Highbury vs Montacute

Highbury is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 46 in Montacute. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Montacute: a median of $1.15 million, against $1 million in Highbury. Highbury is closer to the city centre: 15.3 km, against 19.8 km.

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

Montacute

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 39/100)
  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 5)

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

First-home buyers

Highbury

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 28%)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,004,500 vs $1,150,000)

Weighs house 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

Highbury

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (43/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (25 min vs 41 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (15.3 km vs 19.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Highbury is more walkable (43/100 vs 0/100)
  • Montacute carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 39/100)

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

Investors

Montacute

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.9% vs 5.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Highbury Montacute
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.

Highbury Montacute
Walkability 43 / 0
Highbury — Walkability: 43/100 Montacute — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 61 / 88
Highbury — Safety: 61/100 Montacute — Safety: 88/100
Low fire risk 100 / 17
Highbury — Low fire risk: 100/100 Montacute — Low fire risk: 17/100
Low flood risk 22 / 85
Highbury — Low flood risk: 22/100 Montacute — Low flood risk: 85/100

Demographics

Highbury has more residents (6,956 vs 332); Montacute skews older (46 vs 41).

Highbury Montacute
Population 6,956
+95% vs other
 332
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.6% +12.9%
Median age 41 46
Median household income $105,976/yr
+9% vs other
 $96,200/yr
Median weekly rent $369/wk $370/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Highbury Montacute
0-4 5.3% / 5.1%
Highbury — 0-4: 5.3% Montacute — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 12.6% / 13.0%
Highbury — 5-14: 12.6% Montacute — 5-14: 13.0%
15-19 6.9% / 7.8%
Highbury — 15-19: 6.9% Montacute — 15-19: 7.8%
20-24 5.9% / 5.4%
Highbury — 20-24: 5.9% Montacute — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 10.6% / 6.9%
Highbury — 25-34: 10.6% Montacute — 25-34: 6.9%
35-44 12.6% / 9.6%
Highbury — 35-44: 12.6% Montacute — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 14.1% / 14.8%
Highbury — 45-54: 14.1% Montacute — 45-54: 14.8%
55-64 12.4% / 15.7%
Highbury — 55-64: 12.4% Montacute — 55-64: 15.7%
65-74 11.8% / 14.5%
Highbury — 65-74: 11.8% Montacute — 65-74: 14.5%
75-84 6.4% / 3.0%
Highbury — 75-84: 6.4% Montacute — 75-84: 3.0%
85+ 1.3% / 3.3%
Highbury — 85+: 1.3% Montacute — 85+: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Highbury 57.4% couple families
Highbury — Couple Families: 57.4% Highbury — Lone Person: 24.6% Highbury — One Parent Families: 15.3% Highbury — Group Household: 2.3% Highbury — Other Families: 0.5%
Montacute 61.3% couple families
Montacute — Couple Families: 61.3% Montacute — Lone Person: 30.7% Montacute — One Parent Families: 8.0% Montacute — Group Household: 0.0% Montacute — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Highbury 12.3% renting
Highbury — Owned Outright: 42.2% Highbury — Mortgage: 45.5% Highbury — Renting: 12.3%
Montacute 8.1% renting
Montacute — Owned Outright: 52.5% Montacute — Mortgage: 39.4% Montacute — Renting: 8.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Highbury Montacute
Bachelor Degree 15.7% / 14.2%
Highbury — Bachelor Degree: 15.7% Montacute — Bachelor Degree: 14.2%
Certificate III & IV 14.5% / 10.2%
Highbury — Certificate III & IV: 14.5% Montacute — Certificate III & IV: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 5.7%
Highbury — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Montacute — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 4.5% / 8.7%
Highbury — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5% Montacute — Postgraduate Degree: 8.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 4.8%
Highbury — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Montacute — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

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.

Highbury Montacute
England 5.2% / 7.2%
Highbury — England: 5.2% Montacute — England: 7.2%
Germany 0.9% / 2.1%
Highbury — Germany: 0.9% Montacute — Germany: 2.1%
South Africa 0.9% / 1.5%
Highbury — South Africa: 0.9% Montacute — South Africa: 1.5%
Italy 2.2% / —
Highbury — Italy: 2.2% Montacute — Italy: not among its largest
India 1.7% / —
Highbury — India: 1.7% Montacute — India: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.5%
Highbury — New Zealand: not among its largest Montacute — New Zealand: 1.5%
Thailand — / 1.2%
Highbury — Thailand: not among its largest Montacute — Thailand: 1.2%
China 0.9% / —
Highbury — China: 0.9% Montacute — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Highbury 97.1% houses
Highbury — Houses: 97.1% Highbury — Townhouses: 2.6% Highbury — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Montacute 100.0% houses
Montacute — Houses: 100.0% Montacute — Townhouses: 0.0% Montacute — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Highbury Montacute
Median house price $1,004,500 $1,150,000
Median unit price $653,000 —
Median land price $530,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 18 days
from 82 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Montacute has more land zoned for conservation (65% vs 1%); Montacute has more rural and farming land (35% vs 0%).

Highbury Montacute
Residential 67% 0%
Environmental 1% 65%
Rural and farming 0% 35%
Parks and recreation 23% 0%
Industrial 7% 0%
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

Highbury Montacute
New dwellings approved 574
across Tea Tree Gully
 95
across Adelaide Hills
Approvals change year on year +36% +53%

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.

Highbury Montacute
Houses 3.9%
$750/wk on $1M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Highbury Montacute
House price Higher than 57% of SA Higher than 33% of SA
Income Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 74% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 78% of SA Higher than 52% of SA
Affordability Higher than 74% of SA Higher than 87% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 83% of SA Higher than 96% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of SA Higher than 33% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 49% of SA —

Liveability

Highbury is more walkable (43 vs 0).

Highbury Montacute
Grade B —
Score 59/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Montacute carries more bushfire risk (83 vs 0); Highbury carries more flood risk (78 vs 15).

Highbury Montacute
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
83/100
Crime Low
39/100
 Low
12/100
Flood High
78/100
 Low
15/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Highbury Montacute
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Adelaide University, Magill Campus, 7.5 km
 1
Adelaide University, Magill Campus, 7.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.3% 4.5%

Schools in Highbury

  • Highbury Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Montacute

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

Amenities in the suburb

Highbury Montacute
Parks & reserves 5 10
Childcare 2 0
GPs 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

Montacute sits further from the CBD (19.8 km vs 15.3 km).

Highbury Montacute
Walkability score 43/100 0/100
Distance to Adelaide 15.3 km 19.8 km
+29% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 25 min 41 min
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 5089
 2.4%
postcode 5134
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 69
postcode 5089
 83
postcode 5134

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.

Highbury Montacute
Car (driver) 73.7% / 77.5%
Highbury — Car (driver): 73.7% Montacute — Car (driver): 77.5%
Worked from Home 12.1% / 16.9%
Highbury — Worked from Home: 12.1% Montacute — Worked from Home: 16.9%
Bus 7.6% / 2.1%
Highbury — Bus: 7.6% Montacute — Bus: 2.1%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 3.5%
Highbury — Car (passenger): 5.3% Montacute — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Bicycle 0.6% / —
Highbury — Bicycle: 0.6% Montacute — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.5%).

Setting

Highbury Montacute
Elevation 147 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 364 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.7 km 20.6 km

NBN connectivity

Highbury Montacute
Connectivity score 89/100 22/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 59%
2,776 premises
 0%
61 premises

Climate

Highbury Montacute
Annual rainfall 404 mm 921 mm
Summer max (Jan) 30.4°C —
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

Highbury Montacute
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ 0.51 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Highbury Montacute
Average residential rate $2,000/yr $2,727/yr
Council Tea Tree Gully Adelaide Hills

Federal electorate

Highbury Montacute
Division Sturt Mayo
Member Claire Clutterham Rebekha Sharkie
Party Australian Labor Party Centre Alliance

First Home Owner Grant

Highbury Montacute
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Highbury

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks

Montacute

Middle-Ring Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Highbury

Highbury vs Athelstone Highbury vs Hope Valley Highbury vs Paradise Highbury vs Dernancourt Highbury vs Vista Highbury vs Houghton

Other comparisons with Montacute

Montacute vs Athelstone Montacute vs Rostrevor Montacute vs Woodforde Montacute vs Norton Summit Montacute vs Lenswood Montacute vs Paracombe
Full data on Highbury Full data on Montacute
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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