Norwood vs Stepney

In both, about half of households are people living alone. In Norwood, about half of households rent. In Stepney, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Norwood: a median of $1.51 million, against $1.26 million in Stepney, and rent is higher there too. Norwood is closer to the city centre: 3.4 km, against 4.4 km. On these figures, Stepney tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

Norwood is a larger, more established suburb closer to the CBD at 3.4 km, with notably higher walkability (92 vs 78) and liveability scores. It suits buyers prioritising urban convenience and community infrastructure, though houses are pricier at $1,505,000 compared to Stepney's $1,257,500. Stepney offers lower house prices and higher median household income ($98,228 vs $91,104), but faces higher flood and crime risk ratings; units are also more expensive there at $859,900 versus Norwood's $622,500.

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

Norwood

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 4)
  • But Stepney has more separate houses rather than flats (55% vs 34%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Norwood has cheaper units ($631,750 vs $859,900)
  • Stepney has cheaper houses ($1,265,000 vs $1,510,000)

Weighs house prices, unit 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

Norwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 78/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Norwood

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (65% vs 45%)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 78/100)

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

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

Norwood Stepney
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.

Norwood Stepney
Walkability 92 / 78
Norwood — Walkability: 92/100 Stepney — Walkability: 78/100
Safety 22 / 14
Norwood — Safety: 22/100 Stepney — Safety: 14/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Norwood — Low fire risk: 100/100 Stepney — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 29 / 13
Norwood — Low flood risk: 29/100 Stepney — Low flood risk: 13/100

Demographics

Norwood has more residents (6,354 vs 942).

Norwood Stepney
Population 6,354
+85% vs other
 942
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.7% +8.0%
Median age 40 39
Median household income $91,104/yr $98,228/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+5% vs other
 $370/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Norwood Stepney
0-4 3.4% / 5.3%
Norwood — 0-4: 3.4% Stepney — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 8.5% / 9.0%
Norwood — 5-14: 8.5% Stepney — 5-14: 9.0%
15-19 4.0% / 4.8%
Norwood — 15-19: 4.0% Stepney — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 7.2% / 5.3%
Norwood — 20-24: 7.2% Stepney — 20-24: 5.3%
25-34 18.3% / 18.7%
Norwood — 25-34: 18.3% Stepney — 25-34: 18.7%
35-44 13.9% / 13.6%
Norwood — 35-44: 13.9% Stepney — 35-44: 13.6%
45-54 11.0% / 12.3%
Norwood — 45-54: 11.0% Stepney — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 12.4% / 12.6%
Norwood — 55-64: 12.4% Stepney — 55-64: 12.6%
65-74 12.3% / 10.6%
Norwood — 65-74: 12.3% Stepney — 65-74: 10.6%
75-84 6.8% / 5.5%
Norwood — 75-84: 6.8% Stepney — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 2.1% / 2.7%
Norwood — 85+: 2.1% Stepney — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Norwood 53.4% lone person
Norwood — Lone Person: 53.4% Norwood — Couple Families: 24.7% Norwood — One Parent Families: 10.4% Norwood — Group Household: 9.7% Norwood — Other Families: 1.9%
Stepney 49.5% lone person
Stepney — Lone Person: 49.5% Stepney — Couple Families: 28.9% Stepney — One Parent Families: 10.6% Stepney — Group Household: 9.4% Stepney — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Norwood 46.4% renting
Norwood — Owned Outright: 32.2% Norwood — Mortgage: 21.5% Norwood — Renting: 46.4%
Stepney 37.2% renting
Stepney — Owned Outright: 33.6% Stepney — Mortgage: 29.2% Stepney — Renting: 37.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Norwood Stepney
Bachelor Degree 26.4% / 25.8%
Norwood — Bachelor Degree: 26.4% Stepney — Bachelor Degree: 25.8%
Postgraduate Degree 12.8% / 10.1%
Norwood — Postgraduate Degree: 12.8% Stepney — Postgraduate Degree: 10.1%
Certificate III & IV 7.6% / 7.6%
Norwood — Certificate III & IV: 7.6% Stepney — Certificate III & IV: 7.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 7.5%
Norwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Stepney — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.7% / 4.6%
Norwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7% Stepney — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.4%).

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.

Norwood Stepney
England 5.0% / 4.1%
Norwood — England: 5.0% Stepney — England: 4.1%
India 2.8% / 2.5%
Norwood — India: 2.8% Stepney — India: 2.5%
Italy 2.0% / 2.5%
Norwood — Italy: 2.0% Stepney — Italy: 2.5%
China 3.7% / 0.7%
Norwood — China: 3.7% Stepney — China: 0.7%
Malaysia 1.0% / 0.7%
Norwood — Malaysia: 1.0% Stepney — Malaysia: 0.7%
Germany — / 1.0%
Norwood — Germany: not among its largest Stepney — Germany: 1.0%
Greece — / 0.8%
Norwood — Greece: not among its largest Stepney — Greece: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Norwood 34.5% houses
Norwood — Houses: 34.5% Norwood — Townhouses: 50.0% Norwood — Flats / Apartments: 15.4%
Stepney 55.1% houses
Stepney — Houses: 55.1% Stepney — Townhouses: 32.8% Stepney — Flats / Apartments: 12.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Norwood Stepney
Median house price $1,510,000 $1,265,000
Median unit price $631,750 $859,900
Median land price $1,502,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 71 sales
 24 days
from 9 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.

Norwood Stepney
2 bed $1M / $1.15M
Norwood — 2 bed: $1M (31 sales) Stepney — 2 bed: $1.15M (5 sales)

31 vs 5 sales

3 bed $1.45M / $1.3M
Norwood — 3 bed: $1.45M (66 sales) Stepney — 3 bed: $1.3M (20 sales)

66 vs 20 sales

4 bed $2.4M / $1.35M
Norwood — 4 bed: $2.4M (31 sales) Stepney — 4 bed: $1.35M (7 sales)

31 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Stepney has more industrially zoned land (39% vs 0%); Norwood has more commercially zoned land (24% vs 13%).

Norwood Stepney
Residential 72% 40%
Industrial 0% 39%
Commercial 24% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 8%
Parks and recreation 2% 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

Norwood Stepney
New dwellings approved 227
across Norwood Payneham and St Peters
same for both
Approvals change year on year +141%
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.

Norwood Stepney
Houses 3.4%
$802/wk on $1.23M
 —
Units 4.4%
$685/wk on $810K
 —

Ranking within SA

Norwood Stepney
House price Higher than 85% of SA Higher than 83% of SA
Income Higher than 70% of SA Higher than 77% of SA
Schools Higher than 96% of SA —
Walkability Higher than 99% of SA Higher than 91% of SA
Affordability Higher than 16% of SA Higher than 23% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 94% of SA Higher than 96% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 93% of SA Higher than 95% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 27% of SA —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 37% of SA —

Liveability

Norwood scores higher overall (78 vs 59); Norwood is more walkable (92 vs 78).

Norwood Stepney
Grade A B
Score 78/100 59/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Stepney carries more flood risk (87 vs 71).

Norwood Stepney
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
78/100
 High
86/100
Flood High
71/100
 High
87/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Norwood Stepney
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Adelaide University, Adelaide City Campus, 2.9 km
 3
Adelaide University, Adelaide City Campus, 3.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.0% 3.1%

Schools in Norwood

  • Norwood Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Joseph's Memorial School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Saint Ignatius' College - Junior School Campus Catholic · Combined

Schools in Stepney

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

Amenities in the suburb

Norwood Stepney
Supermarkets 3 1
Cafes & restaurants 44 8
Parks & reserves 9 4
Childcare 6 4
GPs 5 0
Pharmacies 5 2
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 8 1
Fuel stations 1
same for both
EV chargers 2 1
Waterways 30 1

Mobility

Norwood Stepney
Walkability score 92/100 78/100
Distance to Adelaide 3.4 km 4.4 km
+29% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 8 min 10 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 212.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 71.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.0%
postcode 5067
 2.2%
postcode 5069
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 37
postcode 5067
 52
postcode 5069

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.

Norwood Stepney
Car (driver) 55.1% / 61.8%
Norwood — Car (driver): 55.1% Stepney — Car (driver): 61.8%
Worked from Home 16.9% / 14.5%
Norwood — Worked from Home: 16.9% Stepney — Worked from Home: 14.5%
Bus 9.4% / 6.8%
Norwood — Bus: 9.4% Stepney — Bus: 6.8%
Walked Only 8.6% / 6.4%
Norwood — Walked Only: 8.6% Stepney — Walked Only: 6.4%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 6.2%
Norwood — Car (passenger): 4.5% Stepney — Car (passenger): 6.2%
Bicycle 5.1% / 4.3%
Norwood — Bicycle: 5.1% Stepney — Bicycle: 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.8%).

Setting

Norwood Stepney
Elevation 62 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.2 km 12.3 km

NBN connectivity

Norwood Stepney
Connectivity score 81/100 85/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the curb
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 21%
4,602 premises
 41%
880 premises

Climate

Norwood Stepney
Annual rainfall 457 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Norwood Stepney
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 1.12 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Norwood Stepney
Average residential rate $1,995/yr
same for both
Council Norwood Payneham and St Peters
same for both

Federal electorate

Norwood Stepney
Division Sturt
same for both
Member Claire Clutterham
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Norwood Stepney
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Norwood

Cafe Culture Inner Parks Professionals River Townhouses

Stepney

Inner Parks Professionals River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Norwood

Norwood vs Toorak Gardens Norwood vs Kensington Norwood vs Beulah Park Norwood vs Maylands Norwood vs Kent Town Norwood vs Rose Park

Other comparisons with Stepney

Stepney vs St Peters Stepney vs Maylands Stepney vs Kent Town Stepney vs Evandale Stepney vs College Park
Full data on Norwood Full data on Stepney
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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