Goolwa South vs Hindmarsh Island

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Goolwa South, most households are people living alone. In Hindmarsh Island, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Hindmarsh Island: a median of $825,000, against $690,000 in Goolwa South, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Goolwa South tends to suit people living alone and 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

Hindmarsh Island

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (48% vs 33%)

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

  • Goolwa South has cheaper houses ($690,000 vs $825,000)
  • Hindmarsh Island has cheaper land ($285,000 vs $940,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Goolwa South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($280/wk vs $330/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Goolwa South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (88.7 km vs 92.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Hindmarsh Island

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (32.0% vs 7.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
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.

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Walkability 0 / 0
Goolwa South — Walkability: 0/100 Hindmarsh Island — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 60 / 60
Goolwa South — Safety: 60/100 Hindmarsh Island — Safety: 60/100
Low fire risk 100 / 87
Goolwa South — Low fire risk: 100/100 Hindmarsh Island — Low fire risk: 87/100

Demographics

Hindmarsh Island has more residents (1,846 vs 1,041); Hindmarsh Island rents higher ($330/wk vs $280/wk).

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Population 1,041 1,846
+77% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.2% +32.0%
Median age 62 60
Median household income $49,972/yr $58,396/yr
+17% vs other
Median weekly rent $280/wk $330/wk
+18% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
0-4 2.8% / 2.6%
Goolwa South — 0-4: 2.8% Hindmarsh Island — 0-4: 2.6%
5-14 4.7% / 8.6%
Goolwa South — 5-14: 4.7% Hindmarsh Island — 5-14: 8.6%
15-19 3.7% / 3.6%
Goolwa South — 15-19: 3.7% Hindmarsh Island — 15-19: 3.6%
20-24 3.8% / 2.2%
Goolwa South — 20-24: 3.8% Hindmarsh Island — 20-24: 2.2%
25-34 7.5% / 6.0%
Goolwa South — 25-34: 7.5% Hindmarsh Island — 25-34: 6.0%
35-44 7.9% / 7.6%
Goolwa South — 35-44: 7.9% Hindmarsh Island — 35-44: 7.6%
45-54 10.5% / 9.7%
Goolwa South — 45-54: 10.5% Hindmarsh Island — 45-54: 9.7%
55-64 15.7% / 19.3%
Goolwa South — 55-64: 15.7% Hindmarsh Island — 55-64: 19.3%
65-74 23.3% / 26.7%
Goolwa South — 65-74: 23.3% Hindmarsh Island — 65-74: 26.7%
75-84 15.4% / 11.1%
Goolwa South — 75-84: 15.4% Hindmarsh Island — 75-84: 11.1%
85+ 5.4% / 2.0%
Goolwa South — 85+: 5.4% Hindmarsh Island — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Goolwa South 62.8% lone person
Goolwa South — Lone Person: 62.8% Goolwa South — Couple Families: 18.6% Goolwa South — One Parent Families: 14.3% Goolwa South — Group Household: 3.0% Goolwa South — Other Families: 1.3%
Hindmarsh Island 45.3% lone person
Hindmarsh Island — Lone Person: 45.3% Hindmarsh Island — Couple Families: 30.2% Hindmarsh Island — One Parent Families: 17.4% Hindmarsh Island — Group Household: 6.4% Hindmarsh Island — Other Families: 0.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Goolwa South 28.0% renting
Goolwa South — Owned Outright: 50.5% Goolwa South — Mortgage: 21.4% Goolwa South — Renting: 28.0%
Hindmarsh Island 20.8% renting
Hindmarsh Island — Owned Outright: 54.1% Hindmarsh Island — Mortgage: 25.2% Hindmarsh Island — Renting: 20.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Certificate III & IV 18.6% / 17.8%
Goolwa South — Certificate III & IV: 18.6% Hindmarsh Island — Certificate III & IV: 17.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 10.5%
Goolwa South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Hindmarsh Island — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.5%
Bachelor Degree 8.7% / 9.8%
Goolwa South — Bachelor Degree: 8.7% Hindmarsh Island — Bachelor Degree: 9.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 2.4%
Goolwa South — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Hindmarsh Island — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 2.0%
Goolwa South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Hindmarsh Island — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

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.

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
England 10.2% / 12.1%
Goolwa South — England: 10.2% Hindmarsh Island — England: 12.1%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.4%
Goolwa South — New Zealand: 1.3% Hindmarsh Island — New Zealand: 1.4%
Netherlands 1.0% / 0.6%
Goolwa South — Netherlands: 1.0% Hindmarsh Island — Netherlands: 0.6%
Scotland 0.5% / 1.0%
Goolwa South — Scotland: 0.5% Hindmarsh Island — Scotland: 1.0%
Germany 0.8% / 0.5%
Goolwa South — Germany: 0.8% Hindmarsh Island — Germany: 0.5%
Italy — / 0.5%
Goolwa South — Italy: not among its largest Hindmarsh Island — Italy: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Goolwa South 89.4% houses
Goolwa South — Houses: 89.4% Goolwa South — Townhouses: 5.6% Goolwa South — Flats / Apartments: 5.0%
Hindmarsh Island 87.5% houses
Hindmarsh Island — Houses: 87.5% Hindmarsh Island — Townhouses: 7.3% Hindmarsh Island — Flats / Apartments: 5.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Median house price $690,000 $825,000
Median unit price $675,000 —
Median land price $940,000 $285,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 16 days
from 24 sales
 45 days
from 71 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.

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
3 bed $675K / $730K
Goolwa South — 3 bed: $675K (41 sales) Hindmarsh Island — 3 bed: $730K (68 sales)

41 vs 68 sales

4 bed $865K / $870K
Goolwa South — 4 bed: $865K (21 sales) Hindmarsh Island — 4 bed: $870K (75 sales)

21 vs 75 sales

Zoning mix

Hindmarsh Island has more rural and farming land (49% vs 0%); Goolwa South has more land zoned for conservation (86% vs 44%).

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Environmental 86% 44%
Rural and farming 0% 49%
Residential 12% 6%
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

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
New dwellings approved 429
across Alexandrina
same for both
Approvals change year on year +25%
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.

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Houses 3.3%
$540/wk on $850K
 3.6%
$630/wk on $915K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 16% of SA Higher than 23% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 23% of SA Higher than 37% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 59% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of SA Higher than 79% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 25% of SA Higher than 33% of SA

Liveability

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Grade C
same for both
Score 41/100 44/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Hindmarsh Island carries more bushfire risk (13 vs 0).

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
13/100
Crime Moderate
40/100
same for both
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
67/100
 Moderate
41/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
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

Amenities in the suburb

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 0 4

Mobility

Hindmarsh Island sits further from the CBD (92.4 km vs 88.7 km).

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Adelaide 88.7 km 92.4 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 84 min 82 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 5214
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 73
postcode 5214
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.

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Car (driver) 75.9% / 75.9%
Goolwa South — Car (driver): 75.9% Hindmarsh Island — Car (driver): 75.9%
Worked from Home 13.5% / 14.5%
Goolwa South — Worked from Home: 13.5% Hindmarsh Island — Worked from Home: 14.5%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / 5.4%
Goolwa South — Car (passenger): 5.9% Hindmarsh Island — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 3.6% / 2.7%
Goolwa South — Walked Only: 3.6% Hindmarsh Island — Walked Only: 2.7%
Bicycle 1.0% / 1.0%
Goolwa South — Bicycle: 1.0% Hindmarsh Island — Bicycle: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.9%).

Setting

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Elevation 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 536 m 3.3 km

NBN connectivity

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Connectivity score 56/100 65/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 19%
1,105 premises
 40%
1,642 premises

Climate

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Annual rainfall 466 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Average residential rate $2,523/yr
same for both
Council Alexandrina
same for both

Federal electorate

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Division Mayo
same for both
Member Rebekha Sharkie
same for both
Party Centre Alliance
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Goolwa South Hindmarsh Island
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Goolwa South

Acreage Coastal Retirees

Hindmarsh Island

Acreage Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Goolwa South

Goolwa South vs Goolwa Goolwa South vs Goolwa Beach Goolwa South vs Coorong

Other comparisons with Hindmarsh Island

Hindmarsh Island vs Goolwa Hindmarsh Island vs Goolwa North Hindmarsh Island vs Clayton Bay Hindmarsh Island vs Currency Creek Hindmarsh Island vs Point Sturt Hindmarsh Island vs Coorong
Full data on Goolwa South Full data on Hindmarsh Island
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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