Ironbank vs Upper Sturt

Upper Sturt is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 44 in Ironbank. 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 Ironbank: a median of $1.48 million, against $1.24 million in Upper Sturt, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Ironbank tends to suit couples, while Upper Sturt suits 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

Ironbank

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (13 vs 10)
  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 73%)

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

First-home buyers

Upper Sturt

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,242,500 vs $1,475,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Upper Sturt

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($345/wk vs $430/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Upper Sturt

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 4/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Upper Sturt

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 4/100)

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

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

Ironbank Upper Sturt
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.

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Walkability 4 / 37
Ironbank — Walkability: 4/100 Upper Sturt — Walkability: 37/100
Safety 75 / 80
Ironbank — Safety: 75/100 Upper Sturt — Safety: 80/100
Low fire risk 25 / 24
Ironbank — Low fire risk: 25/100 Upper Sturt — Low fire risk: 24/100

Demographics

Upper Sturt has more residents (1,005 vs 537); Ironbank rents higher ($430/wk vs $345/wk).

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Population 537 1,005
+87% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.3% +5.7%
Median age 44 41
Median household income $133,796/yr
+13% vs other
$115,908/yr
Median weekly rent $430/wk
+20% vs other
$345/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ironbank Upper Sturt
0-4 3.2% / 6.1%
Ironbank — 0-4: 3.2% Upper Sturt — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 12.3% / 13.3%
Ironbank — 5-14: 12.3% Upper Sturt — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 9.7% / 6.0%
Ironbank — 15-19: 9.7% Upper Sturt — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 5.4% / 4.3%
Ironbank — 20-24: 5.4% Upper Sturt — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 6.7% / 10.1%
Ironbank — 25-34: 6.7% Upper Sturt — 25-34: 10.1%
35-44 11.9% / 14.0%
Ironbank — 35-44: 11.9% Upper Sturt — 35-44: 14.0%
45-54 15.8% / 15.1%
Ironbank — 45-54: 15.8% Upper Sturt — 45-54: 15.1%
55-64 19.0% / 13.6%
Ironbank — 55-64: 19.0% Upper Sturt — 55-64: 13.6%
65-74 11.4% / 13.2%
Ironbank — 65-74: 11.4% Upper Sturt — 65-74: 13.2%
75-84 2.8% / 3.6%
Ironbank — 75-84: 2.8% Upper Sturt — 75-84: 3.6%
85+ 0.9% / 0.9%
Ironbank — 85+: 0.9% Upper Sturt — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ironbank 72.2% couple families
Ironbank — Couple Families: 72.2% Ironbank — Lone Person: 13.9% Ironbank — One Parent Families: 10.4% Ironbank — Group Household: 3.5% Ironbank — Other Families: 0.0%
Upper Sturt 60.5% couple families
Upper Sturt — Couple Families: 60.5% Upper Sturt — Lone Person: 24.0% Upper Sturt — One Parent Families: 12.4% Upper Sturt — Group Household: 1.3% Upper Sturt — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ironbank 5.8% renting
Ironbank — Owned Outright: 40.7% Ironbank — Mortgage: 53.5% Ironbank — Renting: 5.8%
Upper Sturt 6.5% renting
Upper Sturt — Owned Outright: 36.4% Upper Sturt — Mortgage: 57.1% Upper Sturt — Renting: 6.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Bachelor Degree 17.3% / 17.0%
Ironbank — Bachelor Degree: 17.3% Upper Sturt — Bachelor Degree: 17.0%
Certificate III & IV 12.7% / 11.4%
Ironbank — Certificate III & IV: 12.7% Upper Sturt — Certificate III & IV: 11.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 9.5%
Ironbank — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Upper Sturt — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Postgraduate Degree 7.6% / 7.3%
Ironbank — Postgraduate Degree: 7.6% Upper Sturt — Postgraduate Degree: 7.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.7% / 3.7%
Ironbank — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7% Upper Sturt — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

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.

Ironbank Upper Sturt
England 7.6% / 6.9%
Ironbank — England: 7.6% Upper Sturt — England: 6.9%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.2%
Ironbank — New Zealand: 1.3% Upper Sturt — New Zealand: 1.2%
Germany 0.6% / 1.2%
Ironbank — Germany: 0.6% Upper Sturt — Germany: 1.2%
Netherlands 0.9% / 0.5%
Ironbank — Netherlands: 0.9% Upper Sturt — Netherlands: 0.5%
Ireland 1.1% / —
Ironbank — Ireland: 1.1% Upper Sturt — Ireland: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.5%
Ironbank — Philippines: not among its largest Upper Sturt — Philippines: 0.5%
Malaysia — / 0.5%
Ironbank — Malaysia: not among its largest Upper Sturt — Malaysia: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Ironbank 96.0% houses
Ironbank — Houses: 96.0% Ironbank — Flats / Apartments: 4.0%
Upper Sturt 98.0% houses
Upper Sturt — Houses: 98.0% Upper Sturt — Flats / Apartments: 2.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Median house price $1,475,000 $1,242,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $610,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 49 days
from 12 sales

Zoning mix

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Rural and farming 56% 46%
Environmental 44%
same for both
Residential 0% 10%
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

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

Ranking within SA

Ironbank Upper Sturt
House price Higher than 24% of SA Higher than 68% of SA
Income Higher than 96% of SA Higher than 89% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 59% of SA Higher than 77% of SA
Affordability Higher than 97% of SA Higher than 69% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 92% of SA Higher than 89% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 52% of SA Higher than 72% of SA

Liveability

Upper Sturt is more walkable (37 vs 4).

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Grade B
same for both
Score 50/100 53/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Bushfire High
75/100
High
76/100
Crime Low
25/100
Low
20/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Ironbank Upper Sturt
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 Ironbank

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

Schools in Upper Sturt

  • Upper Sturt Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 13 10
Waterways 0 3

Mobility

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Walkability score 4/100 37/100
Distance to Adelaide 20.5 km
+7% vs other
19 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 27 min 24 min
Electric vehicle share 1.8%
postcode 5153
1.6%
postcode 5156
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 86
postcode 5153
57
postcode 5156

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.

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Car (driver) 71.3% / 72.5%
Ironbank — Car (driver): 71.3% Upper Sturt — Car (driver): 72.5%
Worked from Home 19.3% / 17.8%
Ironbank — Worked from Home: 19.3% Upper Sturt — Worked from Home: 17.8%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / 2.8%
Ironbank — Car (passenger): 4.3% Upper Sturt — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Bus 3.5% / 3.6%
Ironbank — Bus: 3.5% Upper Sturt — Bus: 3.6%
Train 1.6% / 1.3%
Ironbank — Train: 1.6% Upper Sturt — Train: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.5%).

Setting

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Elevation 404 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
396 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.6 km 15.0 km

NBN connectivity

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Connectivity score 30/100 41/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
188 premises
0%
391 premises

Climate

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Annual rainfall 969 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.4°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Ironbank Upper Sturt
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 1.12 pphm
same for both

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Ironbank Upper Sturt
Division Mayo
same for both
Member Rebekha Sharkie
same for both
Party Centre Alliance
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Ironbank

Upper Sturt

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Ironbank

Other comparisons with Upper Sturt

Full data on Ironbank Full data on Upper Sturt
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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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