Murray Bridge
SAMurray Bridge is a growing suburb in SA with 15,043 residents.
- SAL code
- 40987
- SA2
- 407031165
- Population
- 15,043
- LGA
- Murray Bridge
Murray Bridge, SA had 15,043 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 6.1% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 42. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,083 a month. Around 54.9% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 39.8%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 85.9% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 38 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Murray Bridge, SA at a glance
Murray Bridge is South Australia's fourth-largest city, ~78 km south-east of Adelaide on the Princes Highway and the main rail line to Melbourne. It's a regional service hub on the cusp of becoming something much bigger — the $7.5B Gifford Hill precinct sits on its western edge. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Murray Bridge is a working regional city, not a satellite suburb — you get full-town infrastructure rather than a master-planned estate feel. The dwelling stock is mixed: post-war cottages near the river, brick-veneer family homes through the middle, and newer estates pushing west and east. Murray Bridge Marketplace anchors retail; primary and secondary schools include Unity College, Murray Bridge High, Tyndale Christian, St Joseph's and Fraser Park Primary. The river itself is the recreation centrepiece — boating, fishing, Sturt Reserve — alongside a golf course, the Murray Bridge Racing Club and the annual Australian International Pedal Prix in September. Adelaide is ~52 minutes by car via the South Eastern Freeway; Link SA buses run multiple times daily. In short: a self-contained regional city with affordable family stock and Adelaide within commuter range, if you can wear the drive.
For investors
Murray Bridge has been one of the country's hotter regional markets. Median house $560,000 against $490/week rent gives a ~4.59% gross yield; units sit at $420,000 / $380/week for ~4.18% (Your Investment Property May 2026). 12-month house growth +18.39%; units +29.29%. 297 house + 27 unit sales in the past 12 months; days-on-market 35 (houses), 24 (units). SQM vacancy ~1.8% as of early 2026.
Strengths
- Strong recent capital growth (~+18% YoY houses, ~+29% units, YIP May 2026) on regional-city pricing.
- Deep house market for a regional centre (~297 sales/yr) — easier entry/exit than thinner Murraylands towns.
- Yields ~4.5-4.6% on houses with sub-2% vacancy = solid cashflow profile by SA-regional standards.
- Massive long-run supply catalyst: $7.5B Gifford Hill precinct (17,100 homes, 44,000 residents, 7 schools).
Trade-offs
- Days-on-market 35 (houses) is materially slower than metro Adelaide — pricing discipline matters at exit.
- Same Gifford Hill build-out that's a long-run catalyst is also a forward-supply risk: 17,100 homes phased in could compress yields and growth as stock hits the market.
- Regional labour market — tenant pool is narrower than metro and tied to local industry (meatworks, logistics, services); single-employer shocks bite harder.
- Unit sample is thin (27 sales in 12 months) — the ~29% unit growth print sits on a small base.
What's coming
Council adopted a $73.5M operating budget for 2025/26 with a stated theme of preparing for growth. The headline project is Gifford Hill on the western edge — a state-approved 900-home first stage scaling to a $7.5B, 17,100-home precinct with a new town centre, six neighbourhood activity centres, seven schools and 119 hectares of open space. Watch council for staging and infrastructure timing.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a genuine regional city with affordable stock and Adelaide in commuting range, set to grow significantly. For investors: a yield + growth play with a clear long-run catalyst, balanced against forward-supply and time-on-market risk.
Population
?15,043
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+6.1%
3yr: +4.3% · 10yr: +11.0%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,005/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
42
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?1/10
SA2 · more disadvantaged
Unemployment
?6.4%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
14
3 primary, 1 secondary
Hospitals
?1
Within suburb
Childcare services
?16
8 long day, 7 OSHC, 1 family
Parks & green space
?38
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
No data for this suburb
Dwelling approvals
?8
Murray Bridge · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
No data for this suburb
VGV suppresses suburbs with too few sales per quarter
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from SA police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Murray Bridge (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Murray Bridge suburb alone is ~15,043 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 13,841 to 19,938 over 24 years, averaging 1.5% per year.
Schools
14 in suburbSector
14 public
Type
3 primary · 1 secondary · 2 special
Total enrolment
2,040(5 of 14 reporting)
Avg per school
408
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for SA.
Source when available: SA Department for Education — School Zones (primary + high).
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 7.8%Almost entirely detached houses (85.9%), mixed tenure (54.9% own or mortgage), built for families (57% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
SA 28%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: SA DHUD Bushfire Protection Areas
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
Source: SA DEW Flood Mapping
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
15 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUBURBAN_NEIGHBOURHOOD | Suburban NeighbourhoodResidential | 42.8% | 11.19 km² |
| CONSERVATION | ConservationEnvironmental | 12.2% | 3.19 km² |
| RURAL | RuralRural | 9.3% | 2.43 km² |
| DEFERRED_URBAN | Deferred UrbanDeferred | 7.1% | 1.85 km² |
| INFRASTRUCTURE | InfrastructureSpecial use | 5.3% | 1.39 km² |
| RURAL_NEIGHBOURHOOD | Rural NeighbourhoodResidential | 4.7% | 1.22 km² |
| STRATEGIC_EMPLOYMENT | Strategic EmploymentIndustrial | 4.3% | 1.13 km² |
| RURAL_LIVING | Rural LivingRural | 4.2% | 1.09 km² |
| EMPLOYMENT | EmploymentIndustrial | 3.8% | 1.00 km² |
| COMMUNITY_FACILITIES | Community FacilitiesSpecial use | 1.5% | 0.40 km² |
| SUBURBAN_MAIN_STREET | Suburban Main StreetBusiness | 1.5% | 0.39 km² |
| GENERAL_NEIGHBOURHOOD | General NeighbourhoodResidential | 1.2% | 0.31 km² |
| RECREATION | RecreationRecreation | 1.2% | 0.30 km² |
| URBAN_ACTIVITY_CENTRE | Urban Activity CentreBusiness | 0.5% | 0.13 km² |
| OPEN_SPACE | Open SpaceRecreation | 0.2% | 0.05 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.