Northfield vs Pooraka

Northfield is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Pooraka. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Northfield is closer to the city centre: 11.1 km, against 13.3 km.

Northfield and Pooraka are neighbouring suburbs with distinct income profiles. Northfield has a notably higher median household income at $73,840 compared to Pooraka's $63,700, and sits closer to the CBD at 11.1 km versus 13.3 km. Pooraka is the larger suburb with 7,583 residents and has a slightly better walkability score of 63 versus Northfield's 60. House prices are moderately higher in Northfield at $865,000, while both suburbs show similar rental yields and carry comparable safety profiles. Northfield may suit buyers prioritising higher local incomes and CBD proximity, while Pooraka offers a larger community and marginally better walkability.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

  • Northfield has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • Pooraka has more childcare (6 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Northfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($633,500 vs $815,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Northfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (42% vs 30%)

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

Commuting to the city

Northfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (11.1 km vs 13.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Pooraka

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (18% vs 12%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Northfield and Pooraka 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 Pooraka
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 Pooraka
Walkability 58 / 63
Northfield — Walkability: 58/100 Pooraka — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 12 / 16
Northfield — Safety: 12/100 Pooraka — Safety: 16/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Northfield — Low fire risk: 100/100 Pooraka — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 58 / 21
Northfield — Low flood risk: 58/100 Pooraka — Low flood risk: 21/100

Demographics

Pooraka has more residents (7,583 vs 5,043); Northfield has higher household incomes ($73,840 vs $63,700).

Northfield Pooraka
Population 5,043 7,583
+50% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.8% +4.9%
Median age 35 38
Median household income $73,840/yr
+14% vs other
 $63,700/yr
Median weekly rent $307/wk
+2% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Northfield Pooraka
0-4 6.3% / 6.5%
Northfield — 0-4: 6.3% Pooraka — 0-4: 6.5%
5-14 11.0% / 11.7%
Northfield — 5-14: 11.0% Pooraka — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 4.1% / 6.0%
Northfield — 15-19: 4.1% Pooraka — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 7.0% / 6.7%
Northfield — 20-24: 7.0% Pooraka — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 20.9% / 13.8%
Northfield — 25-34: 20.9% Pooraka — 25-34: 13.8%
35-44 20.1% / 13.6%
Northfield — 35-44: 20.1% Pooraka — 35-44: 13.6%
45-54 10.9% / 12.1%
Northfield — 45-54: 10.9% Pooraka — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 8.1% / 11.8%
Northfield — 55-64: 8.1% Pooraka — 55-64: 11.8%
65-74 6.2% / 9.8%
Northfield — 65-74: 6.2% Pooraka — 65-74: 9.8%
75-84 3.9% / 5.9%
Northfield — 75-84: 3.9% Pooraka — 75-84: 5.9%
85+ 1.4% / 2.0%
Northfield — 85+: 1.4% Pooraka — 85+: 2.0%

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%
Pooraka 39.0% couple families
Pooraka — Couple Families: 39.0% Pooraka — Lone Person: 36.4% Pooraka — One Parent Families: 18.3% Pooraka — Group Household: 4.5% Pooraka — Other Families: 1.8%
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%
Pooraka 30.5% renting
Pooraka — Owned Outright: 33.9% Pooraka — Mortgage: 35.6% Pooraka — Renting: 30.5%
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.

Northfield Pooraka
India 15.3% / 6.4%
Northfield — India: 15.3% Pooraka — India: 6.4%
Vietnam 1.6% / 6.0%
Northfield — Vietnam: 1.6% Pooraka — Vietnam: 6.0%
Afghanistan 2.8% / 4.1%
Northfield — Afghanistan: 2.8% Pooraka — Afghanistan: 4.1%
England 2.1% / 3.3%
Northfield — England: 2.1% Pooraka — England: 3.3%
Philippines 1.9% / 1.9%
Northfield — Philippines: 1.9% Pooraka — Philippines: 1.9%

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

Qualifications

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

Northfield Pooraka
Certificate III & IV 9.4% / 14.1%
Northfield — Certificate III & IV: 9.4% Pooraka — Certificate III & IV: 14.1%
Bachelor Degree 12.6% / 9.1%
Northfield — Bachelor Degree: 12.6% Pooraka — Bachelor Degree: 9.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.1% / 5.9%
Northfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1% Pooraka — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9%
Postgraduate Degree 6.4% / 3.8%
Northfield — Postgraduate Degree: 6.4% Pooraka — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 0.9%
Northfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Pooraka — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.1%).

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%
Pooraka 85.7% houses
Pooraka — Houses: 85.7% Pooraka — Townhouses: 12.5% Pooraka — Flats / Apartments: 1.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Northfield Pooraka
Median house price $867,500 $825,000
Median unit price $610,500 $590,500
Median land price $633,500 $815,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 51 sales
 16 days
from 64 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 Pooraka
3 bed $850K / $811K
Northfield — 3 bed: $850K (90 sales) Pooraka — 3 bed: $811K (101 sales)

90 vs 101 sales

4 bed $1.01M / $910K
Northfield — 4 bed: $1.01M (18 sales) Pooraka — 4 bed: $910K (40 sales)

18 vs 40 sales

Zoning mix

Pooraka has more industrially zoned land (39% vs 1%).

Northfield Pooraka
Residential 94% 51%
Industrial 1% 39%
Parks and recreation 3% 8%
Commercial 2% 1%
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 Pooraka
New dwellings approved 1,176
across Port Adelaide Enfield
 949
across Salisbury
Approvals change year on year +23% -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.

Northfield Pooraka
Houses 3.6%
$650/wk on $945K
 3.8%
$600/wk on $820K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Northfield Pooraka
House price Higher than 28% of SA Higher than 30% of SA
Income Higher than 48% of SA Higher than 32% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 85% of SA
Affordability Higher than 65% of SA Higher than 42% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 78% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of SA Higher than 80% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 32% of SA Higher than 42% of SA

Liveability

Northfield scores higher overall (42 vs 29).

Northfield Pooraka
Grade C D
Score 42/100 29/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Pooraka carries more flood risk (79 vs 42).

Northfield Pooraka
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
88/100
 High
84/100
Flood Moderate
42/100
 High
79/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
 High
70/100
Industrial facilities nearby 21
within 5 km
 22
within 5 km

Schools

Northfield Pooraka
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 4.6 km
 1
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 2.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.3% 2.6%

Schools in Northfield

  • Northfield Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Pooraka

  • Pooraka Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Northfield Pooraka
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 3
same for both
Childcare 2 6
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 4
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Pooraka sits further from the CBD (13.3 km vs 11.1 km).

Northfield Pooraka
Walkability score 58/100 63/100
Distance to Adelaide 11.1 km 13.3 km
+20% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 18 min 20 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 48.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 189.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 5085
 1.0%
postcode 5095
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 5085
 57
postcode 5095

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 Pooraka
Car (driver) 76.4% / 79.6%
Northfield — Car (driver): 76.4% Pooraka — Car (driver): 79.6%
Bus 8.6% / 6.1%
Northfield — Bus: 8.6% Pooraka — Bus: 6.1%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 6.6%
Northfield — Worked from Home: 7.5% Pooraka — Worked from Home: 6.6%
Car (passenger) 5.5% / 6.0%
Northfield — Car (passenger): 5.5% Pooraka — Car (passenger): 6.0%
Walked Only 0.9% / 1.0%
Northfield — Walked Only: 0.9% Pooraka — Walked Only: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.6%).

Setting

Northfield Pooraka
Elevation 81 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.2 km 6.6 km

NBN connectivity

Northfield Pooraka
Connectivity score 70/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 45%
1,874 premises
 40%
3,775 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

Northfield Pooraka
Average residential rate $1,311/yr $1,722/yr
Council Port Adelaide Enfield Salisbury

Federal electorate

Northfield Pooraka
Division Adelaide Makin
Member Steve Georganas Tony Zappia
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Northfield

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks

Pooraka

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Multicultural River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Northfield

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

Other comparisons with Pooraka

Pooraka vs Mawson Lakes Pooraka vs Ingle Farm Pooraka vs Para Hills Pooraka vs Walkley Heights Pooraka vs Para Hills West Pooraka vs Gepps Cross
Full data on Northfield Full data on Pooraka
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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