Northfield vs Northgate

Northfield is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Northgate. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Northgate, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Northgate: a median of $957,000, against $868,000 in Northfield, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Northfield tends to suit young adults and people living alone, while Northgate suits families with children and 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

Northgate

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (47/100 vs 88/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 57%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Northfield has cheaper houses ($867,500 vs $957,000)
  • Northgate leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 26%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Northfield

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (42% vs 23%)
  • has cheaper rent ($307/wk vs $395/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Northgate

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 58/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Northgate

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (47/100 vs 88/100)
  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 58/100)

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 house yield.

Where they sit

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

Northfield Northgate
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.

Northfield Northgate
Walkability 58 / 82
Northfield — Walkability: 58/100 Northgate — Walkability: 82/100
Safety 12 / 53
Northfield — Safety: 12/100 Northgate — Safety: 53/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Northfield — Low fire risk: 100/100 Northgate — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 58 / 58
Northfield — Low flood risk: 58/100 Northgate — Low flood risk: 58/100

Demographics

Northfield has more residents (5,043 vs 3,184); Northgate has higher household incomes ($114,764 vs $73,840).

Northfield Northgate
Population 5,043
+37% vs other
 3,184
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.8% —
Median age 35 38
Median household income $73,840/yr $114,764/yr
+55% vs other
Median weekly rent $307/wk $395/wk
+29% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Northfield Northgate
0-4 6.3% / 5.9%
Northfield — 0-4: 6.3% Northgate — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 11.0% / 16.3%
Northfield — 5-14: 11.0% Northgate — 5-14: 16.3%
15-19 4.1% / 6.3%
Northfield — 15-19: 4.1% Northgate — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 7.0% / 5.7%
Northfield — 20-24: 7.0% Northgate — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 20.9% / 11.0%
Northfield — 25-34: 20.9% Northgate — 25-34: 11.0%
35-44 20.1% / 16.0%
Northfield — 35-44: 20.1% Northgate — 35-44: 16.0%
45-54 10.9% / 15.2%
Northfield — 45-54: 10.9% Northgate — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 8.1% / 11.1%
Northfield — 55-64: 8.1% Northgate — 55-64: 11.1%
65-74 6.2% / 7.9%
Northfield — 65-74: 6.2% Northgate — 65-74: 7.9%
75-84 3.9% / 3.7%
Northfield — 75-84: 3.9% Northgate — 75-84: 3.7%
85+ 1.4% / 0.8%
Northfield — 85+: 1.4% Northgate — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Northfield 42.5% couple families
Northfield — Couple Families: 42.5% Northfield — Lone Person: 34.3% Northfield — One Parent Families: 14.6% Northfield — Group Household: 5.6% Northfield — Other Families: 2.9%
Northgate 65.1% couple families
Northgate — Couple Families: 65.1% Northgate — Lone Person: 17.6% Northgate — One Parent Families: 13.2% Northgate — Group Household: 2.8% Northgate — Other Families: 1.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Northfield 41.9% renting
Northfield — Owned Outright: 20.6% Northfield — Mortgage: 37.5% Northfield — Renting: 41.9%
Northgate 23.0% renting
Northgate — Owned Outright: 29.7% Northgate — Mortgage: 47.3% Northgate — Renting: 23.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Northfield Northgate
Bachelor Degree 12.6% / 18.0%
Northfield — Bachelor Degree: 12.6% Northgate — Bachelor Degree: 18.0%
Certificate III & IV 9.4% / 10.4%
Northfield — Certificate III & IV: 9.4% Northgate — Certificate III & IV: 10.4%
Postgraduate Degree 6.4% / 7.1%
Northfield — Postgraduate Degree: 6.4% Northgate — Postgraduate Degree: 7.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.1% / 7.9%
Northfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1% Northgate — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 2.1%
Northfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Northgate — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

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.

Northfield Northgate
India 15.3% / 7.6%
Northfield — India: 15.3% Northgate — India: 7.6%
China 1.5% / 4.8%
Northfield — China: 1.5% Northgate — China: 4.8%
England 2.1% / 3.1%
Northfield — England: 2.1% Northgate — England: 3.1%
Vietnam 1.6% / 2.9%
Northfield — Vietnam: 1.6% Northgate — Vietnam: 2.9%
Afghanistan 2.8% / 0.8%
Northfield — Afghanistan: 2.8% Northgate — Afghanistan: 0.8%
Philippines 1.9% / 1.0%
Northfield — Philippines: 1.9% Northgate — Philippines: 1.0%
Malaysia — / 1.5%
Northfield — Malaysia: not among its largest Northgate — Malaysia: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Northfield 80.6% houses
Northfield — Houses: 80.6% Northfield — Townhouses: 16.8% Northfield — Flats / Apartments: 2.6%
Northgate 88.7% houses
Northgate — Houses: 88.7% Northgate — Townhouses: 10.8% Northgate — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Northfield Northgate
Median house price $867,500 $957,000
Median unit price $610,500 —
Median land price $633,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 51 sales
 17 days
from 21 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.

Northfield Northgate
3 bed $850K / $900K
Northfield — 3 bed: $850K (90 sales) Northgate — 3 bed: $900K (33 sales)

90 vs 33 sales

4 bed $1.01M / $1.19M
Northfield — 4 bed: $1.01M (18 sales) Northgate — 4 bed: $1.19M (15 sales)

18 vs 15 sales

Zoning mix

Northfield Northgate
Residential 94% 98%
Parks and recreation 3% 0%
Commercial 2%
same for both
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

Northfield Northgate
New dwellings approved 1,176
across Port Adelaide Enfield
same for both
Approvals change year on year +23%
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.

Northfield Northgate
Houses 3.6%
$650/wk on $945K
 4.1%
$720/wk on $920K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Northfield Northgate
House price Higher than 28% of SA Higher than 63% of SA
Income Higher than 48% of SA Higher than 89% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 93% of SA
Affordability Higher than 65% of SA Higher than 74% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 83% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of SA Higher than 97% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 32% of SA Higher than 62% of SA

Liveability

Northgate scores higher overall (79 vs 42); Northgate is more walkable (82 vs 58).

Northfield Northgate
Grade C A
Score 42/100 79/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Northfield carries more crime risk (88 vs 47).

Northfield Northgate
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
88/100
 Moderate
47/100
Flood Moderate
42/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 21
within 5 km
 15
within 5 km

Schools

Northfield Northgate
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 4.6 km
 3
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 5.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.3% 3.8%

Schools in Northfield

  • Northfield Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Northgate

  • Cedar College Independent · Combined above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Northfield Northgate
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 3 5
Childcare 2
same for both
Pharmacies 0 1

Mobility

Northfield Northgate
Walkability score 58/100 82/100
Distance to Adelaide 11.1 km
+9% vs other
 10.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 18 min 17 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 48.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 50.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 5085
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 5085
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.

Northfield Northgate
Car (driver) 76.4% / 74.8%
Northfield — Car (driver): 76.4% Northgate — Car (driver): 74.8%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 12.0%
Northfield — Worked from Home: 7.5% Northgate — Worked from Home: 12.0%
Bus 8.6% / 5.7%
Northfield — Bus: 8.6% Northgate — Bus: 5.7%
Car (passenger) 5.5% / 5.7%
Northfield — Car (passenger): 5.5% Northgate — Car (passenger): 5.7%
Walked Only 0.9% / 0.7%
Northfield — Walked Only: 0.9% Northgate — Walked Only: 0.7%
Bicycle 0.8% / 0.8%
Northfield — Bicycle: 0.8% Northgate — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.4%).

Setting

Northfield Northgate
Elevation 81 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 77 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.2 km 9.1 km

NBN connectivity

Northfield Northgate
Connectivity score 70/100 91/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 45%
1,874 premises
 55%
1,101 premises

Climate

Northfield Northgate
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)

Northfield Northgate
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ 0.51 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Northfield Northgate
Average residential rate $1,311/yr
same for both
Council Port Adelaide Enfield
same for both

Federal electorate

Northfield Northgate
Division Adelaide
same for both
Member Steve Georganas
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Northfield Northgate
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Northfield

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks

Northgate

Family Middle-Ring Parks Quiet Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Northfield

Northfield vs Pooraka Northfield vs Lightsview Northfield vs Clearview Northfield vs Oakden Northfield vs Walkley Heights Northfield vs Gepps Cross

Other comparisons with Northgate

Northgate vs Lightsview Northgate vs Oakden
Full data on Northfield Full data on Northgate
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or