Birkenhead vs New Port

In Birkenhead, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In New Port, most households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. New Port is closer to the city centre: 15.3 km, against 20.4 km. On these figures, New Port tends to suit renters and 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 separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 0%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (51% vs 22%)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Birkenhead has cheaper rent ($315/wk vs $350/wk)
  • New Port has a bigger rental market to choose from (61% vs 28%)

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

Commuting to the city

New Port

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 59/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (15.3 km vs 20.4 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

New Port

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 12%)
  • is more walkable (90/100 vs 59/100)
  • But Birkenhead carries lower crime risk (71/100 vs 89/100)

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 -4.4%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Birkenhead and New Port 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 New Port
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 New Port
Walkability 59 / 90
Birkenhead — Walkability: 59/100 New Port — Walkability: 90/100
Safety 29 / 11
Birkenhead — Safety: 29/100 New Port — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Birkenhead — Low fire risk: 100/100 New Port — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 21 / 16
Birkenhead — Low flood risk: 21/100 New Port — Low flood risk: 16/100

Demographics

Birkenhead has more residents (1,798 vs 647); New Port rents higher ($350/wk vs $315/wk).

Birkenhead New Port
Population 1,798
+64% vs other
 647
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.1% -4.4%
Median age 39 41
Median household income $83,096/yr
+7% vs other
 $77,220/yr
Median weekly rent $315/wk $350/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Birkenhead New Port
0-4 7.4% / 2.0%
Birkenhead — 0-4: 7.4% New Port — 0-4: 2.0%
5-14 9.3% / 4.3%
Birkenhead — 5-14: 9.3% New Port — 5-14: 4.3%
15-19 4.4% / 3.2%
Birkenhead — 15-19: 4.4% New Port — 15-19: 3.2%
20-24 5.9% / 8.5%
Birkenhead — 20-24: 5.9% New Port — 20-24: 8.5%
25-34 15.6% / 20.6%
Birkenhead — 25-34: 15.6% New Port — 25-34: 20.6%
35-44 13.8% / 15.5%
Birkenhead — 35-44: 13.8% New Port — 35-44: 15.5%
45-54 13.8% / 15.3%
Birkenhead — 45-54: 13.8% New Port — 45-54: 15.3%
55-64 15.2% / 17.2%
Birkenhead — 55-64: 15.2% New Port — 55-64: 17.2%
65-74 9.5% / 9.4%
Birkenhead — 65-74: 9.5% New Port — 65-74: 9.4%
75-84 3.1% / 3.9%
Birkenhead — 75-84: 3.1% New Port — 75-84: 3.9%
85+ 1.8% / —
Birkenhead — 85+: 1.8% New Port — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.6%).

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%
New Port 68.9% lone person
New Port — Lone Person: 68.9% New Port — Couple Families: 13.9% New Port — One Parent Families: 8.4% New Port — Group Household: 6.2% New Port — Other Families: 2.6%
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%
New Port 60.9% renting
New Port — Owned Outright: 16.8% New Port — Mortgage: 22.3% New Port — Renting: 60.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Birkenhead New Port
Certificate III & IV 18.7% / 18.9%
Birkenhead — Certificate III & IV: 18.7% New Port — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Bachelor Degree 10.7% / 18.9%
Birkenhead — Bachelor Degree: 10.7% New Port — Bachelor Degree: 18.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 11.7%
Birkenhead — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% New Port — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 4.3%
Birkenhead — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% New Port — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.9%
Birkenhead — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% New Port — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

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 New Port
England 5.4% / 9.4%
Birkenhead — England: 5.4% New Port — England: 9.4%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.7%
Birkenhead — New Zealand: 1.3% New Port — New Zealand: 1.7%
Malaysia — / 1.9%
Birkenhead — Malaysia: not among its largest New Port — Malaysia: 1.9%
Germany 0.8% / 0.9%
Birkenhead — Germany: 0.8% New Port — Germany: 0.9%
Vietnam — / 1.4%
Birkenhead — Vietnam: not among its largest New Port — Vietnam: 1.4%
Italy 1.1% / —
Birkenhead — Italy: 1.1% New Port — Italy: not among its largest
China — / 0.9%
Birkenhead — China: not among its largest New Port — China: 0.9%
Greece 0.8% / —
Birkenhead — Greece: 0.8% New Port — Greece: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.4%).

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%
New Port 0.0% houses
New Port — Houses: 0.0% New Port — Flats / Apartments: 74.0% New Port — Townhouses: 26.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Birkenhead New Port
Median house price $855,100 $917,250
Median unit price — $507,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 18 days
from 26 sales
 16 days
from 12 sales

Zoning mix

New Port has more commercially zoned land (80% vs 8%); Birkenhead has more industrially zoned land (25% vs 0%).

Birkenhead New Port
Commercial 8% 80%
Residential 66% 0%
Industrial 25% 0%
Parks and recreation 0% 20%
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 New Port
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 New Port
Houses 3.7%
$670/wk on $950K
 3.7%
$690/wk on $958K
Units — 5.9%
$600/wk on $525K

Ranking within SA

Birkenhead New Port
House price Higher than 21% of SA Higher than 19% of SA
Income Higher than 58% of SA Higher than 52% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 99% of SA
Affordability Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 79% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 79% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of SA Higher than 75% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 36% of SA Higher than 40% of SA
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 96% of SA

Liveability

New Port is more walkable (90 vs 59); New Port scores higher overall (50 vs 40).

Birkenhead New Port
Grade C
same for both
Score 40/100 50/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

New Port carries more crime risk (89 vs 71).

Birkenhead New Port
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
71/100
 High
89/100
Flood High
79/100
 High
84/100
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 New Port
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Birkenhead

  • Le Fevre Peninsula Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in New Port

  • Portside Christian College Independent · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Birkenhead New Port
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 2 1

Mobility

Birkenhead sits further from the CBD (20.4 km vs 15.3 km).

Birkenhead New Port
Walkability score 59/100 90/100
Distance to Adelaide 20.4 km
+25% vs other
 15.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 25 min
Public transport score 45/100
Bus
 77/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 13.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 17.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 5015
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 5015
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.

Birkenhead New Port
Car (driver) 81.2% / 76.0%
Birkenhead — Car (driver): 81.2% New Port — Car (driver): 76.0%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 12.8%
Birkenhead — Worked from Home: 7.5% New Port — Worked from Home: 12.8%
Train 4.7% / 5.4%
Birkenhead — Train: 4.7% New Port — Train: 5.4%
Car (passenger) 3.5% / 3.8%
Birkenhead — Car (passenger): 3.5% New Port — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only 1.9% / 1.9%
Birkenhead — Walked Only: 1.9% New Port — Walked Only: 1.9%

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

Setting

Birkenhead New Port
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.8 km
3.1 km to a named beach
 1.7 km
2.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Birkenhead New Port
Connectivity score 62/100 51/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 30%
873 premises
 11%
437 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Birkenhead

Coastal Middle-Ring

New Port

Apartments Coastal Easy Commute Gentrifying Middle-Ring Nightlife Parks Townhouses Trains

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Birkenhead

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

Other comparisons with New Port

New Port vs West Lakes New Port vs Semaphore Park New Port vs Ethelton New Port vs Port Adelaide New Port vs Exeter New Port vs Glanville
Full data on Birkenhead Full data on New Port
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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