Houghton vs Paracombe

Paracombe is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 50 in Houghton. 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 Paracombe: a median of $1.69 million, against $1.25 million in Houghton, though rent is higher in Houghton. On these figures, Houghton 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Houghton is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 70%)
  • Paracombe carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 42/100)

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

First-home buyers

Houghton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,250,000 vs $1,685,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Paracombe

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($263/wk vs $373/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Paracombe

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (19/100 vs 8/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Paracombe

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (19/100 vs 8/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 42/100)

Weighs 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

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

Houghton Paracombe
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.

Houghton Paracombe
Walkability 8 / 19
Houghton — Walkability: 8/100 Paracombe — Walkability: 19/100
Safety 58 / 68
Houghton — Safety: 58/100 Paracombe — Safety: 68/100
Low fire risk 12 / 17
Houghton — Low fire risk: 12/100 Paracombe — Low fire risk: 17/100
Low flood risk 61 / 43
Houghton — Low flood risk: 61/100 Paracombe — Low flood risk: 43/100

Demographics

Houghton rents higher ($373/wk vs $263/wk); Houghton has higher household incomes ($122,512 vs $108,784).

Houghton Paracombe
Population 511
+15% vs other
 435
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.9% +2.1%
Median age 50 47
Median household income $122,512/yr
+11% vs other
 $108,784/yr
Median weekly rent $373/wk
+29% vs other
 $263/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Houghton Paracombe
0-4 2.5% / 3.2%
Houghton — 0-4: 2.5% Paracombe — 0-4: 3.2%
5-14 11.5% / 12.4%
Houghton — 5-14: 11.5% Paracombe — 5-14: 12.4%
15-19 7.6% / 6.7%
Houghton — 15-19: 7.6% Paracombe — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 6.8% / 6.0%
Houghton — 20-24: 6.8% Paracombe — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 6.5% / 5.5%
Houghton — 25-34: 6.5% Paracombe — 25-34: 5.5%
35-44 8.8% / 11.3%
Houghton — 35-44: 8.8% Paracombe — 35-44: 11.3%
45-54 16.6% / 17.5%
Houghton — 45-54: 16.6% Paracombe — 45-54: 17.5%
55-64 21.3% / 12.9%
Houghton — 55-64: 21.3% Paracombe — 55-64: 12.9%
65-74 14.9% / 14.0%
Houghton — 65-74: 14.9% Paracombe — 65-74: 14.0%
75-84 4.3% / 9.4%
Houghton — 75-84: 4.3% Paracombe — 75-84: 9.4%
85+ — / 0.7%
Houghton — 85+: not among its largest Paracombe — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Houghton 71.8% couple families
Houghton — Couple Families: 71.8% Houghton — Lone Person: 17.3% Houghton — One Parent Families: 10.9% Houghton — Group Household: 0.0%
Paracombe 65.9% couple families
Paracombe — Couple Families: 65.9% Paracombe — Lone Person: 22.7% Paracombe — One Parent Families: 4.5% Paracombe — Group Household: 6.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Houghton 3.4% renting
Houghton — Owned Outright: 43.2% Houghton — Mortgage: 53.4% Houghton — Renting: 3.4%
Paracombe 6.3% renting
Paracombe — Owned Outright: 52.1% Paracombe — Mortgage: 41.5% Paracombe — Renting: 6.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Houghton Paracombe
Certificate III & IV 19.2% / 16.3%
Houghton — Certificate III & IV: 19.2% Paracombe — Certificate III & IV: 16.3%
Bachelor Degree 13.5% / 9.9%
Houghton — Bachelor Degree: 13.5% Paracombe — Bachelor Degree: 9.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.6% / 11.5%
Houghton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6% Paracombe — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.5%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / 5.3%
Houghton — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Paracombe — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 2.1%
Houghton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Paracombe — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

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.

Houghton Paracombe
England 10.8% / 7.1%
Houghton — England: 10.8% Paracombe — England: 7.1%
Netherlands 0.6% / 1.6%
Houghton — Netherlands: 0.6% Paracombe — Netherlands: 1.6%
Scotland 0.6% / 0.7%
Houghton — Scotland: 0.6% Paracombe — Scotland: 0.7%
New Zealand 1.0% / —
Houghton — New Zealand: 1.0% Paracombe — New Zealand: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.9%
Houghton — Philippines: not among its largest Paracombe — Philippines: 0.9%
Italy — / 0.9%
Houghton — Italy: not among its largest Paracombe — Italy: 0.9%
Canada 0.6% / —
Houghton — Canada: 0.6% Paracombe — Canada: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Houghton 101.1% houses
Houghton — Houses: 101.1% Houghton — Townhouses: 1.7%
Paracombe 100.0% houses
Paracombe — Houses: 100.0% Paracombe — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Houghton Paracombe
Median house price $1,250,000 $1,685,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 52 days
from 3 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Houghton Paracombe
Rural and farming 67% 70%
Environmental 24% 28%
Residential 8% 0%
Industrial 0% 2%
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

Houghton Paracombe
New dwellings approved 95
across Adelaide Hills
same for both
Approvals change year on year +53%
same for both

Ranking within SA

Houghton Paracombe
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 93% of SA Higher than 86% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 61% of SA Higher than 71% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 56% of SA Higher than 64% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 61% of SA
same for both

Liveability

Paracombe is more walkable (19 vs 8).

Houghton Paracombe
Grade C —
Score 40/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Paracombe carries more flood risk (57 vs 39); Houghton carries more crime risk (42 vs 32).

Houghton Paracombe
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
83/100
Crime Moderate
42/100
 Low
32/100
Flood Low
39/100
 Moderate
57/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Houghton Paracombe
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Houghton

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

Schools in Paracombe

  • Paracombe Primary and Preschool Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Houghton Paracombe
Parks & reserves 0 2
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 0 7

Mobility

Houghton Paracombe
Walkability score 8/100 19/100
Distance to Adelaide 20.9 km 22.1 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 32 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 5131
 0.7%
postcode 5132
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 94
postcode 5131
 90
postcode 5132

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.

Houghton Paracombe
Car (driver) 76.8% / 76.2%
Houghton — Car (driver): 76.8% Paracombe — Car (driver): 76.2%
Worked from Home 14.8% / 12.7%
Houghton — Worked from Home: 14.8% Paracombe — Worked from Home: 12.7%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 3.2%
Houghton — Car (passenger): 4.8% Paracombe — Car (passenger): 3.2%
Walked Only 2.4% / 3.7%
Houghton — Walked Only: 2.4% Paracombe — Walked Only: 3.7%
Bus 1.2% / 4.2%
Houghton — Bus: 1.2% Paracombe — Bus: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.8%).

Setting

Houghton Paracombe
Elevation 365 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 423 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 18.4 km 20.0 km

NBN connectivity

Houghton Paracombe
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
190 premises
 0%
168 premises

Climate

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

Air quality (annual mean)

Houghton Paracombe
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ 0.51 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Houghton Paracombe
Average residential rate $2,727/yr
same for both
Council Adelaide Hills
same for both

Federal electorate

Houghton Paracombe
Division Mayo
same for both
Member Rebekha Sharkie
same for both
Party Centre Alliance
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Houghton Paracombe
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Houghton

Acreage Middle-Ring

Paracombe

Acreage Middle-Ring River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Houghton

Houghton vs Highbury Houghton vs Tea Tree Gully Houghton vs Vista Houghton vs Inglewood Houghton vs Upper Hermitage Houghton vs Lower Hermitage

Other comparisons with Paracombe

Paracombe vs Highbury Paracombe vs Vista Paracombe vs Cudlee Creek Paracombe vs Inglewood Paracombe vs Montacute Paracombe vs Millbrook
Full data on Houghton Full data on Paracombe
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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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