Encounter Bay vs Waitpinga

Waitpinga is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 66 in Encounter Bay. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Encounter Bay, most households are people living alone. In Waitpinga, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Waitpinga: a median of $1.24 million, against $760,000 in Encounter Bay, though rent is higher in Encounter Bay. On these figures, Encounter Bay tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Waitpinga suits 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

Waitpinga

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 2)
  • is already more of a family suburb (64% vs 36%)
  • But Encounter Bay carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 62/100)

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

First-home buyers

Encounter Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($760,000 vs $1,242,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Waitpinga

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 33%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $305/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Encounter Bay

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (76 min vs 88 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (87.3 km vs 96 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Encounter Bay

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 62/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (53% vs 26%)

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

Investors

Waitpinga

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (19.5% vs 8.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
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.

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Walkability 23 / 0
Encounter Bay — Walkability: 23/100 Waitpinga — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 77 / 38
Encounter Bay — Safety: 77/100 Waitpinga — Safety: 38/100
Low fire risk 100 / 73
Encounter Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100 Waitpinga — Low fire risk: 73/100
Low flood risk 58 / 87
Encounter Bay — Low flood risk: 58/100 Waitpinga — Low flood risk: 87/100

Demographics

Encounter Bay has more residents (5,305 vs 374); Waitpinga has higher household incomes ($78,780 vs $48,308).

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Population 5,305
+93% vs other
 374
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.2% +19.5%
Median age 66 51
Median household income $48,308/yr $78,780/yr
+63% vs other
Median weekly rent $305/wk
+18% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
0-4 2.5% / 1.6%
Encounter Bay — 0-4: 2.5% Waitpinga — 0-4: 1.6%
5-14 6.7% / 15.2%
Encounter Bay — 5-14: 6.7% Waitpinga — 5-14: 15.2%
15-19 3.4% / 7.0%
Encounter Bay — 15-19: 3.4% Waitpinga — 15-19: 7.0%
20-24 2.1% / 1.9%
Encounter Bay — 20-24: 2.1% Waitpinga — 20-24: 1.9%
25-34 4.7% / 5.9%
Encounter Bay — 25-34: 4.7% Waitpinga — 25-34: 5.9%
35-44 6.1% / 10.2%
Encounter Bay — 35-44: 6.1% Waitpinga — 35-44: 10.2%
45-54 8.1% / 15.5%
Encounter Bay — 45-54: 8.1% Waitpinga — 45-54: 15.5%
55-64 13.4% / 19.0%
Encounter Bay — 55-64: 13.4% Waitpinga — 55-64: 19.0%
65-74 26.9% / 16.3%
Encounter Bay — 65-74: 26.9% Waitpinga — 65-74: 16.3%
75-84 19.5% / 8.8%
Encounter Bay — 75-84: 19.5% Waitpinga — 75-84: 8.8%
85+ 6.6% / 1.1%
Encounter Bay — 85+: 6.6% Waitpinga — 85+: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Encounter Bay 59.3% lone person
Encounter Bay — Lone Person: 59.3% Encounter Bay — Couple Families: 22.4% Encounter Bay — One Parent Families: 13.7% Encounter Bay — Other Families: 1.0% Encounter Bay — Group Household: 3.6%
Waitpinga 30.8% lone person
Waitpinga — Lone Person: 30.8% Waitpinga — Couple Families: 50.0% Waitpinga — One Parent Families: 14.1% Waitpinga — Other Families: 5.1% Waitpinga — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Encounter Bay 18.3% renting
Encounter Bay — Owned Outright: 63.1% Encounter Bay — Mortgage: 18.6% Encounter Bay — Renting: 18.3%
Waitpinga 15.6% renting
Waitpinga — Owned Outright: 57.4% Waitpinga — Mortgage: 27.0% Waitpinga — Renting: 15.6%
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.

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
England 13.4% / 4.5%
Encounter Bay — England: 13.4% Waitpinga — England: 4.5%
Scotland 1.6% / 1.3%
Encounter Bay — Scotland: 1.6% Waitpinga — Scotland: 1.3%
Netherlands 1.0% / 1.9%
Encounter Bay — Netherlands: 1.0% Waitpinga — Netherlands: 1.9%
Germany 1.2% / 0.8%
Encounter Bay — Germany: 1.2% Waitpinga — Germany: 0.8%
New Zealand 1.0% / —
Encounter Bay — New Zealand: 1.0% Waitpinga — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.4%).

Qualifications

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

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Certificate III & IV 16.7% / 14.7%
Encounter Bay — Certificate III & IV: 16.7% Waitpinga — Certificate III & IV: 14.7%
Bachelor Degree 9.9% / 15.2%
Encounter Bay — Bachelor Degree: 9.9% Waitpinga — Bachelor Degree: 15.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 6.4%
Encounter Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Waitpinga — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / 2.7%
Encounter Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% Waitpinga — Postgraduate Degree: 2.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 2.1%
Encounter Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Waitpinga — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Encounter Bay 96.8% houses
Encounter Bay — Houses: 96.8% Encounter Bay — Townhouses: 2.3% Encounter Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.8%
Waitpinga 101.5% houses
Waitpinga — Houses: 101.5% Waitpinga — Townhouses: 0.0% Waitpinga — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Median house price $760,000 $1,242,500
Median unit price $507,500 —
Median land price $355,000 $350,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 110 sales
 101 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Waitpinga has more rural and farming land (89% vs 0%).

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Residential 94% 1%
Rural and farming 0% 89%
Environmental 1% 10%
Parks and recreation 3% 0%
Industrial 1% 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

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
New dwellings approved 347
across Victor Harbor
same for both
Approvals change year on year -26%
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.

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Houses 3.7%
$600/wk on $850K
 3.8%
$590/wk on $812K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 14% of SA Higher than 54% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 73% of SA Higher than 20% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 63% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of SA Higher than 75% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 37% of SA Higher than 41% of SA

Liveability

Encounter Bay is more walkable (23 vs 0).

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Grade C —
Score 46/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Waitpinga carries more bushfire risk (27 vs 0); Encounter Bay carries more flood risk (42 vs 13).

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
27/100
Crime Low
23/100
 Moderate
62/100
Flood Moderate
42/100
 Low
13/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
66/100
 Low
28/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 2 15
Beaches 0 3
Waterways 0 5

Mobility

Waitpinga sits further from the CBD (96 km vs 87.3 km).

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Walkability score 23/100 0/100
Distance to Adelaide 87.3 km 96 km
+10% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 76 min 88 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 5211
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 70
postcode 5211
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.

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Car (driver) 78.6% / 65.5%
Encounter Bay — Car (driver): 78.6% Waitpinga — Car (driver): 65.5%
Worked from Home 12.1% / 27.7%
Encounter Bay — Worked from Home: 12.1% Waitpinga — Worked from Home: 27.7%
Car (passenger) 6.6% / 4.2%
Encounter Bay — Car (passenger): 6.6% Waitpinga — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 1.7% / 2.5%
Encounter Bay — Walked Only: 1.7% Waitpinga — Walked Only: 2.5%
Bicycle 0.8% / —
Encounter Bay — Bicycle: 0.8% Waitpinga — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.6%).

Setting

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Elevation 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 100 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 352 m
3.0 km to a named beach
 3.7 km
3.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Connectivity score 99/100 55/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 97%
4,094 premises
 37%
198 premises

Climate

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Annual rainfall 786 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Average residential rate $2,533/yr
same for both
Council Victor Harbor
same for both

Federal electorate

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Division Mayo
same for both
Member Rebekha Sharkie
same for both
Party Centre Alliance
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Encounter Bay Waitpinga
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Encounter Bay

Coastal Large Blocks Quiet Retirees

Waitpinga

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Encounter Bay

Encounter Bay vs Victor Harbor Encounter Bay vs Back Valley

Other comparisons with Waitpinga

Waitpinga vs Back Valley Waitpinga vs Parawa
Full data on Encounter Bay Full data on Waitpinga
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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