Black Forest vs Clarence Gardens

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Clarence Gardens, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Black Forest: a median of $1.5 million, against $1.36 million in Clarence Gardens, though rent is higher in Clarence Gardens. Black Forest is closer to the city centre: 5.7 km, against 7 km. On these figures, Black Forest tends to suit people living alone, while Clarence Gardens suits families with children and couples.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Black Forest has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • Clarence Gardens has more separate houses rather than flats (84% vs 59%)

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

First-home buyers

Clarence Gardens

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($552,500 vs $625,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,360,000 vs $1,500,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Black Forest

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (40% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($290/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Black Forest gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (10% vs 4%)
  • Clarence Gardens is more walkable (77/100 vs 67/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Black Forest has more units and townhouses to downsize into (41% vs 16%)
  • Clarence Gardens has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Clarence Gardens

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (2.8% vs 2.1%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
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.

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Walkability 67 / 77
Black Forest — Walkability: 67/100 Clarence Gardens — Walkability: 77/100
Safety 68 / 46
Black Forest — Safety: 68/100 Clarence Gardens — Safety: 46/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Black Forest — Low fire risk: 100/100 Clarence Gardens — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 67 / 25
Black Forest — Low flood risk: 67/100 Clarence Gardens — Low flood risk: 25/100

Demographics

Clarence Gardens has higher household incomes ($114,400 vs $86,528); Clarence Gardens rents higher ($350/wk vs $290/wk).

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Population 1,982 2,373
+20% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.5% +3.0%
Median age 39 38
Median household income $86,528/yr $114,400/yr
+32% vs other
Median weekly rent $290/wk $350/wk
+21% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
0-4 4.8% / 6.8%
Black Forest — 0-4: 4.8% Clarence Gardens — 0-4: 6.8%
5-14 10.1% / 14.3%
Black Forest — 5-14: 10.1% Clarence Gardens — 5-14: 14.3%
15-19 5.1% / 5.3%
Black Forest — 15-19: 5.1% Clarence Gardens — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 6.9% / 6.5%
Black Forest — 20-24: 6.9% Clarence Gardens — 20-24: 6.5%
25-34 16.9% / 12.3%
Black Forest — 25-34: 16.9% Clarence Gardens — 25-34: 12.3%
35-44 13.0% / 15.8%
Black Forest — 35-44: 13.0% Clarence Gardens — 35-44: 15.8%
45-54 12.4% / 14.4%
Black Forest — 45-54: 12.4% Clarence Gardens — 45-54: 14.4%
55-64 13.3% / 11.9%
Black Forest — 55-64: 13.3% Clarence Gardens — 55-64: 11.9%
65-74 10.8% / 6.9%
Black Forest — 65-74: 10.8% Clarence Gardens — 65-74: 6.9%
75-84 5.0% / 3.7%
Black Forest — 75-84: 5.0% Clarence Gardens — 75-84: 3.7%
85+ 1.5% / 2.5%
Black Forest — 85+: 1.5% Clarence Gardens — 85+: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Black Forest 35.4% couple families
Black Forest — Couple Families: 35.4% Black Forest — Lone Person: 43.7% Black Forest — One Parent Families: 11.7% Black Forest — Group Household: 6.9% Black Forest — Other Families: 2.3%
Clarence Gardens 51.8% couple families
Clarence Gardens — Couple Families: 51.8% Clarence Gardens — Lone Person: 28.4% Clarence Gardens — One Parent Families: 13.3% Clarence Gardens — Group Household: 5.3% Clarence Gardens — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Black Forest 40.1% renting
Black Forest — Owned Outright: 34.4% Black Forest — Mortgage: 25.5% Black Forest — Renting: 40.1%
Clarence Gardens 22.0% renting
Clarence Gardens — Owned Outright: 31.5% Clarence Gardens — Mortgage: 46.5% Clarence Gardens — Renting: 22.0%
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.

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
England 3.6% / 3.1%
Black Forest — England: 3.6% Clarence Gardens — England: 3.1%
India 3.8% / 1.6%
Black Forest — India: 3.8% Clarence Gardens — India: 1.6%
China 1.9% / 3.4%
Black Forest — China: 1.9% Clarence Gardens — China: 3.4%
Nepal 2.6% / 1.1%
Black Forest — Nepal: 2.6% Clarence Gardens — Nepal: 1.1%
Greece 1.5% / 1.1%
Black Forest — Greece: 1.5% Clarence Gardens — Greece: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.8%).

Qualifications

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

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Bachelor Degree 22.5% / 20.1%
Black Forest — Bachelor Degree: 22.5% Clarence Gardens — Bachelor Degree: 20.1%
Certificate III & IV 9.7% / 10.1%
Black Forest — Certificate III & IV: 9.7% Clarence Gardens — Certificate III & IV: 10.1%
Postgraduate Degree 9.6% / 6.7%
Black Forest — Postgraduate Degree: 9.6% Clarence Gardens — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.3% / 7.9%
Black Forest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3% Clarence Gardens — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.8% / 2.8%
Black Forest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.8% Clarence Gardens — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Black Forest 58.7% houses
Black Forest — Houses: 58.7% Black Forest — Flats / Apartments: 32.9% Black Forest — Townhouses: 8.4%
Clarence Gardens 84.1% houses
Clarence Gardens — Houses: 84.1% Clarence Gardens — Flats / Apartments: 10.4% Clarence Gardens — Townhouses: 5.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Median house price $1,500,000 $1,360,000
Median unit price $625,000 $552,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 16 days
from 11 sales
 17 days
from 18 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.

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
3 bed $1.65M / $1.19M
Black Forest — 3 bed: $1.65M (14 sales) Clarence Gardens — 3 bed: $1.19M (24 sales)

14 vs 24 sales

4 bed $1.68M / $1.57M
Black Forest — 4 bed: $1.68M (7 sales) Clarence Gardens — 4 bed: $1.57M (24 sales)

7 vs 24 sales

Zoning mix

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Residential 90% 81%
Industrial 5% 13%
Parks and recreation 0% 7%
Commercial 5% 0%
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

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
New dwellings approved 273
across Unley
 188
across Mitcham
Approvals change year on year -67% +32%

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.

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Houses 2.1%
$650/wk on $1.63M
 2.8%
$705/wk on $1.31M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
House price Higher than 74% of SA
same for both
Income Higher than 64% of SA Higher than 88% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 87% of SA Higher than 91% of SA
Affordability Higher than 21% of SA Higher than 55% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 98% of SA Higher than 79% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of SA
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 1% of SA Higher than 11% of SA

Liveability

Clarence Gardens is more walkable (77 vs 67); Black Forest scores higher overall (77 vs 70).

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Grade A
same for both
Score 77/100 70/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Clarence Gardens carries more flood risk (75 vs 33); Clarence Gardens carries more crime risk (54 vs 32).

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
32/100
 Moderate
54/100
Flood Low
33/100
 High
75/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Adelaide University, Adelaide City Campus, 4.2 km
 3
Tonsley, 3.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.6% 3.0%

Schools in Black Forest

  • Black Forest Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Clarence Gardens

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

Amenities in the suburb

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Cafes & restaurants 5 1
Parks & reserves 3
same for both
Childcare 2 1
GPs 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0

Mobility

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Walkability score 67/100 77/100
Distance to Adelaide 5.7 km 7 km
+23% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 11 min 12 min
Public transport score 96/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 44.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 34.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.7%
postcode 5035
 1.1%
postcode 5039
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 5035
 55
postcode 5039

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.

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Car (driver) 62.7% / 67.7%
Black Forest — Car (driver): 62.7% Clarence Gardens — Car (driver): 67.7%
Worked from Home 14.3% / 15.3%
Black Forest — Worked from Home: 14.3% Clarence Gardens — Worked from Home: 15.3%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 5.3%
Black Forest — Car (passenger): 4.8% Clarence Gardens — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Train 4.7% / 2.8%
Black Forest — Train: 4.7% Clarence Gardens — Train: 2.8%
Bus 2.4% / 4.8%
Black Forest — Bus: 2.4% Clarence Gardens — Bus: 4.8%
Tram / Light Rail 5.3% / 0.9%
Black Forest — Tram / Light Rail: 5.3% Clarence Gardens — Tram / Light Rail: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.7%).

Setting

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Elevation 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 39 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.1 km 6.0 km

NBN connectivity

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Connectivity score 75/100
same for both
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
1,000 premises
 0%
1,014 premises

Climate

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
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)

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 1.12 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Average residential rate $2,288/yr $2,296/yr
Council Unley Mitcham

Federal electorate

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Division Boothby
same for both
Member Louise Miller-Frost
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Black Forest Clarence Gardens
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Black Forest

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Parks Premium Professionals Trains Trams Transport Hub

Clarence Gardens

Inner Parks Premium Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Black Forest

Black Forest vs Edwardstown Black Forest vs Glandore Black Forest vs Clarence Park Black Forest vs Millswood Black Forest vs Forestville Black Forest vs Everard Park

Other comparisons with Clarence Gardens

Clarence Gardens vs Edwardstown Clarence Gardens vs Glandore Clarence Gardens vs Daw Park Clarence Gardens vs Clarence Park Clarence Gardens vs Cumberland Park Clarence Gardens vs Melrose Park
Full data on Black Forest Full data on Clarence Gardens
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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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