McLaren Vale
SAMcLaren Vale is a growing suburb in SA with 4,061 residents.
- SAL code
- 40852
- SA2
- 403041083
- Population
- 4,061
- LGA
- Onkaparinga
McLaren Vale, SA had 4,061 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 24.6% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 65-74 years, and the median age sits at 54. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,560 a month. Around 83.3% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned outright at 48.3%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 86.7% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 6 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Population
?4,061
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+24.6%
3yr: +13.2% · 10yr: +44.6%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,331/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
54
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?7/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?2.1%
SA4 · Q4 2025
Schools
1
1 primary
Hospitals
?1
Within suburb
Childcare services
?5
3 long day, 1 OSHC
Parks & green space
?6
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?23
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?94
Onkaparinga · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from SA police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — McLaren Vale (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; McLaren Vale suburb alone is ~4,061 (Census 2021).
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 4,852 to 8,779 over 24 years, averaging 2.5% per year.
Schools
1 in suburbGovernment school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
McLaren Vale Primary School
Secondary
Willunga High School94.3%
- Seaford Secondary College 2.0%
Source: SA Department for Education — School Zones (primary + high). Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 0.4%Almost entirely detached houses (86.7%), owner-occupied (83%), built for families (47% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire & flood risk
Bushfire
Source: SA DHUD Bushfire Protection Areas
As of May 2026
Flood
Source: SA DEW Flood Mapping
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped hazard polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
12 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| RURAL | RuralRural | 70.1% | 41.03 km² |
| HILLS_FACE | Hills FaceEnvironmental | 16.0% | 9.34 km² |
| CONSERVATION | ConservationEnvironmental | 4.2% | 2.43 km² |
| ESTABLISHED_NEIGHBOURHOOD | Established NeighbourhoodResidential | 2.8% | 1.62 km² |
| OPEN_SPACE | Open SpaceRecreation | 2.2% | 1.31 km² |
| RESOURCE_EXTRACTION | Resource ExtractionIndustrial | 1.7% | 1.02 km² |
| INFRASTRUCTURE | InfrastructureSpecial use | 1.6% | 0.92 km² |
| TOURISM_DEVELOPMENT | Tourism DevelopmentBusiness | 0.5% | 0.29 km² |
| SUBURBAN_MAIN_STREET | Suburban Main StreetBusiness | 0.3% | 0.17 km² |
| GENERAL_NEIGHBOURHOOD | General NeighbourhoodResidential | 0.2% | 0.13 km² |
| CARAVAN_AND_TOURIST_PARK | Caravan and Tourist ParkRecreation | 0.2% | 0.12 km² |
| STRATEGIC_EMPLOYMENT | Strategic EmploymentIndustrial | 0.1% | 0.07 km² |
Source: SA Planning and Design Code Zones (ZONE_SA/2026-04-30/7965b1556505eb71) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.