Bowden

Development Activity

Demographics

Bowden skews markedly younger than the national average, with a median age of 32, which is 8 years below the national figure. University qualifications stand at 56.6%, a full 26.5 percentage points higher than the national rate. Overseas-born residents make up 34.2%, some 12.6 points above the national average. English ancestry leads at 617 residents, followed by Irish (186), Chinese (165) and Scottish (157). The average household size is 1.8, which is 0.7 below national, consistent with the dominance of couples without children (50.8% of families) and compact apartment living. Mandarin is the most common non-English language, spoken by 46 residents.

Apartments account for 62.6% of Bowden's housing stock, semi-detached dwellings 22.6%, and separate houses just 14.2%. Two-bedroom configurations dominate at 60.5%, with studio or one-bedroom units at 18%. Tenure splits heavily toward renters at 59.3%, compared to 13% owning outright and 27.7% on a mortgage, a ratio closer to inner-city Melbourne than typical Adelaide suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 22.1%, below the stress threshold.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is the largest employer at 16.4% of the workforce (148 workers), followed by Professional and Technical services at 14.8% and Public Administration at 14.5%. Education accounts for 10.6% and Hospitality 8.0%. By occupation, Professionals (445 workers) outnumber the next group, Managers (171), by more than 2 to 1, which aligns with the 56.6% university qualification rate well above the national average. The unemployment rate is 4.5%, and the full-time employment rate is 69.7%. Household income sits at the 56.4th percentile nationally, above average but reflecting a young workforce still in early career stages, consistent with the median age of 32.

Source: ABS Census 2021

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Transport to Work

Bowden supports non-car movement more than most suburbs: 10.6% walk or cycle and 5.6% use public transport, though car use at 76.3% remains dominant. No schools are recorded within the 0.37 km2 boundary, so families rely on neighbouring suburbs, a trade-off in one of Adelaide's most compact precincts. The crime rate of 105.1 incidents per 1,000 residents is elevated compared to broader state averages, consistent with the high-density, high-rental character of the suburb. Rent-to-income sits at 24.0%, below the 30% stress threshold, so tenants are not severely burdened. Only 3.4% of residents (57 people) need daily assistance.

Growth Outlook

Bowden's price history spans only two quarters, so sustained trend analysis is limited. The suburb's identity signals point to active transition driven by demand from young professionals and international arrivals rather than natural population growth. The 47.8% annual turnover rate means the resident base refreshes rapidly. The low proportion of separate houses (14.2%) and high apartment concentration leave little room for a traditional renovation-driven gentrification cycle. With only 14 development applications in the past 12 months, minimal new supply is entering the market, so any demand increase would quickly reduce the current 13.9% vacancy rate.

Population trend: Charles Sturt council area

Bowden sits in the Charles Sturt council area. These are the council area's residents, not Bowden's.

ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb

Safety & Crime

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Bowden compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions