Bridgewater
The suburb has 3,719 residents, a median age of 40 and household income at the 76.4th percentile. Its housing is overwhelmingly detached, with 98.7% separate houses and only 0.2% apartments. For buyers comparing Bridgewater with nearby Aldgate or Stirling, the suburb's strongest distinction is its conventional family-home mix, while 46.7% university attainment supports a professional resident base.
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
Median House
$1.1M
First quarter 2026
Housing choice is concentrated in 3-bedroom homes at 51.0% and 4-bedroom-plus homes at 32.9%, while 98.7% of dwellings are separate houses. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,733 monthly, with mortgage costs at 19.6% of household income, below a typical stress threshold, which supports borrowing capacity for established households.
For Buyers
Housing choice is concentrated in 3-bedroom homes at 51.0% and 4-bedroom-plus homes at 32.9%, while 98.7% of dwellings are separate houses. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,733 monthly, with mortgage costs at 19.6% of household income, below a typical stress threshold, which supports borrowing capacity for established households.
For Investors
Bridgewater offers a low-rental-share investment profile, with 10.4% of households renting compared with 35.1% owning outright and 53.4% paying a mortgage. The weekly rent is $400 and vacancy is 5.6%, indicating more rental availability than a highly constrained market, although the small renter base can limit depth of tenant demand. Development activity is notable at 34 applications over 12 months, including a residential conversion and a single detached dwelling, which may gradually add housing choice. Balanced migration and a 0.95% annual growth trend provide a steadier outlook than a high-turnover market, while rent growth of 63.4% points to stronger recent rental pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
220
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-26.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bridgewater
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Bridgewater Primary School
Demographics
Bridgewater has a median age of 40, exactly in line with the national comparison, but its education profile is notably stronger: 46.7% hold university qualifications, 16.6 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 16.0%, which is 5.6 points below the national comparison, helping explain the suburb's Anglo-leaning ancestry profile. English ancestry numbers 1,871, followed by Scottish at 480, German at 454 and Irish at 428. No religion is recorded for 2,317 residents, compared with 1,102 identifying with Christianity. Household size is 2.6 people, 0.1 above the national comparison, and 84.8% stayed at the same address, indicating relatively settled residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.7%
Houses
1.1%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Bridgewater's housing market is dominated by established family dwellings rather than apartments, with 98.7% separate houses, 1.1% semi-detached homes and 0.2% apartments. Ownership is concentrated among mortgage holders at 53.4%, while 35.1% own outright and 10.4% rent. Bedroom supply reflects the family focus: 51.0% have 3 bedrooms and 32.9% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs equal 19.6% of household income, below a stress position, although worsening affordability from 40.3% in 2011 to 48.2% in 2021 shows that access has become harder.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
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
47.7%
Couples with children
36.5%
Couples, no children
15.2%
Single parent
1,048
Total families
Economy & Employment
Bridgewater has a professional and service-oriented employment base. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 20.2% with 311 workers, higher than Education at 15.0% and Construction at 6.9%; Professional and Technical services contribute 11.9%, while Public Administration accounts for 10.2%. The occupation mix supports this pattern, led by 690 Professionals, 287 Managers and 259 Trades workers. Labour-force participation is 70.7%, compared with an unemployment rate of 3.4%, and 1,105 workers are employed full-time versus 775 part-time. Household income sits at the 76.4th percentile, above the midpoint, because professional, management and public-sector employment lift earning capacity across many households.
Unemployment
3.4%
Labour Force
2,055
Unemployed
70
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.7%
Part-time
39.0%
Participation
70.7%
Employed
1,985
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.7%
Postgraduate
12.0%
Born Overseas
16.0%
Dwellings
1,398
Transport to Work
Bridgewater is practical for households that rely on cars: 72.0% travel as a car driver, well above the 4.7% using public transport, while only 1.4% walk or cycle to work. Working from home accounts for 17.8%, which adds flexibility where commuting is less frequent. There is 1 local government primary school, so families should check enrolment zones and secondary-school access against the exact address because school catchments can cross suburb boundaries. Recorded crime is 58 incidents, or 15.6 per 1,000 residents, supporting a low-crime profile. Compared with public transport use, car dependence is substantially higher, so daily convenience is strongest for households with reliable vehicle access.
Drive
72.0%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
17.8%
Population Forecast
+0.95%/yr
(+83 people/yr)
EstablishedBridgewater is an established suburb with a positive annual growth trend of 0.95%, while the primary migration driver is labelled Balanced. Population change across the wider area runs at 8.8% over 10 years, indicating gradual expansion rather than a sharp development surge. The longer-term trajectory is Aging, supported by a 4.6 percentage-point increase in the senior share and a 3.1-point decline in the young share. Gentrification is assessed at an Early signs stage with a score of 20, so change is emerging but remains less advanced than an actively transformed market. Growth is therefore more likely to come from steady household turnover, selective development and ageing in place than from rapid population replacement.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+3
Net Internal / yr
+34
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +15% since 2011, Accelerating: -3% → 19%
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 can suit households wanting detached homes, professional employment links and a settled community. It has 98.7% separate houses, 17.8% working from home and a crime rate of 15.6 per 1,000 residents. Compared with a denser suburb, car dependence is higher because 72.0% drive to work.
What schools are in Bridgewater?
Bridgewater has 1 local school, a government primary school. That provides nearby primary access, but families should check secondary options and enrolment zones against the exact address. Compared with suburbs containing several school sectors, in-suburb choice is narrower, so travel planning may be more important.
Is Bridgewater safe?
Bridgewater recorded 58 incidents, equivalent to 15.6 crimes per 1,000 residents. That supports a low-crime profile, although conditions can vary by street and offence type. Buyers and renters should still review the latest local information, especially when comparing individual properties.
Is Bridgewater good for property investment?
Bridgewater may suit investors seeking an established detached-home market, with a $400 weekly rent, 5.6% vacancy rate and 34 development applications over 12 months. However, only 10.4% of households rent, which is lower than the share paying mortgages at 53.4%, so tenant demand may be shallower than in a high-rental suburb.
How is Bridgewater's population changing?
Bridgewater has 3,719 residents today, with population change across the wider area running at 8.8% over 10 years. The annual growth trend is 0.95% and migration is Balanced. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.6 points and the young share down 3.1 points.
What development is occurring in Bridgewater?
There were 34 development applications in the past 12 months. Examples include a change from office space to residential use, a retaining-wall application and a single detached dwelling. Compared with a suburb experiencing large-scale construction, this points to smaller, incremental additions rather than a major housing release.
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), SA Department for Housing and Urban Development (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Bridgewater on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map