Located in South Australia, McLaren Flat sits 47 km from Adelaide CBD, around 52 minutes by car. The suburb has 1,625 residents, a median age of 40, and a median household income of $110,708 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The suburb grew 5.7% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $350 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,786. McLaren Flat is characterised by high bushfire risk. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and walkability is low.
Is McLaren Flat a good suburb?
McLaren Flat scores a C (48/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on prices and community, weaker on transit and safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 10/100 · 47.3 km · 52 min drive to Adelaide
More affordable than most
Median $1.06M · More affordable than 85% of SA
High bushfire risk
Fire 77/100 · Crime 12/100 · Flood 36/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 8/10 · median age 40 · 1,625 residents
Liveability Rating
48 / 100 · Ranked #293 in SAEach bar is McLaren Flat's rank among SA suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in McLaren Flat?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
48 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataMclaren Flat's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $1.06 million, about 8% above where it sat a year earlier.
$1,065,000
Based on 47 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 49 days — median across 10 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 20 sales $1M
- 4 bed 17 sales $1.11M
- 5 bed 5 sales $1.16M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Mclaren Flat are currently listed at around $2.19 million on average. Based on 4 houses listed in the past six months.
$2.19M
4 houses listed in the last 6 months.
4 of the suburb's 517 dwellings (0.8%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Mclaren Flat rent for around $675 a week on average, based on 4 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$675/wk
4 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
4 rentals advertised against an estimated 59 rented homes (6.8%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025106 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 28% of its income on the median rent in postcode 5171.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$675/week ($35,000 a year) on a $2.19 million median
Based on a small sample (4 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is McLaren Flat safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Mclaren Flat sits in the low band, with 8 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 56% on the prior year.
8 offences
55.6% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20253 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. This state’s crash data does not name the road.
Schools
One school serve Mclaren Flat, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 207 students in one school (avg 207)
Primary
Walkability
Mclaren Flat is very car-dependent on foot — at 10/100, 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.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside McLaren Flat.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 3.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 1.6 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 0.0 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 12.9 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in McLaren Flat.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 71%
- Premises covered
- 627
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
Onkaparinga: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 4 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the suburb closely.
Mclaren Flat is home to about 1,600 residents, with a median age of 40, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $111,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.5%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,625
Median Age
40
Median Household Income
$110,708/yr
Census Median Rent
$350/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,786/mo
Avg Household Size
3.0
Median Personal Income
$43,784/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.5%
Unoccupied Dwellings
5.4%
Total Dwellings
517
Owner-Occupier Rate
88.6%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
16.4%
Mortgage Stress
19.4%
Work From Home
14.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 79.2%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.9%
- Employment Rate
- 68.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 40.2%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
25 residents (1.5%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,533 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
8% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (68 of 868).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,008 a year through Onkaparinga based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Environmental 54%
- Rural and farming 44%
- Residential 2%
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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Onkaparinga
In the year to August 2026, 1,367 new dwellings were approved across Onkaparinga. That mix is 813 houses and 554 units. Approvals are up 58.4% on the same period a year earlier.
Air Quality
This station does not measure fine particles (PM2.5).
PM10 averaged 19.5 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.34 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 3 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Christie Downs monitoring station, 12.9 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Myponga, 25.2 kmModerate rainfall.
- Elevation
- 135 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 12.9 km
- Annual rainfall
- 786 mm
- 112 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
Elevation is the ground at the suburb 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.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
7 facilities within 5 km- 1.2 kmWine and Other Alcoholic Beverage ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol
- 1.6 kmWine and Other Alcoholic Beverage ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol
- 1.7 kmWine and Other Alcoholic Beverage ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol
- 1.7 kmWine and Other Alcoholic Beverage ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol
- 2.3 kmWine and Other Alcoholic Beverage ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol
EV adoption
In postcode 5171, 43 of 5,742 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.9% (107 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.6%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 5171, 2,304 rooftop-solar systems totalling 17.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 2,556 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 131 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.
Mortgage repayments
2 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 5171.
Conveyance duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with RevenueSA
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Rebekha Sharkie Centre Alliance
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Rebekha Sharkie | 55.0% | 45.0% | +3.4 |
| 2022 | Rebekha Sharkie | 51.6% | 48.4% | -4.1 |
| 2019 | Rebekha Sharkie | 47.5% | 52.5% | -0.7 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Jenni Mitton Australian Labor Party
Next state election: 16 March 2030.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jenni Mitton ALP | 56.6% |
| 2022 | Leon Bignell ALP | 63.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2024, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of South Australia.
Looking at a specific address in McLaren Flat?
Every figure above is a suburb 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 1,625 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 McLaren Flat to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other SA suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about McLaren Flat
Is McLaren Flat a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in McLaren Flat is low (12/100, ranked against other SA suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect McLaren Flat?
McLaren Flat has a high recorded bushfire history (77/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a low share of it (36/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is McLaren Flat a good place to live?
McLaren Flat has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (48/100), ranked against other SA suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of McLaren Flat?
McLaren Flat, SA had a population of 1,625 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for McLaren Flat, SA?
The postcode for McLaren Flat, SA is 5171.
How far is McLaren Flat from Adelaide?
McLaren Flat is 47 km from Adelaide CBD by road, about 52 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in McLaren Flat?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in McLaren Flat was $110,708 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in McLaren Flat?
The median advertised rent in McLaren Flat is $675 a week for houses (4 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in McLaren Flat?
The median age of residents in McLaren Flat was 40 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is McLaren Flat at risk of bushfire?
McLaren Flat has a high recorded bushfire history (77/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in McLaren Flat?
There is 1 school inside the McLaren Flat boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is McLaren Flat walkable?
McLaren Flat scores 10/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in McLaren Flat?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to McLaren Flat, Myponga (25.2 km away), 786 mm of rain a year over 112 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in McLaren Flat?
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 McLaren Flat belong to?
McLaren Flat sits within the Onkaparinga local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in McLaren Flat?
The average residential rates bill through Onkaparinga is $2,008 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near McLaren Flat?
Across Onkaparinga, 1,367 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 58.4% 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 McLaren Flat in?
McLaren Flat sits within the federal Division of Mayo, currently held by Rebekha Sharkie (Centre Alliance).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 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.