Echunga vs Mount Barker

Mount Barker is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 41 in Echunga. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Echunga, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Echunga: a median of $1.13 million, against $821,000 in Mount Barker, though rent is higher in Mount Barker. On these figures, Echunga tends to suit couples, while Mount Barker suits people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

  • Echunga carries lower crime risk (15/100 vs 59/100)
  • Mount Barker has more childcare (18 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Mount Barker

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($730,000 vs $1,700,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($821,250 vs $1,127,250)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Echunga

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $350/wk)
  • But Mount Barker has a bigger rental market to choose from (31% vs 11%)

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

Commuting to the city

Mount Barker

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (70/100 vs 17/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (33 min vs 42 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Mount Barker

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (9 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (70/100 vs 17/100)
  • But Echunga carries lower crime risk (15/100 vs 59/100)

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

Investors

Mount Barker

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (32.4% vs 9.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Echunga Mount Barker
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.

Echunga Mount Barker
Walkability 17 / 70
Echunga — Walkability: 17/100 Mount Barker — Walkability: 70/100
Safety 85 / 41
Echunga — Safety: 85/100 Mount Barker — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 35 / 47
Echunga — Low fire risk: 35/100 Mount Barker — Low fire risk: 47/100
Low flood risk 84 / 46
Echunga — Low flood risk: 84/100 Mount Barker — Low flood risk: 46/100

Demographics

Mount Barker has more residents (18,330 vs 1,219); Echunga has higher household incomes ($108,680 vs $84,448).

Echunga Mount Barker
Population 1,219 18,330
+1404% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.9% +32.4%
Median age 41 36
Median household income $108,680/yr
+22% vs other
 $84,448/yr
Median weekly rent $320/wk $350/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Echunga Mount Barker
0-4 7.1% / 6.8%
Echunga — 0-4: 7.1% Mount Barker — 0-4: 6.8%
5-14 11.1% / 13.0%
Echunga — 5-14: 11.1% Mount Barker — 5-14: 13.0%
15-19 6.5% / 5.9%
Echunga — 15-19: 6.5% Mount Barker — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 5.4% / 6.6%
Echunga — 20-24: 5.4% Mount Barker — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 10.3% / 15.0%
Echunga — 25-34: 10.3% Mount Barker — 25-34: 15.0%
35-44 13.9% / 13.5%
Echunga — 35-44: 13.9% Mount Barker — 35-44: 13.5%
45-54 15.3% / 12.1%
Echunga — 45-54: 15.3% Mount Barker — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 14.0% / 9.8%
Echunga — 55-64: 14.0% Mount Barker — 55-64: 9.8%
65-74 12.0% / 9.6%
Echunga — 65-74: 12.0% Mount Barker — 65-74: 9.6%
75-84 3.8% / 5.5%
Echunga — 75-84: 3.8% Mount Barker — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 1.1% / 2.1%
Echunga — 85+: 1.1% Mount Barker — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Echunga 55.6% couple families
Echunga — Couple Families: 55.6% Echunga — Lone Person: 23.6% Echunga — One Parent Families: 13.9% Echunga — Group Household: 5.6% Echunga — Other Families: 1.4%
Mount Barker 42.4% couple families
Mount Barker — Couple Families: 42.4% Mount Barker — Lone Person: 34.6% Mount Barker — One Parent Families: 17.9% Mount Barker — Group Household: 3.9% Mount Barker — 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.

Echunga 11.4% renting
Echunga — Owned Outright: 37.0% Echunga — Mortgage: 51.6% Echunga — Renting: 11.4%
Mount Barker 30.8% renting
Mount Barker — Owned Outright: 24.5% Mount Barker — Mortgage: 44.7% Mount Barker — Renting: 30.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Echunga Mount Barker
Certificate III & IV 15.5% / 16.7%
Echunga — Certificate III & IV: 15.5% Mount Barker — Certificate III & IV: 16.7%
Bachelor Degree 15.9% / 12.3%
Echunga — Bachelor Degree: 15.9% Mount Barker — Bachelor Degree: 12.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 8.6%
Echunga — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Mount Barker — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Postgraduate Degree 4.4% / 2.9%
Echunga — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4% Mount Barker — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 2.3%
Echunga — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Mount Barker — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

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.

Echunga Mount Barker
England 5.1% / 5.9%
Echunga — England: 5.1% Mount Barker — England: 5.9%
New Zealand 0.7% / 0.9%
Echunga — New Zealand: 0.7% Mount Barker — New Zealand: 0.9%
South Africa 0.2% / 1.3%
Echunga — South Africa: 0.2% Mount Barker — South Africa: 1.3%
Philippines 0.2% / 0.7%
Echunga — Philippines: 0.2% Mount Barker — Philippines: 0.7%
India — / 0.8%
Echunga — India: not among its largest Mount Barker — India: 0.8%
Ireland 0.7% / —
Echunga — Ireland: 0.7% Mount Barker — Ireland: not among its largest
China 0.5% / —
Echunga — China: 0.5% Mount Barker — China: not among its largest
Canada 0.4% / —
Echunga — Canada: 0.4% Mount Barker — Canada: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Echunga 97.9% houses
Echunga — Houses: 97.9% Echunga — Townhouses: 0.0% Echunga — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Mount Barker 91.2% houses
Mount Barker — Houses: 91.2% Mount Barker — Townhouses: 7.8% Mount Barker — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Echunga Mount Barker
Median house price $1,127,250 $821,250
Median unit price — $590,000
Median land price $1,700,000 $730,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 60 days
from 8 sales
 27 days
from 421 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.

Echunga Mount Barker
3 bed $756K / $740K
Echunga — 3 bed: $756K (10 sales) Mount Barker — 3 bed: $740K (311 sales)

10 vs 311 sales

4 bed $1.26M / $900K
Echunga — 4 bed: $1.26M (9 sales) Mount Barker — 4 bed: $900K (266 sales)

9 vs 266 sales

Zoning mix

Echunga has more rural and farming land (98% vs 38%).

Echunga Mount Barker
Rural and farming 98% 38%
Residential 1% 53%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 4%
Parks and recreation 0% 2%
Industrial 0% 1%
Commercial 0% 1%
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

Echunga Mount Barker
New dwellings approved 657
across Mount Barker
same for both
Approvals change year on year -7%
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.

Echunga Mount Barker
Houses — 4.1%
$640/wk on $815K
Units — 6.0%
$625/wk on $545K

Ranking within SA

Echunga Mount Barker
House price Higher than 7% of SA Higher than 3% of SA
Income Higher than 86% of SA Higher than 59% of SA
Schools — Higher than 9% of SA
Walkability Higher than 70% of SA Higher than 88% of SA
Affordability Higher than 97% of SA Higher than 95% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 92% of SA Higher than 80% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of SA Higher than 92% of SA
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 63% of SA
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 97% of SA

Liveability

Mount Barker is more walkable (70 vs 17); Echunga scores higher overall (58 vs 34).

Echunga Mount Barker
Grade B C
Score 58/100 34/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Mount Barker carries more crime risk (59 vs 15); Mount Barker carries more flood risk (54 vs 16).

Echunga Mount Barker
Bushfire Moderate
65/100
 Moderate
53/100
Crime Low
15/100
 Moderate
59/100
Flood Low
16/100
 Moderate
54/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Echunga Mount Barker
Inside the suburb 1 8
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 0 4

Schools in Echunga

  • Echunga Primary and Preschool Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Mount Barker

  • Cornerstone College Independent · Secondary at peers
  • Mount Barker High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Francis de Sales College Catholic · Combined at peers
  • Mount Barker Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Mount Barker South Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Mount Barker Waldorf School Independent · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Echunga Mount Barker
Supermarkets 0 6
Cafes & restaurants 0 17
Parks & reserves 3 8
Childcare 2 18
GPs 0 9
Pharmacies 0 7
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 10
Fuel stations 0 5
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

Echunga Mount Barker
Walkability score 17/100 70/100
Distance to Adelaide 36 km
+5% vs other
 34.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 42 min 33 min
Electric vehicle share 1.8%
postcode 5153
 1.1%
postcode 5251
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 86
postcode 5153
 82
postcode 5251

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.

Echunga Mount Barker
Car (driver) 73.8% / 76.0%
Echunga — Car (driver): 73.8% Mount Barker — Car (driver): 76.0%
Worked from Home 16.0% / 12.2%
Echunga — Worked from Home: 16.0% Mount Barker — Worked from Home: 12.2%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 4.8%
Echunga — Car (passenger): 4.2% Mount Barker — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Walked Only 3.9% / 2.3%
Echunga — Walked Only: 3.9% Mount Barker — Walked Only: 2.3%
Bus 0.9% / 4.3%
Echunga — Bus: 0.9% Mount Barker — Bus: 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.0%).

Setting

Echunga Mount Barker
Elevation 397 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 328 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 27.0 km 32.0 km

NBN connectivity

Echunga Mount Barker
Connectivity score 30/100 79/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
464 premises
 61%
10,696 premises

Climate

Echunga Mount Barker
Annual rainfall 730 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.7°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Echunga Mount Barker
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

Echunga Mount Barker
Average residential rate $2,485/yr
same for both
Council Mount Barker
same for both

Federal electorate

Echunga Mount Barker
Division Mayo
same for both
Member Rebekha Sharkie
same for both
Party Centre Alliance
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Echunga Mount Barker
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Echunga

Acreage Outer Quiet

Mount Barker

Acreage Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Echunga

Echunga vs Hahndorf Echunga vs Meadows Echunga vs Bugle Ranges Echunga vs Jupiter Creek Echunga vs Paechtown Echunga vs Flaxley

Other comparisons with Mount Barker

Mount Barker vs Nairne Mount Barker vs Littlehampton Mount Barker vs Hahndorf Mount Barker vs Blakiston Mount Barker vs Bugle Ranges Mount Barker vs Wistow
Full data on Echunga Full data on Mount Barker
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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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