Lower Light vs Mallala

Mallala is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 45 in Lower Light. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Lower Light, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Lower Light tends to suit 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

Lower Light

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (65% vs 54%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 87%)
  • But Mallala carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 88/100)

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Mallala

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (45/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mallala

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (45/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 88/100)
  • But Lower Light has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 16%)

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

Investors

Mallala

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.6% vs -1.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lower Light Mallala
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.

Lower Light Mallala
Walkability 0 / 45
Lower Light — Walkability: 0/100 Mallala — Walkability: 45/100
Safety 12 / 37
Lower Light — Safety: 12/100 Mallala — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 90 / 22
Lower Light — Low fire risk: 90/100 Mallala — Low fire risk: 22/100
Low flood risk 9 / 57
Lower Light — Low flood risk: 9/100 Mallala — Low flood risk: 57/100

Demographics

Mallala has more residents (1,042 vs 203); Lower Light skews older (45 vs 37).

Lower Light Mallala
Population 203 1,042
+413% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.5% +16.6%
Median age 45 37
Median household income $80,184/yr $79,924/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+7% vs other
 $278/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lower Light Mallala
0-4 3.9% / 6.0%
Lower Light — 0-4: 3.9% Mallala — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 13.8% / 13.1%
Lower Light — 5-14: 13.8% Mallala — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 4.4% / 5.5%
Lower Light — 15-19: 4.4% Mallala — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 3.0% / 5.1%
Lower Light — 20-24: 3.0% Mallala — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 10.8% / 15.7%
Lower Light — 25-34: 10.8% Mallala — 25-34: 15.7%
35-44 10.8% / 13.8%
Lower Light — 35-44: 10.8% Mallala — 35-44: 13.8%
45-54 10.8% / 9.8%
Lower Light — 45-54: 10.8% Mallala — 45-54: 9.8%
55-64 15.8% / 14.3%
Lower Light — 55-64: 15.8% Mallala — 55-64: 14.3%
65-74 15.8% / 8.1%
Lower Light — 65-74: 15.8% Mallala — 65-74: 8.1%
75-84 6.9% / 6.0%
Lower Light — 75-84: 6.9% Mallala — 75-84: 6.0%
85+ 2.0% / 1.7%
Lower Light — 85+: 2.0% Mallala — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lower Light 45.8% couple families
Lower Light — Couple Families: 45.8% Lower Light — Lone Person: 35.4% Lower Light — One Parent Families: 18.8% Lower Light — Group Household: 0.0%
Mallala 36.4% couple families
Mallala — Couple Families: 36.4% Mallala — Lone Person: 34.5% Mallala — One Parent Families: 17.8% Mallala — Group Household: 11.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lower Light 18.3% renting
Lower Light — Owned Outright: 58.3% Lower Light — Mortgage: 23.3% Lower Light — Renting: 18.3%
Mallala 24.2% renting
Mallala — Owned Outright: 34.6% Mallala — Mortgage: 41.3% Mallala — Renting: 24.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Lower Light Mallala
Certificate III & IV 16.3% / 14.7%
Lower Light — Certificate III & IV: 16.3% Mallala — Certificate III & IV: 14.7%
Bachelor Degree 4.9% / 4.0%
Lower Light — Bachelor Degree: 4.9% Mallala — Bachelor Degree: 4.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.9% / 3.7%
Lower Light — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.9% Mallala — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.5% / 0.6%
Lower Light — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5% Mallala — Postgraduate Degree: 0.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.9%
Lower Light — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Mallala — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%

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

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.

Lower Light Mallala
England 5.4% / 2.2%
Lower Light — England: 5.4% Mallala — England: 2.2%
Sri Lanka 1.5% / —
Lower Light — Sri Lanka: 1.5% Mallala — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 0.9%
Lower Light — New Zealand: not among its largest Mallala — New Zealand: 0.9%
Netherlands — / 0.5%
Lower Light — Netherlands: not among its largest Mallala — Netherlands: 0.5%
Germany — / 0.4%
Lower Light — Germany: not among its largest Mallala — Germany: 0.4%
Iran — / 0.4%
Lower Light — Iran: not among its largest Mallala — Iran: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lower Light 100.0% houses
Lower Light — Houses: 100.0% Lower Light — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Lower Light — Townhouses: 0.0%
Mallala 86.6% houses
Mallala — Houses: 86.6% Mallala — Flats / Apartments: 10.9% Mallala — Townhouses: 2.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Lower Light Mallala
Median house price — $690,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 18 days
from 12 sales

Zoning mix

Lower Light has more land zoned for conservation (36% vs 0%); Mallala has more rural and farming land (97% vs 64%).

Lower Light Mallala
Rural and farming 64% 97%
Environmental 36% 0%
Residential 0% 1%
Industrial 0% 1%
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

Lower Light Mallala
New dwellings approved 106
across Adelaide Plains
same for both
Approvals change year on year -21%
same for both

Ranking within SA

Lower Light Mallala
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 54% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 17% of SA Higher than 79% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 48% of SA Higher than 51% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 41% of SA Higher than 55% of SA

Liveability

Mallala is more walkable (45 vs 0).

Lower Light Mallala
Grade — D
Score — 17/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Mallala carries more bushfire risk (78 vs 10); Lower Light carries more flood risk (91 vs 43).

Lower Light Mallala
Bushfire Low
10/100
 High
78/100
Crime High
88/100
 Moderate
63/100
Flood High
91/100
 Moderate
43/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
44/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Lower Light Mallala
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Lower Light

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

Schools in Mallala

  • Mallala Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Lower Light Mallala
Supermarkets 0 1
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
GPs 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Lower Light Mallala
Walkability score 0/100 45/100
Distance to Adelaide 58.1 km 60 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 52 min 48 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 5501
 0.5%
postcode 5502
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings —
postcode 5501
 78
postcode 5502

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.

Lower Light Mallala
Car (driver) 58.3% / 71.5%
Lower Light — Car (driver): 58.3% Mallala — Car (driver): 71.5%
Worked from Home 26.4% / 4.5%
Lower Light — Worked from Home: 26.4% Mallala — Worked from Home: 4.5%
Walked Only 11.1% / 3.2%
Lower Light — Walked Only: 11.1% Mallala — Walked Only: 3.2%
Bus — / 12.7%
Lower Light — Bus: not among its largest Mallala — Bus: 12.7%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 7.2%
Lower Light — Car (passenger): 4.2% Mallala — Car (passenger): 7.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.5%).

Setting

Lower Light Mallala
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 46 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.2 km 18.8 km

NBN connectivity

Lower Light Mallala
Connectivity score 28/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
83 premises
 0%
402 premises

Climate

Lower Light Mallala
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

Council rates

Lower Light Mallala
Average residential rate $2,698/yr
same for both
Council Adelaide Plains
same for both

Federal electorate

Lower Light Mallala
Division Grey
same for both
Member Tom Venning
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lower Light Mallala
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lower Light

Outer

Mallala

Quiet Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lower Light

Lower Light vs Two Wells Lower Light vs Dublin Lower Light vs Korunye Lower Light vs Thompson Beach Lower Light vs Middle Beach

Other comparisons with Mallala

Mallala vs Dublin Mallala vs Korunye Mallala vs Redbanks Mallala vs Barabba Mallala vs Pinkerton Plains Mallala vs Grace Plains
Full data on Lower Light Full data on Mallala
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or