Blackwood vs Glenalta

Glenalta is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 45 in Blackwood. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Glenalta, about half of households are couple families. Glenalta is closer to the city centre: 12.4 km, against 13.8 km. On these figures, Blackwood 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

Glenalta

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 34/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 80%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 56%)
  • But Blackwood has more childcare (4 vs 1)

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

Blackwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($330/wk vs $380/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Blackwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (95/100 vs 58/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Blackwood

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (20% vs 4%)
  • is more walkable (95/100 vs 58/100)
  • But Glenalta carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 34/100)

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

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

Blackwood Glenalta
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.

Blackwood Glenalta
Walkability 95 / 58
Blackwood — Walkability: 95/100 Glenalta — Walkability: 58/100
Safety 66 / 89
Blackwood — Safety: 66/100 Glenalta — Safety: 89/100
Low fire risk 83 / 100
Blackwood — Low fire risk: 83/100 Glenalta — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 46 / 43
Blackwood — Low flood risk: 46/100 Glenalta — Low flood risk: 43/100

Demographics

Blackwood has more residents (4,266 vs 2,039); Glenalta rents higher ($380/wk vs $330/wk).

Blackwood Glenalta
Population 4,266
+52% vs other
 2,039
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.0% +4.1%
Median age 45 42
Median household income $89,180/yr $102,336/yr
+15% vs other
Median weekly rent $330/wk $380/wk
+15% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Blackwood Glenalta
0-4 5.0% / 6.2%
Blackwood — 0-4: 5.0% Glenalta — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 11.9% / 14.0%
Blackwood — 5-14: 11.9% Glenalta — 5-14: 14.0%
15-19 5.2% / 6.3%
Blackwood — 15-19: 5.2% Glenalta — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 4.9% / 4.5%
Blackwood — 20-24: 4.9% Glenalta — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 9.3% / 8.7%
Blackwood — 25-34: 9.3% Glenalta — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 12.8% / 14.0%
Blackwood — 35-44: 12.8% Glenalta — 35-44: 14.0%
45-54 13.7% / 14.9%
Blackwood — 45-54: 13.7% Glenalta — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 13.2% / 9.6%
Blackwood — 55-64: 13.2% Glenalta — 55-64: 9.6%
65-74 12.7% / 10.6%
Blackwood — 65-74: 12.7% Glenalta — 65-74: 10.6%
75-84 8.1% / 9.7%
Blackwood — 75-84: 8.1% Glenalta — 75-84: 9.7%
85+ 3.2% / 2.3%
Blackwood — 85+: 3.2% Glenalta — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Blackwood 42.9% couple families
Blackwood — Couple Families: 42.9% Blackwood — Lone Person: 39.6% Blackwood — One Parent Families: 13.2% Blackwood — Group Household: 2.6% Blackwood — Other Families: 1.7%
Glenalta 52.8% couple families
Glenalta — Couple Families: 52.8% Glenalta — Lone Person: 29.4% Glenalta — One Parent Families: 13.9% Glenalta — Group Household: 3.2% Glenalta — Other Families: 0.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Blackwood 15.2% renting
Blackwood — Owned Outright: 43.5% Blackwood — Mortgage: 41.3% Blackwood — Renting: 15.2%
Glenalta 8.9% renting
Glenalta — Owned Outright: 41.1% Glenalta — Mortgage: 49.9% Glenalta — Renting: 8.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Blackwood Glenalta
Bachelor Degree 19.8% / 22.0%
Blackwood — Bachelor Degree: 19.8% Glenalta — Bachelor Degree: 22.0%
Certificate III & IV 11.6% / 10.9%
Blackwood — Certificate III & IV: 11.6% Glenalta — Certificate III & IV: 10.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 9.5%
Blackwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Glenalta — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Postgraduate Degree 8.8% / 7.3%
Blackwood — Postgraduate Degree: 8.8% Glenalta — Postgraduate Degree: 7.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.5% / 4.6%
Blackwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.5% Glenalta — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.0%).

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.

Blackwood Glenalta
England 8.8% / 8.1%
Blackwood — England: 8.8% Glenalta — England: 8.1%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.2%
Blackwood — New Zealand: 1.0% Glenalta — New Zealand: 1.2%
Germany 0.9% / 1.3%
Blackwood — Germany: 0.9% Glenalta — Germany: 1.3%
Scotland 1.1% / 0.9%
Blackwood — Scotland: 1.1% Glenalta — Scotland: 0.9%
Canada 0.5% / 0.6%
Blackwood — Canada: 0.5% Glenalta — Canada: 0.6%
South Africa 0.7% / 0.3%
Blackwood — South Africa: 0.7% Glenalta — South Africa: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Blackwood 80.0% houses
Blackwood — Houses: 80.0% Blackwood — Flats / Apartments: 15.3% Blackwood — Townhouses: 4.7%
Glenalta 95.7% houses
Glenalta — Houses: 95.7% Glenalta — Flats / Apartments: 1.0% Glenalta — Townhouses: 3.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Blackwood Glenalta
Median house price $1,067,500 $1,050,000
Median unit price $700,500 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 15 days
from 30 sales
 34 days
from 20 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.

Blackwood Glenalta
3 bed $888K / $1.02M
Blackwood — 3 bed: $888K (22 sales) Glenalta — 3 bed: $1.02M (28 sales)

22 vs 28 sales

4 bed $1.22M / $1.07M
Blackwood — 4 bed: $1.22M (18 sales) Glenalta — 4 bed: $1.07M (18 sales)

18 vs 18 sales

5 bed $1.47M / $1.2M
Blackwood — 5 bed: $1.47M (11 sales) Glenalta — 5 bed: $1.2M (5 sales)

11 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Blackwood has more land zoned for conservation (26% vs 0%).

Blackwood Glenalta
Residential 69% 100%
Environmental 26% 0%
Commercial 3% 0%
Parks and recreation 2% 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

Blackwood Glenalta
New dwellings approved 188
across Mitcham
same for both
Approvals change year on year +32%
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.

Blackwood Glenalta
Houses 3.1%
$695/wk on $1.18M
 —
Units 4.6%
$495/wk on $560K
 —

Ranking within SA

Blackwood Glenalta
House price Higher than 64% of SA Higher than 49% of SA
Income Higher than 68% of SA Higher than 81% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 100% of SA Higher than 83% of SA
Affordability Higher than 39% of SA Higher than 79% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 94% of SA Higher than 95% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of SA Higher than 82% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 17% of SA —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 58% of SA —

Liveability

Blackwood is more walkable (95 vs 58).

Blackwood Glenalta
Grade A
same for both
Score 80/100 77/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Blackwood carries more bushfire risk (17 vs 0); Blackwood carries more crime risk (34 vs 11).

Blackwood Glenalta
Bushfire Low
17/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
34/100
 Low
11/100
Flood Moderate
54/100
 Moderate
57/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Blackwood Glenalta
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 2
Bedford Park, 3.9 km
 3
Tonsley, 5.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.2% 2.4%

Schools in Blackwood

  • Concordia College (St Peters Campus, Blackwood) Independent · Primary below peers

Schools in Glenalta

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

Amenities in the suburb

Blackwood Glenalta
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 16 0
Parks & reserves 8 5
Childcare 4 1
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Blackwood Glenalta
Walkability score 95/100 58/100
Distance to Adelaide 13.8 km
+10% vs other
 12.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min 21 min
Public transport score 95/100
Rail · Bus
 70/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 84.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 28.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.9%
postcode 5051
 2.1%
postcode 5052
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 73
postcode 5051
 63
postcode 5052

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.

Blackwood Glenalta
Car (driver) 67.0% / 68.2%
Blackwood — Car (driver): 67.0% Glenalta — Car (driver): 68.2%
Worked from Home 18.9% / 18.5%
Blackwood — Worked from Home: 18.9% Glenalta — Worked from Home: 18.5%
Train 6.0% / 2.7%
Blackwood — Train: 6.0% Glenalta — Train: 2.7%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 4.7%
Blackwood — Car (passenger): 3.6% Glenalta — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Bus 1.4% / 3.4%
Blackwood — Bus: 1.4% Glenalta — Bus: 3.4%
Walked Only 1.5% / 0.8%
Blackwood — Walked Only: 1.5% Glenalta — Walked Only: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.2%).

Setting

Blackwood Glenalta
Elevation 254 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 256 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.8 km 10.4 km

NBN connectivity

Blackwood Glenalta
Connectivity score 60/100 69/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 28%
2,175 premises
 44%
818 premises

Climate

Blackwood Glenalta
Annual rainfall 969 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.4°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Blackwood Glenalta
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

Blackwood Glenalta
Average residential rate $2,296/yr
same for both
Council Mitcham
same for both

Federal electorate

Blackwood Glenalta
Division Boothby
same for both
Member Louise Miller-Frost
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Blackwood Glenalta
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Blackwood

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Trains Transport Hub Village Feel

Glenalta

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Blackwood

Blackwood vs Belair Blackwood vs Coromandel Valley Blackwood vs Hawthorndene Blackwood vs Craigburn Farm Blackwood vs Eden Hills Blackwood vs Bellevue Heights

Other comparisons with Glenalta

Glenalta vs Belair Glenalta vs Hawthorndene
Full data on Blackwood Full data on Glenalta
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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