Colonel Light Gardens
Statistical Area - sa2

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

As of August 2025, Colonel Light Gardens' population is approximately 16,121. This figure represents a growth of 279 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,842. The increase was inferred from ABS estimates of 16,119 as of June 2024 and an additional 12 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of approximately 2,384 persons per square kilometer, placing Colonel Light Gardens in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. Colonel Light Gardens' growth rate of 1.8% since the Census is within 2.5 percentage points of its SA3 area (4.3%), indicating strong population fundamentals. 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, it adopts South Australian Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, adjusted using a weighted aggregation method. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth nationally, with Colonel Light Gardens expected to increase by approximately 663 persons to 2041. This represents an overall increase of about 4.1% over the seventeen-year period.

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 averaged approximately 37 dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that between financial years FY21 to FY25, around 186 homes received approval, with 12 already approved in FY26. On average, over the past five financial years, 0.5 new residents were added annually per dwelling constructed. This suggests supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more buyer choices and potential for population growth beyond projections.

The average construction cost of new homes is $412,000. In FY26, commercial approvals totaled $131.8 million, indicating robust commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Colonel Light Gardens accounts for approximately 68% of the construction activity per capita, placing it in the 43rd percentile nationally. This suggests somewhat limited buyer options but strong demand for established properties.

Recent construction comprises 69.0% standalone homes and 31.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating an increasing range of medium-density housing options. With around 389 people per dwelling approval, Colonel Light Gardens exhibits a developed market. Population forecasts project an increase of 661 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current projections.

Colonel Light Gardens has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 39thth percentile nationally

"Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified nine projects potentially impacting the region. Notable initiatives include SA Health's 'Building a Bigger Health System in the South' (Daw Park Urgent Care Hub and other upgrades), Springbank Road Pedestrian Actuated Crossing, Hotel Panorama, and Fig Tree Terraces. The following list details those most relevant.".

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

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 was 1.8% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.5% over the past year.

As of this date, 9,344 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.2% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 4.0%. The workforce participation rate was 67.8%, exceeding Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services, with the latter having an employment share 1.4 times higher than the regional level. Manufacturing employs only 4.7% of local workers, below Greater Adelaide's 7.0%.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.5%, while labour force increased by 2.7%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 2.1% with a marginal increase in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 shows SA employment grew by 1.06% year-on-year, adding 9,370 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.5%, aligning with the national rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years for national employment. Applying these projections to Colonel Light Gardens' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.0%% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Colonel Light Gardens' median income among taxpayers was $56,905 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $73,460 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Adelaide's median and average incomes of $52,592 and $64,886 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Colonel Light Gardens would be approximately $63,068 (median) and $81,416 (average) as of March 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, incomes in Colonel Light Gardens cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 28.8% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (4,642 residents). A substantial presence of higher earners is indicated by 31.6% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of their income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Colonel Light Gardens is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Colonel Light Gardens' dwellings, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 73.5% houses and 26.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 78.8% houses and 21.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Colonel Light Gardens was at 35.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.3% and rented ones at 23.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,992. Median weekly rent in Colonel Light Gardens was $320, lower than Adelaide metro's figure of $335 and significantly below the national average of $375. Nationally, mortgage repayments in Colonel Light Gardens were above the Australian average of $1,863.

Colonel Light Gardens has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 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 account for the remaining 29.6%, with lone person households at 26.2% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Adelaide average.

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

Colonel Light Gardens has a higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. 39.7% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.7% and graduate diplomas at 4.5%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.2% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (16.3%).

Educational participation is 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. The five schools in Colonel Light Gardens have a combined enrollment of 3,023 students. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1099). The educational mix includes four primary schools and one K-12 school.

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 these stops are serviced by buses, with a total of 52 individual routes operating. These routes collectively provide 3,244 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of public transport in Colonel Light Gardens is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 188 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 463 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 37 weekly trips per individual stop.

Colonel Light Gardens's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data shows relatively positive outcomes for Colonel Light Gardens residents. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low among the general population but higher than the national average among older and at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 56% (~9,027 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Adelaide's 58.5%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.8% and 7.6% of residents respectively. 70.8% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 69.3% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 18.3% (2,945 people) of residents aged 65 and over, which is lower than the 21.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

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

Colonel Light Gardens showed higher-than-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, accounting for 44.1%. Hinduism's representation was notably higher compared to Greater Adelaide, at 2.3% versus 1.7%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (28.4%), Australian (24.6%), and Irish (7.2%). Other ethnic groups showed variations: German was slightly overrepresented at 5.6% (vs regional 5.9%), Greek at 3.8% (vs 2.5%), and Polish at 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 average of 38 years. The 45-54 age group has a strong representation at 13.1%, compared to Greater Adelaide's population, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 12.3%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has grown from 4.9% to 5.8% of the population. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has declined from 14.5% to 13.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Colonel Light Gardens. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 81%, reaching 814 people from the current 449, leading the demographic shift. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 81% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 35-44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.