Whyalla Playford crime rate and Crime Score · South Australia
SA Police recorded 151 offences in Whyalla Playford in 2025-26, including 49 violent offences and 24 break-ins. That is about 5,945 per 100,000 of its 2,540 residents (2021 Census). The rates and Crime Score below are for the whole Unincorporated SA council area.
Whyalla Playford is a suburb in the Unincorporated SA council area of South Australia (about 3,001 residents in the council). The council has a Crime Score 85 out of 100 (very high), 13th 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 (98th percentile), homicide (100th percentile), break-ins (99th percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 82.
In 2025-26: violent 13,129 per 100,000 (+71% vs five years earlier); property 18,960 per 100,000 (+36% vs five years earlier); break-ins 5,332 per 100,000 (+60% vs five years earlier); theft 4,132 per 100,000 (-11% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 2nd of 69 South Australia councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Unincorporated SA council area is 5% (South Australia 5.4%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 18.5% of occupied homes (144 public and 42 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; South Australia 5.6%). An estimated 55 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 181 per 10,000 residents (South Australia 41.7), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 10.5% of residents were born overseas (South Australia 25.2%), most often in England, New Zealand, Germany. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 4.4% (confidence 69 of 100); social housing about 16.8% of homes; about 178 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 10.6% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
South Australia publishes suburb-level counts: 151 offences were recorded in Whyalla Playford in 2025-26. The rates and Crime Score above are for the whole Unincorporated SA council area.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 13,129 | 394 | +71% |
| Property | 18,960 | 569 | +36% |
| Break-ins | 5,332 | 160 | +60% |
| Theft | 4,132 | 124 | -11% |
Of 37 regional SA suburbs and towns with at least 2,000 residents, Whyalla Playford has the 13th highest recorded crime rate: about 6,020 offences a year per 100,000 residents (2023-24 to 2025-26 average), against a median of 4,030. Regional South Australia rankings.
Unincorporated SA council area: full statistics · Interactive map of every council.
Crime in postcode 5600: every suburb and council it covers.
Questions
Is Whyalla Playford safe?
Whyalla Playford recorded about 6,020 offences a year per 100,000 residents over 2023-24 to 2025-26, about 50% higher than the median of 4,030 for regional SA suburbs and towns: the 13th highest rate of 37. In 2025-26 police recorded 49 violent offences (1,930 per 100,000 residents) and 24 break-ins there. 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.
What is the crime rate in Whyalla Playford?
In 2025-26 police recorded 151 offences in Whyalla Playford, about 5,940 per 100,000 of its 2,540 residents (2021 Census), including 49 violent offences and 24 break-ins.
Police news near Whyalla Playford
- Death at Coober Pedy not suspicious · Coober Pedy, 11 Sept 2026 · 478 km away
Nearby suburbs
Ash · Batchelor · Carriewerloo · Cooyerdoo · Corunna Station · Cultana · False Bay · Gilles Downs · Handyside · Illeroo · Iron Baron · Iron Knob · Katunga Station · Lake Gilles · Lincoln Gap · Moonabie · Myola Station · Nilginee · Nonning · O'Connor · Pandurra · Secret Rocks · Siam · Uno · Wartaka · Whyalla · Whyalla DC · Wilcherry · Yeltana · Yudnapinna
australiancrimerate.com.au/suburb/sa/whyalla-playford/ · Australian Crime Map