Semaphore vs Semaphore South

Semaphore South is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 50 in Semaphore. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Semaphore South, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Semaphore South: a median of $1.4 million, against $1.25 million in Semaphore.

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

Semaphore South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (61/100 vs 78/100)

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

First-home buyers

Semaphore

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,250,000 vs $1,400,000)
  • has cheaper units ($630,000 vs $698,680)

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

Semaphore

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (79/100 vs 71/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Semaphore is more walkable (79/100 vs 71/100)
  • Semaphore South carries lower crime risk (61/100 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

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

Semaphore Semaphore South
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.

Semaphore Semaphore South
Walkability 79 / 71
Semaphore — Walkability: 79/100 Semaphore South — Walkability: 71/100
Safety 22 / 39
Semaphore — Safety: 22/100 Semaphore South — Safety: 39/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Semaphore — Low fire risk: 100/100 Semaphore South — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 21 / 17
Semaphore — Low flood risk: 21/100 Semaphore South — Low flood risk: 17/100

Demographics

Semaphore has more residents (2,749 vs 1,031); Semaphore skews older (50 vs 44).

Semaphore Semaphore South
Population 2,749
+62% vs other
 1,031
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.5% +1.2%
Median age 50 44
Median household income $89,336/yr
+2% vs other
 $87,152/yr
Median weekly rent $320/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Semaphore Semaphore South
0-4 3.2% / 5.8%
Semaphore — 0-4: 3.2% Semaphore South — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 8.2% / 9.9%
Semaphore — 5-14: 8.2% Semaphore South — 5-14: 9.9%
15-19 4.6% / 4.6%
Semaphore — 15-19: 4.6% Semaphore South — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 4.6% / 4.8%
Semaphore — 20-24: 4.6% Semaphore South — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 9.5% / 12.4%
Semaphore — 25-34: 9.5% Semaphore South — 25-34: 12.4%
35-44 11.1% / 12.3%
Semaphore — 35-44: 11.1% Semaphore South — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 17.4% / 15.2%
Semaphore — 45-54: 17.4% Semaphore South — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 21.2% / 15.4%
Semaphore — 55-64: 21.2% Semaphore South — 55-64: 15.4%
65-74 13.2% / 11.8%
Semaphore — 65-74: 13.2% Semaphore South — 65-74: 11.8%
75-84 5.0% / 5.2%
Semaphore — 75-84: 5.0% Semaphore South — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 1.9% / 3.0%
Semaphore — 85+: 1.9% Semaphore South — 85+: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Semaphore 44.4% lone person
Semaphore — Lone Person: 44.4% Semaphore — Couple Families: 33.1% Semaphore — One Parent Families: 15.0% Semaphore — Group Household: 4.8% Semaphore — Other Families: 2.7%
Semaphore South 47.3% lone person
Semaphore South — Lone Person: 47.3% Semaphore South — Couple Families: 34.4% Semaphore South — One Parent Families: 14.5% Semaphore South — Group Household: 2.8% Semaphore South — Other Families: 0.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Semaphore 30.7% renting
Semaphore — Owned Outright: 35.6% Semaphore — Mortgage: 33.7% Semaphore — Renting: 30.7%
Semaphore South 29.6% renting
Semaphore South — Owned Outright: 34.3% Semaphore South — Mortgage: 36.1% Semaphore South — Renting: 29.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Semaphore Semaphore South
Bachelor Degree 15.7% / 15.1%
Semaphore — Bachelor Degree: 15.7% Semaphore South — Bachelor Degree: 15.1%
Certificate III & IV 15.3% / 15.3%
Semaphore — Certificate III & IV: 15.3% Semaphore South — Certificate III & IV: 15.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 8.9%
Semaphore — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Semaphore South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree 6.9% / 5.2%
Semaphore — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9% Semaphore South — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 2.3%
Semaphore — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Semaphore South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

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.

Semaphore Semaphore South
England 8.0% / 6.5%
Semaphore — England: 8.0% Semaphore South — England: 6.5%
Scotland 1.2% / 2.4%
Semaphore — Scotland: 1.2% Semaphore South — Scotland: 2.4%
New Zealand 1.5% / —
Semaphore — New Zealand: 1.5% Semaphore South — New Zealand: not among its largest
Germany 0.8% / 0.7%
Semaphore — Germany: 0.8% Semaphore South — Germany: 0.7%
Ireland — / 1.2%
Semaphore — Ireland: not among its largest Semaphore South — Ireland: 1.2%
Italy 0.9% / —
Semaphore — Italy: 0.9% Semaphore South — Italy: not among its largest
India — / 0.8%
Semaphore — India: not among its largest Semaphore South — India: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Semaphore 65.2% houses
Semaphore — Houses: 65.2% Semaphore — Townhouses: 22.9% Semaphore — Flats / Apartments: 11.9%
Semaphore South 59.0% houses
Semaphore South — Houses: 59.0% Semaphore South — Townhouses: 33.1% Semaphore South — Flats / Apartments: 7.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Semaphore Semaphore South
Median house price $1,250,000 $1,400,000
Median unit price $630,000 $698,680
Median land price $866,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 36 sales
 22 days
from 8 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.

Semaphore Semaphore South
3 bed $1.25M / $1.16M
Semaphore — 3 bed: $1.25M (30 sales) Semaphore South — 3 bed: $1.16M (8 sales)

30 vs 8 sales

4 bed $1.5M / $1.63M
Semaphore — 4 bed: $1.5M (22 sales) Semaphore South — 4 bed: $1.63M (8 sales)

22 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Semaphore has more commercially zoned land (12% vs 0%).

Semaphore Semaphore South
Residential 74% 63%
Parks and recreation 14% 36%
Commercial 12% 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

Semaphore Semaphore South
New dwellings approved 1,176
across Port Adelaide Enfield
same for both
Approvals change year on year +23%
same for both

Ranking within SA

Semaphore Semaphore South
House price Higher than 73% of SA Higher than 67% of SA
Income Higher than 68% of SA Higher than 65% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 92% of SA Higher than 89% of SA
Affordability Higher than 26% of SA Higher than 33% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 81% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 81% of SA Higher than 80% of SA

Liveability

Semaphore is more walkable (79 vs 71).

Semaphore Semaphore South
Grade B
same for both
Score 52/100 56/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Semaphore carries more crime risk (78 vs 61).

Semaphore Semaphore South
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
78/100
 Moderate
61/100
Flood High
79/100
 High
83/100
Coastal erosion High
86/100
 High
89/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 14
within 5 km
 13
within 5 km

Schools

Semaphore Semaphore South
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Semaphore

  • Dominican School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Semaphore South

  • Le Fevre High School Government · Secondary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Semaphore Semaphore South
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 20 1
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 1
same for both
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
EV chargers 1 0

Mobility

Semaphore Semaphore South
Walkability score 79/100 71/100
Distance to Adelaide 16.7 km
+4% vs other
 16 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 27 min 25 min
Public transport score 73/100
Bus
 47/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 26.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 10.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 5019
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 5019
same for both

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.

Semaphore Semaphore South
Car (driver) 71.5% / 73.3%
Semaphore — Car (driver): 71.5% Semaphore South — Car (driver): 73.3%
Worked from Home 14.8% / 15.9%
Semaphore — Worked from Home: 14.8% Semaphore South — Worked from Home: 15.9%
Train 4.1% / 4.3%
Semaphore — Train: 4.1% Semaphore South — Train: 4.3%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 2.2%
Semaphore — Car (passenger): 4.0% Semaphore South — Car (passenger): 2.2%
Walked Only 2.8% / 1.3%
Semaphore — Walked Only: 2.8% Semaphore South — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus 0.6% / 2.4%
Semaphore — Bus: 0.6% Semaphore South — Bus: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.3%).

Setting

Semaphore Semaphore South
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 465 m
2.0 km to a named beach
 369 m
1.1 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Semaphore Semaphore South
Connectivity score 67/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 40%
1,523 premises
 38%
534 premises

Climate

Semaphore Semaphore South
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)

Semaphore Semaphore South
PM2.5 4.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Semaphore Semaphore South
Average residential rate $1,311/yr
same for both
Council Port Adelaide Enfield
same for both

Federal electorate

Semaphore Semaphore South
Division Hindmarsh
same for both
Member Mark Butler
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Semaphore Semaphore South
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Semaphore

Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Townhouses

Semaphore South

Beach Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Premium Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Semaphore

Semaphore vs Largs Bay Semaphore vs Ethelton Semaphore vs Exeter Semaphore vs Glanville

Other comparisons with Semaphore South

Semaphore South vs Semaphore Park Semaphore South vs Ethelton Semaphore South vs Glanville
Full data on Semaphore Full data on Semaphore South
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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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