Melrose is a rural locality in South Australia, 270 km from Adelaide CBD, around 3 hours 5 minutes by car. Population is 342; the median age is 48 and the median household income is $73,632 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The locality fell 1.4% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $180 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,230. All 1 school within the locality boundary rank above the state average, and 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 342. 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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Median House Price
Public listings dataThe median house sale price in Melrose sits at $310,000, broadly flat year-on-year. That said, only five sales settled in the quarter, so the median is a noisy signal — treat it as a direction rather than a level.
Houses
$310,000
Based on only 5 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Land
$231,500
Based on only 3 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Is Melrose safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Melrose sits in the low band, with 4 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 100% on the prior year.
4 offences
100.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20251 crash
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
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
One school serve Melrose, and the cohort skews above peer-suburb performance. Melrose Primary School leads the pack.
- • 14 students in one school (avg 14)
Primary
Walkability
Melrose is car-dependent on foot — at 38/100, most errands require a car.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Melrose.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 168
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
Mount Remarkable: 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
Melrose is home to 342 residents, with a median age of 48, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $74,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.4%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
342
Median Age
48
Median Household Income
$73,632/yr
Census Median Rent
$180/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,230/mo
Avg Household Size
2.3
Median Personal Income
$38,636/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.4%
Unoccupied Dwellings
31.0%
Total Dwellings
129
Owner-Occupier Rate
87.3%
Houses
96.1%
Rental Stress
12.7%
Mortgage Stress
20.0%
Work From Home
24.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 87.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.6%
- Employment Rate
- 59.4%
- Completed Year 12
- 34.2%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,600 a year through Mount Remarkable based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 87%
- Environmental 12%
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: Mount Remarkable
In the year to August 2026, 13 new dwellings were approved across Mount Remarkable. Almost all of the pipeline is detached houses. Approvals are up 200.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Setting
- Elevation
- 384 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 24.7 km
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 5483, 0 of 352 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.3% (8 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.3%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 5483, 109 rooftop-solar systems totalling 0.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 167 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 8 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
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 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 Melrose?
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 342 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 Melrose 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 Melrose
Is Melrose a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Melrose is low (24/100, ranked against other SA suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Melrose?
Melrose has a moderate recorded bushfire history (59/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Melrose?
Melrose, SA had a population of 342 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Melrose, SA?
The postcode for Melrose, SA is 5483.
How far is Melrose from Adelaide?
Melrose is 270 km from Adelaide CBD by road, about 187 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Melrose?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Melrose was $73,632 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 Melrose?
There are too few current rental listings in Melrose for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $180, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Melrose?
The median age of residents in Melrose was 48 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Melrose at risk of bushfire?
Melrose has a moderate recorded bushfire history (59/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the locality 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 Melrose?
There is 1 school inside the Melrose boundary: 1 above similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Melrose walkable?
Melrose scores 38/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Melrose?
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 Melrose belong to?
Melrose sits within the Mount Remarkable local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Melrose?
The average residential rates bill through Mount Remarkable is $1,600 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Melrose?
Across Mount Remarkable, 13 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 200.0% 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 Melrose in?
Melrose sits within the federal Division of Grey, currently held by Tom Venning (Liberal).
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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
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- 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.
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