Bowden

Bowden lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, as of Nov 2025, Bowden's estimated population is around 2,307. This reflects a 499-person increase (27.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported 1,808 people. AreaSearch estimated this through resident population data from ERP release Jun 2024 and additional validated addresses since the Census date. Population density is 6,235 persons per sq km, placing Bowden in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bowden's growth exceeded state (8.7%) and metropolitan area levels, driven primarily by overseas migration contributing approximately 91.0%. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made through weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future projections indicate above median growth, with Bowden expected to expand by 425 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 2.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Bowden among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Bowden had around 55 residential properties approved annually on average over the past five financial years, totalling approximately 278 homes. In FY-26 so far, 65 approvals have been recorded. The area has seen an average of 0.6 people moving in per dwelling built yearly between FY-21 and FY-25. This year, $3.0 million in commercial approvals were granted, indicating the area's residential character.

Compared to Greater Adelaide, Bowden exhibits 245.0% higher building activity per person. Recent construction comprises 21.0% detached dwellings and 79.0% townhouses or apartments. Current development patterns suggest new housing supply should meet demand, with an expected population growth of 57 residents by 2041.

Looking ahead, Bowden is expected to grow by 57 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Bowden has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are Bowden Final Development Parcels, Sentinel Build-to-Rent Project (Bowden), ARC Bowden, and Uniting on Hawker. The following details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Bowden significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Bowden has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.4%.

As of September 2025, 1,406 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.1% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was 69.6%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and professional & technical services. Public administration & safety had employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average, while construction was under-represented with only 3.3% of Bowden's workforce compared to Greater Adelaide's 8.7%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. From September 2024 to September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.4%, labour force grew by 4.1%, and unemployment fell by 0.3 percentage points in Bowden. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment rise by 3.0%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment fall by 0.1 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows SA employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.0%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bowden's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 indicates that median income in Bowden suburb is $70,535 and average income stands at $82,522. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide figures of a median income of $54,808 and an average income of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.8% since financial year ending June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $76,742 (median) and $89,784 (average) as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, individual earnings rank at the 83rd percentile nationally ($1,056 weekly), while household income ranks lower at the 43rd percentile. Income brackets show that the largest segment comprises 38.0% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (876 residents). This pattern is similar to regional levels where 31.8% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 39th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Bowden features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Bowden's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 14.2% houses and 85.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Adelaide metro had 66.1% houses and 33.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bowden stood at 13.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.0% and rented dwellings at 58.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,560, lower than Adelaide metro's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Bowden was $390, higher than Adelaide metro's $325. Nationally, Bowden's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Bowden features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 44.5% of all households, including 10.1% couples with children, 26.4% couples without children, and 6.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 55.5%, with lone person households at 45.0% and group households comprising 10.4%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.4.

Bowden demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Bowden's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 52.6% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in South Australia (SA) and 28.8% in the SA3 area. This gives Bowden a strong position for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 35.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.9% and graduate diplomas at 3.7%.

Vocational pathways account for 24.5% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above – advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 13.5%. Educational participation is notably high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 17.8% in tertiary education, 4.5% in primary education, and 2.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

Bowden has three active public transport stops operating currently. These include a mix of train and bus services. Eight different routes serve these stops, collectively offering 973 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility in Bowden is rated excellent, with residents typically located 182 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 139 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 324 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Bowden is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Bowden demonstrates above-average health outcomes with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (1,374 people), compared to 53.3% across Greater Adelaide.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 11.8% and 7.6% of residents respectively. Seventy-two point two percent of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.9% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 10.3% of residents aged 65 and over (237 people), which is lower than the 20.0% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Bowden was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bowden, as per the data from July 2016 to June 2021, had a higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 24.2% of residents speaking a language other than English at home. Additionally, 34.2% of Bowden's population was born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion in Bowden, accounting for 27.0% of the population.

However, Islam was more prevalent in Bowden compared to Greater Adelaide, with 3.2% versus 2.8%. The top three ancestry groups were English (25.8%), Australian (18.8%), and Other (11.6%). Notably, Korean (1.1%) and Spanish (0.7%) ethnicities were overrepresented in Bowden compared to regional averages of 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively. Similarly, Croatian ethnicity was slightly more prevalent at 0.8% in Bowden compared to the regional average of 1.1%.

Bowden hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Bowden's median age is 31, which is lower than Greater Adelaide's figure of 39 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Bowden has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (33.9%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.0%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 32.3% to 33.9%, while the proportions of those aged 45 to 54 have decreased from 8.4% to 7.1% and those aged 15 to 24 have dropped from 16.2% to 15.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic shifts in Bowden. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 38%, adding 19 residents to reach a total of 73. Conversely, both the 25-34 and 55-64 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.