Lower Light vs Thompson Beach

Lower Light is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 52 in Thompson Beach. 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. In Thompson Beach, most households are people living alone. On these figures, Lower Light tends to suit couples, while Thompson Beach suits people living alone.

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

  • Lower Light is already more of a family suburb (65% vs 30%)
  • Thompson Beach carries lower crime risk (77/100 vs 88/100)

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

First-home buyers

Lower Light

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (17% vs 23%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Lower Light

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (18% vs 7%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 25%)
  • But Thompson Beach has cheaper rent ($253/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Lower Light

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (58.1 km vs 73.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Thompson Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (77/100 vs 88/100)

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

Investors

Thompson Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.0% vs -1.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Lower Light and Thompson Beach 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 Thompson Beach
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 Thompson Beach
Walkability 0 / 0
Lower Light — Walkability: 0/100 Thompson Beach — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 12 / 23
Lower Light — Safety: 12/100 Thompson Beach — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 90 / 100
Lower Light — Low fire risk: 90/100 Thompson Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Lower Light has higher household incomes ($80,184 vs $52,676); Lower Light rents higher ($300/wk vs $253/wk).

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Population 203 219
+8% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.5% +9.0%
Median age 45 52
Median household income $80,184/yr
+34% vs other
 $52,676/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+16% vs other
 $253/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lower Light Thompson Beach
0-4 3.9% / 3.2%
Lower Light — 0-4: 3.9% Thompson Beach — 0-4: 3.2%
5-14 13.8% / 6.8%
Lower Light — 5-14: 13.8% Thompson Beach — 5-14: 6.8%
15-19 4.4% / 3.2%
Lower Light — 15-19: 4.4% Thompson Beach — 15-19: 3.2%
20-24 3.0% / 2.3%
Lower Light — 20-24: 3.0% Thompson Beach — 20-24: 2.3%
25-34 10.8% / 5.0%
Lower Light — 25-34: 10.8% Thompson Beach — 25-34: 5.0%
35-44 10.8% / 15.1%
Lower Light — 35-44: 10.8% Thompson Beach — 35-44: 15.1%
45-54 10.8% / 19.2%
Lower Light — 45-54: 10.8% Thompson Beach — 45-54: 19.2%
55-64 15.8% / 19.2%
Lower Light — 55-64: 15.8% Thompson Beach — 55-64: 19.2%
65-74 15.8% / 16.0%
Lower Light — 65-74: 15.8% Thompson Beach — 65-74: 16.0%
75-84 6.9% / 5.9%
Lower Light — 75-84: 6.9% Thompson Beach — 75-84: 5.9%
85+ 2.0% / —
Lower Light — 85+: 2.0% Thompson Beach — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lower Light 35.4% lone person
Lower Light — Lone Person: 35.4% Lower Light — Couple Families: 45.8% Lower Light — One Parent Families: 18.8% Lower Light — Group Household: 0.0%
Thompson Beach 60.5% lone person
Thompson Beach — Lone Person: 60.5% Thompson Beach — Couple Families: 21.1% Thompson Beach — One Parent Families: 9.2% Thompson Beach — Group Household: 9.2%
Lone Person Couple Families 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%
Thompson Beach 7.3% renting
Thompson Beach — Owned Outright: 36.5% Thompson Beach — Mortgage: 56.2% Thompson Beach — Renting: 7.3%
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.

Lower Light Thompson Beach
England 5.4% / 5.5%
Lower Light — England: 5.4% Thompson Beach — England: 5.5%
Scotland — / 1.8%
Lower Light — Scotland: not among its largest Thompson Beach — Scotland: 1.8%
Sri Lanka 1.5% / —
Lower Light — Sri Lanka: 1.5% Thompson Beach — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 1.4%
Lower Light — Netherlands: not among its largest Thompson Beach — Netherlands: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.5%).

Qualifications

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

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Certificate III & IV 16.3% / 19.2%
Lower Light — Certificate III & IV: 16.3% Thompson Beach — Certificate III & IV: 19.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.9% / 7.8%
Lower Light — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.9% Thompson Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Bachelor Degree 4.9% / 5.0%
Lower Light — Bachelor Degree: 4.9% Thompson Beach — Bachelor Degree: 5.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.5% / 1.4%
Lower Light — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5% Thompson Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lower Light 100.0% houses
Lower Light — Houses: 100.0%
Thompson Beach 100.0% houses
Thompson Beach — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Median house price — $530,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $180,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 22 days
from 6 sales

Zoning mix

Lower Light has more rural and farming land (64% vs 0%).

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Residential 0% 73%
Rural and farming 64% 0%
Environmental 36% 27%
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 Thompson Beach
New dwellings approved 106
across Adelaide Plains
same for both
Approvals change year on year -21%
same for both

Ranking within SA

Lower Light Thompson Beach
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 17% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 17% of SA Higher than 9% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 48% of SA Higher than 47% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 41% of SA Higher than 52% of SA

Liveability

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Lower Light carries more bushfire risk (10 vs 0); Lower Light carries more crime risk (88 vs 77).

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Bushfire Low
10/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
88/100
 High
77/100
Flood High
91/100
 —
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 Thompson Beach
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

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Parks & reserves 1 0
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Thompson Beach sits further from the CBD (73.1 km vs 58.1 km).

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Adelaide 58.1 km 73.1 km
+26% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 52 min 56 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 5501
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.

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Car (driver) 58.3% / 84.1%
Lower Light — Car (driver): 58.3% Thompson Beach — Car (driver): 84.1%
Worked from Home 26.4% / 9.5%
Lower Light — Worked from Home: 26.4% Thompson Beach — Worked from Home: 9.5%
Walked Only 11.1% / —
Lower Light — Walked Only: 11.1% Thompson Beach — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 6.3%
Lower Light — Car (passenger): 4.2% Thompson Beach — Car (passenger): 6.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.1%).

Setting

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.2 km 255 m

NBN connectivity

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

Climate

Lower Light Thompson Beach
Annual rainfall 404 mm 295 mm
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C 27.8°C
Winter min (Jul) 6.6°C 7.2°C

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Lower Light

Outer

Thompson Beach

Affordable Coastal

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lower Light

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

Other comparisons with Thompson Beach

Thompson Beach vs Dublin
Full data on Lower Light Full data on Thompson Beach
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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