Dover Gardens
The 1 square kilometre suburb holds 3,062 residents at a density of 3,064 per km2, with 79% of households unchanged address in the past five years. University qualifications reach 38.7%, which is 8.6 points above the national average, and Healthcare alone employs 25% of the local workforce, anchoring the economy to Flinders Medical Centre nearby.
Local council: Marion
Population
3,062
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,423/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
52
Median House
$1.1M
First quarter 2026
The stock is predominantly separate houses at 67.9%, with semi-detached dwellings at 30.9% and apartments at just 1.2%, giving buyers a realistic chance at a detached home. Three-bedroom properties dominate at 71.4% of all dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 28.1%, just below the 30% stress threshold, so purchase is stretched but manageable compared to many higher-income markets nationally.
For Buyers
The stock is predominantly separate houses at 67.9%, with semi-detached dwellings at 30.9% and apartments at just 1.2%, giving buyers a realistic chance at a detached home. Three-bedroom properties dominate at 71.4% of all dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 28.1%, just below the 30% stress threshold, so purchase is stretched but manageable compared to many higher-income markets nationally.
For Investors
A rental vacancy rate of 8.6% is elevated compared to the broader Adelaide market, signalling supply exceeds demand in the current rental pool. The 35.4% renter share provides a reasonable tenant base, and 43 development applications in the past 12 months show ongoing construction activity. Rent-to-income at 23.8% keeps existing tenants financially comfortable, which supports stable tenancy rather than churn, but investors should note that the high vacancy rate compresses effective yield further than the headline figure suggests.
Development Activity
Total DAs
246
Last 12 Months
52
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+57.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 39 is one year below the national figure, consistent with a mix of established families and younger households. Overseas-born residents reach 28.6%, which is 7.0 points above the national average, led by English-ancestry households (1,201 residents) alongside Scottish (281) and Irish (260) communities reflecting the suburb's British migration history. German ancestry adds 194 residents. The 38.7% university qualification rate runs 8.6 points above national. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national norm, and 79% of residents stayed at the same address over five years, indicating a stable, settled population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.9%
Houses
30.9%
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into 27.4% owned outright, 37.3% with a mortgage, and 35.4% renting. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners reflects an active buyer pool rather than a debt-free, long-held base. Separate houses at 67.9% and semi-detached at 30.9% offer genuine detached options at the median. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 71.4%. The mortgage-to-income ratio at 28.1% stays below the 30% stress level, though affordability is tighter than the 41.9th-percentile income position would suggest.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$339
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$728
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
122
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.2%
Couples with children
40.3%
Couples, no children
19.8%
Single parent
858
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 25.2% of employed residents (262 workers), a share that is unusually high compared to most suburbs nationally and reflects proximity to Flinders Medical Centre. Education follows at 11.8% (123 workers), then Construction at 7.9%, Public Administration at 7.6%, and Professional and Technical services at 7.5%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 367 workers, followed by Community and Personal Service at 256 and Clerical and Administrative at 196. The unemployment rate is 6.1%, above the national average, and the participation rate of 58.3% is moderate, partly because 910 residents are outside the labour force entirely.
Unemployment
5.8%
Labour Force
1,588
Unemployed
92
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.9%
Part-time
38.0%
Participation
61.9%
Employed
1,496
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.7%
Postgraduate
10.5%
Born Overseas
28.6%
Dwellings
1,296
Transport to Work
Transport is car-dependent: 85% of residents drive to work, while only 7.7% use public transport and 3% walk or cycle, higher car reliance than most inner-Adelaide suburbs. The crime rate is 30.4 offences per 1,000 residents (93 total), moderate by Adelaide standards. Rent-to-income at 23.8% and mortgage-to-income at 28.1% both sit below financial stress thresholds. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on adjacent suburbs. The volunteering rate of 14% and only 6.7% needing daily assistance indicate a stable, healthy community.
Drive
75.5%
Public Transport
6.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
11.2%
Growth Outlook
That pace sits above typical medium-density suburban growth and likely reflects broader southern Adelaide demand rather than suburb-specific supply compression, given the 8.6% rental vacancy rate. The 43 development applications lodged in the past 12 months include pool installations, verandahs, and new dwelling approvals, indicating steady renovation and infill activity rather than a large-scale greenfield pipeline. Long-term population stability, with 79% of residents staying put, limits the churn that typically drives rapid price escalation.
Population trend: Marion council area
Dover Gardens sits in the Marion council area. These are the council area's residents, not Dover Gardens's.
Residents 2025
101,229
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.2%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
93
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
30.4
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Dover Gardens compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Dover Gardens?
No schools are recorded within the Dover Gardens boundary in this dataset, so families depend on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well-educated, with university qualifications at 38.7%, which is 8.6 points above the national figure, suggesting families have strong access to education networks in the broader area.
Is Dover Gardens safe?
The recorded crime rate is 30.4 offences per 1,000 residents, based on 93 total offences. Detailed crime category breakdowns are not available in this dataset. As a broader indicator, only 6.7% of the 3,062 residents require daily assistance, and the high residential stability (79% stayed over 5 years) is typically associated with lower crime areas.
How is Dover Gardens's population changing?
Dover Gardens has a population of 3,062 with high residential stability: 79% of residents remained at the same address over five years, compared to lower retention in higher-turnover suburbs. The 21% turnover rate is moderate. The median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure, and 28.6% of residents were born overseas, which is 7.0 points above the national average.
How much development is happening in Dover Gardens?
There were 43 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including verandahs, pool installations, and new dwelling approvals. Recent applications include performance-assessed works such as fiberglass pool installation and two single-storey detached dwellings. This level of activity reflects steady infill and renovation investment rather than a large-scale development 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).
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