Laffer vs Willalooka
Laffer is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 42 in Willalooka. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Laffer, about half of households are people living alone. In Willalooka, most households are couple families. On these figures, Laffer tends to suit people living alone and families with children, while Willalooka suits 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
Willalooka
ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here
- carries lower crime risk (10/100 vs 31/100)
- is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 50%)
Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.
Renters
Laffer
ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here
- has a bigger rental market to choose from (43% vs 14%)
- has cheaper rent ($90/wk vs $150/wk)
Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.
Commuting to the city
They split
one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here
- Laffer sits closer to the CBD (251.1 km vs 255.7 km)
- Willalooka has a shorter drive in (168 min vs 177 min)
Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.
Downsizers and retirees
They split
one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here
- Laffer has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 8%)
- Willalooka carries lower crime risk (10/100 vs 31/100)
Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.
Investors
Laffer
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- is growing faster (10.4% vs -4.9%)
Weighs population growth.
Where they sit
Laffer and Willalooka drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.
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.
Demographics
Willalooka has more residents (136 vs 53); Willalooka rents higher ($150/wk vs $90/wk).
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 53 | 136 +157% vs other |
| Population trend (2016 → 2021) | +10.4% | -4.9% |
| Median age | 35 | 42 |
| Median household income | $87,724/yr | $105,872/yr +21% vs other |
| Median weekly rent | $90/wk | $150/wk +67% vs other |
Age profile
Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).
Who lives together
Household composition, 2021 Census.
Who owns and who rents
Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.
What people live in
Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.
Qualifications
Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.0%).
Zoning mix
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Rural and farming | 92% | 100% |
| Environmental | 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
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| New dwellings approved | 12 across Tatiara same for both | |
| Approvals change year on year | -33% same for both | |
Ranking within SA
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| House price | — same for both | |
| Income | Higher than 66% of SA | — |
| Schools | — same for both | |
| Walkability | Higher than 35% of SA | Higher than 57% of SA |
| Affordability | — same for both | |
| EV adoption | Higher than 16% of SA same for both | |
| NBN connectivity | Higher than 16% of SA | Higher than 26% of SA |
Liveability
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | — same for both | |
| Score | — same for both | |
| Socio-economic band | very advantaged area decile 9/10 same for both | |
Risk profile
Laffer carries more bushfire risk (45 vs 10); Laffer carries more crime risk (31 vs 10).
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Bushfire | Moderate 45/100 | Low 10/100 |
| Crime | Low 31/100 | Low 10/100 |
| Flood | — same for both | |
| Coastal erosion | None 0/100 same for both | |
| Aircraft noise | None 0/100 same for both | |
| Industrial facilities nearby | 0 within 5 km same for both | |
Schools
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Cafes & restaurants | 0 | 1 |
| Parks & reserves | 4 same for both | |
Mobility
Willalooka sits further from the CBD (255.7 km vs 251.1 km).
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Walkability score | 0/100 same for both | |
| Distance to Adelaide | 251.1 km | 255.7 km +2% vs other |
| Drive time (normal traffic) | 177 min | 168 min |
| Electric vehicle share | 0.1% postcode 5267 same for both | |
| Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings | 60 postcode 5267 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.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.6%).
Setting
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 20 m above sea level, at the suburb centre | 31 m above sea level, at the suburb centre |
NBN connectivity
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity score | 15/100 same for both | |
| Most common technology | Satellite (Sky Muster) same for both | |
| Full-fibre (FTTP) share | 0% 11 premises | 0% 15 premises |
Climate
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual rainfall | 425 mm same for both | |
| Summer max (Jan) | 29.9°C same for both | |
| Winter min (Jul) | 5.7°C same for both | |
Council rates
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Average residential rate | $1,656/yr same for both | |
| Council | Tatiara same for both | |
Federal electorate
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Division | Barker same for both | |
| Member | Tony Pasin same for both | |
| Party | Liberal same for both | |
First Home Owner Grant
| Laffer | Willalooka | |
|---|---|---|
| Grant amount | $15,000 same for both | |
| Property price cap | — same for both | |
| Eligibility | New same for both | |
Tags
Laffer
Willalooka
More comparisons
Other comparisons with Laffer
Other comparisons with Willalooka
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.