Mount Pleasant vs Palmer

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Mount Pleasant: a median of $666,000, against $516,000 in Palmer. On these figures, Mount Pleasant tends to suit older residents, while Palmer 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

Mount Pleasant

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 45/100)

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

First-home buyers

Palmer

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($185,000 vs $1,125,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($515,500 vs $665,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

  • Mount Pleasant sits closer to the CBD (67.3 km vs 72.5 km)
  • Palmer is more walkable (27/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mount Pleasant

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 45/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 16%)
  • But Palmer is more walkable (27/100 vs 0/100)

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

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

Mount Pleasant Palmer
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.

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Walkability 0 / 27
Mount Pleasant — Walkability: 0/100 Palmer — Walkability: 27/100
Safety 77 / 55
Mount Pleasant — Safety: 77/100 Palmer — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 65 / 51
Mount Pleasant — Low fire risk: 65/100 Palmer — Low fire risk: 51/100

Demographics

Mount Pleasant has more residents (1,058 vs 215); Palmer skews older (50 vs 48).

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Population 1,058
+80% vs other
 215
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.7% +6.4%
Median age 48 50
Median household income $68,692/yr
+4% vs other
 $65,676/yr
Median weekly rent $250/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Pleasant Palmer
0-4 6.0% / 2.3%
Mount Pleasant — 0-4: 6.0% Palmer — 0-4: 2.3%
5-14 11.9% / 8.8%
Mount Pleasant — 5-14: 11.9% Palmer — 5-14: 8.8%
15-19 3.9% / 5.1%
Mount Pleasant — 15-19: 3.9% Palmer — 15-19: 5.1%
20-24 3.6% / 7.9%
Mount Pleasant — 20-24: 3.6% Palmer — 20-24: 7.9%
25-34 10.9% / 9.3%
Mount Pleasant — 25-34: 10.9% Palmer — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 11.2% / 7.4%
Mount Pleasant — 35-44: 11.2% Palmer — 35-44: 7.4%
45-54 14.2% / 20.5%
Mount Pleasant — 45-54: 14.2% Palmer — 45-54: 20.5%
55-64 15.5% / 22.8%
Mount Pleasant — 55-64: 15.5% Palmer — 55-64: 22.8%
65-74 14.1% / 14.4%
Mount Pleasant — 65-74: 14.1% Palmer — 65-74: 14.4%
75-84 7.5% / 1.4%
Mount Pleasant — 75-84: 7.5% Palmer — 75-84: 1.4%
85+ 3.3% / —
Mount Pleasant — 85+: 3.3% Palmer — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Pleasant 43.3% lone person
Mount Pleasant — Lone Person: 43.3% Mount Pleasant — Couple Families: 37.7% Mount Pleasant — One Parent Families: 14.2% Mount Pleasant — Other Families: 1.1% Mount Pleasant — Group Household: 3.7%
Palmer 38.6% lone person
Palmer — Lone Person: 38.6% Palmer — Couple Families: 26.3% Palmer — One Parent Families: 28.1% Palmer — Other Families: 7.0% Palmer — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mount Pleasant 11.8% renting
Mount Pleasant — Owned Outright: 41.6% Mount Pleasant — Mortgage: 46.6% Mount Pleasant — Renting: 11.8%
Palmer 8.6% renting
Palmer — Owned Outright: 38.3% Palmer — Mortgage: 53.1% Palmer — Renting: 8.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Mount Pleasant Palmer
England 5.7% / 5.6%
Mount Pleasant — England: 5.7% Palmer — England: 5.6%
Germany 0.7% / 1.4%
Mount Pleasant — Germany: 0.7% Palmer — Germany: 1.4%
Netherlands 0.9% / —
Mount Pleasant — Netherlands: 0.9% Palmer — Netherlands: not among its largest
South Africa 0.7% / —
Mount Pleasant — South Africa: 0.7% Palmer — South Africa: not among its largest
Scotland 0.5% / —
Mount Pleasant — Scotland: 0.5% Palmer — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.7%).

Qualifications

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

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Certificate III & IV 18.3% / 22.8%
Mount Pleasant — Certificate III & IV: 18.3% Palmer — Certificate III & IV: 22.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 6.0%
Mount Pleasant — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Palmer — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0%
Bachelor Degree 8.4% / 4.7%
Mount Pleasant — Bachelor Degree: 8.4% Palmer — Bachelor Degree: 4.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 1.4%
Mount Pleasant — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Palmer — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / —
Mount Pleasant — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Palmer — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Pleasant 92.9% houses
Mount Pleasant — Houses: 92.9% Mount Pleasant — Flats / Apartments: 6.1% Mount Pleasant — Townhouses: 1.0%
Palmer 98.8% houses
Palmer — Houses: 98.8% Palmer — Flats / Apartments: 1.2% Palmer — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Median house price $665,500 $515,500
Median unit price $405,000 —
Median land price $1,125,000 $185,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 10 sales
 79 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Rural and farming 98% 99%
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

Mount Pleasant Palmer
New dwellings approved 180
across Barossa
 131
across Mid Murray
Approvals change year on year -48% -42%

Ranking within SA

Mount Pleasant Palmer
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of SA Higher than 33% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 31% of SA Higher than 74% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 43% of SA Higher than 67% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 60% of SA Higher than 46% of SA

Liveability

Palmer is more walkable (27 vs 0).

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Grade C —
Score 44/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Palmer carries more crime risk (45 vs 23); Palmer carries more bushfire risk (49 vs 35).

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Bushfire Low
35/100
 Moderate
49/100
Crime Low
23/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood Low
17/100
 —
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

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Mount Pleasant

  • Mount Pleasant Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Palmer

  • Palmer Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Parks & reserves 3 4
Childcare 2 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 9 3

Mobility

Palmer sits further from the CBD (72.5 km vs 67.3 km).

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Walkability score 0/100 27/100
Distance to Adelaide 67.3 km 72.5 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 69 min 71 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 5235
 0.7%
postcode 5237
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 78
postcode 5235
 77
postcode 5237

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.

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Car (driver) 72.6% / 80.9%
Mount Pleasant — Car (driver): 72.6% Palmer — Car (driver): 80.9%
Worked from Home 13.2% / 10.6%
Mount Pleasant — Worked from Home: 13.2% Palmer — Worked from Home: 10.6%
Car (passenger) 6.1% / 4.3%
Mount Pleasant — Car (passenger): 6.1% Palmer — Car (passenger): 4.3%
Walked Only 5.6% / 4.3%
Mount Pleasant — Walked Only: 5.6% Palmer — Walked Only: 4.3%
Bus 2.4% / —
Mount Pleasant — Bus: 2.4% Palmer — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.9%).

Setting

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Elevation 434 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 194 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Connectivity score 30/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
482 premises
 0%
114 premises

Climate

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Annual rainfall 921 mm 337 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 30.0°C
Winter min (Jul) — 5.7°C

Council rates

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Average residential rate $2,247/yr $2,037/yr
Council Barossa Mid Murray

Federal electorate

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Division Barker
same for both
Member Tony Pasin
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mount Pleasant Palmer
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mount Pleasant

Outer

Palmer

Quiet Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant vs Birdwood Mount Pleasant vs Springton Mount Pleasant vs Tungkillo Mount Pleasant vs Cromer Mount Pleasant vs Mount Crawford Mount Pleasant vs Milendella

Other comparisons with Palmer

Palmer vs Mannum Palmer vs Tungkillo Palmer vs Rockleigh Palmer vs Milendella
Full data on Mount Pleasant Full data on Palmer
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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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