Houghton vs Upper Hermitage

Upper Hermitage 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 and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Houghton, most households are couple families. In Upper Hermitage, about half of households are couple families. Houghton is closer to the city centre: 20.9 km, against 25.5 km. On these figures, Houghton tends to suit 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

Houghton

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (42/100 vs 55/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 69%)

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

First-home buyers

Houghton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (19% vs 25%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Upper Hermitage

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($329/wk vs $373/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Houghton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (20.9 km vs 25.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Houghton carries lower crime risk (42/100 vs 55/100)
  • Upper Hermitage has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 19%)

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

Investors

Houghton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.9% vs -4.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Houghton and Upper Hermitage 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 Upper Hermitage
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 Upper Hermitage
Walkability 8 / 10
Houghton — Walkability: 8/100 Upper Hermitage — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 58 / 45
Houghton — Safety: 58/100 Upper Hermitage — Safety: 45/100
Low fire risk 12 / 17
Houghton — Low fire risk: 12/100 Upper Hermitage — Low fire risk: 17/100
Low flood risk 61 / 37
Houghton — Low flood risk: 61/100 Upper Hermitage — Low flood risk: 37/100

Demographics

Houghton has more residents (511 vs 273); Houghton has higher household incomes ($122,512 vs $102,856).

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Population 511
+47% vs other
 273
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.9% -4.2%
Median age 50 47
Median household income $122,512/yr
+16% vs other
 $102,856/yr
Median weekly rent $373/wk
+12% vs other
 $329/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Houghton Upper Hermitage
0-4 2.5% / 2.6%
Houghton — 0-4: 2.5% Upper Hermitage — 0-4: 2.6%
5-14 11.5% / 11.7%
Houghton — 5-14: 11.5% Upper Hermitage — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 7.6% / 7.7%
Houghton — 15-19: 7.6% Upper Hermitage — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 6.8% / 5.5%
Houghton — 20-24: 6.8% Upper Hermitage — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 6.5% / 5.5%
Houghton — 25-34: 6.5% Upper Hermitage — 25-34: 5.5%
35-44 8.8% / 11.7%
Houghton — 35-44: 8.8% Upper Hermitage — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 16.6% / 16.5%
Houghton — 45-54: 16.6% Upper Hermitage — 45-54: 16.5%
55-64 21.3% / 15.0%
Houghton — 55-64: 21.3% Upper Hermitage — 55-64: 15.0%
65-74 14.9% / 15.8%
Houghton — 65-74: 14.9% Upper Hermitage — 65-74: 15.8%
75-84 4.3% / 7.3%
Houghton — 75-84: 4.3% Upper Hermitage — 75-84: 7.3%
85+ — / 1.1%
Houghton — 85+: not among its largest Upper Hermitage — 85+: 1.1%

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%
Upper Hermitage 52.5% couple families
Upper Hermitage — Couple Families: 52.5% Upper Hermitage — Lone Person: 25.4% Upper Hermitage — One Parent Families: 16.9% Upper Hermitage — Group Household: 5.1%
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%
Upper Hermitage 3.4% renting
Upper Hermitage — Owned Outright: 62.1% Upper Hermitage — Mortgage: 34.5% Upper Hermitage — Renting: 3.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Certificate III & IV 19.2% / 21.2%
Houghton — Certificate III & IV: 19.2% Upper Hermitage — Certificate III & IV: 21.2%
Bachelor Degree 13.5% / 9.9%
Houghton — Bachelor Degree: 13.5% Upper Hermitage — Bachelor Degree: 9.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.6% / 10.3%
Houghton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6% Upper Hermitage — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / 4.4%
Houghton — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Upper Hermitage — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.8%
Houghton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Upper Hermitage — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

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 Upper Hermitage
England 10.8% / 9.2%
Houghton — England: 10.8% Upper Hermitage — England: 9.2%
Italy — / 2.6%
Houghton — Italy: not among its largest Upper Hermitage — Italy: 2.6%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.1%
Houghton — New Zealand: 1.0% Upper Hermitage — New Zealand: 1.1%
Scotland 0.6% / —
Houghton — Scotland: 0.6% Upper Hermitage — Scotland: not among its largest
Canada 0.6% / —
Houghton — Canada: 0.6% Upper Hermitage — Canada: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.6% / —
Houghton — Netherlands: 0.6% Upper Hermitage — Netherlands: 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%
Upper Hermitage 100.0% houses
Upper Hermitage — Houses: 100.0% Upper Hermitage — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

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

Zoning mix

Upper Hermitage has more land zoned for conservation (41% vs 24%).

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Rural and farming 67% 59%
Environmental 24% 41%
Residential 8% 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

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

Ranking within SA

Houghton Upper Hermitage
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 93% of SA Higher than 81% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 61% of SA Higher than 65% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 56% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 61% of SA Higher than 71% of SA

Liveability

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

Risk profile

Upper Hermitage carries more flood risk (63 vs 39); Upper Hermitage carries more crime risk (55 vs 42).

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
83/100
Crime Moderate
42/100
 Moderate
55/100
Flood Low
39/100
 Moderate
63/100
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 Upper Hermitage
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

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Parks & reserves 0 1
Waterways 0 7

Mobility

Upper Hermitage sits further from the CBD (25.5 km vs 20.9 km).

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Walkability score 8/100 10/100
Distance to Adelaide 20.9 km 25.5 km
+22% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 32 min 36 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 5131
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 94
postcode 5131
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.

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Car (driver) 76.8% / 82.4%
Houghton — Car (driver): 76.8% Upper Hermitage — Car (driver): 82.4%
Worked from Home 14.8% / 10.7%
Houghton — Worked from Home: 14.8% Upper Hermitage — Worked from Home: 10.7%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 6.9%
Houghton — Car (passenger): 4.8% Upper Hermitage — Car (passenger): 6.9%
Walked Only 2.4% / —
Houghton — Walked Only: 2.4% Upper Hermitage — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 1.2% / —
Houghton — Bus: 1.2% Upper Hermitage — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.4%).

Setting

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Elevation 365 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 387 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 18.4 km 18.7 km

NBN connectivity

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Connectivity score 30/100 33/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
190 premises
 0%
77 premises

Climate

Houghton Upper Hermitage
Annual rainfall 404 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Houghton Upper Hermitage
PM2.5 — 5.5 µg/m³
PM10 — 18.7 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.51 pphm 0.31 pphm

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Houghton

Acreage Middle-Ring

Upper Hermitage

Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Houghton

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

Other comparisons with Upper Hermitage

Upper Hermitage vs Golden Grove Upper Hermitage vs Fairview Park Upper Hermitage vs Tea Tree Gully Upper Hermitage vs Banksia Park Upper Hermitage vs Yatala Vale Upper Hermitage vs Gould Creek
Full data on Houghton Full data on Upper Hermitage
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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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