Colonel Light Gardens
Household income is at the 92.2nd percentile, and 50.7% of residents hold a university qualification, 20.6 percentage points above the national comparison. The suburb's 91.2% separate-house share and 87.5% resident-stay rate support an established, owner-oriented profile. Compared with nearby Daw Park and Cumberland Park, its identity is especially tied to larger detached homes and long-held households, while its crime rate of 19.9 incidents per 1,000 supports a lower-crime reputation.
Population
3,311
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,491/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
38
Median House
$1.8M
First quarter 2026
The housing stock is strongly detached, with 91.2% separate houses, while 48.8% contain 3 bedrooms and 36.8% have 4 or more. That mix suits households seeking established family space but limits entry-level choice compared with suburbs with more apartments. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,173 and mortgage costs equal to 20.1% of household income indicate manageable reported stress, although buyers still need a substantial deposit. The 45.6% mortgage tenure share shows many owners are still paying down loans.
For Buyers
The housing stock is strongly detached, with 91.2% separate houses, while 48.8% contain 3 bedrooms and 36.8% have 4 or more. That mix suits households seeking established family space but limits entry-level choice compared with suburbs with more apartments. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,173 and mortgage costs equal to 20.1% of household income indicate manageable reported stress, although buyers still need a substantial deposit. The 45.6% mortgage tenure share shows many owners are still paying down loans.
For Investors
Investment conditions are shaped by scarcity rather than a deep rental pool. Only 11.7% of occupied dwellings are rented, the weekly median rent is $400, and vacancy is 3.6%, so tenant demand may be less predictable than in a renter-heavy suburb. Thirty-seven development applications in 12 months point to ongoing owner upgrades, including solar and dwelling works, rather than a large apartment pipeline. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, which can support demand compared with an area losing residents.
Development Activity
Total DAs
224
Last 12 Months
38
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+11.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Colonel Light Gardens
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Colonel Light Gardens Primary School
Demographics
Colonel Light Gardens has an older, highly educated profile: the median age is 42, which is 2.0 years above the national comparison, while university attainment is 50.7%, or 20.6 percentage points higher. Overseas-born residents account for 14.5%, 7.1 points below the national comparison, consistent with an Anglo-leaning ancestry pattern led by English at 1,493 people, followed by Scottish at 379 and Irish at 369. Average household size is 2.8, 0.3 above the national figure, with couples with children making up 55.3% of families. An 87.5% stay rate and 12.5% turnover help explain the suburb's settled character compared with more mobile neighbouring areas.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.2%
Houses
5.0%
Townhouse
3.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly low-density and owner-held. Separate houses account for 91.2% of dwellings, compared with 3.0% apartments and 5.0% semi-detached homes. Ownership is split between 41.6% outright owners and 45.6% mortgagors, while renting is only 11.7%, creating a much stronger ownership profile than a renter-led suburb. Three-bedroom homes represent 48.8% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 36.8%, reinforcing family-oriented demand.
Mortgage / mo
$2,173
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,042
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.6%
Unoccupied
43
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
55.3%
Couples with children
33.5%
Couples, no children
10.3%
Single parent
965
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and public-facing employment underpins the local economy. Healthcare is the largest industry at 20.7% with 277 workers, followed by Education at 15.1% and 202, Professional/Tech at 12.2% and 164, Public Administration at 9.9% and 133, and Construction at 7.8% and 105. Professionals number 622 and managers 318, helping explain household income at the 92.2nd percentile. The labour force totals 1,908, participation is 72.4% and unemployment is 3.6%, a stronger employment profile than a high-unemployment area. SEIFA records decile 8 for education and occupation, decile 7 for economic resources, and decile 8 for relative disadvantage. The one-decile gap suggests strong skills do not translate into uniformly top-decile resources.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
1,908
Unemployed
68
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.5%
Part-time
39.3%
Participation
72.4%
Employed
1,840
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.7%
Postgraduate
12.7%
Born Overseas
14.5%
Dwellings
1,158
Transport to Work
Daily life is practical but car-oriented. Car drivers account for 69.5% of journeys, compared with 4.9% using public transport and 4.6% walking or cycling; another 16.0% work from home. Colonel Light Gardens has 1 local government primary school, so families should check enrolment zones and secondary options against the exact address rather than assume suburb boundaries. The crime rate is 19.9 incidents per 1,000 residents, supporting a lower-crime profile than a high-incident area. IRSAD is in decile 8 and 4.0% report needing assistance, while the density of 2,138.3 people per square kilometre helps keep everyday services relatively close.
Drive
69.5%
Public Transport
4.9%
Walk / Cycle
4.6%
Work from Home
16.0%
Population Forecast
+1.51%/yr
(+160 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is positive but shaped by an aging trajectory. The annual trend is 1.51% above zero, and internal migration is the primary driver, suggesting demand is being refreshed by people moving within the broader area. Population change across the wider area is 20.7% over 10 years, while senior share is up 3.4% and working share is down 3.1%, so expansion is occurring alongside demographic ageing. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 24. Rent growth of 30.0% and a stable affordability trend point to rising pressure compared with a flat-growth setting, although the suburb remains established rather than redevelopment-led.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+18
Net Internal / yr
+110
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +29% since 2011, Net internal migration +110/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
66
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
19.9
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Colonel Light Gardens compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Colonel Light Gardens a good suburb to live in?
Yes, for buyers who value established detached housing, strong incomes and a quieter setting. The median age is 42, 91.2% of dwellings are separate houses, and the crime rate is 19.9 incidents per 1,000. Car use is high at 69.5% compared with public transport at 4.9%.
What schools are in Colonel Light Gardens?
Colonel Light Gardens Primary School is the local government primary option, giving the suburb 1 named school. Families should check the exact enrolment zone and nearby secondary choices before buying, as access can differ across neighbouring suburbs and school boundaries.
Is Colonel Light Gardens safe?
Colonel Light Gardens recorded 66 reported crimes and a rate of 19.9 incidents per 1,000 residents. That is consistent with a lower-crime profile than a high-incident area, but safety can vary by street, time and incident type, so buyers should inspect the immediate address.
Is Colonel Light Gardens good for property investment?
It can suit a long-term investor, but the entry price is high. Median rent is $400 a week, vacancy is 3.6%, renting is only 11.7%, and 37 development applications were recorded in 12 months. The rental share is lower than in a renter-heavy suburb, so model yield and holding costs carefully.
How is Colonel Light Gardens's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 20.7% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 1.51% driven primarily by internal migration. The suburb is also on an aging trajectory, with senior share up 3.4% and working share down 3.1%, so growth may favour established households compared with a younger area.
Is there much development in Colonel Light Gardens?
Development activity is present but appears focused on established homes. There were 37 applications in 12 months, with recent examples including a dwelling addition, re-roofing and 8 extra solar panels with a battery. This points to incremental upgrades rather than a clearly large redevelopment pipeline.
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.
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