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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.
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2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
Novar Gardens has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends
As per ABS population updates for the broader area and validated new addresses by AreaSearch, the suburb of Novar Gardens had an estimated population of 2,519 as of May 2026. This figure shows a rise of 11 people (0.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,508. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,513 residents, based on their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 4 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,431 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 97.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023, with adjustments made using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead with demographic trends, significant population growth is forecast for the suburb of Novar Gardens. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, it is expected to grow by 622 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 24.4% in total over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Novar Gardens recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide
Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Novar Gardens has seen approximately 15 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 78 homes. In the current financial year FY26, 14 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.8 new residents are added per dwelling constructed annually between FY21 and FY25. This suggests that new construction is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering buyers more options while enabling population growth.
The average construction value of new properties is $379,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. Additionally, $8.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Novar Gardens has similar development levels per person, maintaining market balance with the broader area. New development consists of 39% detached dwellings and 61% attached dwellings, marking a shift from existing housing patterns (currently 80% houses). This trend may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.
With around 119 people per dwelling approval, Novar Gardens is considered a low density area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Novar Gardens is projected to add 616 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Novar Gardens
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Novar Gardens has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects likely affecting the area: Tram Grade Separation at Marion Road and Cross Road in Plympton, and the River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project. Other key projects include Project Flight - Adelaide Airport Terminal Expansion, and Morphettville Racecourse Redevelopment. The following details those most relevant.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
SA Water Capital Work Delivery Contracts 2024-28
SA Water's record $3.3 billion capital delivery program for the 2024-28 regulatory period, covering water and wastewater infrastructure across South Australia. The program targets water main replacements, sewerage network upgrades, dam upgrades, water tank refurbishments, and treatment process upgrades across metropolitan and regional areas. A central $1.5 billion component supports the South Australian Premier's Housing Roadmap, expanding network capacity to unlock up to 40,000 new allotments, with major focus on Adelaide's northern growth corridors including Angle Vale, Riverlea, and Roseworthy. Six major framework partners (Fulton Hogan Utilities, John Holland and Guidera O'Connor JV, McConnell Dowell and Diona JV, BMD, Diona, and Leed Engineering and Construction) are delivering works across approximately 120 projects. In Year 1 (to June 2025), $681.6 million in capital was invested. The program runs to June 2028.
Project Flight - Adelaide Airport Terminal Expansion
Project Flight is a 600 million AUD multi-phased upgrade of Adelaide Airport designed to support passenger growth through to 2050. The southern check-in hall is being expanded by more than 1,500 square metres to lift check-in capacity by around 25 per cent, with all existing equipment replaced by new kiosks and bag-drop technology. The northern end of the terminal will grow by approximately 10,000 square metres from early 2026, adding new domestic gate lounges, aerobridges and office accommodation for aviation tenants. The southern end will be expanded by more than 5,500 square metres from early 2027, including two new domestic and three new regional gates. Up to nine additional aircraft parking positions will be delivered progressively over three years. Security screening upgrades, including six new lanes with body scanners and 3D x-ray bag scanners, are being completed across 2025. Other terminal enhancements include a new international departures gate, a sensory room, a play space, business hubs and upgraded gate seating. Construction commenced in mid-2025 with demolition of the southern ramp, and the program is anticipated to complete in mid-2028.
Tram Grade Separation Projects
A major infrastructure initiative to remove three high-traffic level crossings on the Glenelg tram line by constructing new elevated tram overpasses at Marion Road, Cross Road, and Morphett Road. The project also included the complete reconstruction of the South Road tram overpass. While tram services resumed on 26 January 2026, ongoing construction continues through mid-2026 for intersection upgrades at Anzac Highway, building shared-use paths for the Mike Turtur Bikeway, and final landscaping.
SA Housing Trust Maintenance Contracts Review and Service Program
Statewide maintenance and service contracts for SA Housing Trust public housing properties, covering reactive maintenance, vacancy restoration and minor works across metropolitan and regional South Australia. The program is delivered by Spotless Facility Services, RTC Facilities Maintenance and Torrens Facility Management. A 2024 SA Government review examined payment, timeliness, dispute resolution and contract performance issues, and the government provided additional funding to accelerate maintenance and upgrades on vacant public housing homes.
Adelaide Level Crossing Removal Planning Program
A joint Australian and South Australian Government program to conduct planning studies at priority at-grade level crossing locations across metropolitan Adelaide, and establish a ten-year Level Crossing Removal Program. Adelaide has 126 at-grade level crossings where boom gates can be closed for up to 25% of peak traffic periods. Priority sites under active planning include Cormack Road (Wingfield), Kings Road (Parafield), and Park Terrace (Salisbury). The program commenced in early 2022 and is expected to be completed by late 2026, with the first major removal project - Curtis Road, Munno Para - announced in May 2025 with a $250 million joint funding commitment and construction starting by 2027.
Tram Grade Separation at Marion Road and Cross Road, Plympton
Removing the level crossing at Marion Road and Cross Road, Plympton, to make journeys safer and more reliable, improve safety for local residents, motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and tram drivers, provide new, safer, and more accessible tram stops with improved pedestrian access, enhance community connection between suburbs, elevate the Mike Turtur bikeway as a shared use path alongside the tram line, and create new community open space under the overpasses. The upgrade involves upgrading Marion Road between Cross Road and the Anzac Highway, including a grade separation of the tram level crossings on Marion Road and Cross Road, widening of the Anzac Highway / Marion Road Intersection, widening of the Cross Road / Marion Road Intersection, and pedestrian and cycling access improvements.
River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project
The River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project delivers the final 10.5 km section of Adelaide's North South Corridor, creating a 78 km non-stop motorway. The project combines southern and northern twin three-lane tunnels with lowered and surface motorways. Major works are underway at the Southern Precinct at Tonsley, which serves as the purpose-built launch site for the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) for the Southern Tunnels. Tunnelling is expected to start in the second half of 2026, and the project is planned for completion by 2031.
Morphettville/Glengowrie Horse Related Activities Code Amendment
Two code amendments rezoning nearly 14 hectares from recreation and horse-related uses to urban neighbourhood zones. First amendment: 1.5 hectares at 86-88 Morphett Road for up to 136 homes with developments up to 8 levels. Supports medium to high-density housing close to CBD and public transport.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Novar Gardens performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia
Novar Gardens has a skilled workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 1.3% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.3%. As of December 2025, 1,203 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.5% lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%.
Workforce participation in Novar Gardens lagged at 57.5%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. According to Census responses, 15.7% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction sectors. Finance & insurance had notable concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.
Conversely, manufacturing showed lower representation at 5.6% compared to the regional average of 7.0%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.7, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 4.3% and labour force grew by 3.7%, reducing unemployment by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Adelaide saw employment grow by 4.2%, labour force expand by 3.9%, and unemployment fall by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Novar Gardens's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.7% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch
AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Novar Gardens had a median taxpayer income of $41,809 and an average income of $49,864. Nationally, the median is $54,808 and the average is $66,852 in Greater Adelaide. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Novar Gardens are approximately $46,061 (median) and $54,935 (average) as of March 2026. The 2021 Census ranks household income at the 33rd percentile ($1,468 weekly) and personal income at the 15th percentile. Income analysis shows that 26.5% of Novar Gardens residents earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (667 individuals), similar to the regional figure of 31.8%. Income distribution is polarized: 31.2% in lower brackets (<$800/week) and 22.7% in higher brackets (>$3,000/week). After housing expenses, 86.3% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Novar Gardens is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Novar Gardens' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 79.8% houses and 20.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). In comparison, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Novar Gardens stood at 39.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.8% and rented ones at 27.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,060, higher than Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. Median weekly rent in Novar Gardens was recorded at $165, lower than Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Novar Gardens' mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Novar Gardens has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households account for 71.3% of all households, including 29.0% couples with children, 33.4% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 28.7%, with lone person households making up 27.0% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
The educational profile of Novar Gardens exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics
Educational qualifications in Novar Gardens trail regional benchmarks, with 27.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the SA3 area's 35.4%. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 29.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (19.2%).
Educational participation is notably high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.2% in secondary education, 8.6% in primary education, and 5.1% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Novar Gardens has 15 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 14 different routes that together facilitate 1,959 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent access to transport, with an average distance of 195 meters to the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, and most commuters travel outward. Cars are the primary mode of transportation, used by 88% of residents, while 3% cycle. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.
According to the 2021 Census, 15.7% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 279 trips per day, equating to approximately 130 weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Novar Gardens's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts
Novar Gardens' health data shows positive outcomes, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions. Common health issues are seen across all age groups. Private health cover is low at 47% (1,177 people), compared to Greater Adelaide's 52.7% and the national average of 55.7%.
The most common conditions are arthritis (9.3%) and asthma (8.5%). 64.5% reported no medical ailments, compared to Greater Adelaide's 67.9%. Working-age residents have a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 25% (629 people), higher than Greater Adelaide's 19.2%. Senior health outcomes rank high nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Novar Gardens was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Novar Gardens had a cultural diversity above average, with 21.8% of its population born overseas and 17.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Novar Gardens, comprising 50.1% of its population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.4%, compared to 0.1% across Greater Adelaide.
The top three ancestry groups were English (28.1%), Australian (24.8%), and Other (7.8%). There were also notable differences in the representation of German (6.2% vs regional 5.1%), Serbian (0.6% vs 0.4%), and Greek (2.5% vs 2.0%) ethnic groups.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Novar Gardens hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average
Novar Gardens has a median age of 45 years, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group comprises 10.3% of Novar Gardens' population, compared to Greater Adelaide. Conversely, the 25-34 age group makes up 9.3%, which is less than Greater Adelaide's percentage. According to post-2021 Census data, the 25-34 age group has increased from 7.9% to 9.3%. However, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 11.2% to 10.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Novar Gardens' age profile, with the strongest growth expected in the 75-84 cohort, which is projected to grow by 42%, adding 108 residents to reach a total of 368.