Colonel Light Gardens

Colonel Light Gardens has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, as of Nov 2025 the estimated population of Colonel Light Gardens is around 3,361. This reflects an increase of 50 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,311. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,359, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,168 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Colonel Light Gardens's growth of 1.5% since census positions it within 2.9 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.4%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Anticipating future population dynamics, lower quartile growth is anticipated for the suburb, with an expected expansion by 66 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 1.5% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Colonel Light Gardens, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Colonel Light Gardens experienced approximately one dwelling receiving development approval each year, with eight homes approved between financial years 2021 and 2025. No dwellings have been approved in the current financial year 2026 to date.

On average, each dwelling built over these five years gained 2.4 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values. The average construction cost of new homes was $412,000. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Colonel Light Gardens had significantly less development activity, being 86.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties, although building activity has accelerated in recent years. Recent development has been entirely standalone homes, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

With around 836 people per dwelling approval, Colonel Light Gardens reflects a highly mature market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 51 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Colonel Light Gardens has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Five projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance: Springbank Road Pedestrian Actuated Crossing, SA Health - Building a Bigger Health System in the South (Daw Park Urgent Care Hub & other upgrades), Believe Housing Australia - Panorama Apartments, and New Hospital and Allied Centre (Repat Health Precinct).

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Employment conditions in Colonel Light Gardens rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Colonel Light Gardens has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Adelaide's 4.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.1%. Workforce participation in Colonel Light Gardens is higher at 72.4%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Education & training has a particularly high representation, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 5.2% compared to the regional average of 7.0%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 2.1%, while labour force grew by 2.4%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Adelaide experienced employment growth of 2.1% with a marginal rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that Colonel Light Gardens' employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows that Colonel Light Gardens has high incomes nationally. The median assessed income is $65,159 and the average income stands at $84,115. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide's figures of a median income of $52,592 and an average income of $64,886. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% from July 2022 to September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $73,519 (median) and $94,907 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Colonel Light Gardens rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 90th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 30.2% of locals (1,015 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly category, aligning with the regional average of 31.8%. A significant 41.5% earn above $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 88.8% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile nationally.

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

Colonel Light Gardens' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 91.2% houses and 8.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Adelaide metro's 78.8% houses and 21.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Colonel Light Gardens was 41.9%, aligning with Adelaide metro's figure, with the rest being mortgaged (46.5%) or rented (11.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,173, above Adelaide metro's average of $1,992. The median weekly rent was $400, compared to Adelaide metro's $335. Nationally, Colonel Light Gardens' mortgage repayments were higher at $2,173 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $400 compared to the national figure of $375.

Colonel Light Gardens features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 82.2% of all households, consisting of 45.8% couples with children, 26.9% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 17.8%, with lone person households at 16.3% and group households comprising 1.5%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Colonel Light Gardens places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Colonel Light Gardens has a significantly higher proportion of university-qualified residents aged 15 and above compared to South Australia (SA) and the SA4 region. Specifically, 41.7% of its residents hold such qualifications, surpassing SA's 25.7% and the SA4 region's 28.1%. This educational advantage is led by bachelor degrees at 27.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 9.0% and graduate diplomas at 5.7%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 27.0% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (15.6%).

Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 32.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.6% in primary education, 10.2% in secondary education, and 6.8% pursuing tertiary education. Colonel Light Gardens Primary School and St Therese School serve a total of 864 students collectively, with the area demonstrating significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1107). Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. The area's school capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 25.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 21.2, indicating that it serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Colonel Light Gardens has 22 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 21 unique routes that combined offer 1,786 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 168 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency is 255 trips per day across all routes, translating to about 81 weekly trips per individual stop.

Colonel Light Gardens's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Colonel Light Gardens.

Younger cohorts see very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (2,022 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, impacting 7.4 and 7.0% of residents respectively. 72.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.3% across Greater Adelaide. The area has 15.1% of residents aged 65 and over (507 people), which is lower than the 21.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, requiring more attention than the broader population.

Colonel Light Gardens ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Colonel Light Gardens showed cultural diversity levels below average, with 85.5% born in Australia, 95.2% being citizens, and 91.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated as the main religion, comprising 45.3%. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (30.9%), Australian (26.5%), and Scottish (7.9%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Polish at 1.2% (vs regional 1.0%), German at 6.0% (vs 5.9%), and Hungarian at 0.4% (vs 0.3%).

Colonel Light Gardens hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Colonel Light Gardens has a median age of 42, which is slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's figure of 39 and substantially higher than the national norm of 38. The 45-54 age group makes up 16.1% of Colonel Light Gardens' population, compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 7.9%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has grown from 3.8% to 4.6% of the population. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 17.5% to 16.1%. Demographic modeling indicates that Colonel Light Gardens' age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 75-84 group is projected to grow by 33%, adding 50 people and reaching 205 from 154. This growth is part of a broader aging population trend, with those aged 65 and above comprising 73% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are expected to experience population declines.