Bowden
At 4,882 residents per square kilometre packed into just 0.37 km2, Bowden is one of Adelaide's most densely settled inner suburbs. The median age is 32, which is 8 years below the national figure, and university qualifications reach 56.6%, some 26.5 percentage points above the national average. Nearly 60% of households rent, apartments make up 62.6% of dwellings, and a 13.9% vacancy rate signals real oversupply in the current stock. A crime rate of 105.1 incidents per 1,000 residents sits well above typical suburban levels, a pattern common in high-density, high-turnover precincts close to city cores.
Population
1,808
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,628/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$1.5M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price reached $1,455,000 in Q1 2026, compared to $418,100 a year earlier, though this shift spans only two data points. Separate houses at just 14.2% of dwellings are scarce, so buyer competition for that format is intense. Apartments dominate at 62.6%, with two-bedroom units making up 60.5% of all dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. Owner-occupier representation is low: 13% own outright and 27.7% hold a mortgage, compared to the renter majority of 59.3%. Buyers are effectively purchasing in a renter-dominated market where resale liquidity depends on continued investor demand.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,455,000 in Q1 2026, compared to $418,100 a year earlier, though this shift spans only two data points. Separate houses at just 14.2% of dwellings are scarce, so buyer competition for that format is intense. Apartments dominate at 62.6%, with two-bedroom units making up 60.5% of all dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. Owner-occupier representation is low: 13% own outright and 27.7% hold a mortgage, compared to the renter majority of 59.3%. Buyers are effectively purchasing in a renter-dominated market where resale liquidity depends on continued investor demand.
For Investors
A 59.3% renter share and weekly rent of $390 provide a ready tenant base, but the 13.9% vacancy rate is the key risk, sitting well above the 3% threshold associated with balanced rental markets. Against a median house price of $1,455,000, the implied gross yield is very low. Development activity recorded only 14 applications in the past 12 months, modest for a suburb this dense. The annual turnover rate of 47.8% means nearly half of residents move each year, which adds reletting costs that compress net returns. The 56.6% university qualification rate, 26.5 points above national, signals professional tenant demand, but oversupply currently dilutes that advantage.
Development Activity
Total DAs
162
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-6.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
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.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
14.2%
Houses
22.6%
Townhouse
62.6%
Apartment
Tenure
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. The median house price was $418,100 in Q1 2025 and $1,455,000 in Q1 2026, though those are the only two price observations available.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,560
Rent / wk
$390
HH Size
1.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,056
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.9%
Unoccupied
149
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.8%
Couples, no children
967
Total families
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.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.7%
Part-time
25.8%
Participation
65.7%
Employed
1,051
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.6%
Postgraduate
16.0%
Born Overseas
34.2%
Dwellings
923
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.
Drive
76.3%
Public Transport
5.6%
Walk / Cycle
10.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
190
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
105.1
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
Is Bowden a good suburb to live in?
Bowden suits young professionals: the median age is 32, university qualifications reach 56.6% (26.5 points above national), and 10.6% walk or cycle to work. Trade-offs include a crime rate of 105.1 per 1,000 residents, a 13.9% vacancy rate, and no schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Bowden?
The median house price in Bowden was $1,455,000 in Q1 2026, up from $418,100 in Q1 2025. Weekly rent averages $390 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.1%.
What schools are in Bowden?
No schools are recorded within Bowden's 0.37 km2 suburb boundary. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 56.6% holding university qualifications, which is 26.5 percentage points above the national average.
Is Bowden safe?
Bowden recorded a crime rate of 105.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, which is elevated compared to most Adelaide suburbs. This pattern is common in high-density, high-turnover inner precincts. The suburb has 1,808 residents and a residential turnover rate of 47.8% annually.
Is Bowden good for property investment?
The 59.3% renter share provides a tenant pool, but the 13.9% vacancy rate is well above the balanced-market threshold of 3%. With a median house price of $1,455,000 and weekly rent of $390, gross yield is very low. The annual resident turnover of 47.8% adds reletting costs that compress net returns.
How is Bowden's population changing?
Bowden's population of 1,808 is spread across just 0.37 km2, giving a density of 4,882 residents per km2. The 47.8% annual turnover rate means nearly half of residents relocate each year. The young median age of 32 reflects consistent inflow of graduates and young professionals rather than long-stay family growth.
What languages are spoken in Bowden?
Around 34.2% of Bowden residents were born overseas, which is 12.6 percentage points above the national figure. Mandarin is the most common non-English language with 46 speakers, followed by Cantonese with 17. English, Irish, Chinese and Scottish ancestries are all in the top 5 ancestry groups.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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