Gawler East is an outer metropolitan suburb of Adelaide, in Gawler Council, characterised by heritage streetscapes alongside mixed commercial and residential development. It is close to the South Para River.
Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places. Recorded road crashes are a relative strength, with recorded road crashes 66% below the peer median, and the suburb has an unusually high concentration of heritage listings, placing it among the highest-ranked outer metropolitan suburbs, and reported crime is lower than in most comparable places. Reported offences have fallen 13% year on year. The main trade-offs are higher housing costs and limited school access, with median house prices 12% above the peer median.
Gawler East is a better fit for people who value heritage character and daily services more than lower housing costs.
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
Outer metropolitan suburb · compared with outer metropolitan suburbs in South Australia (64)
Strengths
Recorded road crashes are a relative strength
The suburb has an unusually high concentration of heritage listings
Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places
Reported crime is lower than in most comparable places
Weaknesses
Housing is expensive relative to comparable places
School access is a relative weakness
What stands out
Heritage streetscapes
South Para River
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 Gawler East compares
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median house price
$860k
+16% change
Median rent
$560/wk
Houses $575 · Units $485
Population (ERP)
6,728
+1.5% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
5.5%
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
#47
among Metro Adelaide · Mature
Crime rate
39th
percentile in state (higher = more crime)
Pop. growth
84th
percentile in SA
Rented dwellings
19%
2021 Census tenure
Advantage (IRSAD)
5/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
52nd
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
44.3/100 — Average
State standing
Top 42% of South Australia's suburbs
National rank
3303rd in Australia
State rank
295th in SA
Peer rank
#47 among Metro Adelaide · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#196 among Metro Adelaide suburbs
Data confidence
100%
Data sources & freshness
Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
Flats / units (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$485
Houses (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$575
All types (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
$560
Rental bonds lodged (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
45
Median house price (Q1 2026)
$860,000
Median price change
+16.2%
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
6,728(June 2025)
+1.5% annual · +12.7% over 5 years · 84th percentile in SA
Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.5%
5-year growth
+12.7%
Change in 1 year
+97
Change in 5 years
+758
Growth rank in SA
84th 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 (~7,500), extrapolated at +2.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
Population
5,689
Median age
46
Median household income / week
$1,569
Dwelling vacancy
5.5%
Unoccupied private dwellings
126 of 2,305
Median monthly mortgage
$1,508
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$300
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
36.1% / 44.8% / 19.1%
Employment rate
55.4%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
7.6% / 1.6% / 75.8%
Walked or cycled to work
1.8%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
1,959 / 168 / 35
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.
15.6% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 22.6% have a trade or vocational qualification.
University qualified15.6% · 22.6% SA
Diploma qualified10.4% · 8.6% SA
Trade / vocational22.6% · 17.5% SA
Year 12 or below51.4% · 51.2% SA
Highest qualification field
Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).
Engineering and related technologies20.1%
Management and commerce19.1%
Society and culture14.3%
Health12.7%
Education11.5%
Food, hospitality and personal services6.2%
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)
$60,019
77th percentile in SA · +2% vs Australia
Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$64,472
80th percentile in SA · -1% vs Australia
Residents with rental investments
12.0%
52nd percentile in SA · -13% vs Australia
Median super balance (2023–24)
$89,124
63rd percentile in SA · +41% vs Australia
Residents with business income
8.0%
21st percentile in SA · -23% vs Australia
Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 5118 — 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
12,379
Taxpayers reporting net rent
1,502
Median net rent
-$591
Taxpayers reporting business income
1,020
Taxable income vs state median
+10%
Salary / wages vs state median
+12%
Rental investment vs state median
0%
Super vs state median
+15%
Business income vs state median
-27%
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
3.9% speak a language other than English at home; 18.7% born overseas
Language at home
5,300 English only · 216 other
Non-English at home
3.9%
Born overseas
1,037 (18.7%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
99 (1.7%)
Australian citizens
5,295
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
12
Top languages other than English
Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).
Italian13 · 17.1%
Spanish12 · 15.8%
Malayalam8 · 10.5%
French7 · 9.2%
German7 · 9.2%
Persian7 · 9.2%
Afrikaans6 · 7.9%
Tagalog4 · 5.3%
Religion
49%No religion
No religion is the most common response at 49%, while Christianity accounts for 44.4%.
Measure
Suburb
State
No religion
49%
45.2%
Christianity
44.4%
40%
Other / not stated
6.6%
14.7%
Christian denominations
Denomination
Suburb
State
Catholic
13%
15.5%
Anglican
12%
7.2%
Uniting Church
6.5%
4.8%
Lutheran
4.5%
2.4%
Christian (not further defined)
2.6%
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 decreased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2025–26)
169
Against the person
43
Against property
126
Rate per 1,000 residents
25.1
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 132 residents
State crime-rate percentile
38.7th (higher = more crime)
Family & domestic abuse offences
139
Decrease (daily rate)
-13.3%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
63
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
9.36
Most common offence types
Damage Or Destroy Property26
Sct - Residence17
Serious Assault23
Theft From A Person25
Theft From Retail Premises16
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)
Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates
Gawler East Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 987 · 41th percentile · LBOTE 3% · 374 students · Top SEA quarter 8% · 0.6 km awayView on My School →
Immanuel GawlerPrimary · Independent · ICSEA 1038 · 63th percentile · LBOTE 5% · 353 students · Top SEA quarter 17% · 1.3 km awayView on My School →
Gawler East Preschool Centre1 Finch RoadPreschools
Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)
Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts
1 restaurants · 1 supermarkets · 1 fast food · 3 playgrounds · 2 swimming pools · 1 ev charging · 1 petrol stations
Local character & venue list
Local character
Reasonably walkable — many shops and services reachable on foot or by bus
Great for outdoor family life — 2 parks mapped in suburb, 3 playgrounds nearby
Well connected by public transport — 35 public transport stops
Walkability proxy
59/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0.35
Parks per 1,000 residents
0.35
Food & drink(2)
Cheek Avenue Charcoal ChickenFast food
Fasta PastaRestaurant
Shopping(6)
CellarbrationsBottle shop
Unit Shop 2 4 Mullamar Way
Cheek Avenue Supa DeliConvenience store
X ConvenienceConvenience store
TargetDepartment store
3-5 Calton Road
Phoenix PlazaShopping centre
DrakesSupermarket
Everyday services(2)
ChargefoxEV charging
MobilPetrol station
Community(2)
Gawler East Primary SchoolSchool
Immanuel Lutheran School GawlerSchool
Health & services(1)
Gawler Health ServiceHospital
Sport & outdoors(12)
Barossa TrailCycling route
Gawler CyclewayCycling route
Gawler Rivers Tapa Pariara PathCycling route
Gym
Nature reserve
Park
Playground (3)
Sports field
Swimming pool (2)
Transport(27)
27 bus stops
Other(7)
Bench (4)
Car wash
MillersClothes
Parking (32)
Australia PostPost Box
Shelter (3)
Gawler Hillside Care CommunitySocial Facility
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
Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
1
Nearest hospital
Gawler Health Service (1.3 km)
Nearest hospital type
Public Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
On site
GP clinics in suburb
0
Aged-care services
3
Residential aged-care places
275
GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).
Gawler Health Service21 Hutchinson RoadPublic Hospital
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
29° / 14°
Rainfall
67 mm · ~8 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
Usual max / min
23° / 10°
Rainfall
97 mm · ~12 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
Usual max / min
16° / 6°
Rainfall
148 mm · ~18 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
Usual max / min
22° / 9°
Rainfall
119 mm · ~15 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)
Development applications from PlanSA register and EPA licensed activities.
2026· 119 proposals
September 2026
Construction of a single-storey detached dwelling
4 KENNARE RD GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Tree-Damaging Activity (removal of Regulated Tree)
37 DIECKMANN DR GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
VERANDAH
19 OGILVY RD GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Above Ground Vinyl Pool with Safety Fence
69 CHEEK AV GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Outbuilding (Shed) - 22m (l) x 12m (w) x 3.5m (h) and Retaining Walls to a height of 1.4m
6 EUCALYPT DR GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Outbuilding - 4.3m (w) x 8.264m (l) x 3.125m (h) & Swim Spa with Associated Safety Features
7 DAWES DR GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Construction of Deck (around swimming pool) with associated privacy screening up to 2.1m
22 CORK RD GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Storage Shed
17 SCHOMBURGK DR GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Verandah
13 NORMAN CT GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Land Division - 1 into 3 - Torrens Title
1 CHEEK AV GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Retain existing detached dwelling and construct two new single-story detached dwellings
23 DELAND AV GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Outbuilding (garage)
22 BRIGHT TCE GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Carport - 7.8m (l) x 6m (w) x 3.04m (h)
36 COOMBE ST GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Construction of outbuilding (shed)
11 EDITH ST GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
August 2026
Demolition of verandah and addition and alterations to dwelling including re-roof and new verandah
7 TURNER ST GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Verandah
18 MCKINLAY AV GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Single Storey Detached Dwelling with associated Retaining Walls and Fencing exceeding 2.1m
LOT 22 BISHOP ST GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Pergola
6 MCKINLAY AV GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Swimming Pool and Safety Fence
18A CHEEK AV GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
3 Detached Dwellings in a Terrace Arrangement
1 CHEEK AV GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Outbuilding - 18m (l) x 12m (w) x 4.2m (h) and removal of 8 x Regulated Trees
6 NORMAN CT GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Verandah
7 THORNLEY CT GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Construction of four (4) single storey group dwellings, alterations and additions to existing dwelling including new carport/verandah together with change from a detached dwelling to a group dwelling, tree-damaging activity (removal of three (3) Regulated trees), and associated retaining walls and fencing
32 CALTON RD GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
July 2026
Outbuilding (domestic storage shed)
8 LISA MARTIN CT GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Installation of Fibreglass Swimming Pool & associated safety barrier
22 CORK RD GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Ancillary Accommodation and a 1.4m high retaining wall
1 MORTIMER ST GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Verandah (attached to dwelling)
14 DIECKMANN DR GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Installation of Swimming Pool and associated Safety Barrier/Fencing
10 CARMELO CL GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Two (2) verandas
8 LISA MARTIN CT GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Verandah to rear
3 WINTULICH AV GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Land Division - 2 into 4 - Torrens Title
LOT 3536 MULLAMAR WAY GAWLER EAST SA 5118;LOT 3537 MULLAMAR WAY GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
26A0025.CTMIN Community Division creating 1 additional allotment (1 into 2). Being over allotment 500 in PlanSA application 26019911. Planning Statement and indicative site plans included
95 LYNDOCH RD GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
general storage shed and attached verandah
34 HARTLEY WALK GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Alterations and Additions to existing Single Storey Detached Dwelling; Installation of Carport and Verandah
15A COCKSHELL DR GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
26A0025 Land Division creating 1 additional allotment (1 into 2). Existing land use application. Lot 331 will retain the existing dwelling. Planning Statement and indicative site plans included
95 LYNDOCH RD GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Dwelling alterations
96 LYNDOCH RD GAWLER EAST SA 5118Decision Made
Fencing and retaining walls
17 MCCALLUM PDE GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
June 2026
Community Title Land Division - 1 into 6
24 BELLA ST GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
Advertisement - 2m x 2m digital sign and associated support structure
45 HIGH ST GAWLER EAST SA 5118Under Assessment
DETACHED DWELLING AND LAND DIVISION (1 INTO 2) AND THE REMOVAL OF THREE REGULATED TREES
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 4.2 km away).
Coalition 42.6%Labor 57.4%
7.9 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +4.0 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
Gawler EastLabor 56.7% · Coalition 43.3% TPP (2025)0.5 km away
Gawler SouthLabor 54.5% · Coalition 45.5% TPP (2025)1.5 km away
GawlerLabor 65.0% · Coalition 35.0% TPP (2025)1.8 km away
Gawler WestLabor 59.4% · Coalition 40.6% TPP (2025)2.2 km away
WillastonLabor 61.3% · Coalition 38.7% TPP (2025)2.8 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%)