Dover Gardens is a middle-ring metropolitan suburb of Adelaide, in Marion Council. It is mainly residential, with little in the way of a distinct commercial centre or landmark identity.
Local school ICSEA scores sit well above the peer median, well above typical levels for middle-ring metropolitan suburbs. Mapped flood cover is a very strong feature of the suburb, with mapped flood cover 98% below the peer median, and population growth is an exceptional strength, with population growth 113% above the peer median. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The main trade-offs are higher rents and thinner local amenities, with median rents 13% above the peer median.
Dover Gardens's appeal is better explained by housing, access and location than by a strong standalone precinct or destination.
Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.
Strengths and weaknesses
Middle-ring metropolitan suburb · compared with middle-ring metropolitan suburbs in South Australia (106)
Strengths
Mapped flood cover is a relative strength
Population growth is a relative strength
Local school ICSEA scores sit well above the peer median
Weaknesses
Rents run above those in comparable places
Local amenity access is relatively limited
What stands out
Overseas-born and multilingual community
Space is a strength, but car dependence is high
Who it suits
Stars are audience-fit ratings derived from Suburb.Guide data, not demographic counts or user reviews.
Families★★★☆☆
Professionals★★☆☆☆
Retirees★☆☆☆☆
Students★☆☆☆☆
Budget buyers★☆☆☆☆
Housing, growth and risk
How Dover Gardens compares
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median house price
$1.05M
+12% change
Median rent
$685/wk
Houses $685 · Units $700
Population (ERP)
3,401
+2.4% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
8.6%
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
#113
among Metro Adelaide · Emerging
Crime rate
52nd
percentile in state (higher = more crime)
Pop. growth
96th
percentile in SA
Rented dwellings
35%
2021 Census tenure
Advantage (IRSAD)
5/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
78th
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
37.0/100 — Below average
National rank
5179th in Australia
State rank
467th in SA
Peer rank
#113 among Metro Adelaide · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#261 among Metro Adelaide suburbs
Data confidence
97%
Data sources & freshness
Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
Flats / units (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$700
Houses (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$685
All types (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$685
Rental bonds lodged (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
25
Median house price (Q1 2026)
$1,050,000
Median price change
+11.7%
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.
Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band
Data sources & freshness
SA rent report & metro median house sales — Government of South Australia · 1 January - 31 March 2026; 1Q 2026 · Updated · Quarterly; metro-fringe sales only
Population
Estimated resident population
3,401(June 2025)
+2.4% annual · +10.5% over 5 years · 96th percentile in SA
Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+2.4%
5-year growth
+10.5%
Change in 1 year
+80
Change in 5 years
+322
Growth rank in SA
96th 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 (~3,750), extrapolated at +2.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
Population
3,062
Median age
39
Median household income / week
$1,423
Dwelling vacancy
8.6%
Unoccupied private dwellings
122 of 1,417
Median monthly mortgage
$1,733
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$339
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
27.4% / 37.3% / 35.4%
Employment rate
58.3%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
9.2% / 5.6% / 66.2%
Walked or cycled to work
2.2%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
880 / 401 / 15
Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)
Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus
Data sources & freshness
2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
26.5% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 17.1% have a trade or vocational qualification.
University qualified26.5% · 22.6% SA
Diploma qualified9.3% · 8.6% SA
Trade / vocational17.1% · 17.5% SA
Year 12 or below47.1% · 51.2% SA
Highest qualification field
Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).
Management and commerce23.5%
Society and culture17%
Health15.9%
Engineering and related technologies13.3%
Education8.3%
Architecture and building5.6%
How these groups are defined
Measure
Definition
University qualified
Bachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualified
Advanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocational
Certificate III + IV
Year 12
Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12
Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below
People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)
University qualifications from the 2021 Census
Data sources & freshness
2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Tax & income
Median taxable income (2023–24)
$61,189
82nd percentile in SA · +4% vs Australia
Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$67,575
91st percentile in SA · +4% vs Australia
Residents with rental investments
15.0%
79th percentile in SA · +9% vs Australia
Median super balance (2023–24)
$124,444
91st percentile in SA · +97% vs Australia
Residents with business income
9.0%
29th percentile in SA · -13% vs Australia
Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 5048 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.
Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
9,939
Taxpayers reporting net rent
1,477
Median net rent
-$57
Taxpayers reporting business income
921
Taxable income vs state median
+13%
Salary / wages vs state median
+17%
Rental investment vs state median
+25%
Super vs state median
+60%
Business income vs state median
-18%
Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in SA, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.
Data sources & freshness
Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary
Community & culture
20.1% speak a language other than English at home; 28.6% born overseas
Language at home
2,362 English only · 593 other
Non-English at home
20.1%
Born overseas
850 (28.6%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
63 (2.1%)
Australian citizens
2,657
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
21
Top languages other than English
Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).
Mandarin48 · 23.3%
Nepali26 · 12.6%
Arabic19 · 9.2%
Persian12 · 5.8%
Italian10 · 4.9%
Punjabi10 · 4.9%
Cantonese9 · 4.4%
German9 · 4.4%
Religion
49.4%No religion
No religion is the most common response at 49.4%, while Christianity accounts for 35.7%.
Measure
Suburb
State
No religion
49.4%
45.2%
Christianity
35.7%
40%
Hinduism
3.1%
2.1%
Islam
2.7%
2.3%
Other / not stated
9%
10.4%
Christian denominations
Denomination
Suburb
State
Catholic
15.5%
15.5%
Anglican
7.6%
7.2%
Uniting Church
3.7%
4.8%
Christian (not further defined)
2.1%
2.6%
2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.
Data sources & freshness
2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2025–26)
121
Against the person
40
Against property
81
Rate per 1,000 residents
35.6
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 77 residents
State crime-rate percentile
52th (higher = more crime)
Family & domestic abuse offences
99
Increase (daily rate)
+30.1%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
58
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
17.05
Most common offence types
Common Assault9
Damage Or Destroy Property35
Motor Vehicle Theft And Related Offences15
Serious Assault30
Theft From A Person7
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)
Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates
Stella Maris Parish SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1086 · 80th percentile · LBOTE 21% · 429 students · Top SEA quarter 35% · 0.8 km awayView on My School →
Darlington Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 964 · 31th percentile · LBOTE 66% · 184 students · Top SEA quarter 10% · 1.0 km awayView on My School →
Seaview High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 1038 · 63th percentile · LBOTE 13% · 1,377 students · Top SEA quarter 17% · 1.2 km awayView on My School →
Brighton Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1077 · 78th percentile · LBOTE 24% · 726 students · Top SEA quarter 30% · 1.3 km awayView on My School →
Christ the King SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1079 · 78th percentile · LBOTE 32% · 179 students · Top SEA quarter 29% · 1.7 km awayView on My School →
Seacliff Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1094 · 83th percentile · LBOTE 8% · 356 students · Top SEA quarter 36% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →
Seaview Downs Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1051 · 69th percentile · LBOTE 5% · 324 students · Top SEA quarter 21% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)
Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts
Great for outdoor family life — 5 parks mapped in suburb, 3 playgrounds nearby
Reasonable bus and transport access — 17 public transport stops
Strong local sport and recreation — 8 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
28/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0.33
Parks per 1,000 residents
1.63
Food & drink(1)
Thai Ban Cafe & RestaurantRestaurant
Community(1)
Kindergarten
159 Seacombe Road
Sport & outdoors(18)
Marino Rocks GreenwayCycling route
Patrick Jonker VelowayCycling route
Sturt River Bike PathCycling route
Fitness station
Branksome Terrace ReservePark
McKay Street ReservePark
Park (2)
Scarborough Terrace ReservePark
Playground (3)
Public toilets
Sports field
Swimming pool (4)
Wineries & breweries(1)
Patritti WinesWinery
23-31 Clacton Road
Transport(17)
17 bus stops
Other(5)
Bench
Car repair
Parking (5)
Picnic Table (2)
Shelter (2)
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)
Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000
Data sources & freshness
OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries
Health access
Nearest hospital
Brighton Day Surgery (1.5 km)
Nearest hospital type
Private Day Only Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
No emergency department listed
GP clinics in suburb
0
GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)
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.
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
27° / 16°
Rainfall
49 mm · ~6 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
Usual max / min
22° / 13°
Rainfall
94 mm · ~12 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
Usual max / min
16° / 8°
Rainfall
161 mm · ~20 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
Usual max / min
21° / 11°
Rainfall
95 mm · ~12 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)
Development applications from PlanSA register and EPA licensed activities.
2026· 53 proposals
September 2026
Verandah
13 BRANKSOME TCE DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Torrens Title Land Division - 1 into 3 allotments
19 FELIX ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Supported accommodation consisting of two (2x) single storey units, freestanding carport, fencing, masonry walls and the removal of removal of three (3x) regulated trees and three (3x) significant trees.
7 SCARBOROUGH TCE DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Single storey detached dwelling with retention of existing dwelling
10 LAURENCE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Variation to application ID 26020050
6 KATHLEEN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Verandah
57 QUINTUS TCE DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Verandah
9A NEATH AV DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Supported accommodation comprising three single storey units with associated fences and removal of a significant tree (Jacaranda mimosifolia)
516 MORPHETT RD DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Verandah
24 SCARBOROUGH TCE DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
August 2026
Dwelling addition, Building alterations and a Carport
20 LAURENCE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Two storey residential flat building comprising five (5) dwellings, retaining walls, fencing, common driveway, landscaping and regulated tree removal
4 RUGBY ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
1 into 12 Community Title Land Division
95 STURT RD DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
July 2026
Two storey detached dwelling with associated fences
10 KATHLEEN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Three single storey detached dwellings in a row configuration
13 KATHLEEN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Land Division (Torrens title 1 into 3 allotments)
2 KATHLEEN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Construction of one (1) residential flat building comprising twelve (12) dwellings with associated fencing, retaining walls, carparking and carport structures
11 QUINTUS TCE DOVER GARDENS SA 5048;9 QUINTUS TCE DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Outbuilding
25 LAURENCE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Torrens Title 1 into 3 Land Division. Land Use DA 26015342.
1 KATHLEEN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Two (2x) double storey detached dwellings, swimming pool and the removal of one significant tree
6 KATHLEEN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Variation of development application 25002480 – Changes to internal boundaries
38 VINALL ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
June 2026
Verandah
56 BRANKSOME TCE DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Three single-storey detached dwellings with associated retaining walls and fencing as well as removal of two Regulated trees and one Significant street tree
19 FELIX ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Single storey detached dwelling and fencing
1 DANAE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Verandah
16 LAURENCE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Single-storey detached dwelling
5 BESSIE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
May 2026
Verandah
1C QUINTUS TCE DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Three (3) two storey detached dwellings in a terrace arrangement, with associated fences
1 KATHLEEN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Verandah
8 DOVER CT DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Excavation & installation of fiberglass swimming pool & associated safety barrier
1C QUINTUS TCE DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
April 2026
Two single storey detached dwelllings and associated fencing
550 MORPHETT RD DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Torrens title Land Division - 1 into 2 allotments
9 MCKAY ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Two (2) single storey detached dwellings, fences and removal of two (2) Significant Trees (White Cedar and Norfolk Island Pine)
546 MORPHETT RD DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
115 SEACOMBE RD DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Land Division (Torrens title 1 into 3 allotments)
8 DUNEDIN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Two-storey detached dwelling
10 KATHLEEN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Three single-storey detached dwellings in a terrace arrangement as well as the removal of 1 Regulated and 3 Significant trees.
2 KATHLEEN ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Verandah
16 BESSIE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
March 2026
Verandah to rear of dwelling
28 LAURENCE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
Land division (boundary alignment)
1 SEAVIEW CR DOVER GARDENS SA 5048;1A SEAVIEW CR DOVER GARDENS SA 5048;3 SEAVIEW CR DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
1 into 2 Torrens Title Land Division
7 DANAE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
2025· 3 proposals
December 2025
2 x Single Storey Detached Dwelling Single Garage
7 DANAE ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Decision Made
2 x two storey dwellings
9 MCKAY ST DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Construction of three-level supported accommodation (aged care) facility comprising 150 beds and associated car parking, water tanks (6 x 25kL), retaining walls, fencing, masonry walls, removal of a Significant Tree and pruning of two Significant Trees, and 2 outbuildings.
LOT 104 FOLKESTONE RD DOVER GARDENS SA 5048Under Assessment
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid against all current SA Planning risk layers (high, medium, general, urban interface, regional, outback). Flood cover is the share of the suburb boundary overlapping current SA Planning flood overlays (flooding and evidence required). Safer places from CFS designated locations.
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 2.0 km away).
Coalition 34.6%Labor 65.4%
4.3 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +9.7 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
Seaview DownsLabor 61.9% · Coalition 38.1% TPP (2025)0.7 km away
Seacombe GardensLabor 73.3% · Coalition 26.7% TPP (2025)1.0 km away
Seacombe HeightsLabor 64.8% · Coalition 35.2% TPP (2025)1.2 km away
Oaklands ParkLabor 68.6% · Coalition 31.4% TPP (2025)1.5 km away
SeacliffLabor 65.1% · Coalition 34.9% TPP (2025)1.5 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.
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 (12%)