Bowmans vs Port Wakefield

Port Wakefield is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 52 in Bowmans. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bowmans, the large majority of households are couple families. In Port Wakefield, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Bowmans tends to suit couples, while Port Wakefield suits people living alone.

Bowmans is a very small rural community of 56 people, while Port Wakefield is a larger town of 661 residents. Port Wakefield offers better walkability (32 versus 0) and is closer to Adelaide's CBD at 99.8 km compared to Bowmans at 113 km. Bowmans has an older population (median age 52 versus 44) and lower crime risk, though it carries no bushfire risk and slightly lower median household income. Port Wakefield suits someone seeking more amenities and town services, while Bowmans appeals to those prioritising isolation and minimal development.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Bowmans

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (75% vs 41%)
  • carries lower crime risk (85/100 vs 95/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 90%)
  • But Port Wakefield has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Port Wakefield

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (21% vs 27%)
  • has cheaper rent ($225/wk vs $280/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Port Wakefield

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (35/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (99.8 km vs 113 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (70 min vs 79 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bowmans

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (28% vs 21%)
  • carries lower crime risk (85/100 vs 95/100)
  • But Port Wakefield is more walkable (35/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Port Wakefield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.9% vs -3.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bowmans Port Wakefield
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.

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Walkability 0 / 35
Bowmans — Walkability: 0/100 Port Wakefield — Walkability: 35/100
Safety 15 / 5
Bowmans — Safety: 15/100 Port Wakefield — Safety: 5/100
Low fire risk 100 / 70
Bowmans — Low fire risk: 100/100 Port Wakefield — Low fire risk: 70/100

Demographics

Port Wakefield has more residents (661 vs 56); Bowmans rents higher ($280/wk vs $225/wk).

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Population 56 661
+1080% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.4% +3.9%
Median age 52 44
Median household income $54,184/yr $56,836/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $280/wk
+20% vs other
 $225/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bowmans Port Wakefield
0-4 — / 4.2%
Bowmans — 0-4: not among its largest Port Wakefield — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 12.5% / 12.0%
Bowmans — 5-14: 12.5% Port Wakefield — 5-14: 12.0%
15-19 8.9% / 4.8%
Bowmans — 15-19: 8.9% Port Wakefield — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 — / 5.1%
Bowmans — 20-24: not among its largest Port Wakefield — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 7.1% / 13.2%
Bowmans — 25-34: 7.1% Port Wakefield — 25-34: 13.2%
35-44 12.5% / 10.4%
Bowmans — 35-44: 12.5% Port Wakefield — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 21.4% / 13.0%
Bowmans — 45-54: 21.4% Port Wakefield — 45-54: 13.0%
55-64 21.4% / 15.7%
Bowmans — 55-64: 21.4% Port Wakefield — 55-64: 15.7%
65-74 19.6% / 13.2%
Bowmans — 65-74: 19.6% Port Wakefield — 65-74: 13.2%
75-84 8.9% / 6.4%
Bowmans — 75-84: 8.9% Port Wakefield — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ — / 1.5%
Bowmans — 85+: not among its largest Port Wakefield — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bowmans 75.0% couple families
Bowmans — Couple Families: 75.0% Bowmans — Lone Person: 25.0% Bowmans — One Parent Families: 0.0% Bowmans — Group Household: 0.0% Bowmans — Other Families: 0.0%
Port Wakefield 27.1% couple families
Port Wakefield — Couple Families: 27.1% Port Wakefield — Lone Person: 50.7% Port Wakefield — One Parent Families: 14.2% Port Wakefield — Group Household: 4.4% Port Wakefield — Other Families: 3.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bowmans 33.3% renting
Bowmans — Owned Outright: 47.6% Bowmans — Mortgage: 19.0% Bowmans — Renting: 33.3%
Port Wakefield 40.5% renting
Port Wakefield — Owned Outright: 36.3% Port Wakefield — Mortgage: 23.2% Port Wakefield — Renting: 40.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Certificate III & IV — / 14.7%
Bowmans — Certificate III & IV: not among its largest Port Wakefield — Certificate III & IV: 14.7%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 6.5%
Bowmans — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% Port Wakefield — Bachelor Degree: 6.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.4% / 3.3%
Bowmans — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4% Port Wakefield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.3%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.8%
Bowmans — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Port Wakefield — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.7%).

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.

Bowmans Port Wakefield
England 10.7% / 3.8%
Bowmans — England: 10.7% Port Wakefield — England: 3.8%
Philippines — / 10.4%
Bowmans — Philippines: not among its largest Port Wakefield — Philippines: 10.4%
Taiwan — / 2.0%
Bowmans — Taiwan: not among its largest Port Wakefield — Taiwan: 2.0%
India — / 1.8%
Bowmans — India: not among its largest Port Wakefield — India: 1.8%
New Zealand — / 1.8%
Bowmans — New Zealand: not among its largest Port Wakefield — New Zealand: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bowmans 100.0% houses
Bowmans — Houses: 100.0% Bowmans — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Bowmans — Townhouses: 0.0%
Port Wakefield 90.0% houses
Port Wakefield — Houses: 90.0% Port Wakefield — Flats / Apartments: 5.0% Port Wakefield — Townhouses: 5.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Median house price — $410,000
Median unit price — $81,000
Median land price — $87,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 62 days
from 6 sales

Zoning mix

Port Wakefield has more land zoned for conservation (22% vs 0%); Bowmans has more industrially zoned land (13% vs 0%).

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Rural and farming 87% 76%
Environmental 0% 22%
Industrial 13% 0%
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

Bowmans Port Wakefield
New dwellings approved 15
across Wakefield
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
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.

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Houses — 3.3%
$372/wk on $590K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Bowmans Port Wakefield
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 19% of SA Higher than 22% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 24% of SA Higher than 76% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 54% of SA Higher than 55% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 35% of SA Higher than 63% of SA
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 24% of SA

Liveability

Port Wakefield is more walkable (35 vs 0).

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Grade — D
Score — 10/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Port Wakefield carries more bushfire risk (30 vs 0); Port Wakefield carries more crime risk (95 vs 85).

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
30/100
Crime High
85/100
 High
95/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
77/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Bowmans

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Port Wakefield

  • Port Wakefield Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 0 1
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 3
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 4 6

Mobility

Bowmans sits further from the CBD (113 km vs 99.8 km).

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Walkability score 0/100 35/100
Distance to Adelaide 113 km
+12% vs other
 99.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 79 min 70 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 5550
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 5550
same for both

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.

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Car (driver) 57.1% / 75.2%
Bowmans — Car (driver): 57.1% Port Wakefield — Car (driver): 75.2%
Worked from Home 42.9% / 6.8%
Bowmans — Worked from Home: 42.9% Port Wakefield — Worked from Home: 6.8%
Walked Only — / 9.2%
Bowmans — Walked Only: not among its largest Port Wakefield — Walked Only: 9.2%
Car (passenger) — / 8.8%
Bowmans — Car (passenger): not among its largest Port Wakefield — Car (passenger): 8.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.2%).

Setting

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Elevation 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.3 km 885 m

NBN connectivity

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Connectivity score 24/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
33 premises
 0%
355 premises

Climate

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Annual rainfall 295 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.2°C
same for both

Council rates

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Average residential rate $1,640/yr
same for both
Council Wakefield
same for both

Federal electorate

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Division Grey
same for both
Member Tom Venning
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bowmans Port Wakefield
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bowmans

Retirees Rural

Port Wakefield

Affordable Coastal Quiet River Rural

More comparisons

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Bowmans vs Beaufort

Other comparisons with Port Wakefield

Port Wakefield vs Beaufort
Full data on Bowmans Full data on Port Wakefield
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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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