Chart Color Schemes
This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
Find a Recent Sale
Sales Detail
Cowandilla has an estimated 1,538 residents, up from 1,455 at the 2021 Census — a change of 83 people, or 5.7%. Overseas migration accounts for 89.0% of that increase. That puts 2,902 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of regional ABS population releases and post-Census validated address additions, the suburb of Cowandilla has an estimated population of approximately 1,538 as of Aug 2026. This indicates an expansion of 83 people (5.7%) compared to the 1,455 people counted at the 2021 Census. This adjustment stems from an Estimated Resident Population figure of 1,533 calculated by AreaSearch following the ABS ERP release of June 2025, alongside 3 validated new addresses recorded after the Census benchmark. The resulting population density stands at 2,901 persons per square kilometer, placing the suburb in the upper quartile across nationwide areas assessed by AreaSearch.
With post-Census growth of 5.7%, the suburb of Cowandilla trails the broader state figure (7.7%) by 2.0 percentage points, displaying robust demographic momentum. Net overseas migration was the primary catalyst for local expansion, generating roughly 89.0% of all population additions over recent timeframes. Projections for each SA2 region rely on ABS/Geoscience Australia datasets published in 2024 using 2022 as a base year, while unrepresented SA2s and post-2032 horizons incorporate 2023 SA State Government Regional/LGA age-cohort models based on 2021 benchmarks, adjusted via weighted LGA-to-SA2 growth aggregation. Demographic modelling suggests that future expansion will track above the national statistical area median, with the suburb of Cowandilla projected to add 263 persons by 2041 under aggregated SA2 projections, representing an overall increase of 16.8% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Examining ABS residential approval figures distributed across statistical boundaries, AreaSearch notes that building approvals across Cowandilla have been virtually absent in recent times, with an estimated 4 homes approved across the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), including 3 so far in FY-25. Over this 5 financial years span (between FY-21 and FY-25), an average of 3.7 people per year migrated to the suburb for each new home constructed. This imbalance indicates that demand is substantially outstripping new supply, which routinely creates buyer competition and pushes prices upward, while newly built dwellings carry an average construction value of $383,000.
Development volume in Cowandilla sits significantly behind Greater Adelaide, lagging the wider regional per-capita rate by 86.0%. Although construction activity has seen a recent uptick, this subdued level of new building activity supports values and buyer interest across existing housing stock. Such low activity also sits below the national benchmark, highlighting the established character of the neighborhood alongside probable planning constraints. Furthermore, all recent building activity has been dedicated to medium and high-density formats, offering accessible price points suitable for downsizers, first-time purchasers, and investors. This signals a notable departure from the current residential profile (currently 76.0% houses), reflecting a scarcity of development parcels while accommodating emerging lifestyle preferences and price requirements. There are approximately 436 people per dwelling approval across the suburb, underscoring its mature residential standing.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Cowandilla
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 9 current infrastructure and development projects close to Cowandilla, worth an estimated $1.02 billion. 4 are already under construction. The pipeline spans sports & recreation, retail and communities, precincts & urban renewal. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local capital investments, major developments, and strategic urban planning exert a decisive influence over neighborhood trajectories. AreaSearch has identified no active major infrastructure projects directly impacting the immediate area. Notable regional initiatives include the Southwark Grounds, North South Corridor, Henley Beach Road Visioning Project, and New Women's and Children's Hospital, with primary details outlined below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Frank Norton Reserve Redevelopment
A major redevelopment project for the Frank Norton Reserve, set to begin in late January 2025. This project focuses on enhancing community recreation facilities and public spaces.
Henley Beach Road Visioning Project
City of West Torrens long-term main street renewal for an approximately 3 km corridor between Airport Road and the Bakewell Underpass. The Vision and five Guiding Principles were adopted by council and completed in January 2025. Implementation is now underway in phases: Stage 1 of the Thebarton Theatre upgrade is complete, Jervois Street has been upgraded with wider footpaths, a traffic and parking study is in progress, shopfront activation works are underway, and a pop-up piazza is being investigated.The vision targets a cosmopolitan, people-friendly boulevard celebrating cultural diversity, improved public transport, green space, and pedestrian access.
Thebarton Theatre Complex Redevelopment
An upgrade of the iconic State heritage-listed Thebarton Theatre Complex. The redevelopment aims to conserve its unique heritage values while enhancing its ongoing use as a working entertainment venue, including improved accessibility, new entry lobby, bathrooms, outdoor areas, and operational improvements. Construction is underway, with Stage 1 expected to complete by mid-late 2025, and the theatre set to reopen in October 2025.
Southwark Grounds
The $1 billion Southwark Grounds precinct is transforming the 8.4-hectare former West End Brewery site into a sustainable inner-city neighborhood. The masterplan includes 1,300 homes with a 20% affordable housing mandate, a supermarket, childcare centre, and aged care facility. The project features 'Brewery Green', a major civic space connecting the heritage-listed Walkerville Brew Tower to the River Torrens. Civil works and infrastructure delivery are active throughout 2026, with the first residential stage, Founder's Row, nearing completion and West Village townhouses currently in market.
Adelaide Crows Thebarton Oval Facility
Development of a new state-of-the-art training, administration, and community headquarters for the Adelaide Football Club at Thebarton Oval. The $100 million project includes a two-storey building with a caf', members lounge, function centre, and interactive museum, serving as a permanent match-day home for the AFLW team.
Thebarton Technology Hub
A master plan to develop and promote a bioscience and technology precinct within Thebarton. The initiative aims to attract new early-stage companies, improve the precinct's environment for existing employees, and enhance amenity and visual credibility.
Construction of Shared Path, Thebarton
Construction of a shared path in Thebarton, funded by a grant of $150,000.
Land Purchase for Shared Path, City of West Torrens
Land purchase to enable future shared path development within the City of West Torrens, supported by a grant of $290,000.
834 residents of Cowandilla are employed, from a labour force of 859. Unemployment sits at 2.9%, with participation at 63.2%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.9% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 1,356, about 88% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Cowandilla maintains a highly qualified local workforce characterized by strong representation across essential services, an unemployment rate standing at only 2.9%, and an estimated employment growth of 6.9% over the past year according to statistical area aggregations by AreaSearch. In March 2026, employed residents numbered 834, with the local jobless rate tracking 0.9% beneath the 3.8% recorded across Greater Adelaide, while the participation rate registered slightly below average at 63.2% compared with 66.4% across Greater Adelaide. Census figures showed that a modest 9.3% of workers operated from home, though this metric may reflect pandemic-era movement restrictions.
Resident employment is concentrated primarily in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. Specialization in health care & social assistance is particularly pronounced, registering 1.2 times the wider metropolitan concentration. Conversely, construction employment remains relatively small at 6.6%, compared with 8.7% regionally. Comparing Census figures for the working population against resident workers suggests that this predominantly residential district provides limited employment within its own borders. Based on AreaSearch's compilation of ABS and SALM statistical data, the local area experienced a 6.9% rise in employment alongside a 5.8% workforce expansion over the 12-month period, reducing unemployment by 1.0 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 4.2%, a 4.0% rise in the labour pool, and a 0.2 percentage points decrease in unemployment. Future local job prospects can be gauged through Jobs and Skills Australia national forecasts from Mar-26, which project five- and ten-year trajectory paths against local industry shares. Across Australia, total employment is projected to rise by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with distinct variations across different sectors. Applying these sectoral forecasts to Cowandilla's resident employment profile indicates expected local job growth of 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years (note that this represents a simple weighted extrapolation for comparative purposes and excludes localized population models).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Cowandilla is $1,310 a week (about $68,000 a year), with median personal income at $589 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $39,955 a year against an average of $47,661. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Taxpayer earnings in the suburb of Cowandilla track below the nationwide benchmark according to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO records for financial year 2023. Median taxable income across the suburb of Cowandilla reaches $39,955 and the average taxpayer income is $47,661, trailing Greater Adelaide's equivalent metrics of $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since financial year 2023, modeled figures for March 2026 indicate a median of roughly $44,018 and an average of $52,508. At the 2021 Census, personal, family, and household earnings throughout Cowandilla uniformly occupied the 10th to 20th percentiles across the country.
In terms of earnings distribution, 28.0% of local residents (430 individuals) earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 band, comparable to the 31.8% recorded across the broader region. Severe housing cost burdens leave only 81.0% of income remaining, placing the area in the 18th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Cowandilla had 535 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 76% detached houses and 13% apartments. 30% are owned with a mortgage, 43% rented and 27% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $300 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,733 a month. Rent absorbs 22.9% of household income here and mortgage repayments 30.5%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Data from the latest Census shows that separate houses constituted 76.3% of dwellings in Cowandilla, while other formats (including semi-detached residences, flats, and alternative dwellings) accounted for 23.7%, compared with 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings throughout Adelaide metro. Outright property ownership in Cowandilla stood at 26.9%, trailing Adelaide metro, while remaining households were paying a mortgage (29.7%) or renting (43.4%). The local median monthly mortgage cost of $1,733 exceeded the Adelaide metro figure of $1,562, whereas median weekly rent was $300 versus $320 across Adelaide metro. Relative to nationwide benchmarks, monthly mortgage obligations in Cowandilla sit beneath the $1,863 Australian norm, and weekly rents sit well below the nationwide median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Cowandilla counted 535 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 566 today, averaging 2.3 people each. 25% are couples with children, against 21% couples without children. 33% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.4 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute the majority of local living arrangements at 58.3% of households, comprising couples with children (24.5%), couples without children (20.8%), and single parent families (11.0%). Non-family living situations account for the other 41.7%, consisting of lone person households at 32.8% and group households at 9.2%. The area records a median household size of 2.3 people, tracking slightly below the Greater Adelaide benchmark of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
33.5% of adults in Cowandilla hold a university qualification, including 23.6% with a bachelor degree and 7.8% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 16.7% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 376 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,063 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment in the area is prominent across the broader region, with tertiary qualifications held by 33.5% of residents aged 15+, outperforming the SA state figure of 25.7% and the Greater Adelaide average of 28.9%. Bachelor qualifications form the largest segment at 23.6%, alongside postgraduate degrees at 7.8% and graduate diplomas at 2.1%. Vocational and trade training is likewise substantial, with 25.7% of residents aged 15+ possessing technical qualifications, split between certificates (16.7%) and advanced diplomas (9.0%). Formal study engagement is substantial, with 25.0% of all local residents participating in an educational course.
This cohort consists of 8.1% attending tertiary institutions, 6.6% enrolled in primary schooling, and 3.6% in secondary school.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Cowandilla reaches 8 stops on 15 routes, timetabled for about 1,000 services a week. The typical home sits about 150 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.1 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transport connectivity in Cowandilla is supported by 8 operational transit stops accommodating bus services. These stops are served by 15 separate bus routes that combine to deliver 1,045 weekly passenger trips. Transit access is rated as exceptional, with local residents generally situated 145 meters from their closest stop. Given the suburb's residential orientation, commuter travel is predominantly outbound, with private vehicles accounting for 78% of journeys, followed by 13% by bus and 4% walking. Motor vehicle availability stands at an average of 1.1 per dwelling, falling below the metropolitan standard.
A comparatively small 9.3% of workers operated from home at the 2021 Census, a figure potentially influenced by COVID-19 settings. Transit service schedules deliver an average of 149 trips per day across all available routes, which translates to roughly 130 weekly trips for each transport stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
64.3% of residents in Cowandilla report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 83% of areas nationally. 16.0% need daily assistance with core activities, and 45.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 8.6 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
AreaSearch metrics on chronic conditions and mortality rates indicate noticeable health challenges in Cowandilla, with elevated rates of standard medical conditions that become more marked among older age groups. Furthermore, private health insurance coverage is notably restricted, encompassing approximately 46% of the population (~705 people), which compares against 52.7% across Greater Adelaide and a nationwide benchmark of 55.7%. Arthritis and mental health conditions represent the most common medical diagnoses in the community, diagnosed in 9.6 and 8.2% of residents respectively, while 64.3% reported having no long-term health conditions, compared to 67.9% across Greater Adelaide.
Health indicators for working-age cohorts generally align with regional norms. Seniors aged 65 and over constitute 25.4% of the population (390 people), which exceeds the 19.1% share recorded across Greater Adelaide. While elderly residents encounter specific health hurdles, these metrics track more favorably against national rankings than the overall population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
37.4% of Cowandilla residents were born overseas and 36.2% speak a language other than English at home, more culturally diverse than 80% of areas nationally. The largest reported ancestries are English (19.0%) and Australian (18.9%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cowandilla exhibits considerable cultural variety, with 37.4% of residents having been born overseas and 36.2% using a language other than English in the home. Christianity represents the leading religious affiliation, accounting for 47.7% of the community. The most pronounced demographic variation appears in the Other religious category, which makes up 3.4% locally versus 1.8% across Greater Adelaide. Regarding ancestral background based on parental birthplace, the primary groups identified in Cowandilla are English at 19.0% (trailing the 27.8% regional figure), Australian at 18.9%, and Other at 13.8%. Distinct demographic differences also appear among other cultural backgrounds, with Greek heritage strongly represented at 9.3% in Cowandilla (compared to 2.0% regionally), Italian at 5.3% (against 5.2%), and Dutch at 1.7% (versus 1.2%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Cowandilla is 40. That is 1 year younger than at the 2021 Census. 29.4% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The demographic structure of Cowandilla skews older than the Greater Adelaide average. As of August 2026 estimates, elderly and retirement-aged residents (65+) comprise 25.4% of the population, compared to 19.1% across Greater Adelaide, while children and young adults (0 - 24) represent 23.2% against a regional benchmark of 29.0%. Consequently, the median age is estimated at 40, down from 41 at the 2021 Census, yet 1 year higher than the 39 recorded across Greater Adelaide at that Census. Since the Census, the cohort of young to middle aged adults (25 - 44) expanded from 29.1% to an estimated 32.5%.
Looking ahead to 2041, senior cohorts are projected to drive the bulk of local growth, expanding by 148 residents (38%) to a total of 539.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Cowandilla
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 3 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (1,455 at the 2021 Census → 1,538 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL40318). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.