Bridgewater
With household income sitting at the 76.4th percentile nationally and university qualifications at 46.7%, which is 16.6 percentage points above the national average, Bridgewater draws a notably educated, higher-earning resident base into the Adelaide Hills. The suburb's 3,719 residents live almost entirely in detached houses (98.7%), and only 10.5% rent, one of the lowest renter shares found anywhere in metropolitan SA. The median house price reached $1,072,500 in the first quarter of 2026, up 8.4% in a single year, placing ownership well above what mortgage stress thresholds would suggest for typical buyers.
Population
3,719
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,042/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
The median house price rose from $989,500 in 1Q 2025 to $1,072,500 in 1Q 2026, an 8.4% gain that outpaces most SA markets over the same period. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 19.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite the above-median household incomes. Stock is almost exclusively detached houses at 98.7%, with 3-bedroom homes the most common at 51% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes at 32.9%, giving families genuine choice. Outright owners at 35.5% outnumber renters nearly 3 to 1, which signals a stable, long-tenure community where turnover runs at just 15.2% annually.
For Buyers
The median house price rose from $989,500 in 1Q 2025 to $1,072,500 in 1Q 2026, an 8.4% gain that outpaces most SA markets over the same period. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 19.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite the above-median household incomes. Stock is almost exclusively detached houses at 98.7%, with 3-bedroom homes the most common at 51% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes at 32.9%, giving families genuine choice. Outright owners at 35.5% outnumber renters nearly 3 to 1, which signals a stable, long-tenure community where turnover runs at just 15.2% annually.
For Investors
A 10.5% renter share is thin compared to most investment suburbs, and the weekly rent of $400 against a $1,072,500 median produces a gross yield near 1.9%, below average for SA. The vacancy rate of 5.6% suggests rental demand is soft relative to available supply, a caution for landlords. On the upside, house prices rose 8.4% year-on-year to 1Q 2026, and 31 development applications lodged in the past 12 months confirm the suburb is actively improving. The low renter proportion and high owner-occupier stability mean capital preservation is the stronger investment case here than rental income.
Development Activity
Total DAs
210
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-17.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bridgewater iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Bridgewater Primary School
R-6 · 197 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure, meaning Bridgewater avoids the rapid aging seen in many outer Hills suburbs. University qualifications reach 46.7%, which is 16.6 percentage points above the national average, placing the suburb among SA's most educated communities. Overseas-born residents are at 16%, which is 5.6 points below national, and ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (1,871), Scottish (480), German (454) and Irish (428) dominate. The average household size of 2.6 is slightly above the national figure of 2.5, consistent with the strong family presence, and 84.8% of residents stayed in the same address over the survey period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.7%
Houses
1.1%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tells a story of established wealth: 35.5% own outright, 54% carry a mortgage and only 10.5% rent, a split that is sharply skewed toward owners compared to state and national norms. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 98.7%, with semi-detached at 1.1% and apartments at just 0.2%. Bedroom sizes skew large, with 51% of dwellings at 3 bedrooms and 32.9% at 4 or more, reflecting the family-oriented character. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.6% sits well below the 30% stress threshold, and rent-to-income is also 19.6%, keeping both owners and renters in comfortable territory despite the $1,072,500 median price.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$962
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
83
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.6%
Couples, no children
3,099
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 20.2% of workers (311 people), followed by Education at 15% (231) and Professional/Tech at 11.9% (184), a pattern typical of higher-income Hills suburbs that source residents who commute to Adelaide's knowledge economy. By occupation, Professionals account for 690 workers and Managers for 287, together making up the dominant occupational share. Unemployment sits at 3.6%, which is low compared to the SA average, and the full-time employment rate reaches 58.8%. The participation rate of 67.1% is solid. Housing stress is absent on both measures, with mortgage and rent both at 19.6% of income, below the 30% threshold.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.8%
Part-time
37.6%
Participation
67.1%
Employed
1,880
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.7%
Postgraduate
12.0%
Born Overseas
16.0%
Dwellings
1,398
Transport to Work
Bridgewater is heavily car-dependent: 87.7% of residents drive to work, and only 5.7% use public transport, reflecting its Hills location away from Adelaide's rail and bus corridors. Crime sits at 15.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, which is low and consistent with the suburb's low-crime identity signal. The volunteering rate of 26.6% is notably high compared to most metropolitan suburbs, pointing to a cohesive community with active local participation. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas. Housing stress is absent on both rent and mortgage measures, with rent-to-income at 19.6% well below the 30% threshold.
Drive
87.7%
Public Transport
5.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
58
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
15.6
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bridgewater compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bridgewater a good suburb to live in?
Bridgewater offers household income in the 76.4th percentile nationally, a low crime rate of 15.6 per 1,000 residents, and a volunteering rate of 26.6%. University qualifications reach 46.7%, which is 16.6 points above national. The main trade-off is car dependence, with 87.7% of residents driving to work and only 5.7% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Bridgewater?
The median house price is $1,072,500 as of 1Q 2026, up 8.4% from $989,500 in 1Q 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, with the mortgage-to-income ratio at 19.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $400.
What schools are in Bridgewater?
No schools are recorded inside the Bridgewater boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Adelaide Hills suburbs. Despite the lack of local schools, the resident population is highly educated, with 46.7% holding university qualifications, which is 16.6 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Bridgewater safe?
Bridgewater records a crime rate of 15.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, which is low and supports the suburb's low-crime-rate identity classification. With only 58 total incidents recorded, the suburb compares favourably against broader SA metropolitan areas. The high owner-occupier rate of 89.5% also correlates with lower transient crime risk.
Is Bridgewater good for property investment?
House prices rose 8.4% year-on-year to $1,072,500 by 1Q 2026, which is a strong capital growth figure compared to the broader SA market. However, weekly rent of $400 against that price implies a gross yield near 1.9%, which is below average. The 5.6% vacancy rate and 10.5% renter share limit the rental income case, making this more suited to capital preservation than yield.
How is Bridgewater's population changing?
Bridgewater's current population is 3,719. Community stability is high, with 84.8% of residents remaining at the same address and turnover at 15.2%, lower than most SA metropolitan suburbs. Development activity of 31 applications in 12 months is largely driven by improvements to existing homes rather than new supply, reflecting a constrained, established suburb.
How much development is happening in Bridgewater?
There were 31 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including a second-storey dwelling addition, verandah builds and repairs following storm damage. Most activity is improvement-focused rather than new residential supply, consistent with an established Hills suburb at a density of 541 residents per square kilometre.
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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