Colonel Light Gardens

Colonel Light Gardens is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Colonel Light Gardens' population was 15,842 as of the 2021 Census. By Nov 2025, it is around 16,147, an increase of 305 people (1.9%). This growth is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 16,119 in June 2024 and 19 new addresses validated since the Census date. The population density is 2,388 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population growth is anticipated at lower quartile national statistical area rates. By 2041, Colonel Light Gardens is expected to increase by 663 persons, reflecting a total increase of 3.9% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Colonel Light Gardens according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Colonel Light Gardens has seen approximately 37 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 186 homes were approved, with an additional 18 approved in FY-26 as of now. On average, about 0.5 new residents have arrived per new home each year over these five years.

This pace matches or exceeds demand for housing, providing more options for buyers and potentially accelerating population growth beyond current projections. The average construction cost for new properties is $333,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaling $131.8 million have been registered, indicating significant local business investment in the area. Comparatively, Colonel Light Gardens has around 68% of Greater Adelaide's construction activity per capita and ranks at the 42nd percentile nationally when considering areas assessed for construction activity.

This suggests somewhat limited buyer options but strengthens demand for established properties. The area's construction activity is below the national average, which aligns with its established nature and potentially indicates planning limitations. Recent construction in Colonel Light Gardens consists of approximately 69% standalone homes and 31% townhouses or apartments, indicating a growing range of medium-density housing options that cater to various price brackets. With around 389 people per dwelling approval, the area shows a developed market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Colonel Light Gardens is projected to gain approximately 635 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Colonel Light Gardens has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 15thth percentile nationally

Ten projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. These include SA Health's Building a Bigger Health System in the South initiative, which involves upgrades such as the Daw Park Urgent Care Hub. Other key projects are the Tram Grade Separation Projects, the Springbank Road Pedestrian Actuated Crossing, and Hotel Panorama. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Colonel Light Gardens performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Colonel Light Gardens has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 1.7%, lower than Greater Adelaide's 3.9%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.3%.

As of September 2025, 9,442 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.2% and workforce participation of 72.4%, higher than Greater Adelaide's 66.5%. Moderate home-based work is evident, with 14.3% of residents working from home. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. The area specializes in professional & technical employment, with a share 1.4 times the regional level.

Manufacturing employs just 4.7%, below Greater Adelaide's 7.0%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 3.3% while labour force grew by 3.4%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 3.0%, labour force growth of 2.9%, and a fall in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Colonel Light Gardens's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The median income among taxpayers in Colonel Light Gardens SA2 was $59,526 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $75,112 during the same period. These figures compare to those for Greater Adelaide, which were $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $64,764 and the average income around $81,722 by September 2025. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Colonel Light Gardens cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. The largest segment of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with 4,650 individuals falling within this bracket. This is consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region where 31.8% of residents also fall into this income category. Notably, 31.6% of Colonel Light Gardens residents earn more than $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power in the community. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of their income on average. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile nationally.

Colonel Light Gardens is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Colonel Light Gardens' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 73.5% houses and 26.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Colonel Light Gardens was 35.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.3% and rented ones at 23.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, above Adelaide metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent was $320, matching Adelaide metro's figure but below the national average of $375.

Colonel Light Gardens has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.4% of all households, including 36.7% couples with children, 23.3% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.6%, with lone person households at 26.2% and group households comprising 3.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Colonel Light Gardens shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

In Colonel Light Gardens, residents aged 15+ with university qualifications comprise 39.7%, outpacing South Australia's (SA) state average of 25.7% and the SA4 region's 28.1%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 26.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 27.2% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas accounting for 10.9% and certificates for 16.3%. Educational participation is high, with 29.6% currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.0% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 7.1% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 7.1% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Colonel Light Gardens has 87 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 52 different routes that together facilitate 3,238 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 188 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars are the dominant mode of transport, used by 83% of residents, while buses are used by 8%, and cycling by 3%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.3% of residents work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 462 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 37 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Colonel Light Gardens is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Colonel Light Gardens faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~9,139 people), compared to 52.7% across Greater Adelaide. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 7.8% and 7.6% of residents respectively. 70.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 18.3% of residents aged 65 and over (2,950 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Colonel Light Gardens was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Colonel Light Gardens exhibited above-average cultural diversity, with 20.2% of its population born overseas and 16.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Colonel Light Gardens, comprising 44.1% of its residents. Hinduism, however, showed an overrepresentation compared to Greater Adelaide, making up 2.3% of Colonel Light Gardens' population versus the regional average of 2.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were English at 28.4%, Australian at 24.6%, and Irish at 7.2%. Notably, Greek (3.8%) was overrepresented compared to the regional figure of 2.0%, as were German (5.6% vs 5.1%) and Polish (1.0%).

Colonel Light Gardens's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Colonel Light Gardens is 40 years, similar to Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years, but somewhat older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age group comprises 13.1% of the population in Colonel Light Gardens, higher than Greater Adelaide's proportion. Conversely, the 25-34 age group makes up 12.3%, lower than Greater Adelaide's percentage. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.9% to 5.8%. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 14.5% to 13.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Colonel Light Gardens. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 81%, reaching 814 people from 450. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 82% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.