Cowandilla
At 0.53 square kilometres with 1,455 residents, Cowandilla packs a density of 2,769 people per km2 into a suburb where 76.3% of dwellings are separate houses, a high detached-house share for that density. University qualifications stand at 46.3% of residents, which is 16.2 percentage points above the national average. Overseas-born residents make up 37.4%, which is 15.8 points above national, reflecting a cosmopolitan profile well above the typical SA suburb.
Local council: West Torrens
Population
1,455
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,310/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Median House
$965K
First quarter 2026
Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.3% of stock and two-bedroom dwellings account for 31.0%, so competition concentrates in the mid-range. Separate houses represent 76.3% of all dwellings, limiting the apartment alternatives buyers might use to enter at lower prices. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 against a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%, which crosses the standard stress threshold. With 42.1% of residents renting and outright ownership at 28.5%, the suburb sits in a middle tenure band compared to more owner-dominated Adelaide inner suburbs.
For Buyers
Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.3% of stock and two-bedroom dwellings account for 31.0%, so competition concentrates in the mid-range. Separate houses represent 76.3% of all dwellings, limiting the apartment alternatives buyers might use to enter at lower prices. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 against a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%, which crosses the standard stress threshold. With 42.1% of residents renting and outright ownership at 28.5%, the suburb sits in a middle tenure band compared to more owner-dominated Adelaide inner suburbs.
For Investors
A 42.1% renter share is a strong demand signal, sitting well above the typical SA owner-occupier market. The 8.5% vacancy rate indicates some softness in the rental supply balance, higher than the 3-4% benchmark typically associated with landlord-favourable conditions. Seven development applications were lodged in the 12 months to early 2026, including a four-group-dwelling project, suggesting incremental supply growth. The 6.9% annual price gain shows buyers are willing to compete, which supports capital growth as the primary investment thesis over rental yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
71
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-53.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cowandilla
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Cowandilla Primary School
Demographics
The median age of 41 matches the national median closely, registering just 1.0 year above national. Overseas-born residents reach 37.4%, which is 15.8 percentage points above the national figure, placing Cowandilla among the more internationally connected SA suburbs. English ancestry leads at 348 residents, followed by Greek at 170, giving the suburb a notable Mediterranean thread reflected in Greek being the most spoken non-English language with 67 speakers. University qualifications at 46.3% run 16.2 points above the national average, consistent with the suburb's proximity to Adelaide's professional corridor. Average household size of 2.3 sits 0.2 below national, aligned with the 25.6% couples-without-children share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.3%
Houses
11.2%
Townhouse
12.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split across three groups: 29.5% carry a mortgage, 28.5% own outright, and 42.1% rent, a renter-heavy balance compared to the broader SA average. The stock is 76.3% separate houses, with apartments at 12.5% and semi-detached at 11.2%. Three-bedroom homes account for 49.3% and two-bedroom homes for 31.0%, so the majority of supply falls in family-sized ranges. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%, crossing the stress line, while rent-to-income at 22.9% keeps tenants below the 30% affordability threshold.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$300
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$589
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
50
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.2%
Couples with children
36.4%
Couples, no children
19.8%
Single parent
313
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local industry base at 25.6% of employed residents, nearly double the next sectors of Professional/Tech at 9.4% and Retail at 9.0%. Construction accounts for 8.1% and Education 7.9%, creating a balanced spread between service and trade employment. By occupation, Professionals lead at 178 workers, followed by Community/Personal service at 94 and Clerical/Admin at 75. The full-time employment rate is 55.9% and unemployment sits at 5.8%, above the SA benchmark. Weekly personal income of $589 and household income percentile at 31.3 nationally indicate a lower-middle income profile, which partly explains why mortgage stress at 30.6% becomes acute even at SA-level prices rather than Sydney or Melbourne extremes.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
691
Unemployed
38
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.1%
Part-time
42.0%
Participation
54.1%
Employed
653
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.3%
Postgraduate
11.5%
Born Overseas
37.4%
Dwellings
527
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 76.7% of commuters driving, though 10.9% use public transport and 6.6% walk or cycle, the latter above many comparable SA suburbs. Crime totals 82 reported incidents at a rate of 56.4 per 1,000 residents, a figure that warrants comparison with broader SA averages when making safety assessments. Volunteering at 13.1% indicates reasonable community participation. The need-for-assistance rate of 16.9% (233 residents) is notable for a suburb of 1,455 people and warrants attention for service planning. Rent-to-income at 22.9% keeps renters below the stress threshold, and the 0.53 km2 footprint means most daily amenities are within a short distance.
Drive
69.4%
Public Transport
9.8%
Walk / Cycle
6.0%
Work from Home
9.5%
Growth Outlook
The median house price grew 6.9% over the year to 1Q 2026, a meaningful gain in the context of Adelaide's broader price rises. Development activity at 7 applications over 12 months is modest for the suburb's size, but the sample includes a four-group-dwelling project that signals incremental densification. Residential turnover sits at 23.5%, meaning about one in four dwellings changed hands or occupants in the reference period, higher than the 76.5% who stayed. No population forecast data is available for this suburb, but the detached-dominant stock with a growing proportion of group-dwelling applications suggests gradual infill rather than large-scale redevelopment. The overseas-born share of 37.4% above national points to migration as a continuing demand driver.
Population trend: West Torrens council area
Cowandilla sits in the West Torrens council area. These are the council area's residents, not Cowandilla's.
Residents 2025
66,547
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.9%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
82
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
56.4
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cowandilla compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Cowandilla?
With a population of 1,455 and an area of just 0.53 km2, families in the area rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Local university qualification rates reach 46.3%, which is 16.2 percentage points above the national average.
Is Cowandilla safe?
Cowandilla recorded 82 crime incidents at a rate of 56.4 per 1,000 residents. Comparable SA suburban rates vary widely, so this figure is best assessed against the specific LGA benchmark. The volunteering rate of 13.1% and a need-for-assistance rate of 16.9% give additional context about community welfare across the suburb's 1,455 residents.
How is Cowandilla's population changing?
Cowandilla has a population of 1,455 with a residential turnover rate of 23.5%, meaning roughly one in four households changed in the reference period. The overseas-born share of 37.4% is 15.8 points above national, suggesting migration continues to contribute to demand. No formal population growth forecast is available for this suburb.
What languages are spoken in Cowandilla?
With 37.4% of residents born overseas, which is 15.8 percentage points above the national figure, Cowandilla has an internationally diverse population. Greek is the most spoken non-English language at 67 speakers, followed by Punjabi at 27 and Arabic at 19, reflecting a mix of European and South Asian communities among its 1,455 residents.
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).
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