Virginia vs Penfield Gardens

Virginia is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 48 in Penfield Gardens. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Virginia, about half of households are couple families. In Penfield Gardens, most households are couple families. On these figures, Virginia tends to suit families with children, while Penfield Gardens suits couples and 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

Virginia

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Penfield Gardens has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 88%)

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

First-home buyers

Virginia

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (23% vs 29%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Virginia

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $383/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Virginia

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (34.1 km vs 36.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Virginia is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • Penfield Gardens has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 13%)

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

Investors

Virginia

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (53.0% vs -9.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Virginia Penfield Gardens
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.

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Walkability 14 / 0
Virginia — Walkability: 14/100 Penfield Gardens — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 20 / 11
Virginia — Safety: 20/100 Penfield Gardens — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 85 / 100
Virginia — Low fire risk: 85/100 Penfield Gardens — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 7 / 11
Virginia — Low flood risk: 7/100 Penfield Gardens — Low flood risk: 11/100

Demographics

Virginia has more residents (2,759 vs 304); Penfield Gardens skews older (48 vs 34).

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Population 2,759
+89% vs other
 304
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +53.0% -9.3%
Median age 34 48
Median household income $91,624/yr
+10% vs other
 $82,836/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk $383/wk
+28% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Virginia Penfield Gardens
0-4 8.2% / 3.3%
Virginia — 0-4: 8.2% Penfield Gardens — 0-4: 3.3%
5-14 14.1% / 10.9%
Virginia — 5-14: 14.1% Penfield Gardens — 5-14: 10.9%
15-19 4.7% / 4.9%
Virginia — 15-19: 4.7% Penfield Gardens — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 5.0% / 7.6%
Virginia — 20-24: 5.0% Penfield Gardens — 20-24: 7.6%
25-34 18.2% / 8.6%
Virginia — 25-34: 18.2% Penfield Gardens — 25-34: 8.6%
35-44 13.6% / 11.5%
Virginia — 35-44: 13.6% Penfield Gardens — 35-44: 11.5%
45-54 11.9% / 13.5%
Virginia — 45-54: 11.9% Penfield Gardens — 45-54: 13.5%
55-64 11.2% / 11.8%
Virginia — 55-64: 11.2% Penfield Gardens — 55-64: 11.8%
65-74 8.0% / 13.2%
Virginia — 65-74: 8.0% Penfield Gardens — 65-74: 13.2%
75-84 3.7% / 9.9%
Virginia — 75-84: 3.7% Penfield Gardens — 75-84: 9.9%
85+ 1.3% / 3.9%
Virginia — 85+: 1.3% Penfield Gardens — 85+: 3.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Virginia 54.3% couple families
Virginia — Couple Families: 54.3% Virginia — Lone Person: 27.3% Virginia — One Parent Families: 14.7% Virginia — Group Household: 2.3% Virginia — Other Families: 1.3%
Penfield Gardens 65.6% couple families
Penfield Gardens — Couple Families: 65.6% Penfield Gardens — Lone Person: 26.2% Penfield Gardens — One Parent Families: 8.2% Penfield Gardens — Group Household: 0.0% Penfield Gardens — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Virginia 12.4% renting
Virginia — Owned Outright: 35.5% Virginia — Mortgage: 52.1% Virginia — Renting: 12.4%
Penfield Gardens 10.0% renting
Penfield Gardens — Owned Outright: 60.0% Penfield Gardens — Mortgage: 30.0% Penfield Gardens — Renting: 10.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Certificate III & IV 15.3% / 11.8%
Virginia — Certificate III & IV: 15.3% Penfield Gardens — Certificate III & IV: 11.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.1% / 4.9%
Virginia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1% Penfield Gardens — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Bachelor Degree 7.0% / 3.6%
Virginia — Bachelor Degree: 7.0% Penfield Gardens — Bachelor Degree: 3.6%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / —
Virginia — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Penfield Gardens — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / —
Virginia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% Penfield Gardens — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

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.

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Vietnam 6.9% / 8.6%
Virginia — Vietnam: 6.9% Penfield Gardens — Vietnam: 8.6%
Italy 1.1% / 8.6%
Virginia — Italy: 1.1% Penfield Gardens — Italy: 8.6%
England 3.5% / 3.3%
Virginia — England: 3.5% Penfield Gardens — England: 3.3%
Malaysia — / 6.2%
Virginia — Malaysia: not among its largest Penfield Gardens — Malaysia: 6.2%
Greece 1.9% / 3.0%
Virginia — Greece: 1.9% Penfield Gardens — Greece: 3.0%
India 1.5% / —
Virginia — India: 1.5% Penfield Gardens — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Virginia 88.2% houses
Virginia — Houses: 88.2% Virginia — Flats / Apartments: 9.8% Virginia — Townhouses: 2.1%
Penfield Gardens 100.0% houses
Penfield Gardens — Houses: 100.0% Penfield Gardens — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Penfield Gardens — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Median house price $850,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $611,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 81 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Penfield Gardens has more rural and farming land (94% vs 75%).

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Rural and farming 75% 94%
Other and special use 11% 0%
Residential 9% 0%
Parks and recreation 3% 6%
Industrial 1% 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

Virginia Penfield Gardens
New dwellings approved 2,475
across Playford
same for both
Approvals change year on year +65%
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.

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Houses 3.8%
$660/wk on $899K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Virginia Penfield Gardens
House price Higher than 28% of SA —
Income Higher than 70% of SA Higher than 58% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 68% of SA Higher than 49% of SA
Affordability Higher than 87% of SA —
EV adoption Higher than 77% of SA Higher than 62% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 67% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 43% of SA —

Liveability

Virginia is more walkable (14 vs 0).

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Grade D —
Score 24/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Virginia carries more bushfire risk (15 vs 0).

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Bushfire Low
15/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
80/100
 High
89/100
Flood High
93/100
 High
89/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
 High
83/100
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Virginia

  • Virginia Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Penfield Gardens

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

Amenities in the suburb

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Supermarkets 1 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 1 2

Mobility

Penfield Gardens sits further from the CBD (36.9 km vs 34.1 km).

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Walkability score 14/100 0/100
Distance to Adelaide 34.1 km 36.9 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 33 min 35 min
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 5120
 0.7%
postcode 5121

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.

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Car (driver) 79.7% / 60.0%
Virginia — Car (driver): 79.7% Penfield Gardens — Car (driver): 60.0%
Worked from Home 10.9% / 25.4%
Virginia — Worked from Home: 10.9% Penfield Gardens — Worked from Home: 25.4%
Car (passenger) 5.0% / 9.2%
Virginia — Car (passenger): 5.0% Penfield Gardens — Car (passenger): 9.2%
Walked Only 3.4% / 5.4%
Virginia — Walked Only: 3.4% Penfield Gardens — Walked Only: 5.4%
Bus 0.7% / —
Virginia — Bus: 0.7% Penfield Gardens — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.7%).

Setting

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 26 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.0 km 11.5 km

NBN connectivity

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Connectivity score 73/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 59%
1,660 premises
 0%
130 premises

Climate

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Annual rainfall 404 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Virginia Penfield Gardens
PM2.5 5.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.31 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Average residential rate $2,101/yr
same for both
Council Playford
same for both

Federal electorate

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Division Spence
same for both
Member Matt Burnell
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Virginia Penfield Gardens
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Virginia

Acreage Family Outer

Penfield Gardens

Outer Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Virginia

Virginia vs Lewiston Virginia vs Two Wells Virginia vs Waterloo Corner Virginia vs Penfield Virginia vs Buckland Park

Other comparisons with Penfield Gardens

Penfield Gardens vs Angle Vale Penfield Gardens vs Lewiston Penfield Gardens vs Waterloo Corner Penfield Gardens vs Macdonald Park Penfield Gardens vs Penfield
Full data on Virginia Full data on Penfield Gardens
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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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