Median house price
—
No data available
SA · Franklin Harbour Council
Cowell, 5602
Est. population · Jun 2025
1,140
Growth (1 yr)
+0.1%
Growth (5 yr)
+2.1%
Median age
53
Median income
$1,161/wk
Employment rate
48.1%
Languages at home
1.4%non-English
Most common: Afrikaans
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- Excellent transport
- Heritage area
- National parks
Suburb profile
Cowell offers a slower smaller community life in Franklin Harbour Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice.
Green space punches above what many regional towns offer, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield. Purchase and rent costs sit on the more affordable side of the local range.
Crime trends have improved of late compared with the previous period. Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.
The desirability picture is below average, weighed down by softer local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus community and employment relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Cowell snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$355/wk
Houses $360 · Units $350
Population (ERP)
1,140
+0.1% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
22.7%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#102
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
32nd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
47th
percentile in SA
Advantage (IRSAD)
2/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
33rd
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 28.7/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5792nd in Australia
- State rank
- 577th in SA
- Peer rank
- #102 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #179 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 89%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- Flats / units (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
- $350
- Houses (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
- $360
- All types (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
- $355
Median weekly rent from SA Housing Authority rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Median house sale prices cover metropolitan Adelaide and selected fringe councils (19 LGAs, including Adelaide Hills and Gawler), not all of regional South Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- SA rent report & metro median house sales — Government of South Australia · 1 January - 31 March 2026 · Updated · Quarterly; metro-fringe sales only
Population
Estimated resident population
1,140(June 2025)
+0.1% annual · +2.1% over 5 years · 47th percentile in SA
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.1%
- 5-year growth
- +2.1%
- Change in 1 year
- +1
- Change in 5 years
- +24
- Growth rank in SA
- 47th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~1,150), extrapolated at +0.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 1,124
- Median age
- 53
- Median household income / week
- $1,161
- Dwelling vacancy
- 22.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 128 of 564
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,040
- Employment rate
- 48.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 353 / 67 / 3 (+ 10 other)
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (2024–25)
- 25
- Against the person
- 9
- Against property
- 16
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 21.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 125 residents
- State safety percentile
- 32.4th (lower crime is better)
- Family & domestic abuse offences
- 7
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -19.1%
Most common offence types
- Common Assault3
- Other Property Damage And Environmental7
- Other Theft5
- Sct - Non Residence2
- Serious Assault Not Resulting In Injury5
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · 2023-24 → 2024-25; 2024-25 · Updated · Financial-year releases
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1 (1 schools, 1 preschools)
- Median school ICSEA
- 969
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 33th
School list
- Cowell Area SchoolCombined · Government · ICSEA 969 · 33th percentile · LBOTE 2% · 169 students · Top SEA quarter 6%View on My School →
- Cowell Early Childhood Centre42 Story StreetPreschools
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- Government education sites register — Government of South Australia · current · Updated
- School ICSEA (ACARA) — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Public transport
1 public transport stops in this suburb
- Lincoln Hwy - North West side (Cowell Roadhouse)
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Adelaide Metro GTFS stops — Department for Infrastructure and Transport (SA) · current · Updated
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 9
- Parks (OSM)
- 4
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
- 1
- Nearest hospital
- Cowell District Hospital and Aged Care (9.6 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Public Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
- Emergency department in suburb
- On site
- Cowell District Hospital and Aged Care17 South TerracePublic Hospital
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & GP Plus clinics (SA) — SA Health · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 24
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 21.1
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 17°
- Rainfall
- 54 mm · ~7 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 13°
- Rainfall
- 70 mm · ~9 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 17° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 77 mm · ~10 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 11°
- Rainfall
- 65 mm · ~8 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from PlanSA register and EPA licensed activities.
2026· 21 proposals
July 2026
- Construction of a domestic outbuilding15857 LINCOLN HWY COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Construction of a single storey detached dwelling with a carport UMR and an attached covered deckLOT 35 HARBOURSIDE DR COWELL SA 5602Under Assessment
- Construction of a shed & verandah11 THIRD ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
June 2026
- Single storey detached dwelling .LOT 32 CEDAR AV COWELL SA 5602Under Assessment
- Construction of a domestic outbuilding adjoining an existing outbuilding13A KIMBA RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- land division - three (3) allotments into nine (9) allotments and the creation of public road14538 LINCOLN HWY COWELL SA 5602Under Assessment
May 2026
- Construction of an integrated detached dwelling and outbuilding with an attached front alfresco and a covered balcony, and the temporary parking of a caravan for residential purposes3 VENNING ST COWELL SA 5602Under Assessment
- Outbuilding (retrospective)17 DEER ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
April 2026
- Construction of a freestanding double sided non-illuminated advertising sign (billboard) for the purposes of third-party advertising15857 LINCOLN HWY COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Outbuilding22 WARNES ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
March 2026
- Domestic Outbuilding31 SECOND ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Verandah20 SOUTH TCE COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Construction of an outbuilding (shed)42 MAIN ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Land Division (3 into 8) including the creation of a public road.2 MELROSE RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Land division - 2 into 8 allotments and the creation of a public road14538 LINCOLN HWY COWELL SA 5602;335 WILDMAN RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
February 2026
- Land Division (1 into 2)LOT 5 SCHUMANN RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Land division - 2 into 6 allotments and the creation of a public road335 WILDMAN RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Single Storey Detached Dwelling, Carport and Combined Ancillary Accommodation, Shed and Carport10 BURTON ST COWELL SA 5602Under Assessment
- Construction of a single storey detached dwelling and domestic outbuilding (shed)33 -35 O'CONNELL ST COWELL SA 5602Under Assessment
January 2026
- Single Storey Detached Dwelling with Associated Verandah and Carport, and Outbuilding18 DEER ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Construction of a verandah attached to an existing dwelling46 ESPLANADE COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
2025· 21 proposals
December 2025
- Community Division (1 into 2)23 WELLINGTON RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
November 2025
- Outbuilding (garage)LOT 10 MALLEE CT COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Domestic storage shed (store)7 BURTON ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
October 2025
- Carport (Replacement)29 WELLINGTON RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Single storey detached dwelling (relocated from 117 Schumann Road, Cowell)2 JACOB ST COWELL SA 5602Under Assessment
September 2025
- Carport31-33 MAIN ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
August 2025
- Land division in the form of a dwelling excision (1 into 2)14143 LINCOLN HWY COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Outbuilding14 WELLINGTON RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
July 2025
- Construction of a freestanding verandah and a domestic outbuilding16 -18 STORY RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Construction of a carport and three verandahs in association with an existing dwelling16 -18 RUPARA ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
June 2025
- Outbuilding (domestic garage)11 -13 CEDAR AV COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Alteration and Addition to Existing Dwelling, Verandah and Deck22 -24 O'CONNELL ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Carport (Replacement)3 -5 WARNES ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Single storey detached dwelling with associated outbuildingLOT 22 BROOKS DR COWELL SA 5602Under Assessment
May 2025
- Outbuilding (domestic storage shed/garage)10 SECOND ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Construction of an agricultural buildingLOT 65 STARR RD COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Carport and Verandah4 RUPARA ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Alterations and additions to an existing supermarket comprising a replacement meat processing shed and verandah11 -13 MAIN ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Construction of a carport and verandah in association with an existing dwelling10 RUPARA ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
- Alterations & additions to existing single storey detached dwelling9 O'CONNELL ST COWELL SA 5602Under Assessment
- Extension to the Sporting Clubrooms (Amenities and storage)LOT 235 NORTH TCE COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · 2026 · Updated
Heritage
1 heritage place
- Franklin Harbour Hotel53 Main Street COWELLState heritage
Data sources & freshness
- SA Heritage Places database — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · current · Updated
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
- Bushfire safer places
- 1
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid against all current SA Planning risk layers (high, medium, general, urban interface, regional, outback). Safer places from CFS designated locations.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Bushfire & hazard overlays (SA) — Government of South Australia · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Grey
- Member of Parliament
- Tom VENNING (Liberal)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 128,707
- Turnout (2025)
- 89.4%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +5.4 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 54.6%Labor 45.4%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 85.0 km away).
Coalition 70.2%Labor 29.8%
15.5 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +6.8 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- CowellLabor 30.2% · Coalition 69.8% TPP (2025)12.3 km away
- Arno BayLabor 31.5% · Coalition 68.5% TPP (2025)29.4 km away
- CleveLabor 24.2% · Coalition 75.8% TPP (2025)30.3 km away
- Port NeillLabor 20.7% · Coalition 79.3% TPP (2025)59.8 km away
- KimbaLabor 15.3% · Coalition 84.7% TPP (2025)77.1 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Franklin Harbour Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of South Australia.