Plympton is an inner metropolitan suburb of Adelaide, in West Torrens Council, with mainly mixed commercial and residential development. The Holdfast Bay is part of the surrounding geography.
Employment is stronger than in comparable places, with employment 12% above the peer median. Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places. School access is strong, with school access 50% above the peer median. Rents are relatively affordable, with median rents 12% below the peer median. Trade-offs centre on more mapped flood cover and thinner heritage listings.
Overall, Plympton suits people prioritising employment and daily services over heritage character.
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
Inner metropolitan suburb · compared with inner metropolitan suburbs in South Australia (188)
Strengths
Employment is a relative strength
Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places
Rents are relatively affordable
School access is strong
Weaknesses
A larger share of the suburb sits in mapped inundation than in comparable places
Heritage listings are a relative weakness
What stands out
Holdfast Bay
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 Plympton compares
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median house price
$1.42M
+38% change
Median rent
$525/wk
Houses $710 · Units $450
Population (ERP)
6,182
+0.8% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
7.5%
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
#9
among Metro Adelaide · Growth area
Crime rate
71st
percentile in state (higher = more crime)
Pop. growth
66th
percentile in SA
Rented dwellings
46%
2021 Census tenure
Advantage (IRSAD)
7/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
79th
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
2145th in Australia
State rank
163rd in SA
Peer rank
#9 among Metro Adelaide · Growth area suburbs
Cohort rank
#120 among Metro Adelaide suburbs
Data confidence
97%
Data sources & freshness
Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
Flats / units (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$450
Houses (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$710
All types (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$525
Rental bonds lodged (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
70
Median house price (Q1 2026)
$1,415,000
Median price change
+38%
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
6,182(June 2025)
+0.8% annual · +7.2% over 5 years · 66th percentile in SA
Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.8%
5-year growth
+7.2%
Change in 1 year
+50
Change in 5 years
+414
Growth rank in SA
66th 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 (~6,650), extrapolated at +1.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
Population
5,459
Median age
34
Median household income / week
$1,598
Dwelling vacancy
7.5%
Unoccupied private dwellings
190 of 2,545
Median monthly mortgage
$1,662
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$300
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
24.3% / 29.5% / 46.2%
Employment rate
68.8%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
8.9% / 11.8% / 62.3%
Walked or cycled to work
3.2%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
1,208 / 549 / 587 (+ 7 other)
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.
38.2% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 12% have a trade or vocational qualification.
University qualified38.2% · 22.6% SA
Diploma qualified10.4% · 8.6% SA
Trade / vocational12% · 17.5% SA
Year 12 or below39.4% · 51.2% SA
Highest qualification field
Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).
Management and commerce26.2%
Health16.1%
Society and culture14.3%
Engineering and related technologies11.4%
Education7.7%
Food, hospitality and personal services5.5%
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)
$57,726
66th percentile in SA · -2% vs Australia
Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$62,492
69th percentile in SA · -4% vs Australia
Residents with rental investments
12.0%
52nd percentile in SA · -13% vs Australia
Median super balance (2023–24)
$51,129
17th percentile in SA · -19% vs Australia
Residents with business income
12.0%
73rd percentile in SA · +15% vs Australia
Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 5038 — 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
12,044
Taxpayers reporting net rent
1,390
Median net rent
-$383
Taxpayers reporting business income
1,414
Taxable income vs state median
+6%
Salary / wages vs state median
+9%
Rental investment vs state median
0%
Super vs state median
-34%
Business income vs state median
+9%
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
40.4% speak a language other than English at home; 41.7% born overseas
Language at home
3,154 English only · 2,135 other
Non-English at home
40.4%
Born overseas
2,218 (41.7%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
46 (0.8%)
Australian citizens
3,919
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
31
Top languages other than English
Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).
Nepali196 · 21.6%
Mandarin128 · 14.1%
Punjabi103 · 11.4%
Greek90 · 9.9%
Hindi58 · 6.4%
Cantonese37 · 4.1%
Spanish37 · 4.1%
Arabic35 · 3.9%
Religion
37.8%No religion
No religion is the most common response at 37.8%, while Christianity accounts for 36.2%. Hinduism is more prevalent locally than across the state.
Measure
Suburb
State
No religion
37.8%
45.2%
Christianity
36.2%
40%
Hinduism
12%
2.1%
Islam
2.7%
2.3%
Buddhism
2.3%
1.9%
Other / not stated
9.1%
8.5%
Christian denominations
Denomination
Suburb
State
Catholic
16.9%
15.5%
Eastern Orthodox
4.7%
2.4%
Anglican
3.4%
7.2%
Uniting Church
3.3%
4.8%
Christian (not further defined)
2.6%
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)
372
Against the person
57
Against property
315
Rate per 1,000 residents
60.2
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 96 residents
State crime-rate percentile
71.4th (higher = more crime)
Family & domestic abuse offences
113
Increase (daily rate)
+2.2%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
239
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
38.66
Most common offence types
Damage Or Destroy Property57
Motor Vehicle Theft And Related Offences65
Serious Assault31
Theft From A Person42
Theft From Retail Premises83
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)
Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates
Plympton Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1071 · 76th percentile · LBOTE 59% · 272 students · Top SEA quarter 31% · 0.2 km awayView on My School →
Errington Special Education CentreSpecial · Government · ICSEA 1030 · 60th percentile · LBOTE 43% · 103 students · Top SEA quarter 24% · 0.7 km awayView on My School →
Plympton International CollegeCombined · Government · ICSEA 1044 · 66th percentile · LBOTE 45% · 825 students · Top SEA quarter 22% · 0.7 km awayView on My School →
St John the Baptist Catholic SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1081 · 79th percentile · LBOTE 26% · 361 students · Top SEA quarter 30% · 0.7 km awayView on My School →
Emmaus Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1137 · 93th percentile · LBOTE 35% · 1,084 students · Top SEA quarter 54% · 1.1 km awayView on My School →
Black Forest Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1108 · 86th percentile · LBOTE 19% · 410 students · Top SEA quarter 44% · 1.7 km awayView on My School →
Forbes Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1002 · 48th percentile · LBOTE 53% · 235 students · Top SEA quarter 15% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
St Anthony's SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1090 · 81th percentile · LBOTE 25% · 116 students · Top SEA quarter 34% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
Immanuel CollegeSecondary · Independent · ICSEA 1117 · 89th percentile · LBOTE 9% · 1,184 students · Top SEA quarter 45% · 2.0 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)
Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts
Great for outdoor family life — 4 parks mapped in suburb, 4 playgrounds nearby
Well connected by public transport — 33 public transport stops
Strong local sport and recreation — 9 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
84/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0.18
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
1.28
Parks per 1,000 residents
0.73
Food & drink(7)
The Highway HotelBar
Tweety Bird CafeCafe
Unit C 300 Anzac Highway, Plympton
Chicken Shack Seafood & GrillFast food
230 Anzac Highway, Plympton
Barnacle BillRestaurant
306 Anzac Highway, Plympton
British IndiaRestaurant
Sakura SushiRestaurant
Unit 2 283 Anzac Highway, Plympton
Sushi TrainRestaurant
Unit B 300 Anzac Highway, Plympton
Shopping(5)
Thirsty CamelBottle shop
AldiSupermarket
ColesSupermarket
Marion Road
Namaste IndiaSupermarket
Everyday services(3)
BP XConveniencePetrol station
366 Cnr Cross Anzac Highway
OTR PlymptonPetrol station
279 Anzac Highway, Plympton
Plympton LPOPost office
Unit 3 392 Marion Road, Plympton
Community(2)
Plympton International College R-12School
Plympton Primary SchoolSchool
Health & services(1)
Priceline PharmacyPharmacy
Sport & outdoors(24)
Marino Rocks GreenwayCycling route
Mike Turtur BikewayCycling route
Sturt River Bike PathCycling route
Westside Bike PathCycling route
Westside Bikeway Gym EquipmentFitness station
Nature reserve (4)
Errington Street ReservePark
Lindsay Street ReservePark
Myer Avenue ReservePark
Park
Weigall OvalPark
Errington Street PlaygroundPlayground
Playground (2)
Weigall Oval PlaygroundPlayground
Public toilets
Sports field
Swimming pool (4)
Transport(29)
26 bus stops · 3 tram stops
Other(10)
Bench
HertzCar Rental
C.A. Schulz & Sons Pty LtdCar repair
286 Anzac Highway, Plympton
Hairdresser
Unit A 300 Anzac Highway, Plympton
Parking (48)
Parking Space (17)
Seaview aquarium centrePet
Edge Early Learning PlymptonSocial Facility
208-212 Anzac Highway, Plympton
TelstraTelephone
Track
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
Named sporting clubs from OpenStreetMap and the SA Sports Vouchers venue list, assigned to this suburb's boundary. Sporting facilities such as ovals, courts and recreation centres are listed under Amenities.
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
Icon Cancer Care Adelaide (2.1 km)
Nearest hospital type
Private Day Only Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
No emergency department listed
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
27° / 16°
Rainfall
49 mm · ~6 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
Usual max / min
22° / 13°
Rainfall
94 mm · ~12 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
Usual max / min
16° / 8°
Rainfall
161 mm · ~20 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
Usual max / min
21° / 11°
Rainfall
95 mm · ~12 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)
Development applications from PlanSA register and EPA licensed activities.
2026· 76 proposals
September 2026
Verandah
UNIT 1 325 ANZAC HWY PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Conventional land division - one (1) into four (4) allotments
10 GLENBURNIE TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Verandah
UNIT 2 35 LINDSAY ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Verandah
307C ANZAC HWY PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Torrens title land division creating three (3) allotments from one (1) existing
20 LONG ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Land division - Torrens - 1 into 4 allotments
22 GLENBURNIE TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Remove internal masonry wall, install new timber roof beam
4 OSBORN TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
August 2026
1 into 5 Community Title Land Division
14 NETHERBY AV PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Tree-damaging activity (removal of one (1) significant Corymbia ficifolia)
34 GLENBURNIE TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Internal alteration to existing dwelling
1A BALDOCK ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
4 x verandahs
39 GLENBURNIE TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038;41 GLENBURNIE TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Update to Essential Safety Provision Schedule Only
342 ANZAC HWY PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Proposed Works (refer to the attached application) • Points 1 and 2 Convert two existing windows into narrow French-style doors. The proposed doors will not exceed the width of the existing window openings. Brickwork will only be cut downward to ground level, maintaining the existing structural width. • Point 3 Install a new standard external door to the rear of the single brick garage. The door will be a standard size and will open inward. • Point 4 Install an additional standard door to the ga
6 TURNER AV PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
July 2026
Two-storey residential flat building comprising five (5) dwellings with associated fencing, common driveway and landscaping
15 GLENBURNIE TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Proposed swimming pool and associated safety barrier
53B MCARTHUR AV PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Verandah
47 MOORINGE AV PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Torrens Title Land Division- one (1) into two (2) allotments
11 OSBORN TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Community title land division creating six (6) allotments from one (1) existing
327 ANZAC HWY PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Land division - Community - 1 into 5 allotments and common property
77 GLENGYLE TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Verandah at the western end of the existing pitching practice pens
18 URRBRAE TCE PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
June 2026
Outbuilding (replacement garage)
29A WHEATON RD PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Torrens Title land division (1 into 2)
14 LYDIA ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Torrens Title land division (1 into 3)
4 LYDIA ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Ancillary accommodation abutting the existing dwelling, with associated building alterations, fencing, and removal of Regulated tree (Cedrus deodara)
9 TILDEN ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Under Assessment
Torrens Title land division (1 into 3)
3 EDWARD ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 1), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 1 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 10), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 10 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 11), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 11 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 12), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 12 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 2), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 2 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 3), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 3 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 4), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 4 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 5), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 5 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 6), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 6 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 7), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 7 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 8), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 8 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Two storey detached dwelling (Lot 9), masonry fencing and associated landscaping
LOT 9 GARDNER ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Carport
1 KEILY ST PLYMPTON SA 5038Decision Made
Three (3) double storey detached dwellings in a terrace arrangement, removal of regulated Lophostemon confertus (Queensland Brush Box) tree, boundary fencing and retaining walls and associated landscaping
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.
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 4.6 km away).
Coalition 27.4%Labor 72.5%
3.5 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +5.4 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
Plympton (Adelaide)Labor 72.5% · Coalition 27.5% TPP (2025)0.2 km away
Black Forest (Adelaide)Labor 72.6% · Coalition 27.4% TPP (2025)1.8 km away
KeswickLabor 72.6% · Coalition 27.4% TPP (2025)2.5 km away
Cowandilla (Adelaide)Labor 77.9% · Coalition 22.1% TPP (2025)3.0 km away
GoodwoodLabor 78.2% · Coalition 21.8% TPP (2025)3.3 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.
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%)