Bowden vs Ovingham

Bowden is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 36 in Ovingham. In both, most households rent. In Bowden, most homes are flats or apartments and most households are people living alone. In Ovingham, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Bowden tends to suit young adults, people living alone, and share households.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Bowden has more parks and reserves (6 vs 1)
  • Ovingham has more separate houses rather than flats (46% vs 14%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Bowden leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 30%)
  • Ovingham has cheaper units ($455,279 vs $687,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Ovingham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $390/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bowden

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (86% vs 54%)
  • carries lower crime risk (84/100 vs 95/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Bowden

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (98.5% vs 12.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Bowden and Ovingham drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Bowden Ovingham
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Bowden Ovingham
Walkability 85 / 79
Bowden — Walkability: 85/100 Ovingham — Walkability: 79/100
Safety 16 / 5
Bowden — Safety: 16/100 Ovingham — Safety: 5/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Bowden — Low fire risk: 100/100 Ovingham — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 47 / 23
Bowden — Low flood risk: 47/100 Ovingham — Low flood risk: 23/100

Demographics

Bowden has more residents (1,808 vs 766); Bowden rents higher ($390/wk vs $300/wk).

Bowden Ovingham
Population 1,808
+58% vs other
 766
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +98.5% +12.2%
Median age 32 36
Median household income $84,656/yr
+12% vs other
 $74,516/yr
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+23% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bowden Ovingham
0-4 2.8% / 5.1%
Bowden — 0-4: 2.8% Ovingham — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 4.5% / 11.2%
Bowden — 5-14: 4.5% Ovingham — 5-14: 11.2%
15-19 2.3% / 4.0%
Bowden — 15-19: 2.3% Ovingham — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 13.9% / 7.3%
Bowden — 20-24: 13.9% Ovingham — 20-24: 7.3%
25-34 32.4% / 20.6%
Bowden — 25-34: 32.4% Ovingham — 25-34: 20.6%
35-44 14.4% / 14.8%
Bowden — 35-44: 14.4% Ovingham — 35-44: 14.8%
45-54 8.4% / 11.6%
Bowden — 45-54: 8.4% Ovingham — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 11.3% / 11.7%
Bowden — 55-64: 11.3% Ovingham — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 7.6% / 9.3%
Bowden — 65-74: 7.6% Ovingham — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 2.0% / 2.6%
Bowden — 75-84: 2.0% Ovingham — 75-84: 2.6%
85+ 0.6% / 1.0%
Bowden — 85+: 0.6% Ovingham — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (32.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bowden 61.6% lone person
Bowden — Lone Person: 61.6% Bowden — Couple Families: 13.1% Bowden — Group Household: 14.3% Bowden — One Parent Families: 8.7% Bowden — Other Families: 2.3%
Ovingham 51.1% lone person
Ovingham — Lone Person: 51.1% Ovingham — Couple Families: 24.4% Ovingham — Group Household: 8.3% Ovingham — One Parent Families: 12.8% Ovingham — Other Families: 3.4%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bowden 59.3% renting
Bowden — Owned Outright: 13.0% Bowden — Mortgage: 27.7% Bowden — Renting: 59.3%
Ovingham 56.9% renting
Ovingham — Owned Outright: 17.9% Ovingham — Mortgage: 25.2% Ovingham — Renting: 56.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Bowden Ovingham
Bachelor Degree 29.0% / 22.6%
Bowden — Bachelor Degree: 29.0% Ovingham — Bachelor Degree: 22.6%
Postgraduate Degree 11.5% / 7.7%
Bowden — Postgraduate Degree: 11.5% Ovingham — Postgraduate Degree: 7.7%
Certificate III & IV 9.1% / 8.6%
Bowden — Certificate III & IV: 9.1% Ovingham — Certificate III & IV: 8.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 6.5%
Bowden — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Ovingham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 4.6%
Bowden — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Ovingham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.0%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Bowden Ovingham
England 4.6% / 3.4%
Bowden — England: 4.6% Ovingham — England: 3.4%
China 4.1% / 0.9%
Bowden — China: 4.1% Ovingham — China: 0.9%
India 1.5% / 2.5%
Bowden — India: 1.5% Ovingham — India: 2.5%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.2%
Bowden — New Zealand: 1.3% Ovingham — New Zealand: 1.2%
Malaysia 2.0% / —
Bowden — Malaysia: 2.0% Ovingham — Malaysia: not among its largest
Pakistan — / 1.4%
Bowden — Pakistan: not among its largest Ovingham — Pakistan: 1.4%
Germany — / 1.3%
Bowden — Germany: not among its largest Ovingham — Germany: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bowden 63.4% flats / apartments
Bowden — Flats / Apartments: 63.4% Bowden — Houses: 14.1% Bowden — Townhouses: 22.5%
Ovingham 21.5% flats / apartments
Ovingham — Flats / Apartments: 21.5% Ovingham — Houses: 46.2% Ovingham — Townhouses: 32.4%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Bowden Ovingham
Median house price $975,000 $965,000
Median unit price $687,000 $455,279
Median land price $1,047,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 17 days
from 8 sales
 47 days
from 5 sales

Zoning mix

Ovingham has more commercially zoned land (17% vs 1%).

Bowden Ovingham
Residential 99% 83%
Commercial 1% 17%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Bowden Ovingham
New dwellings approved 1,636
across Charles Sturt
same for both
Approvals change year on year +109%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Bowden Ovingham
Houses —
same for both
Units 4.0%
$600/wk on $775K
 —

Ranking within SA

Bowden Ovingham
House price Higher than 73% of SA Higher than 62% of SA
Income Higher than 63% of SA Higher than 48% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 96% of SA Higher than 92% of SA
Affordability Higher than 21% of SA Higher than 23% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 82% of SA Higher than 87% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of SA Higher than 100% of SA
Rental yield (units) Higher than 15% of SA —

Liveability

Bowden scores higher overall (72 vs 51).

Bowden Ovingham
Grade A B
Score 72/100 51/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Ovingham carries more flood risk (77 vs 53); Ovingham carries more crime risk (95 vs 84).

Bowden Ovingham
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
84/100
 High
95/100
Flood Moderate
53/100
 High
77/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 11
within 5 km
 12
within 5 km

Schools

Bowden Ovingham
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Adelaide University, Adelaide City Campus, 3.4 km
 3
Adelaide University, Adelaide City Campus, 3.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 5.1% 3.8%

Amenities in the suburb

Bowden Ovingham
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 10 1
Parks & reserves 6 1
Childcare 2 0

Mobility

Bowden Ovingham
Walkability score 85/100 79/100
Distance to Adelaide 4.7 km 4.8 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 10 min
same for both
Public transport score 73/100
Rail · Bus
 87/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 14.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 36.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 4 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 5007
 1.5%
postcode 5082
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 5007
 50
postcode 5082

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Bowden Ovingham
Car (driver) 54.0% / 61.5%
Bowden — Car (driver): 54.0% Ovingham — Car (driver): 61.5%
Worked from Home 14.8% / 11.7%
Bowden — Worked from Home: 14.8% Ovingham — Worked from Home: 11.7%
Bus 3.4% / 16.0%
Bowden — Bus: 3.4% Ovingham — Bus: 16.0%
Tram / Light Rail 13.0% / —
Bowden — Tram / Light Rail: 13.0% Ovingham — Tram / Light Rail: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 3.4%
Bowden — Car (passenger): 5.3% Ovingham — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Bicycle 4.5% / 3.4%
Bowden — Bicycle: 4.5% Ovingham — Bicycle: 3.4%
Walked Only 3.0% / 4.0%
Bowden — Walked Only: 3.0% Ovingham — Walked Only: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.5%).

Setting

Bowden Ovingham
Elevation 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 30 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.1 km 8.7 km

NBN connectivity

Bowden Ovingham
Connectivity score 93/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 82%
1,274 premises
 100%
436 premises

Climate

Bowden Ovingham
Annual rainfall 457 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bowden Ovingham
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 1.12 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Bowden Ovingham
Average residential rate $1,726/yr
same for both
Council Charles Sturt
same for both

Federal electorate

Bowden Ovingham
Division Adelaide
same for both
Member Steve Georganas
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bowden Ovingham
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bowden

Apartments Easy Commute Gentrifying Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Trains Urban

Ovingham

Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bowden

Bowden vs North Adelaide Bowden vs Brompton Bowden vs Renown Park Bowden vs Hindmarsh

Other comparisons with Ovingham

Ovingham vs Prospect Ovingham vs North Adelaide Ovingham vs Renown Park Ovingham vs Fitzroy
Full data on Bowden Full data on Ovingham
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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