Birkenhead vs Port Adelaide

Birkenhead is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 45 in Port Adelaide. In Birkenhead, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Port Adelaide, most households rent and most households are people living alone. On these figures, Port Adelaide 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 28%)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (51% vs 31%)

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

First-home buyers

Birkenhead

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 31%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Port Adelaide

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (55% vs 28%)

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

Commuting to the city

Birkenhead

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (59/100 vs 11/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Birkenhead is more walkable (59/100 vs 11/100)
  • Port Adelaide has more units and townhouses to downsize into (72% vs 12%)

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

Birkenhead and Port Adelaide 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 Port Adelaide
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 Port Adelaide
Walkability 59 / 11
Birkenhead — Walkability: 59/100 Port Adelaide — Walkability: 11/100
Safety 29 / 2
Birkenhead — Safety: 29/100 Port Adelaide — Safety: 2/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Birkenhead — Low fire risk: 100/100 Port Adelaide — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 21 / 10
Birkenhead — Low flood risk: 21/100 Port Adelaide — Low flood risk: 10/100

Demographics

Birkenhead has more residents (1,798 vs 1,338); Birkenhead has higher household incomes ($83,096 vs $63,960).

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Population 1,798
+26% vs other
 1,338
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.1% +9.3%
Median age 39 45
Median household income $83,096/yr
+23% vs other
 $63,960/yr
Median weekly rent $315/wk
+7% vs other
 $293/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
0-4 7.4% / 2.3%
Birkenhead — 0-4: 7.4% Port Adelaide — 0-4: 2.3%
5-14 9.3% / 7.2%
Birkenhead — 5-14: 9.3% Port Adelaide — 5-14: 7.2%
15-19 4.4% / 4.1%
Birkenhead — 15-19: 4.4% Port Adelaide — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 5.9% / 7.8%
Birkenhead — 20-24: 5.9% Port Adelaide — 20-24: 7.8%
25-34 15.6% / 14.8%
Birkenhead — 25-34: 15.6% Port Adelaide — 25-34: 14.8%
35-44 13.8% / 13.5%
Birkenhead — 35-44: 13.8% Port Adelaide — 35-44: 13.5%
45-54 13.8% / 14.5%
Birkenhead — 45-54: 13.8% Port Adelaide — 45-54: 14.5%
55-64 15.2% / 17.7%
Birkenhead — 55-64: 15.2% Port Adelaide — 55-64: 17.7%
65-74 9.5% / 12.7%
Birkenhead — 65-74: 9.5% Port Adelaide — 65-74: 12.7%
75-84 3.1% / 4.3%
Birkenhead — 75-84: 3.1% Port Adelaide — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 1.8% / 1.2%
Birkenhead — 85+: 1.8% Port Adelaide — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

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%
Port Adelaide 59.4% lone person
Port Adelaide — Lone Person: 59.4% Port Adelaide — Couple Families: 16.1% Port Adelaide — One Parent Families: 15.0% Port Adelaide — Group Household: 7.9% Port Adelaide — Other Families: 1.5%
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%
Port Adelaide 55.4% renting
Port Adelaide — Owned Outright: 20.7% Port Adelaide — Mortgage: 23.8% Port Adelaide — Renting: 55.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Certificate III & IV 18.7% / 16.4%
Birkenhead — Certificate III & IV: 18.7% Port Adelaide — Certificate III & IV: 16.4%
Bachelor Degree 10.7% / 13.3%
Birkenhead — Bachelor Degree: 10.7% Port Adelaide — Bachelor Degree: 13.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 9.2%
Birkenhead — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Port Adelaide — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 3.9%
Birkenhead — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Port Adelaide — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.3%
Birkenhead — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Port Adelaide — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

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 Port Adelaide
England 5.4% / 5.6%
Birkenhead — England: 5.4% Port Adelaide — England: 5.6%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.5%
Birkenhead — New Zealand: 1.3% Port Adelaide — New Zealand: 1.5%
Italy 1.1% / 0.9%
Birkenhead — Italy: 1.1% Port Adelaide — Italy: 0.9%
Vietnam — / 1.3%
Birkenhead — Vietnam: not among its largest Port Adelaide — Vietnam: 1.3%
Afghanistan — / 1.2%
Birkenhead — Afghanistan: not among its largest Port Adelaide — Afghanistan: 1.2%
China — / 1.1%
Birkenhead — China: not among its largest Port Adelaide — China: 1.1%
Greece 0.8% / —
Birkenhead — Greece: 0.8% Port Adelaide — Greece: not among its largest
Germany 0.8% / —
Birkenhead — Germany: 0.8% Port Adelaide — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Birkenhead 88.1% houses
Birkenhead — Houses: 88.1% Birkenhead — Townhouses: 8.0% Birkenhead — Flats / Apartments: 3.9%
Port Adelaide 28.1% houses
Port Adelaide — Houses: 28.1% Port Adelaide — Townhouses: 58.4% Port Adelaide — Flats / Apartments: 13.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Median house price $855,100 $823,500
Median unit price — $621,000
Median land price — $1,100,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 18 days
from 26 sales
 27 days
from 14 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 Port Adelaide
2 bed $778K / $719K
Birkenhead — 2 bed: $778K (7 sales) Port Adelaide — 2 bed: $719K (11 sales)

7 vs 11 sales

3 bed $855K / $1.01M
Birkenhead — 3 bed: $855K (49 sales) Port Adelaide — 3 bed: $1.01M (18 sales)

49 vs 18 sales

Zoning mix

Port Adelaide has more industrially zoned land (59% vs 25%); Port Adelaide has more commercially zoned land (35% vs 8%).

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Residential 66% 2%
Industrial 25% 59%
Commercial 8% 35%
Parks and recreation 0% 4%
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 Port Adelaide
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 Port Adelaide
Houses 3.7%
$670/wk on $950K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
House price Higher than 21% of SA Higher than 8% of SA
Income Higher than 58% of SA Higher than 32% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 66% of SA
Affordability Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 73% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 79% of SA Higher than 78% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of SA Higher than 83% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 36% of SA —

Liveability

Birkenhead is more walkable (59 vs 11); Birkenhead scores higher overall (40 vs 21).

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Grade C D
Score 40/100 21/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Port Adelaide carries more crime risk (98 vs 71); Port Adelaide carries more flood risk (90 vs 79).

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
71/100
 High
98/100
Flood High
79/100
 High
90/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 21
within 5 km
 24
within 5 km

Schools

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km None 1
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 9.4 km

Schools in Birkenhead

  • Le Fevre Peninsula Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Port Adelaide

  • Indie School Port Adelaide Campus Independent · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Supermarkets 0 5
Cafes & restaurants 0 25
Parks & reserves 1 3
Childcare 2 4
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 4
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Walkability score 59/100 11/100
Distance to Adelaide 20.4 km
+7% vs other
 18.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 23 min
Public transport score 45/100
Bus
 93/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 13.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 176.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 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 Port Adelaide
Car (driver) 81.2% / 70.5%
Birkenhead — Car (driver): 81.2% Port Adelaide — Car (driver): 70.5%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 12.1%
Birkenhead — Worked from Home: 7.5% Port Adelaide — Worked from Home: 12.1%
Walked Only 1.9% / 7.2%
Birkenhead — Walked Only: 1.9% Port Adelaide — Walked Only: 7.2%
Train 4.7% / 3.7%
Birkenhead — Train: 4.7% Port Adelaide — Train: 3.7%
Car (passenger) 3.5% / 3.5%
Birkenhead — Car (passenger): 3.5% Port Adelaide — Car (passenger): 3.5%

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

Setting

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.8 km
3.1 km to a named beach
 2.4 km
4.1 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Connectivity score 62/100 72/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 30%
873 premises
 48%
1,947 premises

Climate

Birkenhead Port Adelaide
Annual rainfall 457 mm 404 mm
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C 30.4°C
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C 6.5°C

Air quality (annual mean)

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Birkenhead

Coastal Middle-Ring

Port Adelaide

Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring River Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Birkenhead

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

Other comparisons with Port Adelaide

Port Adelaide vs West Lakes Port Adelaide vs Semaphore Park Port Adelaide vs Largs Bay Port Adelaide vs Largs North Port Adelaide vs Rosewater Port Adelaide vs Taperoo
Full data on Birkenhead Full data on Port Adelaide
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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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