Adelaide’s Official Median House Price Jumps $50,000 in a Quarter

Adelaide’s median house price rose by $50,000 in the final three months of 2025, according to figures from South Australia’s Office of the Valuer-General.

The metropolitan median for the December quarter came in at $925,000, up from $875,000 in the September quarter. It is the government’s own measure of the market, based on recorded sales, and shows further growth in the prices of properties sold.

A year of gains

The Valuer-General’s series shows how quickly the metropolitan median has moved. A year earlier, in the December quarter of 2024, it stood at $850,000, meaning the preliminary December 2025 figure is almost 9 per cent higher. Two years earlier, in the December quarter of 2023, the median was $745,000.

Outside the city, the median for major non-metropolitan towns reached $520,000 in the December quarter, up from $485,000 in September and $454,000 a year earlier.

The Valuer-General’s published table has since listed the December quarter metropolitan median at $930,000, as further sales from the period were recorded. The office cautions that short-term movements can reflect a small number of sales or changes in the mix of properties sold, and that longer-term trends give a more reliable picture.

Still short of $1 million

On the Valuer-General’s measure, Adelaide remains some way below $1 million. KPMG urban economist Terry Rawnsley told the ABC that demand was easing and supply was picking up, and that he did not expect the official median to breach $1 million over the next 12 months. KPMG forecast Adelaide house prices to rise by 5 per cent in 2026, and apartments by 4 per cent.

Real Estate Institute of South Australia chief executive Andrea Heading said economists were divided over the outlook for interest rates, which will play a large part in how the market performs this year.

On the ground, agents reported a busy start to 2026, with strong attendance at January inspections. A continuing shortage of stock remains a challenge, particularly for first home buyers competing for entry-level homes.

Key takeaways

• The Valuer-General’s metropolitan median rose $50,000 in the December quarter to a preliminary $925,000, later listed at $930,000.
• Regional town medians also rose strongly, to $520,000.
• KPMG expects growth to continue in 2026, at a slower pace than in 2025.