Moonta vs Port Hughes

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Moonta, most households are people living alone. In Port Hughes, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Port Hughes: a median of $842,000, against $458,000 in Moonta, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Moonta tends to suit people living alone and 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

Port Hughes

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 80/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (46% vs 22%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 76%)
  • But Moonta has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Moonta

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($458,500 vs $842,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Moonta

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $270/wk)
  • But Port Hughes leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 28%)

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

Commuting to the city

Moonta

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (57/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (117 min vs 122 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (162.9 km vs 167 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Moonta

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (57/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (24% vs 2%)
  • But Port Hughes carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 80/100)

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

Investors

Port Hughes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.3% vs -1.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Moonta Port Hughes
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.

Moonta Port Hughes
Walkability 57 / 0
Moonta — Walkability: 57/100 Port Hughes — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 20 / 66
Moonta — Safety: 20/100 Port Hughes — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Moonta — Low fire risk: 100/100 Port Hughes — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Port Hughes has higher household incomes ($64,012 vs $37,284); Port Hughes rents higher ($270/wk vs $200/wk).

Moonta Port Hughes
Population 624 647
+4% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.3% +13.3%
Median age 60 61
Median household income $37,284/yr $64,012/yr
+72% vs other
Median weekly rent $200/wk $270/wk
+35% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Moonta Port Hughes
0-4 1.4% / 3.1%
Moonta — 0-4: 1.4% Port Hughes — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 6.9% / 6.2%
Moonta — 5-14: 6.9% Port Hughes — 5-14: 6.2%
15-19 3.2% / 2.0%
Moonta — 15-19: 3.2% Port Hughes — 15-19: 2.0%
20-24 2.7% / 3.7%
Moonta — 20-24: 2.7% Port Hughes — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 7.1% / 10.0%
Moonta — 25-34: 7.1% Port Hughes — 25-34: 10.0%
35-44 7.1% / 6.0%
Moonta — 35-44: 7.1% Port Hughes — 35-44: 6.0%
45-54 10.6% / 9.7%
Moonta — 45-54: 10.6% Port Hughes — 45-54: 9.7%
55-64 20.5% / 19.0%
Moonta — 55-64: 20.5% Port Hughes — 55-64: 19.0%
65-74 19.9% / 29.1%
Moonta — 65-74: 19.9% Port Hughes — 65-74: 29.1%
75-84 13.1% / 10.2%
Moonta — 75-84: 13.1% Port Hughes — 75-84: 10.2%
85+ 7.1% / 1.2%
Moonta — 85+: 7.1% Port Hughes — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Moonta 71.6% lone person
Moonta — Lone Person: 71.6% Moonta — Couple Families: 10.8% Moonta — One Parent Families: 11.2% Moonta — Other Families: 3.6% Moonta — Group Household: 2.8%
Port Hughes 47.9% lone person
Port Hughes — Lone Person: 47.9% Port Hughes — Couple Families: 33.9% Port Hughes — One Parent Families: 11.6% Port Hughes — Other Families: 3.3% Port Hughes — Group Household: 3.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Moonta 34.2% renting
Moonta — Owned Outright: 42.9% Moonta — Mortgage: 23.0% Moonta — Renting: 34.2%
Port Hughes 20.6% renting
Port Hughes — Owned Outright: 59.5% Port Hughes — Mortgage: 19.8% Port Hughes — Renting: 20.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Moonta Port Hughes
Certificate III & IV 17.0% / 17.6%
Moonta — Certificate III & IV: 17.0% Port Hughes — Certificate III & IV: 17.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.8% / 9.0%
Moonta — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8% Port Hughes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0%
Bachelor Degree 5.4% / 8.7%
Moonta — Bachelor Degree: 5.4% Port Hughes — Bachelor Degree: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 0.6% / 1.5%
Moonta — Postgraduate Degree: 0.6% Port Hughes — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 0.9%
Moonta — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Port Hughes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

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.

Moonta Port Hughes
England 9.3% / 6.6%
Moonta — England: 9.3% Port Hughes — England: 6.6%
Scotland 0.5% / 1.4%
Moonta — Scotland: 0.5% Port Hughes — Scotland: 1.4%
New Zealand 1.6% / —
Moonta — New Zealand: 1.6% Port Hughes — New Zealand: not among its largest
Germany 0.5% / 1.1%
Moonta — Germany: 0.5% Port Hughes — Germany: 1.1%
China 1.0% / —
Moonta — China: 1.0% Port Hughes — China: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.9%
Moonta — Philippines: not among its largest Port Hughes — Philippines: 0.9%
Italy — / 0.8%
Moonta — Italy: not among its largest Port Hughes — Italy: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Moonta 76.2% houses
Moonta — Houses: 76.2% Moonta — Townhouses: 18.5% Moonta — Flats / Apartments: 5.4%
Port Hughes 98.5% houses
Port Hughes — Houses: 98.5% Port Hughes — Townhouses: 2.2% Port Hughes — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Moonta Port Hughes
Median house price $458,500 $842,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $267,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 72 days
from 8 sales
 38 days
from 15 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.

Moonta Port Hughes
3 bed $454K / $701K
Moonta — 3 bed: $454K (20 sales) Port Hughes — 3 bed: $701K (11 sales)

20 vs 11 sales

4 bed $640K / $850K
Moonta — 4 bed: $640K (6 sales) Port Hughes — 4 bed: $850K (17 sales)

6 vs 17 sales

Zoning mix

Moonta Port Hughes
Residential 9% 52%
Rural and farming 36% 30%
Infrastructure and transport 31% 0%
Environmental 19% 14%
Commercial 5% 3%
Parks and recreation 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

Moonta Port Hughes
New dwellings approved 232
across Copper Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +142%
same for both

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.

Moonta Port Hughes
Houses — 3.5%
$580/wk on $868K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Moonta Port Hughes
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 4% of SA Higher than 32% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 83% of SA Higher than 58% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 12% of SA Higher than 13% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of SA Higher than 79% of SA
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 30% of SA

Liveability

Moonta is more walkable (57 vs 0); Port Hughes scores higher overall (51 vs 32).

Moonta Port Hughes
Grade D B
Score 32/100 51/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Moonta carries more crime risk (80 vs 34).

Moonta Port Hughes
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
80/100
 Low
34/100
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

Moonta Port Hughes
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Moonta

  • Moonta Area School Government · Combined at peers

Schools in Port Hughes

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

Amenities in the suburb

Moonta Port Hughes
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 4 0
Childcare 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 1
Fuel stations 1 0

Mobility

Port Hughes sits further from the CBD (167 km vs 162.9 km).

Moonta Port Hughes
Walkability score 57/100 0/100
Distance to Adelaide 162.9 km 167 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 117 min 122 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 5558
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 75
postcode 5558
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.

Moonta Port Hughes
Car (driver) 74.7% / 79.2%
Moonta — Car (driver): 74.7% Port Hughes — Car (driver): 79.2%
Worked from Home 8.9% / 11.9%
Moonta — Worked from Home: 8.9% Port Hughes — Worked from Home: 11.9%
Walked Only 13.0% / 3.5%
Moonta — Walked Only: 13.0% Port Hughes — Walked Only: 3.5%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 5.3%
Moonta — Car (passenger): 3.4% Port Hughes — Car (passenger): 5.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.2%).

Setting

Moonta Port Hughes
Elevation 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.8 km 219 m

NBN connectivity

Moonta Port Hughes
Connectivity score 55/100 65/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 20%
543 premises
 38%
693 premises

Climate

Moonta Port Hughes
Annual rainfall 459 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Moonta Port Hughes
Average residential rate $1,817/yr
same for both
Council Copper Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Moonta Port Hughes
Division Grey
same for both
Member Tom Venning
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Moonta Port Hughes
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Moonta

Affordable Coastal Parks Retirees

Port Hughes

Acreage Coastal Retirees

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Full data on Moonta Full data on Port Hughes
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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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