suburb.guide

SA · Charles Sturt Council

Bowden, SA, 5007

Current weather

12.5°CThunderstorm

78% humidity · 29.9 km/h wind · 13.7° / 11.7° today · 27.7 mm rain

Desirability index

44.4/100

#184 among Metro Adelaide suburbs

How this score is calculated

Suburb snapshot

Bowden is a small locality in the Charles Sturt area, home to around 1,808 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show reported crime totals of around 190 offences in 2024–25 (Jul–Jun), roughly 105.1 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $610, median house prices near $1,455,000 (up 2% recently), limited but present public transport access, a higher concentration of local shops, services, and recreation amenities, and notable planning and development activity on record. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.

Population

Population
1,808
Median age
32
Median household income / week
$1,628
Dwelling vacancy
13.9%
Unoccupied private dwellings
149 of 1,075
Median monthly mortgage
$1,560
Employment rate
66.5%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
65 / 209 / 578

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Housing

Flats / units (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$610
Houses (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$620
All types (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$610
Rental bonds lodged (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
75
Median house price (Q1 2026)
$1,455,000
Median price change
+2.4800287012676394%

Median weekly rent from SA Housing Authority rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.

Data sources & freshness

  • SA Housing Authority rent & sales reports — Government of South Australia · Period: 1 January - 31 March 2026; 1Q 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases

Crime & safety

Total offences (2024–25)
190
Against the person
26
Against property
164
Rate per 1,000 residents
105.1
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 70 residents
State safety percentile
86th (lower crime is better)
Family & domestic abuse offences
94
Year-on-year change
0%

Most common offence types

  • Other Property Damage And Environmental32
  • Other Theft53
  • Sct - Non Residence8
  • Serious Assault Not Resulting In Injury13
  • Theft From Motor Vehicle29

Data sources & freshness

  • SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · Period: 2024-25; 2024-25 → 2024-25 · Updated on site · Financial-year releases

Public transport

4 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Bowden Railway Station
  • Bowden Railway Station
  • Stop 9 Hawker St - North side
  • Stop 9 Hawker St - South side

Data sources & freshness

Planning & development

Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.

151 planning-related records

2026· 10 proposals

  • May 2026

  • Rooftop Verandah
    28 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Community Strata creating two lots from 3
    12 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;14 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;16 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made

  • April 2026

  • Fitout of Level 3 - administration offices. New desks and office partitioning.
    LOT 6003 SECOND ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Verandah
    12 GETHING CR BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment

  • March 2026

  • Internal fitout of consulting rooms on L3
    LOT 6003 SECOND ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Change in land use from retail second-hand vehicle sales to a store, to be used as a builder’s depot, including an addition to the rear of the existing building with a proposed wall height of 4.2 metres on either side boundary, and an upgrade to the front facade.
    10 GETHING CR BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment
  • Verandah to roof top terrace
    16 THIRD ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made

  • February 2026

  • Land division creating nine allotments and eight three storey detached dwellings in a terrace arrangement
    78 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment
  • Construction of an 11-storey mixed-use building comprising a ground-floor café, a wellness centre (spanning ground, mezzanine and Level 1), and a residential flat building containing 115 apartments (23 Affordable Housing apartments ), with an associated multi-level car park, ancillary resident facilities (bicycle workshop and dog wash), roof-mounted solar panels, and communal open space and landscaping.
    18 -26 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment

  • January 2026

  • Office Fitout to Level 1
    LOT 6003 SECOND ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
2025· 16 proposals

  • December 2025

  • Variation of Development Application 24024441 (two-storey RFB comprising community housing dwellings (x28) and supported accommodation (x2) and demolition of one Representative Building with associated car parking and landscaping) to reconfigure parking areas and make minor modifications to approved building including window alignment changes, simplified mansard roofing, new roofing to open walkway, addition of new walkway and privacy balustrade.
    105 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;12 -14 MARKET PL BOWDEN SA 5007;16 MARKET PL BOWDEN SA 5007;18 MARKET PL BOWDEN SA 5007;2 -10 MARKET PL BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment

  • November 2025

  • Primary community strata to create 36 lots of 3 for residential purpose and a lower floor cafe
    12 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;14 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;16 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • 1.8m high tubular fencing facing Gibson Street and 1.8m high Colourbond fence facing Eleventh Street
    106 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made

  • October 2025

  • Alterations to the existing buildings - Replace roof covering and flashings over existing rear rumpus room. Replace roof framing and sheeting over laundry. New sliding doors in rumpus room in place of window, add skylights to rumpus and laundry
    11 TREMBATH ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Alterations and additions to existing dwelling including replacing roof structure
    120 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made

  • September 2025

  • Amalgamation of existing winery and winery/cellar door/function venue, including increased patronage to 300 persons.
    102 FIFTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;31 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made

  • August 2025

  • Verandah to rear balcony
    18 PLENTY PL BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Bowden Brewing Expansion – Kitchen Exhaust
    2 FOURTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;3 -5 THIRD ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment

  • June 2025

  • Section 136 removal of significant tree
    UNIT 1-6 25 TENTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made

  • May 2025

  • Variation to DA 23033675 for additional retail/commercial tenancies, alterations to building height, parking layout, communal open space, internal layout, and building façades/materiality, and removal of Condition 5.
    4 THIRD ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment

  • February 2025

  • 21A4365.SCRES- Secondary Community Strata to create 145 lots on Lot 502 in application 25004410
    LOT 5001 PARK TCE BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • 21A4365.SCRET- Secondary Community Strata to create 4 retail lots on lot 501 on PlanSA 25004410
    LOT 5001 PARK TCE BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Primary Community Strata Plan to create 2 lots for residential and retail purposes and common area
    LOT 5001 PARK TCE BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Variation to Planning Consent 24015009 to change the hours of operation and a change of use of a portion of the building from a cafe to a retail shop.
    87 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment
  • Carport sited on the boundary for a length of 16.3-metres and a height of 2.8-metres, verandah sited to the rear of the existing dwelling, covered seating area (verandah) on the rear boundary, domestic shed on the side boundary, 2.5-metres high fence on the side boundary, 2.5-metres high fence on the rear boundary for a length of 3.1-metres, 2.9-metres high fence on the rear boundary for a length of 9.66-metres and a masonry fence on the front allotment boundary for a height of 1.8-metres
    21 TENTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made

  • January 2025

  • Variation to DA 252/E144/21 to reduce amount of landscaping for row dwellings
    10 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;10 RED BRICK LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;11 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;11 TAILOR LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;12 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;12 RED BRICK LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;13 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;13 TAILOR LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;14 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;14 RED BRICK LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;15 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;15 TAILOR LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;16 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;16 RED BRICK LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;17 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;17 TAILOR LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;18 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;18 RED BRICK LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;33 SEVENTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;35 SEVENTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;40 EIGHTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;42 EIGHTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;43 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;44 EIGHTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;45 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;46 EIGHTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;47 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;49 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;50 EIGHTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;51 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;53 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;55 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;57 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;59 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;61 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;63 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;7 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;7 TAILOR LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;78 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;8 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;8 RED BRICK LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;9 FOUNDRY LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;9 TAILOR LANE BOWDEN SA 5007;LOT 26 EIGHTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment
2024· 39 proposals

  • November 2024

  • External and internal alterations to residential flat building
    1 -13 SIXTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Variation to development application 23030645 including changes to the apartment layout, private open space, communal landscape area, ground floor layout, external facade, vehicle and bicycle parking
    LOT 53 THIRD ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment

  • October 2024

  • Variation to development authorisation ID 23011960 for introduction of tourist accommodation and miscellaneous amendments to internal areas and external materials
    12 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;14 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;16 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment

  • August 2024

  • Two-storey residential flat building comprising community housing dwellings (28) and supported accommodation premises (2) and demolition of buildings including one Representative Building with associated car parking and landscaping
    105 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007;12 MARKET PL BOWDEN SA 5007;16 MARKET PL BOWDEN SA 5007;18 MARKET PL BOWDEN SA 5007;2 -10 MARKET PL BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment
  • Change in land use from the existing warehouse to Light industry for wine production and storage, including re-roofing and re-framing the existing building, internal alterations within the office space and carport sited to the front of the building
    LOT 100 FIFTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Internal fire damage remediation works to unit 75 and reroofing entire row (5 units) including new separating fire walls to roof space.
    69 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Additions and alterations sited to the rear of the existing Representative dwelling, verandah sited to the rear and partial demolition of the lean-to structure at the rear
    125 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Three (3) x two-storey detached dwellings and nine (9) three-storey detached dwellings with under main roof car parking and landscaping and land division creating twelve (12) allotments from two (2).
    33 SEVENTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007;35 SEVENTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made

  • July 2024

  • Retrospective approval for freestanding steel framed cross measuring 4.4 metres high by 1.4 metres wide
    100 DRAYTON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made

  • June 2024

  • Construction of a 12-level mixed use (commercial and residential) development comprising ground-level commercial tenancies, residential apartments and associated carparking, communal open space and landscaping
    LOT 5001 PARK TCE BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Change in land use from coffee facility with small scale espresso machine repair, shop (cafe) to shop (cafe), storage and office.
    87 GIBSON ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment

  • May 2024

  • Change of use to office (ground level) and tourist accommodation (first floor to fifth floor levels) and installation of advertising displays
    1-13 SIXTH ST BOWDEN SA 5007Under Assessment
  • Construction of a three-storey dwelling (Lot 12)
    38-46 SECOND ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
  • Construction of a three-storey dwelling (Lot 23)
    38-46 SECOND ST BOWDEN SA 5007Decision Made
2023· 18 proposals

18 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2022· 27 proposals

27 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2021· 40 proposals

40 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

116 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • The Lost LoafBakery

    5 Third Street

  • Bowden CellarsBar

    Plant 3 Red Shed Lane

  • Bbq (8)
  • Bench (26)
  • Adelaide Bike KitchenBicycle

    22 Gibson Street, Bowden

  • Bicycle Parking (21)
  • Bicycle Repair Station
  • Stop 9 Hawker Street - North sideBus stop
  • Stop 9 Hawker Street - South sideBus stop
  • A PLACE coffeeCafe

    37 Second Street, Bowden

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
9/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

109 state heritage places

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Data sources & freshness

Childcare

1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap

  • Green Leaves Early LearningSecond Streetkindergarten

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
5
Parks (OSM)
5

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Desirability index

Desirability score
44.4/100
Cohort rank
#184 among Metro Adelaide suburbs

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • Green Leaves Early LearningchildcareSecond Streetkindergarten
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Data sources & freshness

Similar suburbs

Suburbs with a comparable population profile, socio-economic decile, and location.