Adelaide property market data, trends, forecasts

Adelaide property market news - key takeaways

• Price momentum: Adelaide home values rose +1.2 per cent in January 2026, easing from a stronger monthly +1.8 per cent in December 2025 and leaving annual growth near +9.7 per cent. 
• Supply versus demand: Listings remain well below normal, tracking about -26 to -33 per cent below the five‑year average, keeping competition tight in the Adelaide property market. 
• Auction activity strong: Auction clearance rates were around 70 per cent for the week of 1 February 2026 and lifted to about 74 per cent the following week, signalling solid buyer competition at auction.  
• Rental tightness persists: Vacancy rates held very low at 0.8 per cent in January 2026, while combined asking rents were about $637.39 per week, up +4.2 per cent over the year and showing +0.4 per cent monthly growth. 
• Financing pressure rising: The RBA lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.85 per cent in early February 2026, which, alongside tighter lending settings, is likely to temper buyer activity and affordability in the coming months.

Adelaide property price movements

The Adelaide property market has stayed resilient, supported by very low advertised supply and steady local demand, though momentum has eased a little since late 2025. Recent data suggest prices are still rising but at a more measured pace than during spring, according to Cotality. 

Adelaide property prices - February 2026

In January 2026, Adelaide properties recorded a monthly rise of +1.2 per cent and quarterly growth of +4.7 per cent, taking annual gains to +9.7 per cent, with the median value at $914,203 according to Cotality HVI data. The median value of Adelaide properties increased by $10,970 over the month.

^{Source: Cotality}

Looking back, the monthly pace has slowed a little from the stronger gains seen through spring and early summer, when monthly rises were higher, but the broader trend remains positive. Adelaide has experienced a long period of above-average growth over recent years, and while the monthly lift pulled back from December, persistent low listings are still supporting price gains.

House prices in Adelaide

In January 2026, Adelaide house values rose +1.3 per cent for the month, +4.8 per cent over the quarter and +9.7 per cent over the year, with the median house value at $972,435. The median value of Adelaide houses increased by $12,642 over the month.

^{Source: Cotality}
These figures show the Adelaide housing market remains relatively strong, with Adelaide house prices approaching the $1 million mark and lower-priced homes continuing to lead growth. Tight supply and sustained local demand — rather than big swings in investor activity — have been the main drivers of recent gains. 

Unit prices in Adelaide

In January 2026, Adelaide unit values rose +0.8 per cent for the month, +4.4 per cent over the quarter and +9.8 per cent over the year, with the median unit value at $666,744. The median value of Adelaide units increased by $5,334 over the month.

^{Source: Cotality}
Unit markets have at times outperformed houses in Adelaide, reflecting buyer demand for more affordable options as budgets tighten; Adelaide unit prices are benefiting from that shift. With vacancy rates very low and listings scarce, competition for well-priced units and houses at the lower end of the market is likely to remain a key support for prices.

Adelaide property market forecasts 2026

Australia’s big four banks regularly release house price forecasts as part of their economic research. This helps them make informed mortgage-lending decisions, manage risk, and demonstrate their market expertise. Here's what they expect for 2026 across the country.

^{Source: Westpac Housing Pulse, NAB Residential Property Survey, CBA Economic Update, ANZ Housing Outlook.} 

Adelaide’s forecasts look stronger than some of the largest capitals but broadly in line with other mid-sized cities, reflecting tighter listings and relatively better affordability. These Adelaide property market predictions point to continued modest gains rather than sharp swings as supply remains tight and demand steady. 

Adelaide home price forecasts 2026

Westpac expects Adelaide prices to rise by +8 per cent in 2026, NAB expects about +4.1 per cent, ANZ expects +6.1 per cent, and CBA expects +5 per cent. These forecasts reflect banks weighing Adelaide’s tight supply, strong monthly value gains through late 2025 and relatively low rental vacancy rates alongside the path for interest rates. Use of recent monthly and quarterly growth data and rental pressures likely pushed banks to forecast stronger outcomes for Adelaide than for some larger capitals.   

RBA cash rate forecast 2026

On 3 February 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points to 3.85 per cent, noting that inflationary pressures had resurged (CPI was around +3.8 per cent) and demand was running strong. Most analysts had anticipated a hike given the recent uptick in inflation, although some saw it as a cautious first step pending further data. Below are the major banks’ updated forecasts (based on their latest published views heading into 2026): 

• CBA: Forecasts no further hikes for 2026, holding at 3.85 per cent.
• Westpac: Forecasts no further hikes for 2026, holding at 3.85 per cent.
• NAB: Forecasts one more hike in May, taking the cash rate to 4.10 per cent.
• ANZ: Forecasts no further hikes for 2026, holding at 3.85 per cent.

What this means for the Adelaide market

Adelaide’s market has been surprisingly strong, largely due to affordability relative to the east coast and supply constraints. With this rate rise, Adelaide will probably see a mild slowdown but still hold up well. Historically, Adelaide is less volatile, and smaller rate rises haven’t derailed its growth. Buyers in Adelaide are often local and less leveraged than in other capitals, so higher rates won’t dramatically cut demand. We expect continued modest price rises rather than a drop. In other words, Adelaide should weather this hike: its prices may level off temporarily, but broad demand (especially in outer suburbs) is likely to stay healthy.

Adelaide house prices graphs and charts

Adelaide house price growth over the last 5 years has been a steady recovery from the 2022 slowdown and moved into a clear upswing by early 2026. As per Cotality’s analysis, dwelling values were up by +1.2 per cent in January, +4.7 per cent over the quarter and +9.7 per cent over the year, with values now at a record high.

The five‑year chart shows Adelaide’s 2021 COVID boom, a shorter and shallower cooling through 2022, then a steady recovery from 2023 into a faster re‑acceleration in 2024–2025 driven by tight listings and strong demand. Cotality’s notes highlight low inventory, faster days on market and limited discounting as key reasons Adelaide has broadly held most of its COVID gains and pushed beyond previous peaks.

Adelaide property 30 year property price graph

Recent strength builds on a much longer rise in values — Adelaide property prices growth over the last 10 years has been pronounced, roughly doubling in that period as population inflows, low historical interest rates and constrained supply pushed medians sharply higher. 

Over the past three decades, Adelaide has delivered steady long‑term gains despite periods of flat growth, the GFC wobble and the COVID surge; homeowners today generally feel positive because many held through earlier dips and now sit on strong equity, while buyers are more cautious because affordability and tight rental markets make entry harder. The city’s recent upswing is also shaped by supply shortages, low vacancy rates and changing interest‑rate cycles, so sentiment is a mix of confidence for owners and frustration for aspiring buyers.

Adelaide selling statistics

Adelaide’s selling metrics show a market with steady buyer activity but still relatively limited fresh stock coming through. The headline numbers point to modest growth in transactions alongside slower selling times than some other capitals, which together suggest buyers remain active but choices are tight.

Adelaide sales volume and days on market

Monthly sales volumes in Adelaide were up year‑on‑year in the start of 2026, with Adelaide recording a 1.5 per cent increase in sales in January 2026, while the national monthly sales volume rose 4.1 per cent over the same month. Adelaide’s median time on market over the quarter to January 2026 was 40 days, a small improvement on the prior year but longer than the combined‑capital median. 

^{Source: Cotality}

Putting those figures in plain terms: more homes changed hands in Adelaide than a year earlier, but not by a large margin, and properties are taking noticeably longer to sell than in faster markets like Brisbane or Melbourne. That combination typically means demand exists, but limited new listings are keeping competition concentrated on the available stock, so sellers may still achieve solid outcomes if their home is priced and presented well.

Adelaide new and total listings

Fresh listings in Adelaide were almost flat year‑on‑year in January 2026, with a 0.3 per cent decrease in new listings, while total advertised supply was down more meaningfully with a 9.1 per cent decrease over the year. Nationally and across the combined capitals, new and total listings also remained below year‑ago levels.

^{Source: Cotality}

Fewer new listings and a drop in total supply mean buyers have less choice than a year ago, which supports prices even where sales volumes are only rising modestly. For sellers, this is generally constructive — they face less direct competition — but it also means homes that are poorly priced or marketed can still sit on the market longer than expected.

Adelaide vendor discount and auction clearance rates

Vendor discount measures how much, on average, sellers reduce their price from the initial asking figure to the final sale price, while auction clearance rates show the share of scheduled auctions that sell under the hammer or immediately after. Together, these metrics indicate how much negotiating power buyers have and how confident sellers are about achieving close to their asking price.

Adelaide vendor discount

^{Source: Cotality}

Recent vendor discount data shows Adelaide vendors have typically been offering mid‑single‑digit discounts to secure a sale, with figures around the mid‑3 per cent range in recent months — broadly in line with other capitals where discounts have narrowed as supply tightened. That level suggests sellers still need to concede some price in negotiations, but not large amounts, reflecting steady underlying demand.

Adelaide auction clearance rates

^{Source: Domain}

Looking at the most recent reported weeks, Adelaide’s auction clearance rate was strong on the week of 25 January 2026 at 82 per cent, eased to 70 per cent in the week of 1 February 2026, and then sat at 74 per cent in the week of 8 February 2026, with similar high mid‑70s to low‑80s results seen in nearby reporting weeks. These levels show auctions are generally working well for sellers in Adelaide — most scheduled auctions are still selling — but there is some week‑to‑week variation as volumes and buyer attendance change.  

Adelaide property investing

Adelaide’s rental market remains relatively tight, with rents rising steadily and little slack in available homes. Below, we look at the latest rental rate, yield and vacancy data and explain what is driving conditions locally and nationally.

Adelaide rental market

This section covers rental rates, yields and recent annual rent changes so you can see how Adelaide compares to other capitals and the nation. The table below includes the full set of metrics for the national and all capital cities, so you can compare Adelaide side by side with the rest of the market.

^{Source: Cotality}

Adelaide’s rental picture shows ongoing rent growth alongside modest gross yields, a pattern driven by relatively low advertised stock and steady tenant demand. The city’s gross rental yield sits around the middle of the capitals, while annual rent gains are positive for both houses and units, reflecting steady competition for rental stock rather than a sudden spike in demand or a large new supply wave. 

Adelaide vacancy rates

Vacancy rates are a key signal of how balanced a rental market is — low vacancy usually means tenants have fewer options and landlords can push rents higher, while higher vacancy gives tenants more negotiating room. Nationally, vacancy rates remain below long-run averages and recent monthly readings show the market is still historically tight across most capitals.

^{Source: SQM Research}

What stands out for Adelaide is how consistently tight supply has been. SQM’s data shows Adelaide’s vacancy rate at 0.8 per cent in January, well below the 2–3 per cent range typically seen as balanced, and combined asking rents of $637.39 per week rising 4.2 per cent over the year, which underlines ongoing upward pressure on rents. Cotality’s commentary also flags Adelaide among the tightest capital markets, noting very low advertised stock in January, which supports the view that limited supply is the main reason rents are still climbing.  

Sam Tate, Head of Property at SQM Research said in the latest SQM rental market report

“The decline in the national vacancy rate to 1.2% in January highlights how quickly seasonal increases in rental supply can be absorbed in Australia’s current market. Most capital cities recorded tightening conditions, particularly Brisbane, Perth and Darwin, where vacancy rates are again sitting below 1%. With advertised rents rising in many markets early in the year, it suggests tenant demand remains strong. Unless we see a meaningful increase in new rental supply, upward pressure on rents is likely to persist through the first half of 2026.” 

Adelaide supports the “structurally tight” reading, with vacancy tightening from 0.9% in December 2025 to 0.8% in January 2026 and vacancies easing from 1,398 to 1,216. Even with that pullback, Adelaide is still materially tighter than most capitals and only modestly looser than January 2025 (0.8% versus 0.5%), which hints that any easing has been limited. 

Combined asking rents are $637.39 per week and up 4.2% over the year, which is consistent with ongoing upward pressure in a low-vacancy market. With rolling monthly growth at 0.4%, Adelaide looks like a steady grind higher rather than a market that’s meaningfully cooling.

Highest growth areas in Adelaide

^{Source: Cotality}

Highlights for Adelaide’s high growth areas

• Salisbury ranked #1 in January 2026 with a median value of $796,100 and annual growth of 13.1 per cent. It moved up from #2 in December 2025, reflecting recent town‑centre renewal and defence‑linked job demand that are tightening local rental and purchase markets. Suburbs to watch in Salisbury: Paralowie, Salisbury Downs 
• Gawler - Two Wells (#2) posted a median of $794,222 and 12.9 per cent annual growth, while Playford (#10) sits at $679,649 with 9.8 per cent — both northern corridor SA3s where new land releases and staged masterplanned estates are supporting sustained buyer demand. Suburbs to watch in Playford: Elizabeth East 
• Adelaide Hills ranked #3 with a median value of $1,004,594 and annual growth of 12.8 per cent, maintaining strong momentum after leading the December 2025 list; lifestyle appeal plus ongoing land releases and road upgrades are keeping competition for family homes high.
• Norwood - Payneham - St Peters (#5) recorded a median of $1,266,485 with 11.7 per cent growth and Unley (#6) sits at $1,565,777 with 10.4 per cent, showing that high‑value, inner‑eastern and close‑in markets are still achieving sizeable gains despite limited developable land and steady infill activity.
• Port Adelaide - East (#7) and West Torrens (#8) each recorded 9.9 per cent annual growth with medians of $941,039 and $1,083,311 respectively, highlighting a cluster where dockside renewal, defence and airport infrastructure investment are supporting both apartment and townhouse demand. Campbelltown (SA) (#9) also shows near‑double‑digit growth at $1,116,516 and 9.8 per cent, reflecting steady local upgrades and community investment.