Pooraka vs Para Hills

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Pooraka is closer to the city centre: 13.3 km, against 16.5 km.

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

Para Hills

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (97% vs 86%)

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

First-home buyers

Para Hills

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($407,500 vs $590,500)
  • has cheaper land ($660,500 vs $815,500)

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

Renters

Pooraka

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $325/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Pooraka

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (20 min vs 25 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (13.3 km vs 16.5 km)
  • But Para Hills is more walkable (76/100 vs 63/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Pooraka has more units and townhouses to downsize into (14% vs 3%)
  • Para Hills is more walkable (76/100 vs 63/100)

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

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

Pooraka Para Hills
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.

Pooraka Para Hills
Walkability 63 / 76
Pooraka — Walkability: 63/100 Para Hills — Walkability: 76/100
Safety 16 / 20
Pooraka — Safety: 16/100 Para Hills — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Pooraka — Low fire risk: 100/100 Para Hills — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 21 / 29
Pooraka — Low flood risk: 21/100 Para Hills — Low flood risk: 29/100

Demographics

Para Hills has higher household incomes ($73,840 vs $63,700); Pooraka skews older (38 vs 36).

Pooraka Para Hills
Population 7,583
+10% vs other
 6,793
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.9% +3.6%
Median age 38 36
Median household income $63,700/yr $73,840/yr
+16% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $325/wk
+8% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Pooraka Para Hills
0-4 6.5% / 6.3%
Pooraka — 0-4: 6.5% Para Hills — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 11.7% / 13.3%
Pooraka — 5-14: 11.7% Para Hills — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 6.0% / 5.6%
Pooraka — 15-19: 6.0% Para Hills — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 6.7% / 6.8%
Pooraka — 20-24: 6.7% Para Hills — 20-24: 6.8%
25-34 13.8% / 16.0%
Pooraka — 25-34: 13.8% Para Hills — 25-34: 16.0%
35-44 13.6% / 14.0%
Pooraka — 35-44: 13.6% Para Hills — 35-44: 14.0%
45-54 12.1% / 11.8%
Pooraka — 45-54: 12.1% Para Hills — 45-54: 11.8%
55-64 11.8% / 11.0%
Pooraka — 55-64: 11.8% Para Hills — 55-64: 11.0%
65-74 9.8% / 8.0%
Pooraka — 65-74: 9.8% Para Hills — 65-74: 8.0%
75-84 5.9% / 5.3%
Pooraka — 75-84: 5.9% Para Hills — 75-84: 5.3%
85+ 2.0% / 1.8%
Pooraka — 85+: 2.0% Para Hills — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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%
Para Hills 40.1% couple families
Para Hills — Couple Families: 40.1% Para Hills — Lone Person: 30.5% Para Hills — One Parent Families: 22.1% Para Hills — Group Household: 4.7% Para Hills — Other Families: 2.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Pooraka 30.5% renting
Pooraka — Owned Outright: 33.9% Pooraka — Mortgage: 35.6% Pooraka — Renting: 30.5%
Para Hills 21.9% renting
Para Hills — Owned Outright: 32.3% Para Hills — Mortgage: 45.8% Para Hills — Renting: 21.9%
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.

Pooraka Para Hills
India 6.4% / 4.8%
Pooraka — India: 6.4% Para Hills — India: 4.8%
England 3.3% / 6.7%
Pooraka — England: 3.3% Para Hills — England: 6.7%
Vietnam 6.0% / 0.9%
Pooraka — Vietnam: 6.0% Para Hills — Vietnam: 0.9%
Afghanistan 4.1% / 2.8%
Pooraka — Afghanistan: 4.1% Para Hills — Afghanistan: 2.8%
Philippines 1.9% / 1.6%
Pooraka — Philippines: 1.9% Para Hills — Philippines: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.7%).

Qualifications

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

Pooraka Para Hills
Certificate III & IV 14.1% / 17.9%
Pooraka — Certificate III & IV: 14.1% Para Hills — Certificate III & IV: 17.9%
Bachelor Degree 9.1% / 8.5%
Pooraka — Bachelor Degree: 9.1% Para Hills — Bachelor Degree: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.9% / 6.7%
Pooraka — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9% Para Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.8% / 2.6%
Pooraka — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8% Para Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 1.1%
Pooraka — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Para Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Pooraka 85.7% houses
Pooraka — Houses: 85.7% Pooraka — Townhouses: 12.5% Pooraka — Flats / Apartments: 1.8%
Para Hills 97.2% houses
Para Hills — Houses: 97.2% Para Hills — Townhouses: 1.2% Para Hills — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Pooraka Para Hills
Median house price $825,000 $788,000
Median unit price $590,500 $407,500
Median land price $815,500 $660,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 16 days
from 64 sales
 18 days
from 113 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.

Pooraka Para Hills
3 bed $811K / $775K
Pooraka — 3 bed: $811K (101 sales) Para Hills — 3 bed: $775K (125 sales)

101 vs 125 sales

4 bed $910K / $854K
Pooraka — 4 bed: $910K (40 sales) Para Hills — 4 bed: $854K (44 sales)

40 vs 44 sales

Zoning mix

Pooraka has more industrially zoned land (39% vs 0%).

Pooraka Para Hills
Residential 51% 96%
Industrial 39% 0%
Parks and recreation 8% 0%
Commercial 1% 4%
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

Pooraka Para Hills
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.

Pooraka Para Hills
Houses 3.8%
$600/wk on $820K
 4.0%
$630/wk on $825K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Pooraka Para Hills
House price Higher than 30% of SA Higher than 19% of SA
Income Higher than 32% of SA Higher than 48% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 85% of SA Higher than 90% of SA
Affordability Higher than 42% of SA Higher than 73% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 78% of SA Higher than 59% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of SA Higher than 98% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 42% of SA Higher than 54% of SA

Liveability

Para Hills scores higher overall (38 vs 29); Para Hills is more walkable (76 vs 63).

Pooraka Para Hills
Grade D C
Score 29/100 38/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Pooraka Para Hills
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
84/100
 High
80/100
Flood High
79/100
 High
71/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise High
70/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 22
within 5 km
 9
within 5 km

Schools

Pooraka Para Hills
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 2.0 km
 1
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 4.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.6% 1.9%

Schools in Pooraka

  • Pooraka Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Para Hills

  • East Para Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Para Hills School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

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

Mobility

Para Hills sits further from the CBD (16.5 km vs 13.3 km).

Pooraka Para Hills
Walkability score 63/100 76/100
Distance to Adelaide 13.3 km 16.5 km
+24% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 20 min 25 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 189.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 216.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 5095
 0.6%
postcode 5096
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 57
postcode 5095
 71
postcode 5096

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.

Pooraka Para Hills
Car (driver) 79.6% / 80.2%
Pooraka — Car (driver): 79.6% Para Hills — Car (driver): 80.2%
Worked from Home 6.6% / 7.1%
Pooraka — Worked from Home: 6.6% Para Hills — Worked from Home: 7.1%
Bus 6.1% / 6.7%
Pooraka — Bus: 6.1% Para Hills — Bus: 6.7%
Car (passenger) 6.0% / 4.7%
Pooraka — Car (passenger): 6.0% Para Hills — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Walked Only 1.0% / 0.7%
Pooraka — Walked Only: 1.0% Para Hills — Walked Only: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.2%).

Setting

Pooraka Para Hills
Elevation 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.6 km 9.3 km

NBN connectivity

Pooraka Para Hills
Connectivity score 67/100 97/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 40%
3,775 premises
 90%
2,921 premises

Climate

Pooraka Para Hills
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)

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

Council rates

Pooraka Para Hills
Average residential rate $1,722/yr
same for both
Council Salisbury
same for both

Federal electorate

Pooraka Para Hills
Division Makin
same for both
Member Tony Zappia
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Pooraka

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Multicultural River

Para Hills

Middle-Ring Parks Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Pooraka

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

Other comparisons with Para Hills

Para Hills vs Ingle Farm Para Hills vs Salisbury East Para Hills vs Modbury Heights Para Hills vs Modbury North Para Hills vs Gulfview Heights Para Hills vs Para Hills West
Full data on Pooraka Full data on Para Hills
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