Plympton vs Morphettville

Plympton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 39 in Morphettville. In Plympton, about half of households rent. In Morphettville, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Plympton is closer to the city centre: 6.5 km, against 9.9 km. On these figures, Plympton tends to suit young adults, while Morphettville suits older residents.

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

Plympton

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 2)
  • But Morphettville has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Plympton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($515,000 vs $596,000)

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

Plympton

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (6.5 km vs 9.9 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (11 min vs 16 min)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 78/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Plympton

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 78/100)
  • But Morphettville has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 13%)

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

Investors

Plympton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.3% vs 3.7%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Plympton Morphettville
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.

Plympton Morphettville
Walkability 92 / 78
Plympton — Walkability: 92/100 Morphettville — Walkability: 78/100
Safety 24 / 28
Plympton — Safety: 24/100 Morphettville — Safety: 28/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Plympton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Morphettville — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 60 / 46
Plympton — Low flood risk: 60/100 Morphettville — Low flood risk: 46/100

Demographics

Plympton has more residents (5,459 vs 3,686); Morphettville skews older (39 vs 34).

Plympton Morphettville
Population 5,459
+32% vs other
 3,686
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.8% +14.9%
Median age 34 39
Median household income $83,096/yr
+12% vs other
 $73,528/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Plympton Morphettville
0-4 4.6% / 5.4%
Plympton — 0-4: 4.6% Morphettville — 0-4: 5.4%
5-14 8.2% / 8.9%
Plympton — 5-14: 8.2% Morphettville — 5-14: 8.9%
15-19 4.4% / 4.4%
Plympton — 15-19: 4.4% Morphettville — 15-19: 4.4%
20-24 9.7% / 6.8%
Plympton — 20-24: 9.7% Morphettville — 20-24: 6.8%
25-34 25.0% / 17.7%
Plympton — 25-34: 25.0% Morphettville — 25-34: 17.7%
35-44 14.4% / 14.1%
Plympton — 35-44: 14.4% Morphettville — 35-44: 14.1%
45-54 10.6% / 9.5%
Plympton — 45-54: 10.6% Morphettville — 45-54: 9.5%
55-64 9.8% / 10.7%
Plympton — 55-64: 9.8% Morphettville — 55-64: 10.7%
65-74 7.1% / 10.1%
Plympton — 65-74: 7.1% Morphettville — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 4.0% / 6.7%
Plympton — 75-84: 4.0% Morphettville — 75-84: 6.7%
85+ 2.3% / 5.8%
Plympton — 85+: 2.3% Morphettville — 85+: 5.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Plympton 43.4% lone person
Plympton — Lone Person: 43.4% Plympton — Couple Families: 31.6% Plympton — One Parent Families: 11.9% Plympton — Group Household: 10.1% Plympton — Other Families: 2.9%
Morphettville 47.4% lone person
Morphettville — Lone Person: 47.4% Morphettville — Couple Families: 28.1% Morphettville — One Parent Families: 15.6% Morphettville — Group Household: 6.8% Morphettville — Other Families: 2.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Plympton 46.2% renting
Plympton — Owned Outright: 24.3% Plympton — Mortgage: 29.5% Plympton — Renting: 46.2%
Morphettville 38.9% renting
Morphettville — Owned Outright: 25.0% Morphettville — Mortgage: 36.0% Morphettville — Renting: 38.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Plympton Morphettville
Bachelor Degree 21.7% / 15.7%
Plympton — Bachelor Degree: 21.7% Morphettville — Bachelor Degree: 15.7%
Certificate III & IV 10.5% / 12.8%
Plympton — Certificate III & IV: 10.5% Morphettville — Certificate III & IV: 12.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 7.4%
Plympton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Morphettville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 5.4%
Plympton — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Morphettville — Postgraduate Degree: 5.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.6% / 1.5%
Plympton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6% Morphettville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.7%).

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.

Plympton Morphettville
India 8.1% / 3.6%
Plympton — India: 8.1% Morphettville — India: 3.6%
Nepal 7.4% / 2.3%
Plympton — Nepal: 7.4% Morphettville — Nepal: 2.3%
England 2.6% / 3.4%
Plympton — England: 2.6% Morphettville — England: 3.4%
China 4.1% / 1.8%
Plympton — China: 4.1% Morphettville — China: 1.8%
Philippines 1.3% / 1.2%
Plympton — Philippines: 1.3% Morphettville — Philippines: 1.2%
Greece 1.4% / —
Plympton — Greece: 1.4% Morphettville — Greece: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Plympton 51.2% houses
Plympton — Houses: 51.2% Plympton — Townhouses: 23.3% Plympton — Flats / Apartments: 25.5%
Morphettville 55.1% houses
Morphettville — Houses: 55.1% Morphettville — Townhouses: 25.4% Morphettville — Flats / Apartments: 19.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Plympton Morphettville
Median house price $1,035,000 $1,000,000
Median unit price $515,000 $596,000
Median land price — $650,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 18 days
from 35 sales
 11 days
from 29 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.

Plympton Morphettville
2 bed $872K / $695K
Plympton — 2 bed: $872K (6 sales) Morphettville — 2 bed: $695K (10 sales)

6 vs 10 sales

3 bed $980K / $1M
Plympton — 3 bed: $980K (53 sales) Morphettville — 3 bed: $1M (59 sales)

53 vs 59 sales

4 bed $1.21M / $1.28M
Plympton — 4 bed: $1.21M (15 sales) Morphettville — 4 bed: $1.28M (8 sales)

15 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Plympton has more commercially zoned land (19% vs 0%).

Plympton Morphettville
Residential 77% 61%
Parks and recreation 3% 36%
Commercial 19% 0%
Industrial 0% 3%
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

Plympton Morphettville
New dwellings approved 578
across West Torrens
 809
across Marion
Approvals change year on year +103% -31%

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.

Plympton Morphettville
Houses 4.3%
$758/wk on $924K
 3.7%
$655/wk on $915K
Units 4.8%
$500/wk on $542K
 —

Ranking within SA

Plympton Morphettville
House price Higher than 70% of SA Higher than 46% of SA
Income Higher than 58% of SA Higher than 47% of SA
Schools Higher than 31% of SA —
Walkability Higher than 99% of SA Higher than 91% of SA
Affordability Higher than 22% of SA Higher than 40% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 69% of SA Higher than 73% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of SA Higher than 90% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 77% of SA Higher than 39% of SA
Rental yield (units) Higher than 66% of SA —

Liveability

Plympton is more walkable (92 vs 78).

Plympton Morphettville
Grade B
same for both
Score 59/100 56/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Morphettville carries more flood risk (54 vs 40).

Plympton Morphettville
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
76/100
 High
72/100
Flood Moderate
40/100
 Moderate
54/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Plympton Morphettville
Inside the suburb 4 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Tonsley, 4.3 km
 3
Tonsley, 3.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.8% 2.2%

Schools in Plympton

  • Plympton International College Government · Combined at peers
  • Plympton Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St John the Baptist Catholic School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Errington Special Education Centre Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in Morphettville

  • Dara School Independent · Combined above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Plympton Morphettville
Supermarkets 3 1
Cafes & restaurants 5 2
Parks & reserves 5
same for both
Childcare 7 2
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Morphettville sits further from the CBD (9.9 km vs 6.5 km).

Plympton Morphettville
Walkability score 92/100 78/100
Distance to Adelaide 6.5 km 9.9 km
+52% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 11 min 16 min
Public transport score 79/100
Tram · Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 207.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 76.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 5038
 0.8%
postcode 5043
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 42
postcode 5038
 46
postcode 5043

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.

Plympton Morphettville
Car (driver) 64.6% / 73.1%
Plympton — Car (driver): 64.6% Morphettville — Car (driver): 73.1%
Worked from Home 10.3% / 9.9%
Plympton — Worked from Home: 10.3% Morphettville — Worked from Home: 9.9%
Bus 11.6% / 5.5%
Plympton — Bus: 11.6% Morphettville — Bus: 5.5%
Car (passenger) 5.8% / 4.6%
Plympton — Car (passenger): 5.8% Morphettville — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Tram / Light Rail 3.4% / 2.1%
Plympton — Tram / Light Rail: 3.4% Morphettville — Tram / Light Rail: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.1%).

Setting

Plympton Morphettville
Elevation 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.2 km 3.0 km

NBN connectivity

Plympton Morphettville
Connectivity score 77/100 76/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 9%
2,825 premises
 9%
1,708 premises

Climate

Plympton Morphettville
Annual rainfall 394 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Plympton Morphettville
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

Plympton Morphettville
Average residential rate $1,532/yr $1,782/yr
Council West Torrens Marion

Federal electorate

Plympton Morphettville
Division Adelaide Boothby
Member Steve Georganas Louise Miller-Frost
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Plympton Morphettville
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Plympton

Inner Multicultural Parks Townhouses Trams Urban

Morphettville

Middle-Ring Parks Townhouses Trams

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Plympton

Plympton vs South Plympton Plympton vs Plympton Park Plympton vs North Plympton Plympton vs Camden Park Plympton vs Kurralta Park Plympton vs Glandore

Other comparisons with Morphettville

Morphettville vs Warradale Morphettville vs Glengowrie Morphettville vs Marion Morphettville vs Oaklands Park Morphettville vs Plympton Park Morphettville vs Glenelg East
Full data on Plympton Full data on Morphettville
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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