Port Hughes is a rural locality in South Australia, 167 km from Adelaide CBD, around 2 hours by car. Population is 647; the median age is 61 and the median household income is $64,012 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the middle range nationally. Population grew 13.3% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $270 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,517. The area shows no recorded bushfire exposure. Walkability is low.
Is Port Hughes a good place to live?
Port Hughes scores a B (51/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on safety, weaker on transit.
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 167 km · 122 min drive to Adelaide
Median available
Median $842K
Low all-round risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 34/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 5/10 · median age 61 · 647 residents
Liveability Rating
51 / 100 · Ranked #253 in SAEach bar is Port Hughes'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 Port Hughes?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
51 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataPort Hughes's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $842,000, about 6% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$842,500
Based on 34 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 38 days — median across 15 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 11 sales $701K
- 4 bed 17 sales $850K
Land
$267,500
Based on 24 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 66 days — median across 6 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Port Hughes are currently listed at around $868,000 on average. Based on 10 houses listed in the past six months.
$868K
10 houses listed in the last 6 months.
10 of the suburb's 272 dwellings (3.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Port Hughes rent for around $580 a week on average, based on 3 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$580/wk
3 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
3 rentals advertised against an estimated 56 rented homes (5.4%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202598 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 31% of its income on the median rent in postcode 5558.
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$580/week ($30,000 a year) on a $868,000 median
Based on a small sample (3 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 Port Hughes safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Port Hughes sits in the low band, with 11 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 27% on the prior year.
11 offences
26.7% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025No crash in Port Hughes 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
Port Hughes 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 Port Hughes.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 38%
- Premises covered
- 693
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
Copper Coast: 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
Port Hughes is home to 647 residents, with a median age of 61 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $64,000 a year, with unemployment at 6.4%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
647
Median Age
61
Median Household Income
$64,012/yr
Census Median Rent
$270/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,517/mo
Avg Household Size
2.1
Median Personal Income
$34,216/yr
Unemployment Rate
6.4%
Unoccupied Dwellings
127.9%
Total Dwellings
272
Owner-Occupier Rate
79.4%
Houses
98.5%
Rental Stress
21.9%
Mortgage Stress
28.4%
Work From Home
11.9%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 78.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.7%
- Employment Rate
- 44.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 32.6%
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.
0 residents (0.0%) 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.
14.2% of residents (89) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Adelaide (86).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 627 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
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,817 a year through Copper Coast based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 52%
- Rural and farming 30%
- Environmental 14%
- Commercial 3%
- Parks and recreation 2%
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: Copper Coast
In the year to August 2026, 232 new dwellings were approved across Copper Coast. That mix is 204 houses and 28 units. Approvals are up 142.3% on the same period a year earlier.
Climate & Setting
from Maitland, 35.0 kmDry climate — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 16 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 219 m
- Annual rainfall
- 459 mm
- 76 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 29.4°C
- 23 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 7.6°C
- 0 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 5558, 6 of 5,387 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.9% (101 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 5558, 2,536 rooftop-solar systems totalling 14.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 3,391 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 155 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
1 mortgage broker is registered in this locality, 2 across postcode 5558.
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 Chantelle Thomas Pauline Hanson's One Nation
Next state election: 16 March 2030.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Chantelle Thomas ON | 50.1% |
| 2022 | Fraser Ellis IND | 58.3% |
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 Port Hughes?
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 647 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 Port Hughes 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 Port Hughes
Is Port Hughes a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Port Hughes is low (34/100, ranked against other SA suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Port Hughes?
Port Hughes has no recorded bushfire history. These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Port Hughes a good place to live?
Port Hughes has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (51/100), 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 Port Hughes?
Port Hughes, SA had a population of 647 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Port Hughes, SA?
The postcode for Port Hughes, SA is 5558.
How far is Port Hughes from Adelaide?
Port Hughes is 167 km from Adelaide CBD by road, about 122 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Port Hughes?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Port Hughes was $64,012 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 Port Hughes?
The median advertised rent in Port Hughes is $580 a week for houses (3 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Port Hughes?
The median age of residents in Port Hughes was 61 at the 2021 ABS Census.
What is the weather like in Port Hughes?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Port Hughes, Maitland (35 km away), summer days average 29.4°C, winter nights 7.6°C, 459 mm of rain a year over 76 rainy days, and 23 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Port Hughes?
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 Port Hughes belong to?
Port Hughes sits within the Copper Coast local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Port Hughes?
The average residential rates bill through Copper Coast is $1,817 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Port Hughes?
Across Copper Coast, 232 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 142.3% 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 Port Hughes in?
Port Hughes sits within the federal Division of Grey, currently held by Tom Venning (Liberal).
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
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- 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.