Emu Downs SA 5381
Emu Downs is a rural locality in South Australia, 147 km from Adelaide CBD, around 2 hours by car. Population is 52; the median age is 37 and the median household income is $46,800 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The locality grew 4.0% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median monthly mortgage of $829. Emu Downs is characterised by high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. Walkability is low.
This locality is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 52. Below that the school, census and safety figures behind the score cover too few people to rank fairly against the rest of the state. The individual measures further down this page are still shown.
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Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
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Is Emu Downs safe? Crime statistics
2024Crime in Emu Downs sits in the high band, with 3 incidents recorded in 2024.
3 offences
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025No crash in Emu Downs killed anyone or put anyone in hospital in 2021–2025.
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. This state’s crash data does not name the road.
Schools
Walkability
Emu Downs is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Emu Downs.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 14
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Goyder: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Emu Downs is home to 52 residents, with a median age of 37, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $47,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
52
Median Age
37
Median Household Income
$46,800/yr
Census Median Rent
—
Census Median Mortgage
$829/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$26,728/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
58.3%
Total Dwellings
12
Owner-Occupier Rate
100.0%
Houses
91.7%
Rental Stress
—
Mortgage Stress
21.3%
Work From Home
40.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 78.8%
- English Spoken at Home
- 78.8%
- Employment Rate
- 71.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 26.9%
Occupations
Religion
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,395 a year through Goyder based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 94%
- Environmental 6%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the locality around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Goyder
In the year to August 2026, 12 new dwellings were approved across Goyder. Almost all of the pipeline is detached houses. Approvals are down 50.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Climate & Setting
from Eudunda, 32.9 kmDry climate — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 445 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 420 mm
- 71 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 29.5°C
- 21 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 5.6°C
- 1 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the locality centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
EV adoption
In postcode 5381, 0 of 454 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.7% (3 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 0.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 5381, 119 rooftop-solar systems totalling 0.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 202 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 2 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$15,000 for new homes.
No purchase-price cap. Stamp duty is fully exempted for eligible first-home buyers as a separate concession.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Tom Venning Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tom Venning | 45.4% | 54.6% | +5.4 |
| 2022 | Rowan Ramsey | 39.9% | 60.1% | -3.2 |
| 2019 | Rowan Ramsey | 36.7% | 63.3% | +5.6 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Geoff Brock Independent
Next state election: 16 March 2030.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Geoff Brock IND | 56.9% |
| 2022 | Geoff Brock IND | 67.1% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2024, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of South Australia.
Looking at a specific address in Emu Downs?
Every figure above is a locality average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 52 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Emu Downs to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other SA suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Emu Downs
Is Emu Downs a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Emu Downs is high (70/100, ranked against other SA suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Emu Downs?
Emu Downs has no recorded bushfire history. These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Emu Downs?
Emu Downs, SA had a population of 52 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Emu Downs, SA?
The postcode for Emu Downs, SA is 5381.
How far is Emu Downs from Adelaide?
Emu Downs is 147 km from Adelaide CBD by road, about 118 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Emu Downs?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Emu Downs was $46,800 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median age in Emu Downs?
The median age of residents in Emu Downs was 37 at the 2021 ABS Census.
What is the weather like in Emu Downs?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Emu Downs, Eudunda (32.9 km away), summer days average 29.5°C, winter nights 5.6°C, 420 mm of rain a year over 71 rainy days, and 21 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Emu Downs?
First-home buyers in SA may be eligible for $15,000 towards new homes. The grant is administered by RevenueSA; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Emu Downs belong to?
Emu Downs sits within the Goyder local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Emu Downs?
The average residential rates bill through Goyder is $1,395 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Emu Downs?
Across Goyder, 12 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 50.0% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Emu Downs in?
Emu Downs sits within the federal Division of Grey, currently held by Tom Venning (Liberal).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2024
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2026
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.