Parafield Gardens vs Salisbury Downs

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Parafield Gardens, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Parafield Gardens: a median of $800,000, against $736,000 in Salisbury Downs, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Parafield Gardens tends to suit couples, while Salisbury Downs suits 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

Parafield Gardens

ahead on 6 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 1)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (11 vs 7)

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

First-home buyers

Salisbury Downs

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($217,500 vs $592,500)
  • has cheaper land ($391,250 vs $830,000)

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

Renters

Salisbury Downs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($273/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Parafield Gardens

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (79/100 vs 69/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (21.4 km vs 23.4 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Parafield Gardens

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 1)
  • carries lower crime risk (67/100 vs 86/100)
  • is more walkable (79/100 vs 69/100)
  • But Salisbury Downs has more units and townhouses to downsize into (21% vs 11%)

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

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

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
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.

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Walkability 79 / 69
Parafield Gardens — Walkability: 79/100 Salisbury Downs — Walkability: 69/100
Safety 33 / 14
Parafield Gardens — Safety: 33/100 Salisbury Downs — Safety: 14/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Parafield Gardens — Low fire risk: 100/100 Salisbury Downs — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 23 / 21
Parafield Gardens — Low flood risk: 23/100 Salisbury Downs — Low flood risk: 21/100

Demographics

Parafield Gardens has more residents (18,467 vs 6,296); Parafield Gardens has higher household incomes ($71,968 vs $58,968).

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Population 18,467
+66% vs other
 6,296
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.0% +5.2%
Median age 36 37
Median household income $71,968/yr
+18% vs other
 $58,968/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+9% vs other
 $273/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
0-4 6.7% / 6.3%
Parafield Gardens — 0-4: 6.7% Salisbury Downs — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 14.0% / 13.1%
Parafield Gardens — 5-14: 14.0% Salisbury Downs — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 6.2% / 5.8%
Parafield Gardens — 15-19: 6.2% Salisbury Downs — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 6.8% / 6.4%
Parafield Gardens — 20-24: 6.8% Salisbury Downs — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 14.2% / 14.4%
Parafield Gardens — 25-34: 14.2% Salisbury Downs — 25-34: 14.4%
35-44 14.4% / 13.3%
Parafield Gardens — 35-44: 14.4% Salisbury Downs — 35-44: 13.3%
45-54 11.2% / 11.6%
Parafield Gardens — 45-54: 11.2% Salisbury Downs — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 11.6% / 12.4%
Parafield Gardens — 55-64: 11.6% Salisbury Downs — 55-64: 12.4%
65-74 8.5% / 10.2%
Parafield Gardens — 65-74: 8.5% Salisbury Downs — 65-74: 10.2%
75-84 4.7% / 5.2%
Parafield Gardens — 75-84: 4.7% Salisbury Downs — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 1.5% / 1.6%
Parafield Gardens — 85+: 1.5% Salisbury Downs — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Parafield Gardens 48.9% couple families
Parafield Gardens — Couple Families: 48.9% Parafield Gardens — Lone Person: 25.7% Parafield Gardens — One Parent Families: 20.1% Parafield Gardens — Group Household: 3.4% Parafield Gardens — Other Families: 1.9%
Salisbury Downs 37.5% couple families
Salisbury Downs — Couple Families: 37.5% Salisbury Downs — Lone Person: 35.0% Salisbury Downs — One Parent Families: 21.4% Salisbury Downs — Group Household: 4.1% Salisbury Downs — Other Families: 2.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Parafield Gardens 29.3% renting
Parafield Gardens — Owned Outright: 28.8% Parafield Gardens — Mortgage: 41.9% Parafield Gardens — Renting: 29.3%
Salisbury Downs 36.0% renting
Salisbury Downs — Owned Outright: 28.3% Salisbury Downs — Mortgage: 35.7% Salisbury Downs — Renting: 36.0%
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.

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
India 8.2% / 2.5%
Parafield Gardens — India: 8.2% Salisbury Downs — India: 2.5%
Vietnam 5.1% / 5.0%
Parafield Gardens — Vietnam: 5.1% Salisbury Downs — Vietnam: 5.0%
England 3.6% / 4.7%
Parafield Gardens — England: 3.6% Salisbury Downs — England: 4.7%
Afghanistan 3.5% / 2.9%
Parafield Gardens — Afghanistan: 3.5% Salisbury Downs — Afghanistan: 2.9%
Philippines 2.5% / 2.6%
Parafield Gardens — Philippines: 2.5% Salisbury Downs — Philippines: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.2%).

Qualifications

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

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Certificate III & IV 12.7% / 13.9%
Parafield Gardens — Certificate III & IV: 12.7% Salisbury Downs — Certificate III & IV: 13.9%
Bachelor Degree 9.1% / 6.4%
Parafield Gardens — Bachelor Degree: 9.1% Salisbury Downs — Bachelor Degree: 6.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.2% / 4.9%
Parafield Gardens — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2% Salisbury Downs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Postgraduate Degree 3.0% / 1.9%
Parafield Gardens — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0% Salisbury Downs — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 0.7%
Parafield Gardens — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Salisbury Downs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Parafield Gardens 89.3% houses
Parafield Gardens — Houses: 89.3% Parafield Gardens — Townhouses: 8.4% Parafield Gardens — Flats / Apartments: 2.4%
Salisbury Downs 79.3% houses
Salisbury Downs — Houses: 79.3% Salisbury Downs — Townhouses: 13.4% Salisbury Downs — Flats / Apartments: 7.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Median house price $800,000 $735,500
Median unit price $592,500 $217,500
Median land price $830,000 $391,250
Typical days to sell (houses) 18 days
from 192 sales
 17 days
from 58 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.

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
3 bed $780K / $722K
Parafield Gardens — 3 bed: $780K (155 sales) Salisbury Downs — 3 bed: $722K (103 sales)

155 vs 103 sales

4 bed $875K / $785K
Parafield Gardens — 4 bed: $875K (81 sales) Salisbury Downs — 4 bed: $785K (25 sales)

81 vs 25 sales

5 bed $980K / $941K
Parafield Gardens — 5 bed: $980K (19 sales) Salisbury Downs — 5 bed: $941K (6 sales)

19 vs 6 sales

Zoning mix

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Residential 89% 86%
Commercial 3% 8%
Industrial 5% 0%
Parks and recreation 3% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
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

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
New dwellings approved 949
across Salisbury
same for both
Approvals change year on year -30%
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.

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Houses 4.3%
$650/wk on $792K
 4.2%
$600/wk on $738K
Units 4.3%
$500/wk on $602K
 —

Ranking within SA

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
House price Higher than 27% of SA Higher than 22% of SA
Income Higher than 45% of SA Higher than 26% of SA
Schools Higher than 74% of SA Higher than 39% of SA
Walkability Higher than 92% of SA Higher than 88% of SA
Affordability Higher than 64% of SA Higher than 41% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 59% of SA Higher than 40% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 90% of SA Higher than 84% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 77% of SA Higher than 74% of SA
Rental yield (units) Higher than 31% of SA —

Liveability

Parafield Gardens scores higher overall (46 vs 23); Parafield Gardens is more walkable (79 vs 69).

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Grade C D
Score 46/100 23/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Salisbury Downs carries more crime risk (86 vs 67).

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
67/100
 High
86/100
Flood High
77/100
 High
79/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 13
within 5 km
 12
within 5 km

Schools

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Inside the suburb 6 3
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 3 2
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 3.1 km
 1
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 4.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.5% 2.2%

Schools in Parafield Gardens

  • Garden College Independent · Combined above peers
  • The Pines School Government · Primary above peers
  • Holy Family Catholic School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Parafield Gardens High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Parafield Gardens Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Karrendi Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Salisbury Downs

  • Salisbury Downs Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Thomas More College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Riverdale Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Supermarkets 3 2
Cafes & restaurants 1 9
Parks & reserves 8 1
Childcare 11 7
GPs 4 1
Pharmacies 2
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 1 3
Fuel stations 3
same for both
Waterways 3 1

Mobility

Salisbury Downs sits further from the CBD (23.4 km vs 21.4 km).

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Walkability score 79/100 69/100
Distance to Adelaide 21.4 km 23.4 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 25 min 29 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 190.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 54.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 5107
 0.3%
postcode 5108
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 72
postcode 5107
 59
postcode 5108

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.

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Car (driver) 83.0% / 81.6%
Parafield Gardens — Car (driver): 83.0% Salisbury Downs — Car (driver): 81.6%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 6.7%
Parafield Gardens — Car (passenger): 6.2% Salisbury Downs — Car (passenger): 6.7%
Worked from Home 5.6% / 5.7%
Parafield Gardens — Worked from Home: 5.6% Salisbury Downs — Worked from Home: 5.7%
Bus 4.0% / 4.1%
Parafield Gardens — Bus: 4.0% Salisbury Downs — Bus: 4.1%
Walked Only 0.6% / 1.3%
Parafield Gardens — Walked Only: 0.6% Salisbury Downs — Walked Only: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.0%).

Setting

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.3 km 6.8 km

NBN connectivity

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Connectivity score 76/100 73/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 11%
6,919 premises
 5%
2,712 premises

Climate

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
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)

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
PM2.5 — 5.5 µg/m³
PM10 — 18.7 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.51 pphm 0.31 pphm

Council rates

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Average residential rate $1,722/yr
same for both
Council Salisbury
same for both

Federal electorate

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Division Makin Spence
Member Tony Zappia Matt Burnell
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Parafield Gardens Salisbury Downs
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Parafield Gardens

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks

Salisbury Downs

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks

More comparisons

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Parafield Gardens vs Paralowie Parafield Gardens vs Mawson Lakes Parafield Gardens vs Globe Derby Park Parafield Gardens vs Green Fields Parafield Gardens vs Salisbury South

Other comparisons with Salisbury Downs

Salisbury Downs vs Paralowie Salisbury Downs vs Salisbury Salisbury Downs vs Salisbury South
Full data on Parafield Gardens Full data on Salisbury Downs
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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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