Goolwa Beach, SA: suburb profile

The population of Goolwa Beach SA is 2,222 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Goolwa Beach is $525 per week ($27,300 per year). Median rent in Goolwa Beach is $275 per week ($1,192 per month). Goolwa Beach has a median age of 58 years, older than the national median of 38. Goolwa Beach has a population density of 551 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Goolwa Beach is England. The most common religion is No religion (52.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Goolwa Beach is $1,083.

There were 22 recorded offences in Goolwa Beach in 2025-26, a rate of 10 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was break & enter (10 offences).

Population
2,222
Census 2021
Median income
$525/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$275/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
58years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au), 2025-26.

Goolwa Beach vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Goolwa Beach is $525 a week, 31% below the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 635th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $275 a week, $25 less than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 30.0% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 58, 15 years older than in the typical SA suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureGoolwa BeachTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$525/wk$759/wk −31%$766/wk
Household income$916/wk$1,494/wk −39%$1,637/wk
Rent$275/wk$300/wk −8%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,083/mo$1,534/mo −29%$1,733/mo
Median age5843 +15 yrs42
Rent share of household income30.0%19.5% +10.6 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Goolwa Beach, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Goolwa Beach Population

2,222 residents at the 2021 Census.

Goolwa Beach Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$525/wk
$27,300 per year
Ranked 7,967 of 14,663
Median Rent
$275/wk
$1,192 per month
Ranked 5,547 of 14,663
Median Age
58years
20 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,083/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Goolwa Beach Rent Prices & Affordability

30% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $916/wk
Median rent $275/wk
Rent to income 30.0%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Goolwa Beach against your income

About $3,969 a month
Median rent $275/wk
Left after rent $641/wk
Rent share 30.0%

Goolwa Beach Schools

2
schools nearby
2
government
965
avg ICSEA score
566
total students
Goolwa Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 281 students
972
ICSEA
Goolwa Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 285 students
957
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Goolwa Beach, with a map

Goolwa Beach Map

Goolwa Beach, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
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Goolwa Beach, South Australia: 35.5139°S, 138.7615°E

Goolwa Beach Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (2)

People in Goolwa Beach

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.0% (1,070) Female 52.0% (1,157)

Population Density

551
people per km²
2,222 people · 4.0 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,192
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
9.9%
Netherlands
1.0%
New Zealand
0.9%
Germany
0.6%
Wales
0.5%
Scotland
0.4%
South Africa
0.4%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Italian
0.4%
German
0.3%
Greek
0.3%
Portuguese
0.2%
Thai
0.2%
Afrikaans
0.1%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.1%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
50.5%
Australian
37.6%
Scottish
10.9%
German
9.5%
Irish
8.0%
Dutch
2.4%
Australian Aboriginal
1.5%
Italian
1.4%
Welsh
1.1%
New Zealander
0.9%
Polish
0.7%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
52.3%
Anglican
11.1%
Not stated
8.0%
Uniting Church
7.5%
Catholic
7.3%
Lutheran
3.4%
Christian (other)
2.6%
Buddhism
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
51.4% 1,003
Separated
3.7% 72
Divorced
12.1% 237
Widowed
7.5% 147
Never married
25.3% 494

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
47.7%
Couple: children under 15
27.6%
Couple: no children under 15
11.3%
One parent: children under 15
7.8%
One parent: no children under 15
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
34.5%
2 persons
43.4%
3 persons
10.0%
4 persons
7.3%
5 persons
3.8%
6+ persons
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Goolwa Beach

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,004 occupied private dwellings in Goolwa Beach at the 2021 Census, 19.9% were rented, 42.3% owned outright and 29.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
6.6% 66 dwellings
Owned outright
42.3% 425 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
29.1% 292 dwellings
Rented
19.9% 200 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.6% 26 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
90.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
10.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
1.9%
2 bedrooms
18.4%
3 bedrooms
59.6%
4 bedrooms
17.7%
5 bedrooms
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.0%
$300-$449/mo
6.6%
$450-$599/mo
6.9%
$600-$799/mo
9.5%
$800-$999/mo
12.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
26.6%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
19.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
8.4%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
1.5%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
3.3%
1 vehicle
44.8%
2 vehicles
37.9%
3 vehicles
10.0%
4+ vehicles
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Goolwa Beach

Employment

Employed full-time
18.1% 323 people
Employed part-time
20.4% 363 people
Unemployed
3.3% 59 people
Not in labour force
58.1% 1,035 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
22.5%
Community & Personal Service
20.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
19.2%
Managers
10.4%
Clerical & Administrative
9.3%
Labourers
8.0%
Sales Workers
6.3%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.0%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
1.8%
$300-$399/wk
2.7%
$400-$499/wk
12.8%
$500-$649/wk
7.2%
$650-$799/wk
14.3%
$800-$999/wk
13.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
10.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
6.7%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
3.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.3%
$4,000+/wk
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.0%
$1-$149/wk
3.1%
$150-$299/wk
8.7%
$300-$399/wk
10.2%
$400-$499/wk
9.1%
$500-$649/wk
7.8%
$650-$799/wk
12.8%
$800-$999/wk
11.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
2.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.7%
$3,500+/wk
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
73.2%
Did not go to work
15.7%
Car (passenger)
4.3%
Walked only
2.9%
Bicycle
1.0%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.9%
Truck
0.9%
Other
0.6%
Bus
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
43.7%
Year 11 or equivalent
24.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
24.5%
Year 9 or equivalent
6.9%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
48.3%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.9%
Bachelor Degree
19.5%
Certificate I/II
4.8%
Postgraduate Degree
3.8%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Society & Culture
17.6%
Engineering
15.6%
Management & Commerce
14.9%
Health
13.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
10.4%
Education
8.6%
Architecture & Building
8.4%
Agriculture & Environment
4.1%
Creative Arts
4.1%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.5%
Information Technology
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
36.2%
Secondary: Government
20.3%
Vocational Education
11.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
11.3%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
10.0%
Pre-school
8.6%
Primary: Catholic
1.0%
Secondary: Catholic
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
87.1%
Has need for assistance
8.1%
Need for assistance not stated
5.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
293
Arthritis
163
Heart disease
117
Diabetes
102
Asthma
98
Lung condition
97
Cancer
70
Stroke
48
Kidney disease
21
Dementia
7

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
17.1% 312
Did not provide
82.9% 1,513

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
21.0% 386
Not a volunteer
79.0% 1,449

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
5.0% 91
Never served
95.0% 1,746

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
22.7%
1 child
11.4%
2 children
36.0%
3 children
21.0%
4 children
7.0%
5+ children
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
4
1951: 1960
59
1961: 1970
122
1971: 1980
68
1981: 1990
47
1991: 2000
15
2001: 2010
39
2011: 2015
6
2017
4
2018
3
2021
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

12.4%
moved in the last year
40.1%
moved in the last 5 years
7.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
41.6%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,828
Moved from SA
149
Moved: same area (SA2)
68
Moved from VIC
12
Moved from NSW
7
Moved from TAS
7
Moved from overseas
7
Moved from QLD
5
Moved from NT
4
Moved from WA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
19.7%
5: 14 hours
30.7%
15: 29 hours
16.5%
30+ hours
11.0%
Did not do domestic work
22.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
85.8%
Step family: no other children
7.1%
Blended family: no other children
7.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Goolwa Beach Crime Statistics

22 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Break & Enter
10
Assault
5
Property Damage
4
Theft
3

Total offences by year

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Waterloo Corner
Income: $486/wk Rent: $225/wk $50/wk less rent
Tumby Bay
Income: $624/wk Rent: $220/wk $55/wk less rent
Riverton (SA)
Income: $536/wk Rent: $230/wk $45/wk less rent
Wallaroo (SA)
Income: $506/wk Rent: $245/wk $30/wk less rent
Moonta Bay
Income: $553/wk Rent: $260/wk $15/wk less rent
Minlaton
Income: $580/wk Rent: $200/wk $75/wk less rent
Mannum
Income: $487/wk Rent: $220/wk $55/wk less rent
Peterborough (SA)
Income: $456/wk Rent: $160/wk $115/wk less rent

Suburbs near Goolwa Beach

The closest suburb to Goolwa Beach is Goolwa, 2.9 km away.

Goolwa
2.9 km away · income $493/wk · rent $250/wk
Goolwa North
5.4 km away · income $520/wk · rent $270/wk
Middleton (SA)
6.0 km away · income $708/wk · rent $283/wk
Goolwa South
6.6 km away · income $556/wk · rent $280/wk
Port Elliot
7.8 km away · income $592/wk · rent $280/wk
Hindmarsh Island
10.8 km away · income $581/wk · rent $330/wk

Compare Goolwa Beach

Frequently Asked Questions About Goolwa Beach

What is the population of Goolwa Beach SA?

The population of Goolwa Beach SA is 2,222 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 551 people per km². Goolwa Beach is ranked #2,876 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Goolwa Beach?

The median personal income in Goolwa Beach SA is $525 per week, or $27,300 per year. The median household income is $916 per week. Family income is $1,192 per week. Goolwa Beach is ranked #7,967 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Goolwa Beach?

Median rent in Goolwa Beach SA is $275 per week ($1,192 per month). Rent represents 30.0% of household income, which is considered moderate. Goolwa Beach ranks #5,547 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Goolwa Beach?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Goolwa Beach SA is $1,083. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Goolwa Beach?

The median age in Goolwa Beach SA is 58 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Goolwa Beach a good suburb to live in?

Goolwa Beach is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 2,222. The median income is $525/wk, which is below the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (30.0% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Adelaide Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 40522. All dollar figures in AUD.