Birkenhead vs Exeter

Birkenhead is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 48 in Exeter. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Exeter, about half of households are people living alone. Exeter is closer to the city centre: 16.2 km, against 20.4 km. On these figures, Exeter tends to suit people living alone.

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

Birkenhead

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 64%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (51% vs 40%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Exeter

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (10% vs 5%)
  • is more walkable (84/100 vs 59/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (16.2 km vs 20.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Exeter

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (36% vs 12%)
  • is more walkable (84/100 vs 59/100)
  • But Birkenhead carries lower crime risk (71/100 vs 88/100)

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

Investors

Birkenhead

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.1% vs 3.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Birkenhead Exeter
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.

Birkenhead Exeter
Walkability 59 / 84
Birkenhead — Walkability: 59/100 Exeter — Walkability: 84/100
Safety 29 / 12
Birkenhead — Safety: 29/100 Exeter — Safety: 12/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Birkenhead — Low fire risk: 100/100 Exeter — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 21 / 22
Birkenhead — Low flood risk: 21/100 Exeter — Low flood risk: 22/100

Demographics

Birkenhead has more residents (1,798 vs 1,066); Exeter skews older (48 vs 39).

Birkenhead Exeter
Population 1,798
+41% vs other
 1,066
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.1% +3.1%
Median age 39 48
Median household income $83,096/yr
+13% vs other
 $72,644/yr
Median weekly rent $315/wk
+2% vs other
 $310/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Birkenhead Exeter
0-4 7.4% / 3.2%
Birkenhead — 0-4: 7.4% Exeter — 0-4: 3.2%
5-14 9.3% / 8.8%
Birkenhead — 5-14: 9.3% Exeter — 5-14: 8.8%
15-19 4.4% / 3.4%
Birkenhead — 15-19: 4.4% Exeter — 15-19: 3.4%
20-24 5.9% / 4.8%
Birkenhead — 20-24: 5.9% Exeter — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 15.6% / 12.1%
Birkenhead — 25-34: 15.6% Exeter — 25-34: 12.1%
35-44 13.8% / 12.4%
Birkenhead — 35-44: 13.8% Exeter — 35-44: 12.4%
45-54 13.8% / 15.2%
Birkenhead — 45-54: 13.8% Exeter — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 15.2% / 22.1%
Birkenhead — 55-64: 15.2% Exeter — 55-64: 22.1%
65-74 9.5% / 12.1%
Birkenhead — 65-74: 9.5% Exeter — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 3.1% / 4.1%
Birkenhead — 75-84: 3.1% Exeter — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 1.8% / 1.4%
Birkenhead — 85+: 1.8% Exeter — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Birkenhead 42.9% lone person
Birkenhead — Lone Person: 42.9% Birkenhead — Couple Families: 31.5% Birkenhead — One Parent Families: 19.4% Birkenhead — Group Household: 3.8% Birkenhead — Other Families: 2.4%
Exeter 52.7% lone person
Exeter — Lone Person: 52.7% Exeter — Couple Families: 22.5% Exeter — One Parent Families: 17.8% Exeter — Group Household: 6.3% Exeter — Other Families: 0.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Birkenhead 27.7% renting
Birkenhead — Owned Outright: 26.0% Birkenhead — Mortgage: 46.3% Birkenhead — Renting: 27.7%
Exeter 32.8% renting
Exeter — Owned Outright: 30.5% Exeter — Mortgage: 36.7% Exeter — Renting: 32.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Birkenhead Exeter
Certificate III & IV 18.7% / 16.2%
Birkenhead — Certificate III & IV: 18.7% Exeter — Certificate III & IV: 16.2%
Bachelor Degree 10.7% / 15.5%
Birkenhead — Bachelor Degree: 10.7% Exeter — Bachelor Degree: 15.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 10.8%
Birkenhead — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Exeter — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 4.6%
Birkenhead — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Exeter — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 4.2%
Birkenhead — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Exeter — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

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.

Birkenhead Exeter
England 5.4% / 7.5%
Birkenhead — England: 5.4% Exeter — England: 7.5%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.6%
Birkenhead — New Zealand: 1.3% Exeter — New Zealand: 1.6%
Italy 1.1% / 0.5%
Birkenhead — Italy: 1.1% Exeter — Italy: 0.5%
Greece 0.8% / 0.4%
Birkenhead — Greece: 0.8% Exeter — Greece: 0.4%
Philippines 0.7% / 0.5%
Birkenhead — Philippines: 0.7% Exeter — Philippines: 0.5%
Scotland — / 0.9%
Birkenhead — Scotland: not among its largest Exeter — Scotland: 0.9%
South Africa 0.4% / 0.5%
Birkenhead — South Africa: 0.4% Exeter — South Africa: 0.5%
Germany 0.8% / —
Birkenhead — Germany: 0.8% Exeter — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Birkenhead 88.1% houses
Birkenhead — Houses: 88.1% Birkenhead — Flats / Apartments: 3.9% Birkenhead — Townhouses: 8.0%
Exeter 64.0% houses
Exeter — Houses: 64.0% Exeter — Flats / Apartments: 21.9% Exeter — Townhouses: 14.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Birkenhead Exeter
Median house price $855,100 $921,500
Median unit price — $630,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 18 days
from 26 sales
 16 days
from 15 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Birkenhead Exeter
2 bed $778K / $790K
Birkenhead — 2 bed: $778K (7 sales) Exeter — 2 bed: $790K (5 sales)

7 vs 5 sales

3 bed $855K / $933K
Birkenhead — 3 bed: $855K (49 sales) Exeter — 3 bed: $933K (13 sales)

49 vs 13 sales

4 bed $982K / $964K
Birkenhead — 4 bed: $982K (12 sales) Exeter — 4 bed: $964K (6 sales)

12 vs 6 sales

Zoning mix

Birkenhead has more industrially zoned land (25% vs 0%).

Birkenhead Exeter
Residential 66% 90%
Industrial 25% 0%
Commercial 8% 10%
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

Birkenhead Exeter
New dwellings approved 1,176
across Port Adelaide Enfield
same for both
Approvals change year on year +23%
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.

Birkenhead Exeter
Houses 3.7%
$670/wk on $950K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Birkenhead Exeter
House price Higher than 21% of SA Higher than 58% of SA
Income Higher than 58% of SA Higher than 46% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 94% of SA
Affordability Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 25% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 79% of SA Higher than 81% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of SA Higher than 79% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 36% of SA —

Liveability

Exeter is more walkable (84 vs 59); Exeter scores higher overall (46 vs 40).

Birkenhead Exeter
Grade C
same for both
Score 40/100 46/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Exeter carries more crime risk (88 vs 71).

Birkenhead Exeter
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
71/100
 High
88/100
Flood High
79/100
 High
78/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 21
within 5 km
 18
within 5 km

Schools

Birkenhead Exeter
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Birkenhead

  • Le Fevre Peninsula Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Exeter

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

Amenities in the suburb

Birkenhead Exeter
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 2 0
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Birkenhead sits further from the CBD (20.4 km vs 16.2 km).

Birkenhead Exeter
Walkability score 59/100 84/100
Distance to Adelaide 20.4 km
+21% vs other
 16.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 25 min
Public transport score 45/100
Bus
 56/100
Rail
Peak arrivals per hour 13.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 7 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 5015
 1.2%
postcode 5019
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 5015
 52
postcode 5019

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.

Birkenhead Exeter
Car (driver) 81.2% / 72.6%
Birkenhead — Car (driver): 81.2% Exeter — Car (driver): 72.6%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 9.5%
Birkenhead — Worked from Home: 7.5% Exeter — Worked from Home: 9.5%
Train 4.7% / 9.9%
Birkenhead — Train: 4.7% Exeter — Train: 9.9%
Car (passenger) 3.5% / 2.6%
Birkenhead — Car (passenger): 3.5% Exeter — Car (passenger): 2.6%
Walked Only 1.9% / 4.0%
Birkenhead — Walked Only: 1.9% Exeter — Walked Only: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.2%).

Setting

Birkenhead Exeter
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 1.8 km
3.1 km to a named beach
 1.1 km
2.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Birkenhead Exeter
Connectivity score 62/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 30%
873 premises
 38%
606 premises

Climate

Birkenhead Exeter
Annual rainfall 457 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Birkenhead Exeter
PM2.5 4.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Birkenhead Exeter
Average residential rate $1,311/yr
same for both
Council Port Adelaide Enfield
same for both

Federal electorate

Birkenhead Exeter
Division Hindmarsh
same for both
Member Mark Butler
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Birkenhead Exeter
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Birkenhead

Coastal Middle-Ring

Exeter

Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Trains Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Birkenhead

Birkenhead vs Largs Bay Birkenhead vs Port Adelaide Birkenhead vs Peterhead Birkenhead vs Glanville Birkenhead vs New Port

Other comparisons with Exeter

Exeter vs Largs Bay Exeter vs Semaphore Exeter vs Peterhead Exeter vs Glanville Exeter vs New Port
Full data on Birkenhead Full data on Exeter
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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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