Gilles Plains vs Hillcrest

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Hillcrest: a median of $948,000, against $870,000 in Gilles Plains, and rent is higher there too. Hillcrest is closer to the city centre: 9.5 km, against 11.6 km.

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

  • Gilles Plains has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • Hillcrest 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

Gilles Plains

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($525,800 vs $735,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Gilles Plains

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($295/wk vs $319/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Hillcrest

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (9.5 km vs 11.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Hillcrest

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (4 vs 2)

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

Investors

Gilles Plains

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.7% vs 8.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
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.

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Walkability 84 / 86
Gilles Plains — Walkability: 84/100 Hillcrest — Walkability: 86/100
Safety 10 / 19
Gilles Plains — Safety: 10/100 Hillcrest — Safety: 19/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Gilles Plains — Low fire risk: 100/100 Hillcrest — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Hillcrest has higher household incomes ($83,148 vs $75,192).

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Population 4,101
+11% vs other
 3,659
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.7% +8.6%
Median age 36 35
Median household income $75,192/yr $83,148/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $295/wk $319/wk
+8% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
0-4 6.5% / 8.1%
Gilles Plains — 0-4: 6.5% Hillcrest — 0-4: 8.1%
5-14 12.3% / 12.2%
Gilles Plains — 5-14: 12.3% Hillcrest — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 5.0% / 4.7%
Gilles Plains — 15-19: 5.0% Hillcrest — 15-19: 4.7%
20-24 6.8% / 5.9%
Gilles Plains — 20-24: 6.8% Hillcrest — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 16.4% / 17.9%
Gilles Plains — 25-34: 16.4% Hillcrest — 25-34: 17.9%
35-44 16.7% / 17.0%
Gilles Plains — 35-44: 16.7% Hillcrest — 35-44: 17.0%
45-54 11.9% / 11.2%
Gilles Plains — 45-54: 11.9% Hillcrest — 45-54: 11.2%
55-64 9.9% / 9.0%
Gilles Plains — 55-64: 9.9% Hillcrest — 55-64: 9.0%
65-74 8.3% / 6.9%
Gilles Plains — 65-74: 8.3% Hillcrest — 65-74: 6.9%
75-84 4.6% / 4.2%
Gilles Plains — 75-84: 4.6% Hillcrest — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 1.6% / 2.7%
Gilles Plains — 85+: 1.6% Hillcrest — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gilles Plains 42.3% couple families
Gilles Plains — Couple Families: 42.3% Gilles Plains — Lone Person: 33.2% Gilles Plains — One Parent Families: 16.2% Gilles Plains — Group Household: 6.4% Gilles Plains — Other Families: 1.9%
Hillcrest 44.5% couple families
Hillcrest — Couple Families: 44.5% Hillcrest — Lone Person: 34.3% Hillcrest — One Parent Families: 15.8% Hillcrest — Group Household: 3.6% Hillcrest — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Gilles Plains 41.1% renting
Gilles Plains — Owned Outright: 21.2% Gilles Plains — Mortgage: 37.7% Gilles Plains — Renting: 41.1%
Hillcrest 34.8% renting
Hillcrest — Owned Outright: 23.7% Hillcrest — Mortgage: 41.5% Hillcrest — Renting: 34.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Bachelor Degree 14.5% / 18.0%
Gilles Plains — Bachelor Degree: 14.5% Hillcrest — Bachelor Degree: 18.0%
Certificate III & IV 11.8% / 9.1%
Gilles Plains — Certificate III & IV: 11.8% Hillcrest — Certificate III & IV: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree 6.9% / 7.7%
Gilles Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9% Hillcrest — Postgraduate Degree: 7.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / 7.6%
Gilles Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% Hillcrest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 2.0%
Gilles Plains — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Hillcrest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

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.

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
India 11.0% / 15.9%
Gilles Plains — India: 11.0% Hillcrest — India: 15.9%
China 3.1% / 4.0%
Gilles Plains — China: 3.1% Hillcrest — China: 4.0%
England 2.8% / 2.5%
Gilles Plains — England: 2.8% Hillcrest — England: 2.5%
Philippines 2.2% / 1.4%
Gilles Plains — Philippines: 2.2% Hillcrest — Philippines: 1.4%
Sri Lanka 2.0% / 1.1%
Gilles Plains — Sri Lanka: 2.0% Hillcrest — Sri Lanka: 1.1%
Malaysia — / 1.5%
Gilles Plains — Malaysia: not among its largest Hillcrest — Malaysia: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gilles Plains 77.5% houses
Gilles Plains — Houses: 77.5% Gilles Plains — Townhouses: 9.1% Gilles Plains — Flats / Apartments: 13.4%
Hillcrest 80.9% houses
Hillcrest — Houses: 80.9% Hillcrest — Townhouses: 16.1% Hillcrest — Flats / Apartments: 2.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Median house price $870,000 $947,500
Median unit price $525,800 $735,000
Median land price — $935,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 27 sales
 18 days
from 36 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.

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
3 bed $848K / $902K
Gilles Plains — 3 bed: $848K (48 sales) Hillcrest — 3 bed: $902K (38 sales)

48 vs 38 sales

4 bed $1.03M / $1.11M
Gilles Plains — 4 bed: $1.03M (9 sales) Hillcrest — 4 bed: $1.11M (15 sales)

9 vs 15 sales

Zoning mix

Gilles Plains has more commercially zoned land (12% vs 1%).

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Residential 81% 94%
Commercial 12% 1%
Industrial 5%
same for both
Parks and recreation 2% 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

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
New dwellings approved 1,176
across Port Adelaide Enfield
same for both
Approvals change year on year +23%
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.

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Houses 4.3%
$688/wk on $827K
 4.2%
$685/wk on $840K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
House price Higher than 32% of SA Higher than 38% of SA
Income Higher than 50% of SA Higher than 58% of SA
Schools Higher than 17% of SA —
Walkability Higher than 95% of SA Higher than 96% of SA
Affordability Higher than 64% of SA Higher than 69% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 72% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 93% of SA Higher than 96% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 81% of SA Higher than 75% of SA

Liveability

Hillcrest scores higher overall (64 vs 43).

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Grade C B
Score 43/100 64/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
90/100
 High
81/100
Flood Moderate
49/100
 —
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 2
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 6.2 km
 3
Adelaide University, Magill Campus, 5.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.9% 2.8%

Schools in Gilles Plains

  • St Paul's College Catholic · Combined at peers
  • Wandana Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Pinnacle College - Gilles Plains Campus Independent · Combined

Schools in Hillcrest

  • Hillcrest Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 8 2
Parks & reserves 3
same for both
Childcare 5 4
GPs 2 4
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1
same for both

Mobility

Gilles Plains sits further from the CBD (11.6 km vs 9.5 km).

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Walkability score 84/100 86/100
Distance to Adelaide 11.6 km
+18% vs other
 9.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 20 min 17 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 85.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 40.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 5086
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 63
postcode 5086
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.

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Car (driver) 72.4% / 74.0%
Gilles Plains — Car (driver): 72.4% Hillcrest — Car (driver): 74.0%
Bus 11.6% / 10.2%
Gilles Plains — Bus: 11.6% Hillcrest — Bus: 10.2%
Worked from Home 9.0% / 10.1%
Gilles Plains — Worked from Home: 9.0% Hillcrest — Worked from Home: 10.1%
Car (passenger) 5.2% / 4.2%
Gilles Plains — Car (passenger): 5.2% Hillcrest — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 1.3% / 0.9%
Gilles Plains — Walked Only: 1.3% Hillcrest — Walked Only: 0.9%

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

Setting

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Elevation 100 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 82 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.8 km 10.4 km

NBN connectivity

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Connectivity score 83/100 89/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 29%
1,899 premises
 48%
1,628 premises

Climate

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Annual rainfall 404 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ 0.51 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Average residential rate $1,311/yr
same for both
Council Port Adelaide Enfield
same for both

Federal electorate

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Division Sturt
same for both
Member Claire Clutterham
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gilles Plains Hillcrest
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gilles Plains

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks

Hillcrest

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gilles Plains

Gilles Plains vs Valley View Gilles Plains vs Windsor Gardens Gilles Plains vs Modbury Gilles Plains vs Holden Hill Gilles Plains vs Oakden Gilles Plains vs Walkley Heights

Other comparisons with Hillcrest

Hillcrest vs Klemzig Hillcrest vs Lightsview Hillcrest vs Windsor Gardens Hillcrest vs Oakden Hillcrest vs Greenacres
Full data on Gilles Plains Full data on Hillcrest
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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