Salt River has a safety index of 7 out of 100 (Higher reported crime). This is a relative measure comparing reported crime across Cape Town suburbs, not an absolute safety guarantee. The Woodstock precinct recorded approximately 8,688 crimes in the most recent annual period. Absolute crime volume is below the city average.

Is Salt River affordable?

Salt River sits in the mid-range for Cape Town property values. The median is R1.4M, placing it in the 40th percentile, broadly in line with the city median. Note that these figures are based on the City of Cape Town General Valuation 2022 and reflect municipal valuations, not necessarily current market prices.

Salt River

Safety 7/100 Safer than 5% of Cape Town suburbs (relative) Property 1-1.5M Top 60% Schools 4 nearby Healthcare 19 facilities more access than most suburbs Council Near avg complaints 1d median resolution Transport Minibus taxi coverage well-connected area

Data current as of March 2026

The neighbourhood

What's it like to live here?

Salt River is a neighbourhood in Southern Suburbs, Cape Town, where property values are moderate by Cape Town standards. The area's safety profile is among the more challenging areas for reported safety in Cape Town. There are several places of worship in the area. The dominant commuter mode is private vehicle. Policing falls under the Woodstock SAPS precinct.

How is the area changing?

In Salt River, crime levels are stable based on the most recent quarterly comparison. Property value growth has lagged behind inflation between valuation rolls. The suburb is within a City-designated Development Focus Area, signalling future investment and infrastructure priorities.

What should buyers know?

Salt River is served by schools within reach. In this area, the City typically resolves service complaints promptly. The suburb is well-served by nearby healthcare facilities.

Neighbourhood summary generated from StreetSignal data and reviewed by our team.

These statistics describe the suburb as a whole. Conditions vary between streets and neighbourhoods within any suburb.

For home buyers & families

Is Salt River safe?

Higher reported crime

Higher crime Moderate Lower crime

7th percentile among 744 suburbs · relative index, not an absolute safety measure

Low Absolute crime volume

8 688 reported crimes per year · city median: 10 468

↑ 12.6% vs Q3 2024

Rate and volume tell different stories.

The per-capita rate appears high, but actual crime volume (8 688) is below the city median.

Crime is higher than most of Cape Town. Contact crime (assault, robbery) dominates the reported crime profile. Check the breakdown below for specifics.

Detailed data

Safety index (resident-adjusted) How is this calculated? 7 / 100

Contact crime rate 494,617 per 100k residents

Station population 24 789

Harm rate (per resident) 1/100

Harm volume (absolute) 49/100

Data period Q3 2025/2026 (Oct–Dec 2025)

Source SAPS via DataFirst · CC-BY 4.0

This data reflects crimes reported to SAPS Woodstock precinct, which covers Salt River and surrounding suburbs. Reported crime may differ from actual crime levels. Full methodology

Disagree with this score? Challenge the methodology ›

Source: SAPS via DataFirst · Q3 2025/2026

FOR BUYERS & INVESTORS

What do properties cost in Salt River?

40th percentile

City of Cape Town Development Focus Area

Salt River is within the Salt River / Woodstock development focus area. The City of Cape Town has designated this area as a development priority, signalling committed public investment in infrastructure, services, and economic opportunity.

Source: CCT District Spatial Development Framework (January 2023). Development focus areas indicate City planning intent, not guaranteed timelines.

Planned development

112 hectares of land in Salt River are earmarked for new development across 4 parcels, primarily Industrial (107ha) and High Density Residential (5ha).

Source: CCT District Spatial Development Framework (January 2023). Development areas indicate planning designation, not construction timelines.

The median property value in Salt River is R1.4M. Property values have grown by 3.3% per year since 2018.

A 3.3% annual growth rate (CAGR) over the valuation period.

Value band distribution – Salt River properties (GV2022)

4-600k

6-800k

800k-1M

1-1.5M ◀

1.5-2M

2-2.5M

2.5-3M

Property values are based on the City of Cape Town's 2022 General Valuation roll. GV is an assessed value for municipal rating purposes; transaction prices frequently exceed GV. Recent sales transaction data and rental market data are not available as open data in South Africa.

Median GV2022 R1,400,000

Value growth (CAGR 2018–2022) +3.3% per year ↑ Growing

City-wide value percentile 40th percentile

Dominant value band 1-1.5M

Source CCT GV 2022 · Open Data Policy 27781

Source: City of Cape Town GV2022

FOR PARENTS

How are schools in Salt River?

4 schools nearby

Salt River has 4 schools within reach. Schools include Islamic Early Learning Foundation Tradi.

Matric results: pass rate data currently covers 157 of 744 suburbs. Salt River will surface when DBE suburb-level data is processed in the next pipeline run. About coverage ›

IND

Islamic Early Learning Foundation Tradi

Independent · Grades R–7 · 36 learners · 36:1 learner-educator ratio

Private

Cecil Road Primary School

Public · Grades R–7 · 420 learners · 26.2:1 learner-educator ratio

Quintile 5School fees applyFavourable class size

Dryden Street Primary School

Public · Grades R–7 · 520 learners · 30.6:1 learner-educator ratio

Quintile 5School fees apply

Wesley Methodist Practising School

Public · Grades R–7 · 362 learners · 36.2:1 learner-educator ratio

Quintile 5School fees apply

Quintile 5 is the highest government-funding category - fees apply, but these are the best-resourced public schools in South Africa. Rankings set by the WCED against community socioeconomic index. Learner-educator ratio (LER) is from EMIS Q2 2025; under 30:1 is favourable by WCED standards, over 40:1 indicates strained capacity. What quintile means ›

Source: DBE EMIS · Q2 2025

FOR COMMUTERS

How connected is Salt River?

Private vehicle dominant

Salt River has 36 minibus taxi routes, including routes to the CBD. The most common way people get to work is by private vehicle (81%).

Taxi connectivity

Well connected

36 routes

84th percentile · 36 destinations · CBD-connected

Atlantis, Atlantis(wesfleur), Bellville, Bellville (via cape town, n1 & durban rd), Bellville (via cape town, n1, vanguard dr & voortrekker rd), Cambridge +30 more

Based on CCT minibus taxi route data. Routes matched by name and spatial proximity (500m). Methodology ›

Commute mode share

Anyone relocating to Salt River needs a car. The 81% private vehicle share is a socioeconomic profile signal, not a walkability score – in working-class Cape Town suburbs the same walking rate indicates structural necessity. Here it is lifestyle choice.

Private vehicle

81%

Walking

Minibus taxi

12%

Cape Town transport context: In South African cities, transport mode is a socioeconomic proxy – high private vehicle = affluent, high minibus taxi = working class, high walking = structural necessity not preference. StreetSignal reports modal share rather than a walkability index, which would misrepresent SA urban mobility. Methodology ›

Dominant mode Private vehicle (81%)

Source CCT Household Survey 2024

Source: City of Cape Town Open Data · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

What are living conditions in Salt River?

Full municipal services

Salt River has a service delivery index of 98.3 out of 100, above the city median of 84.5. 99% of dwellings are formal structures.

Computed from the City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey , Salt River/Woodstock survey group (77 households). direct.

Food insecurity is low at 2.7% of households

› Monthly accommodation expenditure (R4,089) is 2.4× the city median of R1,674.

Access to basic services

98 City median: 85

Piped water

93.3%

Flush toilet

100.0%

Weekly refuse

100.0%

Grid electricity

100.0%

Housing & tenure – Mixed tenure community

99 City median: 68

Formal dwellings

98.7%

Owner-occupied

40.0%

Rented

35.0%

Environmental risk – Moderate risk exposure

17 risk index · higher = greater risk · City median: 26

Flooding risk

0.0%

Fire risk

1.7%

Violent crime

4.3%

Non-violent crime

2.7%

Economic structure – Moderate material pressure

Food spending share

26.4%

Share of income spent on food
City median: 35.3%
Comfortable, moderate discretionary income · 82nd percentile

Hardship dimensions

Areas of material need (out of 8)

Grant income share

26.0%

of households receiving grants

Monthly savings

R1,205

Weighted mean per household

Spending priorities – top priority: Food

Food

78.8%

of households prioritise

Electricity

77.4%

of households prioritise

Petrol/transport

52.9%

of households prioritise

Rent/bond

36.8%

of households prioritise

School fees

18.4%

of households prioritise

Digital inclusion – Fibre-connected suburb

Home fibre

75.7%

City median: 46.5%

Mobile only

11.3%

No access

11.7%

Food security

Adult food insecurity

2.7%

City median: 18.3%

Child food insecurity

2.7%

City median: 13.0%

Food insecurity prevalence

9.5%

City median: 22.3%

Demographics & community

Avg household size

2.5 people

Avg children per household

0.4

Asset ownership

Computer access

64.8%

Fridge ownership

97.3%

Property ownership

2.0%

Geyser ownership

82.0%

Borehole access

9.5%

Home-based economy

Home-based business

16.3%

of households operate a home-based business

WFH full-time

5.7%

WFH part-time

4.0%

How Salt River compares

Food insecurity 85% below the city average for adult food insecurity

Material hardship 60% below the city average for material hardship

Income 2.0× the city average for median household income

Food spend share 25% below the city average for food expenditure share

Source: City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey. Survey group: Salt River/Woodstock. direct.

Energy access

Free basic electricity

5.6%

City median

7% of electricity connections in Salt River receive free basic electricity under the City's indigent support programme. Free basic electricity is a constitutional entitlement providing a monthly allocation to qualifying households. The proportion reflects the reach of the City's indigent support in this suburb, not a measure of poverty.

Source: CCT prepaid electricity data (2025/11/30 to 2026/01/31). Covers prepaid connections only. Credit-metered households are not included. 3,411 connections.

Source: City of Cape Town household survey · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

How responsive are municipal services in Salt River?

Highly responsive

The City of Cape Town resolves service requests in Salt River in a median of 1 day, compared to the city-wide median of 1 day. This is based on 6,778 service requests to the City of Cape Town.

Computed from City of Cape Town service request data

Infrastructure problems get fixed fast. The median resolution under one day means Salt River residents experience responsive municipal service – a signal of well-maintained infrastructure and efficient complaint routing.

Median days to resolve
City median: 1

86th

Percentile
across Cape Town

34%

Resolved
same day

Power outage (14%)Suspect Tampering (8%)Street lights out (5%)Single street light out (5%)Sewerage overflow (5%)

Service requests logged 6 778

Requests resolved 77% (5 225 of 6 778)

75% resolved within 6 days

90% resolved within 15 days

Source CCT service request database

Community & faith

Places of worship

8 registered

Christian

Islamic

Registered places of worship per suburb from City of Cape Town open data. Coverage: 299 of 744 suburbs.

Municipal complaints

Complaints & top issues

Near city average

Complaint rate How is this calculated? 2581.7 per 1,000 households

Total complaints 6 764

Unresolved 23.0%

Top issues: No Power (962), Suspect Tampering (536), Street Lights - All Lights Out (361)

Source: City of Cape Town C3 service requests

FOR FAMILIES

What services are near Salt River?

Well served

Healthcare access

19 within 5km

Nearest public Spencer Road Clinic · Community Day Centre · 0.2 km

Nearest private Uct Private Academic Hospital · Private Hospital · 1.7 km

Public facilities 14

Private facilities 5

This suburb has access to both public and private healthcare within 5 km.

The nearest fire station to Salt River is Salt River, 1.0 km away. The nearest public pool is Observatory Swimming Pool, 1.8 km away. The nearest clinic is Spencer Road Clinic, 0.2 km away.

Nearest clinic Spencer Road Clinic · 0.2 km

Nearest library Observatory · 1.2 km

Nearest park / open space Shelley Road Park · 0.79 km

Fire station

km to nearest
fire station

Salt River

community station

within-5km

response
category

Cape Town has 32 fire stations serving 744 suburbs. Source: CCT open data.

Public swimming pools

1.8

km to nearest
public pool

pools
within 5 km

pools
within 10 km

Nearest pool Observatory Swimming Pool

Cape Town operates 35 public swimming pools. Source: CCT open data.

Distances straight-line from suburb centroid.

Source: City of Cape Town facility registry

Nearby suburbs

Observatory1.4km · R2.4M

7→

Woodstock1.5km · R2.3M

7→

Paarden Eiland1.8km

20→

Maitland Garden Village1.8km · R700K

20→

Brooklyn2.4km · R1.1M

20→

Similar suburbs

Rugby R800k-1M

7 →

Summer Greens R800k-1M

Explore surrounding areas

Bordering suburbs

5 adjacent

Suburbs that border or sit adjacent to Salt River. Each has its own safety profile, property market, and service data.

Brooklyn Maitland Observatory Paarden Eiland Woodstock

Salt River

What's it like to live here?

How is the area changing?

What should buyers know?

Is Salt River safe?

What do properties cost in Salt River?

How are schools in Salt River?

How connected is Salt River?

Taxi connectivity Ranks this suburb's taxi route access against all 744 Cape Town suburbs. Based on routes matched by name and within 500m of suburb centre. Large suburbs may have higher actual connectivity than shown. Full methodology ›

Commute mode share

What are living conditions in Salt River?

Access to basic services

Housing & tenure – Mixed tenure community

Environmental risk – Moderate risk exposure

Economic structure – Moderate material pressure

Spending priorities – top priority: Food

Digital inclusion – Fibre-connected suburb

Food security

Demographics & community

Asset ownership

Home-based economy

How Salt River compares

How responsive are municipal services in Salt River?

Places of worship

Complaints & top issues

What services are near Salt River?

Healthcare access

Fire station

Public swimming pools

Nearby suburbs

Similar suburbs

Bordering suburbs

Related articles

Get updates for Salt River

Taxi connectivity