Modbury Heights vs Para Vista

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Modbury Heights, about half of households are couple families. Para Vista is closer to the city centre: 15.2 km, against 17.4 km. On these figures, Modbury Heights tends to suit couples, while Para Vista suits people living alone.

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

  • Modbury Heights carries lower crime risk (39/100 vs 76/100)
  • Para Vista has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Para Vista

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($507,500 vs $650,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Para Vista

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (31% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($285/wk vs $340/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Para Vista

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (15.2 km vs 17.4 km)
  • is more walkable (79/100 vs 70/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Modbury Heights carries lower crime risk (39/100 vs 76/100)
  • Para Vista is more walkable (79/100 vs 70/100)

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

Investors

Para Vista

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.3% vs 3.8%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Modbury Heights Para Vista
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.

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Walkability 70 / 79
Modbury Heights — Walkability: 70/100 Para Vista — Walkability: 79/100
Safety 61 / 24
Modbury Heights — Safety: 61/100 Para Vista — Safety: 24/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Modbury Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Para Vista — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 32 / 60
Modbury Heights — Low flood risk: 32/100 Para Vista — Low flood risk: 60/100

Demographics

Modbury Heights has more residents (6,995 vs 3,023); Modbury Heights has higher household incomes ($81,796 vs $66,352).

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Population 6,995
+57% vs other
 3,023
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.4% +4.1%
Median age 40
same for both
Median household income $81,796/yr
+19% vs other
 $66,352/yr
Median weekly rent $340/wk
+16% vs other
 $285/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Modbury Heights Para Vista
0-4 5.6% / 6.1%
Modbury Heights — 0-4: 5.6% Para Vista — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 13.8% / 11.5%
Modbury Heights — 5-14: 13.8% Para Vista — 5-14: 11.5%
15-19 5.4% / 5.7%
Modbury Heights — 15-19: 5.4% Para Vista — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 5.4% / 6.3%
Modbury Heights — 20-24: 5.4% Para Vista — 20-24: 6.3%
25-34 11.1% / 12.9%
Modbury Heights — 25-34: 11.1% Para Vista — 25-34: 12.9%
35-44 14.6% / 13.7%
Modbury Heights — 35-44: 14.6% Para Vista — 35-44: 13.7%
45-54 13.1% / 12.3%
Modbury Heights — 45-54: 13.1% Para Vista — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 12.7% / 11.2%
Modbury Heights — 55-64: 12.7% Para Vista — 55-64: 11.2%
65-74 12.2% / 12.0%
Modbury Heights — 65-74: 12.2% Para Vista — 65-74: 12.0%
75-84 4.8% / 6.2%
Modbury Heights — 75-84: 4.8% Para Vista — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 1.3% / 1.6%
Modbury Heights — 85+: 1.3% Para Vista — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Modbury Heights 48.8% couple families
Modbury Heights — Couple Families: 48.8% Modbury Heights — Lone Person: 31.7% Modbury Heights — One Parent Families: 16.4% Modbury Heights — Group Household: 2.2% Modbury Heights — Other Families: 1.1%
Para Vista 36.1% couple families
Para Vista — Couple Families: 36.1% Para Vista — Lone Person: 41.2% Para Vista — One Parent Families: 18.4% Para Vista — Group Household: 3.4% Para Vista — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Modbury Heights 17.7% renting
Modbury Heights — Owned Outright: 36.5% Modbury Heights — Mortgage: 45.8% Modbury Heights — Renting: 17.7%
Para Vista 31.4% renting
Para Vista — Owned Outright: 31.0% Para Vista — Mortgage: 37.6% Para Vista — Renting: 31.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Certificate III & IV 16.5% / 15.9%
Modbury Heights — Certificate III & IV: 16.5% Para Vista — Certificate III & IV: 15.9%
Bachelor Degree 10.7% / 9.2%
Modbury Heights — Bachelor Degree: 10.7% Para Vista — Bachelor Degree: 9.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 7.0%
Modbury Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Para Vista — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 2.5%
Modbury Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Para Vista — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.3%
Modbury Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Para Vista — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

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.

Modbury Heights Para Vista
England 7.5% / 4.8%
Modbury Heights — England: 7.5% Para Vista — England: 4.8%
India 5.4% / 5.3%
Modbury Heights — India: 5.4% Para Vista — India: 5.3%
China 0.9% / 2.3%
Modbury Heights — China: 0.9% Para Vista — China: 2.3%
Philippines 0.8% / 1.2%
Modbury Heights — Philippines: 0.8% Para Vista — Philippines: 1.2%
Italy 0.6% / 0.9%
Modbury Heights — Italy: 0.6% Para Vista — Italy: 0.9%
Scotland 0.9% / —
Modbury Heights — Scotland: 0.9% Para Vista — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Modbury Heights 91.6% houses
Modbury Heights — Houses: 91.6% Modbury Heights — Townhouses: 8.0% Modbury Heights — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Para Vista 82.3% houses
Para Vista — Houses: 82.3% Para Vista — Townhouses: 13.7% Para Vista — Flats / Apartments: 4.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Median house price $885,000 $845,500
Median unit price $650,000 $507,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 17 days
from 92 sales
 16 days
from 20 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Modbury Heights Para Vista
3 bed $862K / $841K
Modbury Heights — 3 bed: $862K (88 sales) Para Vista — 3 bed: $841K (37 sales)

88 vs 37 sales

4 bed $970K / $870K
Modbury Heights — 4 bed: $970K (49 sales) Para Vista — 4 bed: $870K (17 sales)

49 vs 17 sales

Zoning mix

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Residential 98%
same for both
Parks and recreation 2% 0%
Commercial 1% 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

Modbury Heights Para Vista
New dwellings approved 574
across Tea Tree Gully
 949
across Salisbury
Approvals change year on year +36% -30%

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.

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Houses 3.8%
$660/wk on $899K
 4.3%
$620/wk on $750K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Modbury Heights Para Vista
House price Higher than 32% of SA Higher than 26% of SA
Income Higher than 57% of SA Higher than 34% of SA
Schools — Higher than 56% of SA
Walkability Higher than 88% of SA Higher than 92% of SA
Affordability Higher than 75% of SA Higher than 54% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 65% of SA Higher than 44% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 93% of SA Higher than 99% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 44% of SA Higher than 79% of SA

Liveability

Modbury Heights scores higher overall (58 vs 51); Para Vista is more walkable (79 vs 70).

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Grade B
same for both
Score 58/100 51/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Para Vista carries more crime risk (76 vs 39); Modbury Heights carries more flood risk (68 vs 40).

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
39/100
 High
76/100
Flood Moderate
68/100
 Moderate
40/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 9
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 2
Universities within 10 km 1
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 6.8 km
 2
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 5.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.4% 2.0%

Schools in Modbury Heights

  • The Heights School Government · Combined above peers

Schools in Para Vista

  • Good Shepherd Lutheran School - Para Vista Independent · Primary above peers
  • Prescott Primary School, Northern Independent · Primary at peers
  • Para Vista Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Valley View Secondary School Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 3 4
Childcare 2 6
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 0 1
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Modbury Heights sits further from the CBD (17.4 km vs 15.2 km).

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Walkability score 70/100 79/100
Distance to Adelaide 17.4 km
+13% vs other
 15.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 26 min 24 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 147.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 51.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 5092
 0.4%
postcode 5093
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 63
postcode 5092
 65
postcode 5093

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.

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Car (driver) 76.0% / 79.5%
Modbury Heights — Car (driver): 76.0% Para Vista — Car (driver): 79.5%
Worked from Home 9.9% / 7.4%
Modbury Heights — Worked from Home: 9.9% Para Vista — Worked from Home: 7.4%
Bus 9.2% / 7.3%
Modbury Heights — Bus: 9.2% Para Vista — Bus: 7.3%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 4.3%
Modbury Heights — Car (passenger): 3.9% Para Vista — Car (passenger): 4.3%
Walked Only 0.8% / 1.1%
Modbury Heights — Walked Only: 0.8% Para Vista — Walked Only: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.5%).

Setting

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Elevation 174 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 120 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.7 km 10.1 km

NBN connectivity

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Connectivity score 81/100 100/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 25%
2,853 premises
 99%
1,387 premises

Climate

Modbury Heights Para Vista
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)

Modbury Heights Para Vista
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ 0.51 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Average residential rate $2,000/yr $1,722/yr
Council Tea Tree Gully Salisbury

Federal electorate

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Division Makin
same for both
Member Tony Zappia
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Modbury Heights Para Vista
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Modbury Heights

Middle-Ring Parks

Para Vista

Middle-Ring Parks Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Modbury Heights

Modbury Heights vs Wynn Vale Modbury Heights vs Para Hills Modbury Heights vs Modbury North Modbury Heights vs Redwood Park Modbury Heights vs Ridgehaven Modbury Heights vs Gulfview Heights

Other comparisons with Para Vista

Para Vista vs Ingle Farm Para Vista vs Para Hills Para Vista vs Valley View Para Vista vs Modbury North Para Vista vs Modbury
Full data on Modbury Heights Full data on Para Vista
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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