
Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$61,277
64th percentile in SA · -6% vs Australia
Residents with rental investments
10.0%
22nd percentile in SA · -27% vs Australia
Median super balance (2023–24)
$59,309
24th percentile in SA · -6% vs Australia
Residents with business income
13.0%
77th percentile in SA · +25% vs Australia
Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 5092 — 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
12,002
Taxpayers reporting net rent
1,229
Median net rent
-$781
Taxpayers reporting business income
1,580
Taxable income vs state median
+2%
Salary / wages vs state median
+7%
Rental investment vs state median
-17%
Super vs state median
-24%
Business income vs state median
+18%
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
19.4% speak a language other than English at home; 28.3% born overseas
Language at home
5,488 English only · 1,319 other
Non-English at home
19.4%
Born overseas
1,928 (28.3%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
109 (1.6%)
Australian citizens
6,209
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
28
Top languages other than English
Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).
Punjabi114 · 21.8%
Arabic43 · 8.2%
Mandarin33 · 6.3%
Hindi32 · 6.1%
Gujarati26 · 5%
Korean25 · 4.8%
Greek21 · 4%
Malayalam21 · 4%
Religion
45.6%No religion
No religion is the most common response at 45.6%, while Christianity accounts for 38.2%.
Measure
Suburb
State
No religion
45.6%
45.2%
Christianity
38.2%
40%
Hinduism
3.5%
2.1%
Islam
2.8%
2.3%
Other / not stated
9.9%
10.4%
Christian denominations
Denomination
Suburb
State
Catholic
14.7%
15.5%
Anglican
7.1%
7.2%
Uniting Church
4%
4.8%
Christian (not further defined)
2.6%
2.6%
Lutheran
2.2%
2.4%
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)
154
Against the person
38
Against property
116
Rate per 1,000 residents
21.6
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 184 residents
State crime-rate percentile
31.7th (higher = more crime)
Family & domestic abuse offences
114
Increase (daily rate)
+2%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
143
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
20.03
Most common offence types
Damage Or Destroy Property31
Motor Vehicle Theft And Related Offences21
Serious Assault23
Theft From A Person22
Theft From Retail Premises11
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)
Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates
The Heights SchoolCombined · Government · ICSEA 1060 · 72th percentile · LBOTE 54% · 1,811 students · Top SEA quarter 25% · 0.1 km awayView on My School →
Golden Grove Lutheran Primary SchoolPrimary · Independent · ICSEA 1051 · 69th percentile · LBOTE 31% · 205 students · Top SEA quarter 20% · 1.3 km awayView on My School →
Keithcot Farm Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1020 · 56th percentile · LBOTE 14% · 330 students · Top SEA quarter 13% · 1.4 km awayView on My School →
King's Baptist Grammar SchoolCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1090 · 81th percentile · LBOTE 21% · 1,280 students · Top SEA quarter 34% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
Wynn Vale SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1032 · 61th percentile · LBOTE 7% · 365 students · Top SEA quarter 18% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
East Para Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 994 · 44th percentile · LBOTE 24% · 194 students · Top SEA quarter 9% · 1.6 km awayView on My School →
Modbury School P-6Primary · Government · ICSEA 1026 · 58th percentile · LBOTE 50% · 172 students · Top SEA quarter 17% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
Redwood Park Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1032 · 61th percentile · LBOTE 11% · 368 students · Top SEA quarter 16% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
St Francis Xavier's Regional Catholic SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1051 · 69th percentile · LBOTE 5% · 561 students · Top SEA quarter 21% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →
The Heights PreschoolBrunel DrivePreschools
Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)
Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts
Reasonably walkable — many shops and services reachable on foot or by bus
Great for outdoor family life — 16 parks mapped in suburb, 9 playgrounds nearby
Well connected by public transport — 44 public transport stops
Strong local sport and recreation — 11 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
55/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
2.29
Shopping(2)
Modbury Heights Shopping CentreShopping centre
172 Ladywood Road
WoolworthsSupermarket
Community(1)
The Heights SchoolSchool
Sport & outdoors(31)
Dry Creek TrailCycling route
Yulinda Gully SingletrackCycling route
Yulinda GullyNature reserve
Hargrave ReservePark
Maxlay ReservePark
Park (14)
Hargrave PlaygroundPlayground
Playground (8)
Public toilets
Hargrave OvalSports field
Sports field
Transport(40)
40 bus stops
Other(3)
Common (2)
Garden
Parking (16)
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
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 (2.6 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%)
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.
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%)
Development applications from PlanSA register and EPA licensed activities.
2026· 80 proposals
September 2026
Replace existing verandah
97 LADYWOOD RD MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Single storey detached dwelling, retaining walls and fencing (Lot 2)
29 TELFORD CR MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Two storey detached dwelling, retaining walls and fencing (15A)
LOT 351 TAURUS CR MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Verandah
18 YSTWYTH CT MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Construction of a carport forward of the building line
62 NOYA AV MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Proposed dwelling addition and alterations to the existing dwelling.
UNIT 1 237 KELLY RD MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Land division - 1 into 2 allotments
115 LADYWOOD RD MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Carport
37 SANDPIPER CT MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Land Division - One into two allotments, a regulated and a significant tree removal
14 CONYGHAM AV MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Dwelling Addition and Alterations
1 MONASH CT MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
August 2026
Verandah
8 HUTT PL MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Construction of a single-storey detached dwelling, including associated retaining walls and fencing.
7 BAYCLAY ST MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Removal of a significant and a regulated tree (Cupressus sempervirens)
15 ROEBLING ST MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
July 2026
Carport
45 NOYA AV MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Internal building alterations
172 -182 LADYWOOD RD MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Land division (1 into 2) and regulated tree removal (Jacaranda)
72 KESTRAL WAY MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Single story detached dwelling with associated fence and retaining walls exceeding a combined height of 2.1m
LOT 152 TAURUS CR MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Single Storey Detached Dwelling, Retaining walls and Fencing
22 HARGRAVE ST MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Land division (1 into 2)
5 MAYFIELD ST MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Land division (1 into 2)
8 FOLKSTONE ST MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Retrospective Significant Tree Removal (Willow Myrtle)
16 MACADAM ST MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Land Division (1 into 2)
220 MILNE RD MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Single storey detached dwelling, retaining walls and fencing (Lot 10)
50 HINKLER CR MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Dwelling alterations/ additions, carport and verandah
24 DRESDEN RD MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Land Division (1-in-3) Torrens Title, 3 X Single storey Detached Dwellings in Terrace Arrangement, Retaining wall and Fencing
14 DE SASSENAY CR MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
June 2026
Single storey detached dwelling
4 MONASH CT MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Land division - One into two allotments
11 OLDHAM AV MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Single storey Detached dwelling
LOT 101 BAYCLAY ST MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Two (2) single storey detached dwellings and combined fence & retaining walls
19 SHAKESPEARE WAY MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Verandah
200 KELLY RD MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Vinyl Modular Pool and Safety Fence
14 PLOVER AV MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Ancillary Accommodation
8 THAMES CT MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
May 2026
Construction of ancillary accommodation, additions to the existing dwelling, and a verandah.
336 MILNE RD MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Internal alterations and additions, extension of garage to side boundary, construction of new rear verandah, and refurbishment of existing front façade.
30 HINKLER CR MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Verandah
16 COALPORT TCE MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
2 x single storey detached dwellings, retaining walls and fencing
8 FOLKSTONE ST MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Outbuilding and in-ground swimming pool with associated features
28 STRATHISLA CT MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Swimming pool and safety barrier
7 HERO CT MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
Two (2) abutting single-storey detached dwellings, combined fence & retaining walls and removal of a significant palm tree
11 OLDHAM AV MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Under Assessment
Two verandahs
109 MURRELL RD MODBURY HEIGHTS SA 5092Decision Made
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.
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.
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%)