Ethelton vs Semaphore South

In both, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Semaphore South: a median of $1.4 million, against $870,000 in Ethelton, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Ethelton tends to suit 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

Ethelton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (71% vs 59%)

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

First-home buyers

Ethelton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($870,000 vs $1,400,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Semaphore South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (41% vs 29%)

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

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

Ethelton Semaphore South
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.

Ethelton Semaphore South
Walkability 69 / 71
Ethelton — Walkability: 69/100 Semaphore South — Walkability: 71/100
Safety 32 / 39
Ethelton — Safety: 32/100 Semaphore South — Safety: 39/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Ethelton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Semaphore South — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 15 / 17
Ethelton — Low flood risk: 15/100 Semaphore South — Low flood risk: 17/100

Demographics

Ethelton has more residents (1,487 vs 1,031); Semaphore South has higher household incomes ($87,152 vs $69,940).

Ethelton Semaphore South
Population 1,487
+31% vs other
 1,031
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.9% +1.2%
Median age 42 44
Median household income $69,940/yr $87,152/yr
+25% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $320/wk
+7% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ethelton Semaphore South
0-4 5.0% / 5.8%
Ethelton — 0-4: 5.0% Semaphore South — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 10.8% / 9.9%
Ethelton — 5-14: 10.8% Semaphore South — 5-14: 9.9%
15-19 4.8% / 4.6%
Ethelton — 15-19: 4.8% Semaphore South — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 4.4% / 4.8%
Ethelton — 20-24: 4.4% Semaphore South — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 12.0% / 12.4%
Ethelton — 25-34: 12.0% Semaphore South — 25-34: 12.4%
35-44 15.9% / 12.3%
Ethelton — 35-44: 15.9% Semaphore South — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 13.7% / 15.2%
Ethelton — 45-54: 13.7% Semaphore South — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 15.1% / 15.4%
Ethelton — 55-64: 15.1% Semaphore South — 55-64: 15.4%
65-74 11.4% / 11.8%
Ethelton — 65-74: 11.4% Semaphore South — 65-74: 11.8%
75-84 4.6% / 5.2%
Ethelton — 75-84: 4.6% Semaphore South — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 2.0% / 3.0%
Ethelton — 85+: 2.0% Semaphore South — 85+: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ethelton 50.6% lone person
Ethelton — Lone Person: 50.6% Ethelton — Couple Families: 26.6% Ethelton — One Parent Families: 18.6% Ethelton — Group Household: 3.1% Ethelton — Other Families: 1.2%
Semaphore South 47.3% lone person
Semaphore South — Lone Person: 47.3% Semaphore South — Couple Families: 34.4% Semaphore South — One Parent Families: 14.5% Semaphore South — Group Household: 2.8% Semaphore South — Other Families: 0.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ethelton 30.7% renting
Ethelton — Owned Outright: 28.8% Ethelton — Mortgage: 40.5% Ethelton — Renting: 30.7%
Semaphore South 29.6% renting
Semaphore South — Owned Outright: 34.3% Semaphore South — Mortgage: 36.1% Semaphore South — Renting: 29.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Ethelton Semaphore South
Certificate III & IV 17.8% / 15.3%
Ethelton — Certificate III & IV: 17.8% Semaphore South — Certificate III & IV: 15.3%
Bachelor Degree 13.0% / 15.1%
Ethelton — Bachelor Degree: 13.0% Semaphore South — Bachelor Degree: 15.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.6% / 8.9%
Ethelton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6% Semaphore South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree 3.4% / 5.2%
Ethelton — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4% Semaphore South — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 2.3%
Ethelton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Semaphore South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

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.

Ethelton Semaphore South
England 5.4% / 6.5%
Ethelton — England: 5.4% Semaphore South — England: 6.5%
Scotland 0.9% / 2.4%
Ethelton — Scotland: 0.9% Semaphore South — Scotland: 2.4%
Ireland 0.6% / 1.2%
Ethelton — Ireland: 0.6% Semaphore South — Ireland: 1.2%
Greece 0.9% / 0.6%
Ethelton — Greece: 0.9% Semaphore South — Greece: 0.6%
India 0.7% / 0.8%
Ethelton — India: 0.7% Semaphore South — India: 0.8%
Philippines 1.0% / —
Ethelton — Philippines: 1.0% Semaphore South — Philippines: not among its largest
Italy 0.9% / —
Ethelton — Italy: 0.9% Semaphore South — Italy: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.7%
Ethelton — Germany: not among its largest Semaphore South — Germany: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Ethelton 70.6% houses
Ethelton — Houses: 70.6% Ethelton — Townhouses: 21.8% Ethelton — Flats / Apartments: 7.6%
Semaphore South 59.0% houses
Semaphore South — Houses: 59.0% Semaphore South — Townhouses: 33.1% Semaphore South — Flats / Apartments: 7.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Ethelton Semaphore South
Median house price $870,000 $1,400,000
Median unit price $679,642 $698,680
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 16 sales
 22 days
from 8 sales

Zoning mix

Ethelton Semaphore South
Residential 89% 63%
Parks and recreation 9% 36%
Commercial 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

Ethelton Semaphore South
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.

Ethelton Semaphore South
Houses 3.8%
$640/wk on $875K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Ethelton Semaphore South
House price Higher than 17% of SA Higher than 67% of SA
Income Higher than 39% of SA Higher than 65% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 87% of SA Higher than 89% of SA
Affordability Higher than 70% of SA Higher than 33% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 78% of SA Higher than 81% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of SA
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 42% of SA —

Liveability

Semaphore South scores higher overall (56 vs 42).

Ethelton Semaphore South
Grade C B
Score 42/100 56/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Ethelton Semaphore South
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
68/100
 Moderate
61/100
Flood High
85/100
 High
83/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
89/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 15
within 5 km
 13
within 5 km

Schools

Ethelton Semaphore South
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Ethelton

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

Schools in Semaphore South

  • Le Fevre High School Government · Secondary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Ethelton Semaphore South
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 1
same for both
Hospitals 0 1

Mobility

Ethelton Semaphore South
Walkability score 69/100 71/100
Distance to Adelaide 15.1 km 16 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 25 min
Public transport score 37/100
Rail · Bus
 47/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 10.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 14 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 5015
 1.2%
postcode 5019
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 5015
 52
postcode 5019

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.

Ethelton Semaphore South
Car (driver) 73.5% / 73.3%
Ethelton — Car (driver): 73.5% Semaphore South — Car (driver): 73.3%
Worked from Home 11.3% / 15.9%
Ethelton — Worked from Home: 11.3% Semaphore South — Worked from Home: 15.9%
Train 6.3% / 4.3%
Ethelton — Train: 6.3% Semaphore South — Train: 4.3%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 2.2%
Ethelton — Car (passenger): 4.4% Semaphore South — Car (passenger): 2.2%
Walked Only 2.6% / 1.3%
Ethelton — Walked Only: 2.6% Semaphore South — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus 1.5% / 2.4%
Ethelton — Bus: 1.5% Semaphore South — Bus: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.5%).

Setting

Ethelton Semaphore South
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.3 km
1.5 km to a named beach
 369 m
1.1 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Ethelton Semaphore South
Connectivity score 66/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
779 premises
 38%
534 premises

Climate

Ethelton Semaphore South
Annual rainfall 394 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Ethelton Semaphore South
PM2.5 4.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Ethelton Semaphore South
Division Hindmarsh
same for both
Member Mark Butler
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Ethelton Semaphore South
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Ethelton

Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Townhouses Trains

Semaphore South

Beach Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Premium Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Ethelton

Ethelton vs Semaphore Park Ethelton vs Semaphore Ethelton vs Glanville Ethelton vs New Port

Other comparisons with Semaphore South

Semaphore South vs Semaphore Park Semaphore South vs Semaphore Semaphore South vs Glanville
Full data on Ethelton Full data on Semaphore South
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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