Suburb · SA · 2026 data

Malvern, SA

In 2026, police recorded 158 offences in Malvern, or 58.2 per 1,000 residents. That is 0.95× the SA rate.

2,713 residents · estimated 1.1 km² +6.8% vs 2025
Crime rank within SA
82 out of 100
Very high crime

Higher weighted crime rate than 82% of 625 ranked SA suburbs (2026).

Violent
100
Property
82

Higher = more crime. Severity-weighted rate per resident · method v2026.07

All offences
158
2026 · ▲ +6.8%
Crimes / 1,000
58.2
SA avg 61.5
Violent / 1,000
3.7
10 offences · avg 14.7
Property / 1,000
54.6
148 offences · avg 46.8
Harm-focused / 1,000
58.2
excl. justice & regulatory · avg 61.5
Violent crime, roughly
1 in 271residents per year
SA: 1 in 68
Property crime, roughly
1 in 18residents per year
SA: 1 in 21

By crime type, 2026

Malvern SA average Line = 2023–2026

Rates per 1,000 residents. ×-values compare with the state rate for the same offence type (SA suppresses sexual offences at suburb level).

Crimes against the person

3.7 / 1,000 SA 14.7 · National 17.5
Assault
3.32
0.3×
Harm Or Endanger Persons
0.37
0.3×

Property & deception

54.6 / 1,000 SA 46.8 · National 49.7
Theft
34.65
1.3×
Serious Criminal Trespass
11.43
1.7×
Property Damage
7.74
0.7×
Fraud And Related Offences
0.74
0.3×
View as table
GroupOffence typeCountPer 1,000SA per 1,000
Crimes against the personAssault93.3212.80
Crimes against the personHarm Or Endanger Persons10.371.51
Property & deceptionTheft9434.6526.14
Property & deceptionSerious Criminal Trespass3111.436.76
Property & deceptionProperty Damage217.7411.75
Property & deceptionFraud And Related Offences20.742.18

Trend

TotalViolentPropertydashed = projection
09719520232024202520262027

Recorded offences per year. Projection is a simple linear trend, not a forecast of individual risk.

Vs state & national

per 1,000 residents
MalvernState
All offences
Malvern
58.2
State
61.5
Violent
Malvern
3.7
State
14.7
Property
Malvern
54.6
State
46.8

Nearby suburbs

  1. Unley0.0 km 85 compare
  2. Unley Park0.0 km 43 compare
  3. Hyde Park0.0 km 60 compare
  4. Eastwood1.4 km 91 compare
  5. Fullarton1.4 km 80 compare
  6. Parkside1.4 km 64 compare
  7. Frewville1.4 km 79 compare
  8. Highgate1.4 km 20 compare

Housing, rent and growth

Housing & rent

ABS Census 2021

Median rent is 14% of median household income. Below the 30% stress benchmark

MeasureValuevs other SA suburbs
Median rent$380/week higher than 93%
Median household income$2,655/week higher than 97%
Rent as a share of income14% higher than 31%
Median mortgage repayment$2,800/month higher than 98%
Homes that are rented19% higher than 56%
Owned outright49% higher than 76%
Social housing0% higher than 58%
Average household size2.6 people higher than 65%

2021 Census figures: rents and incomes have risen since, so compare suburbs rather than reading today's prices. The rent share uses the median rent and the median income of all households (owners included), so it is a guide, not the share any one renter pays. The 30% benchmark is a common convention.

Growth & new homes

ABS Regional Population · Building Approvals
MeasureValuevs other SA areas
Population growth, 5 years
2020–2025
+3.0% higher than 34%
Population growth, last year
2024–2025
+0.8% higher than 56%
New homes approved, 12 months
12 months to Aug 2026
140 higher than 79%
New homes approved per 1,000 residents
12 months to Aug 2026
7.6 higher than 68%

ABS publishes these for larger areas: figures are for “Goodwood - Millswood”, which contains this suburb. Approvals are dwellings approved, not yet built. Growth and new supply are change indicators, not a price forecast.

Common questions about Malvern

Is Malvern a high-crime area?

Malvern falls in the “very high crime” band: Higher weighted crime rate than 82% of 625 ranked SA suburbs (2026). Rankings use a severity-weighted rate per resident, so serious offences count more than minor ones.

What is the crime rate in Malvern?

In 2026, 158 offences were recorded in Malvern, or 58.2 per 1,000 residents. That is 0.9× the SA rate of 61.5.

What are the chances of being a victim of crime in Malvern?

Based on 2026 recorded offences per resident, roughly 1 in 271 for violent crime and 1 in 18 for property crime. Recorded crime includes offences against visitors and businesses, so this overstates risk for residents.

Where does this data come from?

Official recorded-crime statistics published by state police and crime statistics agencies, divided by 2021 Census or ABS population estimates. See the methodology page for details.

Data notes

  • Population is estimated (medium confidence) from the ABS 2021 Census.
  • Recorded crime counts offences reported to or detected by police where they occurred. That includes offences against visitors and businesses, so busy centres score higher than their resident risk.
  • States classify offences differently, so ranks compare areas within the same state.
  • sexual offences excluded / geo-masked at suburb level (SAPOL privacy)