South Australia · Postcode 5602
Cowell postcode and suburb data
South Australia · Phone area code 08 · 208 km from Adelaide
Suburb snapshot
Cowell at a glance vs SA
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against SA
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Cowell ranks: SEIFA decile 2 places it in the bottom 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Cowell vs the SA average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Cowell | SA avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $1,161 -SA | $1,545 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $200 -SA | $308 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $1,040 -SA | $1,558 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 53 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 2/10 -SA | 5.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 2.9% -SA | 6.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the SA average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Cowell is a remote community in South Australia, with postcode 5602. It lies roughly 208 km from Adelaide, classified by the ABS as remote Australia. The area is administered by Franklin Harbour.
According to the 2021 Census, Cowell has a population of 1,124 with a median age of 53. The median weekly household income is $1,161, below the SA average. The unemployment rate is 2.9%, lower than the SA average. The Indigenous population is 29 (2.6% of residents).
Housing in Cowell includes a median weekly rent of $200, median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,040, with 434 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the SA average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 75.7% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Cowell scores in decile 2 out of 10, which is well below the national average.
Cowell is served by Cowell Area School.
Cowell is part of the Eyre Peninsula and South West statistical area in South Australia.
Cowell details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 5602 |
| State | South Australia (SA) |
| Phone Area Code | 08 |
| Population (2021) | 1,124 |
| Median Age | 53 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $1,161/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $669/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $200 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $1,040 |
| Average Household Size | 2.2 persons |
| Area | 634.5 km² |
| Population Density | 2/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 434 |
| Australian Citizens | 87.1% |
| Indigenous Population | 29 (2.6%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.9% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 2/10 (well below average) |
| Latitude | -33.683333 |
| Longitude | 136.916667 |
| Distance from Adelaide | 208 km |
| Region (SA4) | South Australia - Outback |
| Area (SA3) | Eyre Peninsula and South West |
| Local Government | Franklin Harbour |
| Federal Electorate | Grey |
| State Electorate | Flinders |
| Time Zone | ACST (UTC+9:30), Australia/Adelaide (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 161 (14.3%) |
| 15–24 years | 76 (6.8%) |
| 25–44 years | 211 (18.8%) |
| 45–64 years | 330 (29.4%) |
| 65+ years | 359 (31.9%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 166 (14.8%) |
| Asthma | 107 (9.5%) |
| Diabetes | 86 (7.7%) |
| Heart Disease | 59 (5.2%) |
| Cancer | 53 (4.7%) |
| Lung Condition | 26 (2.3%) |
| Dementia | 11 (1.0%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 16 (3.9%) |
| 1 vehicle | 134 (32.3%) |
| 2 vehicles | 153 (36.9%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 112 (27.0%) |
Schools in Cowell
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Cowell. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Cowell
Same Postcode (5602)
More Cowell Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.