Auburn vs Watervale

Watervale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 54 in Auburn. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Auburn, about half of households are people living alone. In Watervale, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Auburn: a median of $660,000, against $458,000 in Watervale, though rent is higher in Watervale. On these figures, Auburn tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Watervale suits families with children, couples, and buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Watervale

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (15/100 vs 45/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 42%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Watervale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($457,600 vs $660,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Auburn

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($230/wk vs $275/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Auburn

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 24/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (88 min vs 94 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (118.5 km vs 126.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Auburn

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 24/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (28% vs 20%)
  • But Watervale carries lower crime risk (15/100 vs 45/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Auburn and Watervale drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Auburn Watervale
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Auburn Watervale
Walkability 40 / 24
Auburn — Walkability: 40/100 Watervale — Walkability: 24/100
Safety 55 / 85
Auburn — Safety: 55/100 Watervale — Safety: 85/100
Low fire risk 88 / 84
Auburn — Low fire risk: 88/100 Watervale — Low fire risk: 84/100

Demographics

Auburn has more residents (668 vs 338); Auburn skews older (54 vs 43).

Auburn Watervale
Population 668
+49% vs other
 338
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.1% +3.7%
Median age 54 43
Median household income $63,336/yr $74,724/yr
+18% vs other
Median weekly rent $230/wk $275/wk
+20% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Auburn Watervale
0-4 5.2% / 4.7%
Auburn — 0-4: 5.2% Watervale — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 8.5% / 18.3%
Auburn — 5-14: 8.5% Watervale — 5-14: 18.3%
15-19 4.0% / 5.6%
Auburn — 15-19: 4.0% Watervale — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 3.3% / 1.5%
Auburn — 20-24: 3.3% Watervale — 20-24: 1.5%
25-34 7.5% / 10.4%
Auburn — 25-34: 7.5% Watervale — 25-34: 10.4%
35-44 8.8% / 13.6%
Auburn — 35-44: 8.8% Watervale — 35-44: 13.6%
45-54 14.2% / 12.7%
Auburn — 45-54: 14.2% Watervale — 45-54: 12.7%
55-64 20.8% / 14.8%
Auburn — 55-64: 20.8% Watervale — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 19.2% / 13.0%
Auburn — 65-74: 19.2% Watervale — 65-74: 13.0%
75-84 7.8% / 5.6%
Auburn — 75-84: 7.8% Watervale — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ 1.3% / 0.9%
Auburn — 85+: 1.3% Watervale — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Auburn 29.6% couple families
Auburn — Couple Families: 29.6% Auburn — Lone Person: 53.4% Auburn — One Parent Families: 12.2% Auburn — Group Household: 4.8%
Watervale 58.2% couple families
Watervale — Couple Families: 58.2% Watervale — Lone Person: 32.9% Watervale — One Parent Families: 8.9% Watervale — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Auburn 16.2% renting
Auburn — Owned Outright: 48.5% Auburn — Mortgage: 35.4% Auburn — Renting: 16.2%
Watervale 16.5% renting
Watervale — Owned Outright: 44.3% Watervale — Mortgage: 39.1% Watervale — Renting: 16.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Auburn Watervale
Certificate III & IV 18.3% / 15.7%
Auburn — Certificate III & IV: 18.3% Watervale — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Bachelor Degree 11.7% / 13.3%
Auburn — Bachelor Degree: 11.7% Watervale — Bachelor Degree: 13.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 8.3%
Auburn — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Watervale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.0% / 4.1%
Auburn — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0% Watervale — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / 2.4%
Auburn — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Watervale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Auburn Watervale
England 5.7% / 4.1%
Auburn — England: 5.7% Watervale — England: 4.1%
New Zealand 1.3% / 0.9%
Auburn — New Zealand: 1.3% Watervale — New Zealand: 0.9%
Canada — / 1.5%
Auburn — Canada: not among its largest Watervale — Canada: 1.5%
Ireland 0.6% / 0.9%
Auburn — Ireland: 0.6% Watervale — Ireland: 0.9%
Germany — / 1.2%
Auburn — Germany: not among its largest Watervale — Germany: 1.2%
South Africa 0.9% / —
Auburn — South Africa: 0.9% Watervale — South Africa: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.9% / —
Auburn — Netherlands: 0.9% Watervale — Netherlands: not among its largest
Philippines 0.6% / —
Auburn — Philippines: 0.6% Watervale — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Auburn 97.4% houses
Auburn — Houses: 97.4% Auburn — Townhouses: 3.6%
Watervale 98.3% houses
Watervale — Houses: 98.3% Watervale — Townhouses: 2.6%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Auburn Watervale
Median house price $660,000 $457,600
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $325,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 83 days
from 16 sales
 34 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Auburn Watervale
Rural and farming 99%
same for both
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Auburn Watervale
New dwellings approved 28
across Clare and Gilbert Valleys
same for both
Approvals change year on year +20%
same for both

Ranking within SA

Auburn Watervale
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 31% of SA Higher than 49% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 77% of SA Higher than 74% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 53% of SA —
NBN connectivity Higher than 44% of SA Higher than 46% of SA

Liveability

Auburn is more walkable (40 vs 24).

Auburn Watervale
Grade B —
Score 51/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Auburn carries more crime risk (45 vs 15).

Auburn Watervale
Bushfire Low
12/100
 Low
16/100
Crime Moderate
45/100
 Low
15/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Auburn Watervale
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Auburn

  • Auburn Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Watervale

  • Watervale Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Auburn Watervale
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1
same for both
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Childcare 1
same for both
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Watervale sits further from the CBD (126.5 km vs 118.5 km).

Auburn Watervale
Walkability score 40/100 24/100
Distance to Adelaide 118.5 km 126.5 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 88 min 94 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 5451
 0.0%
postcode 5452
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 76
postcode 5451
 81
postcode 5452

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Auburn Watervale
Car (driver) 74.2% / 69.9%
Auburn — Car (driver): 74.2% Watervale — Car (driver): 69.9%
Worked from Home 16.9% / 12.2%
Auburn — Worked from Home: 16.9% Watervale — Worked from Home: 12.2%
Walked Only 5.4% / 14.1%
Auburn — Walked Only: 5.4% Watervale — Walked Only: 14.1%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 1.9%
Auburn — Car (passenger): 3.4% Watervale — Car (passenger): 1.9%
Bus — / 1.9%
Auburn — Bus: not among its largest Watervale — Bus: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.2%).

Setting

Auburn Watervale
Elevation 335 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 388 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Auburn Watervale
Connectivity score 29/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
366 premises
 0%
140 premises

Climate

Auburn Watervale
Annual rainfall 460 mm 420 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 29.5°C
Winter min (Jul) — 5.6°C

Council rates

Auburn Watervale
Average residential rate $1,830/yr
same for both
Council Clare and Gilbert Valleys
same for both

Federal electorate

Auburn Watervale
Division Grey
same for both
Member Tom Venning
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Auburn Watervale
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Auburn

Affordable Quiet Retirees Rural

Watervale

Family Quiet Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Auburn

Auburn vs Saddleworth Auburn vs Mintaro Auburn vs Halbury Auburn vs Manoora Auburn vs Hoyleton Auburn vs Leasingham

Other comparisons with Watervale

Watervale vs Mintaro Watervale vs Penwortham Watervale vs Hoyleton Watervale vs Leasingham Watervale vs Spring Gully
Full data on Auburn Full data on Watervale
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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