SA · Franklin Harbour Council
Cowell, SA, 5602
Current weather
13.6°CPartly cloudy
66% humidity · 32.3 km/h wind · 15.6° / 12.1° today · 3.8 mm rain
Desirability index
#111 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Cowell is a small locality in the Franklin Harbour area, home to around 1,124 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show reported crime totals of around 25 offences in 2024–25 (Jul–Jun), roughly 22.2 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $355, 2 school and preschool sites in the area, limited but present public transport access, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.
Population
- 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)
- 24 / 67 / 3
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)
- $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.
Data sources & freshness
- SA Housing Authority rent & sales reports — Government of South Australia · Period: 1 January - 31 March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (2024–25)
- 25
- Against the person
- 9
- Against property
- 16
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 22.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 125 residents
- State safety percentile
- 30.9th (lower crime is better)
- Family & domestic abuse offences
- 7
- Year-on-year change
- 0%
Most common offence types
- Common Assault3
- Other Property Damage And Environmental7
- Other Theft5
- Sct - Non Residence2
- Serious Assault Not Resulting In Injury5
Data sources & freshness
- SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · Period: 2024-25; 2024-25 → 2024-25 · Updated on site · Financial-year releases
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 2 (1 schools, 1 preschools)
- Median school ICSEA
- 969
- Cowell Area SchoolCombined · ICSEA 969
- Cowell Early Childhood Centre42 Story StreetPreschools
Data sources & freshness
- Government education sites register — Government of South Australia · Period: current · Updated on site · Static register
- School ICSEA (ACARA) — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
1 public transport stops in this suburb
- Lincoln Hwy - North West side (Cowell Roadhouse)
Data sources & freshness
- Adelaide Metro GTFS stops — Department for Infrastructure and Transport (SA) · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.
152 planning-related records
2026· 18 proposals
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 5602Under Assessment
- 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 5602Under Assessment
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· 28 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
March 2025
- Single Storey Detached Dwelling and VerandahLOT 6 DEER ST COWELL SA 5602Decision Made
2024· 32 proposals
32 proposals lodged in 2024. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2023· 21 proposals
21 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 18 proposals
18 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 23 proposals
23 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 8 proposals
8 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · Period: 2020; 2020–2026; 2021… · Updated on site
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 1
- Emergency department
- On site
- Cowell District Hospital and Aged Care17 South TerracePublic Hospital
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & GP Plus clinics (SA) — SA Health · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- Heritage placeState heritage
Data sources & freshness
- SA Heritage Places database — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
- Bushfire safer places
- 1
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via SA Planning geohub. Safer places from CFS designated locations.
Data sources & freshness
- Bushfire & hazard overlays (SA) — Government of South Australia · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 9
- Parks (OSM)
- 4
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
- 28.0/100
- Cohort rank
- #111 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Heritage placeheritageState heritage
- Cowell District Hospital and Aged Carehealth17 South TerracePublic Hospital
- Alteration and Addition to Existing Dwelling, Verandah and Deckplanning22 -24 O'CONNELL ST COWELL SA 5602Lodged 14 Jun 2025 · Decision Made
- Alterations & additions to existing single storey detached dwellingplanning9 O'CONNELL ST COWELL SA 5602Lodged 15 May 2025 · Under Assessment
- Alterations and additions to an existing supermarket comprising a replacement meat processing shed and verandahplanning11 -13 MAIN ST COWELL SA 5602Lodged 20 May 2025 · Decision Made
- Carportplanning31-33 MAIN ST COWELL SA 5602Lodged 10 Sep 2025 · Decision Made
- Carport (Replacement)planning29 WELLINGTON RD COWELL SA 5602Lodged 10 Oct 2025 · Decision Made
- Carport (Replacement)planning3 -5 WARNES ST COWELL SA 5602Lodged 11 Jun 2025 · Decision Made
- Carport and Verandahplanning4 RUPARA ST COWELL SA 5602Lodged 21 May 2025 · Decision Made
- Community Division (1 into 2)planning23 WELLINGTON RD COWELL SA 5602Lodged 30 Dec 2025 · Decision Made
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & GP Plus clinics (SA) — SA Health · Updated on site
- SA Heritage Places database — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · Updated on site
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · Updated on site
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