Adelaide crime rate and Crime Score · South Australia council area
Adelaide is a council area in South Australia with about 30,173 residents. It has a Crime Score 80 out of 100 (very high), 24th of 362 councils nationally.
The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by assault (93rd percentile), break-ins (92nd percentile), robbery (99th percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 81.
In 2025-26: violent 6,748 per 100,000 (+15% vs five years earlier); property 21,678 per 100,000 (-1% vs five years earlier); break-ins 1,816 per 100,000 (-3% vs five years earlier); theft 11,918 per 100,000 (-14% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 5th of 69 South Australia councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Adelaide council area is 9.3% (South Australia 5.4%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 7% of occupied homes (370 public and 403 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; South Australia 5.6%). An estimated 395 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 150.1 per 10,000 residents (South Australia 41.7), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 48.9% of residents were born overseas (South Australia 25.2%), most often in China, England, India. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 8.1% (confidence 80 of 100); social housing about 6.3% of homes; about 147.6 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 49.6% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 6,748 | 2,036 | +15% |
| Property | 21,678 | 6,541 | -1% |
| Break-ins | 1,816 | 548 | -3% |
| Theft | 11,918 | 3,596 | -14% |
Questions
Is Adelaide safe?
Adelaide recorded 6,750 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, 5.2 times the South Australia rate (1,300) and 5.3 times the national rate (1,280). Its Crime Score is 80.4 out of 100 (very high), 24th of 362 councils. These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.
How many break-ins are there in Adelaide?
548 break-ins were recorded in 2025-26: 1,820 per 100,000 residents, 2.7 times the South Australia rate (667).
Explore every council on the interactive map.
Police news near Adelaide
- Death in Adelaide CBD · Adelaide, 1 Nov 2026 · 1 km away
- Fatal police shooting at Firle · Firle, 29 Oct 2026 · 5 km away
- Residents evacuated after suspicious fire at Brooklyn Park · Brooklyn Park, 22 Oct 2026 · 5 km away
- Robbery at St Peters · Saint Peters, 12 Oct 2026 · 3 km away
- Assault at Hackney during attempted robbery · Hackney, 9 Oct 2026 · 2 km away
Part of Adelaide: Adelaide crime rate and crime map.
Suburbs in the Adelaide council area
Postcodes in the Adelaide council area
australiancrimerate.com.au/council/sa-adelaide/ · Australian Crime Map