Brighton vs Dover Gardens

Dover Gardens is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 49 in Brighton. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Brighton, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Brighton: a median of $1.41 million, against $1 million in Dover Gardens, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Dover Gardens tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Dover Gardens

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (62/100 vs 81/100)

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

First-home buyers

Dover Gardens

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,000,000 vs $1,405,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Dover Gardens

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 24%)

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

Commuting to the city

Brighton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 72/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Brighton

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 20%)
  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 72/100)
  • But Dover Gardens carries lower crime risk (62/100 vs 81/100)

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

Investors

Dover Gardens

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.0% vs 2.9%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Brighton Dover Gardens
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.

Brighton Dover Gardens
Walkability 88 / 72
Brighton — Walkability: 88/100 Dover Gardens — Walkability: 72/100
Safety 19 / 38
Brighton — Safety: 19/100 Dover Gardens — Safety: 38/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Brighton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Dover Gardens — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 8 / 8
Brighton — Low flood risk: 8/100 Dover Gardens — Low flood risk: 8/100

Demographics

Brighton skews older (49 vs 39); Brighton has more residents (3,834 vs 3,062).

Brighton Dover Gardens
Population 3,834
+20% vs other
 3,062
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.6% +6.6%
Median age 49 39
Median household income $87,984/yr
+16% vs other
 $73,996/yr
Median weekly rent $360/wk
+6% vs other
 $339/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Brighton Dover Gardens
0-4 3.6% / 6.1%
Brighton — 0-4: 3.6% Dover Gardens — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 9.8% / 10.1%
Brighton — 5-14: 9.8% Dover Gardens — 5-14: 10.1%
15-19 6.0% / 4.8%
Brighton — 15-19: 6.0% Dover Gardens — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 4.4% / 6.3%
Brighton — 20-24: 4.4% Dover Gardens — 20-24: 6.3%
25-34 8.9% / 16.3%
Brighton — 25-34: 8.9% Dover Gardens — 25-34: 16.3%
35-44 11.4% / 14.5%
Brighton — 35-44: 11.4% Dover Gardens — 35-44: 14.5%
45-54 12.9% / 11.1%
Brighton — 45-54: 12.9% Dover Gardens — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 16.1% / 11.0%
Brighton — 55-64: 16.1% Dover Gardens — 55-64: 11.0%
65-74 14.0% / 12.1%
Brighton — 65-74: 14.0% Dover Gardens — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 8.5% / 5.1%
Brighton — 75-84: 8.5% Dover Gardens — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 4.1% / 2.9%
Brighton — 85+: 4.1% Dover Gardens — 85+: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Brighton 47.6% lone person
Brighton — Lone Person: 47.6% Brighton — Couple Families: 36.7% Brighton — One Parent Families: 11.8% Brighton — Group Household: 3.0% Brighton — Other Families: 0.9%
Dover Gardens 40.9% lone person
Dover Gardens — Lone Person: 40.9% Dover Gardens — Couple Families: 33.3% Dover Gardens — One Parent Families: 17.7% Dover Gardens — Group Household: 5.7% Dover Gardens — Other Families: 2.4%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Brighton 24.5% renting
Brighton — Owned Outright: 45.2% Brighton — Mortgage: 30.3% Brighton — Renting: 24.5%
Dover Gardens 35.4% renting
Dover Gardens — Owned Outright: 27.4% Dover Gardens — Mortgage: 37.3% Dover Gardens — Renting: 35.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Brighton Dover Gardens
Bachelor Degree 19.0% / 14.5%
Brighton — Bachelor Degree: 19.0% Dover Gardens — Bachelor Degree: 14.5%
Certificate III & IV 11.5% / 14.3%
Brighton — Certificate III & IV: 11.5% Dover Gardens — Certificate III & IV: 14.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 7.8%
Brighton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Dover Gardens — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Postgraduate Degree 6.7% / 5.4%
Brighton — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7% Dover Gardens — Postgraduate Degree: 5.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.6% / 2.3%
Brighton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6% Dover Gardens — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.0%).

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.

Brighton Dover Gardens
England 9.4% / 6.2%
Brighton — England: 9.4% Dover Gardens — England: 6.2%
India 0.7% / 2.8%
Brighton — India: 0.7% Dover Gardens — India: 2.8%
China — / 2.8%
Brighton — China: not among its largest Dover Gardens — China: 2.8%
Scotland 1.5% / 0.9%
Brighton — Scotland: 1.5% Dover Gardens — Scotland: 0.9%
South Africa 1.0% / 0.8%
Brighton — South Africa: 1.0% Dover Gardens — South Africa: 0.8%
New Zealand 1.4% / —
Brighton — New Zealand: 1.4% Dover Gardens — New Zealand: not among its largest
Nepal — / 1.2%
Brighton — Nepal: not among its largest Dover Gardens — Nepal: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Brighton 62.4% houses
Brighton — Houses: 62.4% Brighton — Townhouses: 32.3% Brighton — Flats / Apartments: 5.3%
Dover Gardens 68.0% houses
Dover Gardens — Houses: 68.0% Dover Gardens — Townhouses: 31.0% Dover Gardens — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Brighton Dover Gardens
Median house price $1,405,000 $1,000,000
Median unit price $882,500 $885,000
Median land price — $1,170,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 18 days
from 24 sales
 19 days
from 21 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Brighton Dover Gardens
3 bed $1.41M / $960K
Brighton — 3 bed: $1.41M (23 sales) Dover Gardens — 3 bed: $960K (55 sales)

23 vs 55 sales

4 bed $1.65M / $1.2M
Brighton — 4 bed: $1.65M (9 sales) Dover Gardens — 4 bed: $1.2M (8 sales)

9 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Brighton Dover Gardens
Residential 85% 98%
Commercial 9% 0%
Parks and recreation 2% 0%
Industrial 2%
same for both
Infrastructure and transport 1% 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

Brighton Dover Gardens
New dwellings approved 287
across Holdfast Bay
 809
across Marion
Approvals change year on year +188% -31%

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.

Brighton Dover Gardens
Houses 2.9%
$775/wk on $1.37M
 4.0%
$750/wk on $969K
Units 3.2%
$515/wk on $824K
 —

Ranking within SA

Brighton Dover Gardens
House price Higher than 71% of SA Higher than 44% of SA
Income Higher than 67% of SA Higher than 48% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 97% of SA Higher than 89% of SA
Affordability Higher than 27% of SA Higher than 42% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 85% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of SA Higher than 90% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 13% of SA Higher than 58% of SA
Rental yield (units) Higher than 3% of SA —

Liveability

Brighton scores higher overall (57 vs 44); Brighton is more walkable (88 vs 72).

Brighton Dover Gardens
Grade B C
Score 57/100 44/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Brighton carries more crime risk (81 vs 62).

Brighton Dover Gardens
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
81/100
 Moderate
62/100
Flood High
92/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Brighton Dover Gardens
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Bedford Park, 4.4 km
 2
Bedford Park, 3.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.2% 2.5%

Schools in Brighton

  • Brighton Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Dover Gardens

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

Amenities in the suburb

Brighton Dover Gardens
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 16 1
Parks & reserves 2 3
Childcare 2
same for both
Pharmacies 3 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0

Mobility

Brighton Dover Gardens
Walkability score 88/100 72/100
Distance to Adelaide 14.7 km
+3% vs other
 14.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min
same for both
Public transport score 93/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 114.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 74.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 5048
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 57
postcode 5048
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.

Brighton Dover Gardens
Car (driver) 66.0% / 74.0%
Brighton — Car (driver): 66.0% Dover Gardens — Car (driver): 74.0%
Worked from Home 17.0% / 11.0%
Brighton — Worked from Home: 17.0% Dover Gardens — Worked from Home: 11.0%
Train 7.4% / 4.3%
Brighton — Train: 7.4% Dover Gardens — Train: 4.3%
Car (passenger) 3.5% / 3.7%
Brighton — Car (passenger): 3.5% Dover Gardens — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Bus 1.2% / 4.3%
Brighton — Bus: 1.2% Dover Gardens — Bus: 4.3%
Walked Only 3.0% / 2.2%
Brighton — Walked Only: 3.0% Dover Gardens — Walked Only: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.0%).

Setting

Brighton Dover Gardens
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 719 m 1.9 km

NBN connectivity

Brighton Dover Gardens
Connectivity score 75/100 76/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 2%
2,073 premises
 2%
1,511 premises

Climate

Brighton Dover Gardens
Annual rainfall 394 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Brighton Dover Gardens
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

Brighton Dover Gardens
Average residential rate $2,095/yr $1,782/yr
Council Holdfast Bay Marion

Federal electorate

Brighton Dover Gardens
Division Boothby
same for both
Member Louise Miller-Frost
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Brighton Dover Gardens
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Brighton

Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Premium Retirees Townhouses Transport Hub Village Feel

Dover Gardens

Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Quiet Townhouses Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Brighton

Brighton vs Warradale Brighton vs Hove Brighton vs South Brighton

Other comparisons with Dover Gardens

Dover Gardens vs Warradale Dover Gardens vs Oaklands Park Dover Gardens vs Seacombe Gardens Dover Gardens vs South Brighton Dover Gardens vs Seaview Downs Dover Gardens vs Seacliff Park
Full data on Brighton Full data on Dover Gardens
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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