Sandalwood sits 175 km from Adelaide CBD in South Australia, around 2 hours by car. Census data records 62 residents with a median age of 48 and a median household income of $55,224 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The locality grew 3.3% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $120 per week. Sandalwood is characterised by high crime risk and high bushfire risk. 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 62. 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.
How do you rate the liveability in Sandalwood?
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Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
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Is Sandalwood safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Sandalwood sits in the high band, with 3 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 200% on the prior year.
3 offences
200.0% 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
Walkability
Sandalwood 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 Sandalwood.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 13
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
Karoonda East Murray: 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
Sandalwood is home to 62 residents, with a median age of 48, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $55,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
62
Median Age
48
Median Household Income
$55,224/yr
Census Median Rent
$120/wk
Census Median Mortgage
—
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$29,900/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
82.6%
Total Dwellings
23
Owner-Occupier Rate
100.0%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
11.3%
Mortgage Stress
—
Work From Home
42.9%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 74.2%
- English Spoken at Home
- 77.4%
- Employment Rate
- 67.3%
- Completed Year 12
- 32.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, 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 $1,044 a year through Karoonda East Murray based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 67%
- Environmental 33%
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: Karoonda East Murray
In the year to August 2026, 1 new dwellings were approved across Karoonda East Murray. Almost all of the pipeline is detached houses.
Climate & Setting
from Caliph, 35.7 kmDry climate.
- Elevation
- 59 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 290 mm
- 49 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
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 5309, 0 of 184 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.0% (0 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 0.0%.
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 Tony Pasin Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tony Pasin | 37.0% | 63.0% | +3.6 |
| 2022 | Tony Pasin | 33.4% | 66.6% | -2.3 |
| 2019 | Tony Pasin | 31.1% | 68.9% | +5.1 |
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 Tim Whetstone Liberal Party
Next state election: 16 March 2030.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tim Whetstone LP | 56.0% |
| 2022 | Tim Whetstone LP | 67.2% |
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 Sandalwood?
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 62 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 Sandalwood 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 Sandalwood
Is Sandalwood a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Sandalwood 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 Sandalwood?
Sandalwood has a moderate recorded bushfire history (64/100, 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 Sandalwood?
Sandalwood, SA had a population of 62 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Sandalwood, SA?
The postcode for Sandalwood, SA is 5309.
How far is Sandalwood from Adelaide?
Sandalwood is 175 km from Adelaide CBD by road, about 121 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Sandalwood?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Sandalwood was $55,224 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 Sandalwood?
There are too few current rental listings in Sandalwood for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $120, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Sandalwood?
The median age of residents in Sandalwood was 48 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Sandalwood at risk of bushfire?
Sandalwood has a moderate recorded bushfire history (64/100). 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.
What is the weather like in Sandalwood?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Sandalwood, Caliph (35.7 km away), 290 mm of rain a year over 49 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Sandalwood?
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 Sandalwood belong to?
Sandalwood sits within the Karoonda East Murray local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Sandalwood?
The average residential rates bill through Karoonda East Murray is $1,044 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Sandalwood?
Across Karoonda East Murray, 1 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Sandalwood in?
Sandalwood sits within the federal Division of Barker, currently held by Tony Pasin (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 · 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.