Gilles Plains
At 2,331.8 people per sq km, Gilles Plains is a compact Adelaide suburb where 44.1% of residents were born overseas and 42.7% have a university qualification, both above national levels by 22.5 and 12.6 percentage points. The 4,101-person community is younger than the national profile, with a median age of 36, and its 77.6% separate-house share points to a detached-home market. Compared with nearby Holden Hill and Hillcrest, the suburb combines established family housing with pronounced cultural diversity. The trade-off is a crime rate of 98.0 per 1,000, so street-level checks matter alongside its car-oriented access to the wider northern Adelaide area.
Population
4,101
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,446/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
34
Median House
$915K
First quarter 2026
That pace matters because a buyer entering after the latest lift faces a higher starting point, even though the mortgage-to-income ratio is 24.5% and is not flagged as stressed. The housing mix suits households wanting land and conventional layouts: 77.6% are separate houses, while 64.1% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms and 18.9% have 4 or more. Compared with apartment-heavier locations, the 77.6% separate-house share makes Gilles Plains more relevant to detached-home buyers. Renters comprise 40.9% of households and weekly rent is $295, so buyers should test repayments, renovation costs and insurance before committing.
For Buyers
That pace matters because a buyer entering after the latest lift faces a higher starting point, even though the mortgage-to-income ratio is 24.5% and is not flagged as stressed. The housing mix suits households wanting land and conventional layouts: 77.6% are separate houses, while 64.1% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms and 18.9% have 4 or more. Compared with apartment-heavier locations, the 77.6% separate-house share makes Gilles Plains more relevant to detached-home buyers. Renters comprise 40.9% of households and weekly rent is $295, so buyers should test repayments, renovation costs and insurance before committing.
For Investors
Investors get a substantial tenant base, with 40.9% of households renting, weekly rent at $295 and vacancy at 4.7%. Demand is supported by a 4,101-person suburb and overseas migration as the primary growth driver, which can sustain rental turnover because new arrivals often need housing before buying. Gilles Plains has had 34 development applications in 12 months, indicating ongoing property activity, although the examples include non-dwelling works. Compared with lower-priced northern suburbs, investors should weigh the entry cost against 28.0% rent growth and the 16.0% one-year price increase.
Development Activity
Total DAs
198
Last 12 Months
34
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+13.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Gilles Plains
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Wandana Primary School
Demographics
Gilles Plains has a median age of 36, which is 4 years below the national figure, while university-qualified residents reach 42.7%, 12.6 percentage points above national. The overseas-born share is 44.1%, 22.5 points higher than national, and Punjabi, Guj, Mandarin, Bengali and Hindi are among the main home languages, with counts of 112, 77, 60, 46 and 46. Household size averages 2.6 people, 0.1 above national, and families with children account for 47.0% of households, compared with 33.0% couples without children. English, Indian and Italian ancestry counts are 922, 370 and 244. Compared with nearby Hillcrest and Holden Hill, Gilles Plains has a more pronounced migrant profile, which helps explain demand for family homes and community services.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.6%
Houses
9.1%
Townhouse
13.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing profile is detached and family-oriented: 77.6% separate houses, 13.3% apartments and 9.1% semi-detached dwellings. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 64.1%, followed by 4-plus-bedroom stock at 18.9%, so the suburb is more suited to conventional family demand than a small-unit market. Tenure is split between 21.1% owned outright, 37.6% mortgaged and 40.9% rented, a pattern that can support both resale and rental activity because no single tenure group dominates. Compared with nearby Holden Hill and Hillcrest, Gilles Plains should be assessed street by street because compact blocks, renovations and subdivision potential can vary. Average household income is $1,446 weekly and the household income percentile is 43.8, making affordability more constrained than the family-home mix may imply.
Mortgage / mo
$1,536
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$295
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$678
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.7%
Unoccupied
74
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.0%
Couples with children
33.0%
Couples, no children
18.0%
Single parent
1,069
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the standout local employment industry at 22.6% and 301 workers, followed by Public Administration at 9.5% and 126, Education at 8.6% and 114, Professional and Technical services at 7.7% and 103, and Retail at 7.6% and 101. This mix gives Gilles Plains exposure to essential services, while occupations include 384 Professionals, 303 Community and Personal workers, 250 Clerical and Administrative workers, 247 Trades workers and 212 Labourers. The labour-force participation rate is 60.1%, unemployment is 6.5% and full-time work is 57.8%, so employment conditions are mixed rather than uniformly strong. Household income sits at $1,446 per week, around the 43.8th percentile, below the midpoint nationally. SEIFA places the suburb in decile 4 for IRSAD and IRSD, with IEO decile 5 and IER decile 4, indicating conditions below higher-ranked areas despite its professional and public-service base.
Unemployment
6.5%
Labour Force
1,997
Unemployed
129
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.8%
Part-time
36.9%
Participation
60.1%
Employed
1,868
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.7%
Postgraduate
13.7%
Born Overseas
44.1%
Dwellings
1,511
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 73.9% travel as car drivers, compared with 9.8% using public transport, while 9.2% work from home and 1.8% walk or cycle. That pattern makes parking and direct road access more important than relying on transit, especially for households travelling beyond the suburb. Wandana Primary School provides 1 identified local government primary option; families should check enrolment zones and secondary choices against the exact address because school boundaries cross nearby suburbs. Safety needs active checking, with 402 recorded offences and a crime rate of 98.0 per 1,000, a higher concern than in lower-crime locations. SEIFA places Gilles Plains in IRSAD decile 4 and IRSD decile 4, while 328 residents, or 8.4%, need assistance. Compared with higher-decile suburbs, livability depends more on selecting the right street and matching transport needs.
Drive
73.9%
Public Transport
9.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
9.2%
Population Forecast
+0.86%/yr
(+94 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth runs at 0.86% a year across the wider area, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change over 10 years is 12.7%, while the forecast shift is labelled Mixed, reflecting a suburb where established housing and changing household composition pull in different directions. Gentrification is still at the Early signs stage, with a score of 20, and the shift model records a score of 33 for the same stage. That combination suggests gradual change rather than a completed price or demographic reset, because detached stock remains dominant and the suburb is already established. Rent growth of 28.0%, real-income growth of 15.2% and a senior-share increase of 2.2% add context, while affordability improved from 51.3 in 2011 to 46.4 in 2021. Compared with a high-growth release area, Gilles Plains is likely to feel steadier and more incremental.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+142
Net Internal / yr
-87
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +14% since 2011, Accelerating: 3% → 11%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
402
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
98.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gilles Plains compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gilles Plains a good suburb to live in?
Gilles Plains can suit buyers wanting established detached housing, with 77.6% separate houses and 64.1% three-bedroom stock. The trade-offs are a 98.0 per 1,000 crime rate and car-oriented travel, with 73.9% driving. Compared with higher-decile or better-connected suburbs, street selection and daily destinations matter more.
What schools are in Gilles Plains?
Gilles Plains has 1 identified local school, Wandana Primary School, a government primary campus. It is sensible to check enrolment zones, secondary options and travel times for the exact address, because school access can differ across nearby suburbs and the local transport split is 73.9% car travel versus 9.8% public transport.
Is Gilles Plains safe?
Safety deserves a closer street-level check: Gilles Plains records 402 offences and a rate of 98.0 offences per 1,000 residents. That is a higher risk signal than a lower-crime setting, so inspect recent incident patterns, lighting and routes at different times. The issue should be weighed against 9.8% public transport use and 73.9% car-driver travel.
How is Gilles Plains's population changing?
The wider area has a forecast annual growth rate of 0.86%, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change over 10 years is 12.7%, and the trajectory is labelled Mixed. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage with a score of 20, so change is more gradual than a rapid redevelopment cycle. Rent growth of 28.0% points to evolving demand.
What languages are spoken in Gilles Plains?
Gilles Plains has 44.1% of residents born overseas, above the national share by 22.5 percentage points. Punjabi is spoken by 112 people, Guj by 77, Mandarin by 60, and Bengali and Hindi by 46 each. English, Indian and Italian ancestry counts are 922, 370 and 244, making language and cultural services relevant compared with less migrant-oriented areas.
What development is occurring in Gilles Plains?
Gilles Plains has had 34 development applications over 12 months, including a 1-into-2 land division, a carport and an outbuilding linked to an educational facility. The activity indicates ongoing change, but it does not mean 34 new dwellings because the examples include alterations and non-residential works. Compared with a major release area, change is more likely to come through incremental infill and upgrades.
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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