Morphett Vale vs Noarlunga Centre

In Morphett Vale, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Noarlunga Centre, about half of households rent and most households are people living alone. Morphett Vale is closer to the city centre: 25.5 km, against 29.1 km. On these figures, Noarlunga Centre tends to suit renters and 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

Morphett Vale

ahead on 6 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (30 vs 1)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (13 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (13 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Noarlunga Centre

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (54% vs 29%)

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

Commuting to the city

Morphett Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (25.5 km vs 29.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Morphett Vale

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (7 vs 3)
  • carries lower crime risk (74/100 vs 100/100)
  • But Noarlunga Centre has more units and townhouses to downsize into (55% vs 15%)

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

Morphett Vale and Noarlunga Centre drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
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.

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Walkability 81 / 86
Morphett Vale — Walkability: 81/100 Noarlunga Centre — Walkability: 86/100
Safety 26 / 0
Morphett Vale — Safety: 26/100 Noarlunga Centre — Safety: 0/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Morphett Vale — Low fire risk: 100/100 Noarlunga Centre — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Morphett Vale has more residents (24,002 vs 203).

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Population 24,002
+99% vs other
 203
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.7% +0.0%
Median age 40
same for both
Median household income $62,348/yr
+5% vs other
 $59,020/yr
Median weekly rent $295/wk $293/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
0-4 5.5% / 2.5%
Morphett Vale — 0-4: 5.5% Noarlunga Centre — 0-4: 2.5%
5-14 11.0% / 4.4%
Morphett Vale — 5-14: 11.0% Noarlunga Centre — 5-14: 4.4%
15-19 5.3% / 6.4%
Morphett Vale — 15-19: 5.3% Noarlunga Centre — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 6.2% / 9.4%
Morphett Vale — 20-24: 6.2% Noarlunga Centre — 20-24: 9.4%
25-34 14.1% / 15.8%
Morphett Vale — 25-34: 14.1% Noarlunga Centre — 25-34: 15.8%
35-44 12.5% / 20.2%
Morphett Vale — 35-44: 12.5% Noarlunga Centre — 35-44: 20.2%
45-54 12.4% / 12.8%
Morphett Vale — 45-54: 12.4% Noarlunga Centre — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 12.0% / 11.8%
Morphett Vale — 55-64: 12.0% Noarlunga Centre — 55-64: 11.8%
65-74 12.2% / 12.3%
Morphett Vale — 65-74: 12.2% Noarlunga Centre — 65-74: 12.3%
75-84 6.7% / 4.9%
Morphett Vale — 75-84: 6.7% Noarlunga Centre — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ 2.1% / 7.4%
Morphett Vale — 85+: 2.1% Noarlunga Centre — 85+: 7.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Morphett Vale 41.2% lone person
Morphett Vale — Lone Person: 41.2% Morphett Vale — Couple Families: 31.9% Morphett Vale — One Parent Families: 21.0% Morphett Vale — Group Household: 4.2% Morphett Vale — Other Families: 1.8%
Noarlunga Centre 55.9% lone person
Noarlunga Centre — Lone Person: 55.9% Noarlunga Centre — Couple Families: 20.6% Noarlunga Centre — One Parent Families: 14.7% Noarlunga Centre — Group Household: 8.8% Noarlunga Centre — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Morphett Vale 29.0% renting
Morphett Vale — Owned Outright: 28.5% Morphett Vale — Mortgage: 42.5% Morphett Vale — Renting: 29.0%
Noarlunga Centre 53.6% renting
Noarlunga Centre — Owned Outright: 14.3% Noarlunga Centre — Mortgage: 32.1% Noarlunga Centre — Renting: 53.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Certificate III & IV 20.4% / 16.7%
Morphett Vale — Certificate III & IV: 20.4% Noarlunga Centre — Certificate III & IV: 16.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.4% / 10.3%
Morphett Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4% Noarlunga Centre — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Bachelor Degree 6.7% / 8.9%
Morphett Vale — Bachelor Degree: 6.7% Noarlunga Centre — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 2.5%
Morphett Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Noarlunga Centre — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / —
Morphett Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% Noarlunga Centre — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.4%).

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.

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
England 8.1% / 9.9%
Morphett Vale — England: 8.1% Noarlunga Centre — England: 9.9%
Germany 0.8% / 3.0%
Morphett Vale — Germany: 0.8% Noarlunga Centre — Germany: 3.0%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.5%
Morphett Vale — New Zealand: 1.1% Noarlunga Centre — New Zealand: 1.5%
Fiji — / 2.5%
Morphett Vale — Fiji: not among its largest Noarlunga Centre — Fiji: 2.5%
Philippines 0.8% / 1.5%
Morphett Vale — Philippines: 0.8% Noarlunga Centre — Philippines: 1.5%
Vietnam — / 2.0%
Morphett Vale — Vietnam: not among its largest Noarlunga Centre — Vietnam: 2.0%
India 1.0% / —
Morphett Vale — India: 1.0% Noarlunga Centre — India: not among its largest
Scotland 0.9% / —
Morphett Vale — Scotland: 0.9% Noarlunga Centre — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Morphett Vale 84.9% houses
Morphett Vale — Houses: 84.9% Morphett Vale — Townhouses: 14.7% Morphett Vale — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Noarlunga Centre 44.9% houses
Noarlunga Centre — Houses: 44.9% Noarlunga Centre — Townhouses: 23.6% Noarlunga Centre — Flats / Apartments: 31.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Median house price $771,000 $715,000
Median unit price $593,999 —
Median land price $730,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 319 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Noarlunga Centre has more commercially zoned land (90% vs 5%).

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Commercial 5% 90%
Residential 89% 10%
Parks and recreation 5% 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

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
New dwellings approved 1,367
across Onkaparinga
same for both
Approvals change year on year +58%
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.

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Houses 4.1%
$620/wk on $780K
 —
Units 4.7%
$520/wk on $575K
 —

Ranking within SA

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
House price Higher than 15% of SA Higher than 8% of SA
Income Higher than 30% of SA Higher than 27% of SA
Schools Higher than 53% of SA —
Walkability Higher than 93% of SA Higher than 96% of SA
Affordability Higher than 60% of SA Higher than 64% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 54% of SA Higher than 78% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of SA Higher than 77% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 68% of SA —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 62% of SA —

Liveability

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Grade C —
Score 48/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Noarlunga Centre carries more crime risk (100 vs 74).

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
74/100
 High
100/100
Flood Low
39/100
 —
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 8
within 5 km
 9
within 5 km

Schools

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Inside the suburb 13 0
Rated above peers 3 0
Rated at peers 8 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Morphett Vale

  • Coorara Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Flaxmill School P-6 Government · Primary above peers
  • Sunrise Christian School Morphett Vale Independent · Primary above peers
  • Antonio Catholic School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Calvary Lutheran Primary School Independent · Primary at peers
  • Morphett Vale East School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Noarlunga Centre

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

Amenities in the suburb

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Supermarkets 8 3
Cafes & restaurants 14 1
Parks & reserves 13 1
Childcare 30 1
GPs 7 3
Pharmacies 7 2
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 4
same for both
Fuel stations 3 2
Waterways 30 0

Mobility

Noarlunga Centre sits further from the CBD (29.1 km vs 25.5 km).

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Walkability score 81/100 86/100
Distance to Adelaide 25.5 km 29.1 km
+14% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 31 min 32 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 93/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 456.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 178.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 5162
 1.0%
postcode 5168
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 5162
 69
postcode 5168

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.

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Car (driver) 81.4% / 82.9%
Morphett Vale — Car (driver): 81.4% Noarlunga Centre — Car (driver): 82.9%
Worked from Home 7.3% / 11.8%
Morphett Vale — Worked from Home: 7.3% Noarlunga Centre — Worked from Home: 11.8%
Car (passenger) 5.2% / 5.3%
Morphett Vale — Car (passenger): 5.2% Noarlunga Centre — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Bus 3.1% / —
Morphett Vale — Bus: 3.1% Noarlunga Centre — Bus: not among its largest
Train 1.7% / —
Morphett Vale — Train: 1.7% Noarlunga Centre — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.9%).

Setting

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Elevation 103 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 65 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.1 km 2.4 km

NBN connectivity

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Connectivity score 67/100 62/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the building
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
11,669 premises
 10%
495 premises

Climate

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Annual rainfall 394 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 19.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.34 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Average residential rate $2,008/yr
same for both
Council Onkaparinga
same for both

Federal electorate

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Division Kingston
same for both
Member Amanda Rishworth
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Morphett Vale Noarlunga Centre
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Morphett Vale

Outer River

Noarlunga Centre

Apartments Coastal Easy Commute Outer Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Morphett Vale

Morphett Vale vs Woodcroft Morphett Vale vs Christie Downs Morphett Vale vs Reynella Morphett Vale vs Hackham Morphett Vale vs Hackham West Morphett Vale vs Old Reynella

Other comparisons with Noarlunga Centre

Noarlunga Centre vs Christies Beach Noarlunga Centre vs Christie Downs Noarlunga Centre vs Noarlunga Downs Noarlunga Centre vs Hackham West Noarlunga Centre vs Port Noarlunga
Full data on Morphett Vale Full data on Noarlunga Centre
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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