Back Valley vs Victor Harbor

Back Valley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 59 in Victor Harbor. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Back Valley, most households are couple families. In Victor Harbor, most households are people living alone. On these figures, Back Valley tends to suit families with children and couples, while Victor Harbor suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Back Valley

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (69% vs 36%)
  • carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 66/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (94% vs 73%)
  • But Victor Harbor has more childcare (5 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Victor Harbor

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (30% vs 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($267/wk vs $310/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Victor Harbor

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (44/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (72 min vs 92 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (83.3 km vs 93.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Victor Harbor

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (44/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (27% vs 6%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • But Back Valley carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 66/100)

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

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

Back Valley Victor Harbor
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.

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Walkability 0 / 44
Back Valley — Walkability: 0/100 Victor Harbor — Walkability: 44/100
Safety 63 / 34
Back Valley — Safety: 63/100 Victor Harbor — Safety: 34/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Back Valley — Low fire risk: 100/100 Victor Harbor — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Victor Harbor has more residents (4,520 vs 176); Back Valley has higher household incomes ($62,504 vs $45,864).

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Population 176 4,520
+2468% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.3% +6.8%
Median age 47 59
Median household income $62,504/yr
+27% vs other
 $45,864/yr
Median weekly rent $310/wk
+14% vs other
 $267/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Back Valley Victor Harbor
0-4 9.7% / 3.1%
Back Valley — 0-4: 9.7% Victor Harbor — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 15.3% / 8.8%
Back Valley — 5-14: 15.3% Victor Harbor — 5-14: 8.8%
15-19 3.4% / 4.1%
Back Valley — 15-19: 3.4% Victor Harbor — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 — / 3.2%
Back Valley — 20-24: not among its largest Victor Harbor — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 13.1% / 6.7%
Back Valley — 25-34: 13.1% Victor Harbor — 25-34: 6.7%
35-44 7.4% / 8.3%
Back Valley — 35-44: 7.4% Victor Harbor — 35-44: 8.3%
45-54 9.7% / 9.6%
Back Valley — 45-54: 9.7% Victor Harbor — 45-54: 9.6%
55-64 13.6% / 15.6%
Back Valley — 55-64: 13.6% Victor Harbor — 55-64: 15.6%
65-74 19.9% / 20.0%
Back Valley — 65-74: 19.9% Victor Harbor — 65-74: 20.0%
75-84 8.0% / 13.1%
Back Valley — 75-84: 8.0% Victor Harbor — 75-84: 13.1%
85+ — / 7.6%
Back Valley — 85+: not among its largest Victor Harbor — 85+: 7.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Back Valley 31.0% lone person
Back Valley — Lone Person: 31.0% Back Valley — Couple Families: 61.9% Back Valley — One Parent Families: 7.1% Back Valley — Group Household: 0.0% Back Valley — Other Families: 0.0%
Victor Harbor 58.9% lone person
Victor Harbor — Lone Person: 58.9% Victor Harbor — Couple Families: 21.4% Victor Harbor — One Parent Families: 14.3% Victor Harbor — Group Household: 3.4% Victor Harbor — Other Families: 2.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Back Valley 10.7% renting
Back Valley — Owned Outright: 53.6% Back Valley — Mortgage: 35.7% Back Valley — Renting: 10.7%
Victor Harbor 30.3% renting
Victor Harbor — Owned Outright: 47.1% Victor Harbor — Mortgage: 22.6% Victor Harbor — Renting: 30.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Back Valley Victor Harbor
England 6.8% / 9.7%
Back Valley — England: 6.8% Victor Harbor — England: 9.7%
New Zealand — / 1.0%
Back Valley — New Zealand: not among its largest Victor Harbor — New Zealand: 1.0%
Scotland — / 1.0%
Back Valley — Scotland: not among its largest Victor Harbor — Scotland: 1.0%
Germany — / 0.8%
Back Valley — Germany: not among its largest Victor Harbor — Germany: 0.8%
Philippines — / 0.6%
Back Valley — Philippines: not among its largest Victor Harbor — Philippines: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.7%).

Qualifications

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

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Certificate III & IV 18.8% / 17.1%
Back Valley — Certificate III & IV: 18.8% Victor Harbor — Certificate III & IV: 17.1%
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 8.5%
Back Valley — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Victor Harbor — Bachelor Degree: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.2% / 8.7%
Back Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2% Victor Harbor — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.7% / 2.2%
Back Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 1.7% Victor Harbor — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.4%
Back Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Victor Harbor — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Back Valley 93.9% houses
Back Valley — Houses: 93.9% Back Valley — Townhouses: 0.0% Back Valley — Flats / Apartments: 6.1%
Victor Harbor 73.3% houses
Victor Harbor — Houses: 73.3% Victor Harbor — Townhouses: 19.5% Victor Harbor — Flats / Apartments: 7.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Median house price — $740,000
Median unit price — $561,000
Median land price — $352,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 22 days
from 72 sales

Zoning mix

Back Valley has more rural and farming land (100% vs 21%).

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Rural and farming 100% 21%
Residential 0% 36%
Parks and recreation 0% 20%
Commercial 0% 6%
Industrial 0% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 4%
Environmental 0% 4%
Other and special use 0% 3%
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

Back Valley Victor Harbor
New dwellings approved 347
across Victor Harbor
same for both
Approvals change year on year -26%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Houses — 3.6%
$550/wk on $800K
Units — 3.3%
$455/wk on $710K

Ranking within SA

Back Valley Victor Harbor
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 30% of SA Higher than 11% of SA
Schools — Higher than 10% of SA
Walkability Higher than 40% of SA Higher than 79% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 63% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of SA Higher than 98% of SA
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 32% of SA
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 4% of SA

Liveability

Victor Harbor is more walkable (44 vs 0).

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Grade — D
Score — 25/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Victor Harbor carries more crime risk (66 vs 37).

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
37/100
 Moderate
66/100
Flood — High
77/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Moderate
55/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Back Valley

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Victor Harbor

  • Investigator College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Victor Harbor High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Victor Harbor Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 7
Parks & reserves 9 10
Childcare 0 5
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 4
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 7
Fuel stations 0 3
EV chargers 0 3
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Back Valley sits further from the CBD (93.8 km vs 83.3 km).

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Walkability score 0/100 44/100
Distance to Adelaide 93.8 km
+11% vs other
 83.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 92 min 72 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 5211
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 5211
same for both

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.

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Car (driver) 68.3% / 72.5%
Back Valley — Car (driver): 68.3% Victor Harbor — Car (driver): 72.5%
Worked from Home 22.2% / 12.6%
Back Valley — Worked from Home: 22.2% Victor Harbor — Worked from Home: 12.6%
Walked Only 4.8% / 7.4%
Back Valley — Walked Only: 4.8% Victor Harbor — Walked Only: 7.4%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 6.2%
Back Valley — Car (passenger): 4.8% Victor Harbor — Car (passenger): 6.2%
Bicycle — / 0.8%
Back Valley — Bicycle: not among its largest Victor Harbor — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.5%).

Setting

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Elevation 97 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.3 km 1.3 km

NBN connectivity

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Connectivity score 37/100 96/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
91 premises
 91%
3,563 premises

Climate

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Annual rainfall 786 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Average residential rate $2,533/yr
same for both
Council Victor Harbor
same for both

Federal electorate

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Division Mayo
same for both
Member Rebekha Sharkie
same for both
Party Centre Alliance
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Back Valley Victor Harbor
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Back Valley

Family Retirees Rural Young Families

Victor Harbor

Coastal Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Back Valley

Back Valley vs Encounter Bay Back Valley vs Lower Inman Valley Back Valley vs Waitpinga Back Valley vs Inman Valley Back Valley vs Torrens Vale

Other comparisons with Victor Harbor

Victor Harbor vs Encounter Bay Victor Harbor vs McCracken Victor Harbor vs Hindmarsh Valley Victor Harbor vs Lower Inman Valley
Full data on Back Valley Full data on Victor Harbor
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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