Hillier vs Gawler River

Gawler River is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 67 in Hillier. In both, the large majority of households own their home. In Hillier, most households are people living alone. In Gawler River, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Hillier tends to suit people living alone and older residents.

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

Gawler River

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 36%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (50% vs 27%)
  • But Hillier carries lower crime risk (59/100 vs 93/100)

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

First-home buyers

Gawler River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (16% vs 48%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Gawler River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (22% vs 8%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 36%)
  • But Hillier has cheaper rent ($255/wk vs $320/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

Hillier

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (55% vs 28%)
  • carries lower crime risk (59/100 vs 93/100)

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

Investors

Hillier

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.8% vs -16.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Hillier Gawler River
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.

Hillier Gawler River
Walkability 0 / 0
Hillier — Walkability: 0/100 Gawler River — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 41 / 7
Hillier — Safety: 41/100 Gawler River — Safety: 7/100
Low fire risk 59 / 64
Hillier — Low fire risk: 59/100 Gawler River — Low fire risk: 64/100
Low flood risk 9 / 6
Hillier — Low flood risk: 9/100 Gawler River — Low flood risk: 6/100

Demographics

Hillier has more residents (814 vs 104); Gawler River has higher household incomes ($84,448 vs $37,024).

Hillier Gawler River
Population 814
+87% vs other
 104
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.8% -16.1%
Median age 67 46
Median household income $37,024/yr $84,448/yr
+128% vs other
Median weekly rent $255/wk $320/wk
+25% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hillier Gawler River
0-4 2.6% / —
Hillier — 0-4: 2.6% Gawler River — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 8.2% / 14.4%
Hillier — 5-14: 8.2% Gawler River — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 2.1% / 14.4%
Hillier — 15-19: 2.1% Gawler River — 15-19: 14.4%
20-24 2.1% / 3.8%
Hillier — 20-24: 2.1% Gawler River — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 6.5% / 2.9%
Hillier — 25-34: 6.5% Gawler River — 25-34: 2.9%
35-44 4.8% / 13.5%
Hillier — 35-44: 4.8% Gawler River — 35-44: 13.5%
45-54 6.6% / 10.6%
Hillier — 45-54: 6.6% Gawler River — 45-54: 10.6%
55-64 12.7% / 12.5%
Hillier — 55-64: 12.7% Gawler River — 55-64: 12.5%
65-74 21.4% / 20.2%
Hillier — 65-74: 21.4% Gawler River — 65-74: 20.2%
75-84 24.0% / 7.7%
Hillier — 75-84: 24.0% Gawler River — 75-84: 7.7%
85+ 9.7% / —
Hillier — 85+: 9.7% Gawler River — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hillier 71.9% lone person
Hillier — Lone Person: 71.9% Hillier — Couple Families: 18.9% Hillier — One Parent Families: 8.2% Hillier — Group Household: 1.1%
Gawler River 50.0% lone person
Gawler River — Lone Person: 50.0% Gawler River — Couple Families: 31.2% Gawler River — One Parent Families: 18.8% Gawler River — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Hillier 7.9% renting
Hillier — Owned Outright: 76.0% Hillier — Mortgage: 16.1% Hillier — Renting: 7.9%
Gawler River 21.6% renting
Gawler River — Owned Outright: 56.8% Gawler River — Mortgage: 21.6% Gawler River — Renting: 21.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Hillier Gawler River
England 21.6% / 7.7%
Hillier — England: 21.6% Gawler River — England: 7.7%
Scotland 2.1% / —
Hillier — Scotland: 2.1% Gawler River — Scotland: not among its largest
Vietnam 1.4% / —
Hillier — Vietnam: 1.4% Gawler River — Vietnam: not among its largest
Germany 1.2% / —
Hillier — Germany: 1.2% Gawler River — Germany: not among its largest
Netherlands 1.1% / —
Hillier — Netherlands: 1.1% Gawler River — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.6%).

Qualifications

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

Hillier Gawler River
Certificate III & IV 16.1% / 16.3%
Hillier — Certificate III & IV: 16.1% Gawler River — Certificate III & IV: 16.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.0% / 6.7%
Hillier — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.0% Gawler River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7%
Bachelor Degree 3.9% / 5.8%
Hillier — Bachelor Degree: 3.9% Gawler River — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 3.8%
Hillier — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Gawler River — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / —
Hillier — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Gawler River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hillier 35.8% houses
Hillier — Houses: 35.8% Hillier — Townhouses: 65.2%
Gawler River 100.0% houses
Gawler River — Houses: 100.0% Gawler River — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Hillier Gawler River
Median house price $755,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 33 days
from 7 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Gawler River has more rural and farming land (100% vs 89%).

Hillier Gawler River
Rural and farming 89% 100%
Residential 10% 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

Hillier Gawler River
New dwellings approved 324
across Gawler
 278
across Light
Approvals change year on year -22% +43%

Ranking within SA

Hillier Gawler River
House price Higher than 20% of SA —
Income Higher than 4% of SA Higher than 59% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 11% of SA Higher than 4% of SA
Affordability Higher than 7% of SA —
EV adoption Higher than 56% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of SA Higher than 51% of SA

Liveability

Hillier Gawler River
Grade D —
Score 12/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Gawler River carries more crime risk (93 vs 59).

Hillier Gawler River
Bushfire Moderate
41/100
 Low
36/100
Crime Moderate
59/100
 High
93/100
Flood High
91/100
 High
94/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Hillier Gawler River
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

Hillier Gawler River
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Hillier Gawler River
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Adelaide 44.8 km
+3% vs other
 43.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 37 min 41 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 5116
 0.6%
postcode 5118
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 68
postcode 5116
 76
postcode 5118

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.

Hillier Gawler River
Car (driver) 76.4% / 70.6%
Hillier — Car (driver): 76.4% Gawler River — Car (driver): 70.6%
Worked from Home 16.1% / 11.8%
Hillier — Worked from Home: 16.1% Gawler River — Worked from Home: 11.8%
Car (passenger) 2.3% / 17.6%
Hillier — Car (passenger): 2.3% Gawler River — Car (passenger): 17.6%
Walked Only 3.4% / —
Hillier — Walked Only: 3.4% Gawler River — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 1.7% / —
Hillier — Bus: 1.7% Gawler River — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.4%).

Setting

Hillier Gawler River
Elevation 43 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 37 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.5 km 17.6 km

NBN connectivity

Hillier Gawler River
Connectivity score 59/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 32%
522 premises
 0%
37 premises

Climate

Hillier Gawler River
Annual rainfall 404 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Hillier Gawler River
PM2.5 5.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.31 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Hillier Gawler River
Average residential rate $2,258/yr $2,297/yr
Council Gawler Light

Federal electorate

Hillier Gawler River
Division Spence Grey
Member Matt Burnell Tom Venning
Party Australian Labor Party Liberal

First Home Owner Grant

Hillier Gawler River
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Hillier

Outer Retirees Townhouses

Gawler River

Outer Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hillier

Hillier vs Angle Vale Hillier vs Evanston Hillier vs Evanston Gardens Hillier vs Kudla Hillier vs Reid Hillier vs Buchfelde

Other comparisons with Gawler River

Gawler River vs Angle Vale Gawler River vs Lewiston Gawler River vs Buchfelde Gawler River vs Ward Belt Gawler River vs Reeves Plains
Full data on Hillier Full data on Gawler River
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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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