South Australia · Postcode 5214
Goolwa postcode and suburb data
South Australia · Phone area code 08 · 65 km from Adelaide
Suburb snapshot
Goolwa 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 Goolwa ranks: household income sits in the bottom 25% of SA suburbs; SEIFA decile 1 places it in the bottom 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Goolwa vs the SA average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Goolwa | SA avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $790 -SA | $1,545 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $250 -SA | $308 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $1,000 -SA | $1,558 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 67 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 1/10 -SA | 5.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 7.4% +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.
Goolwa is a locality 65 km from Adelaide in South Australia, classified as inner regional by the ABS. The postcode is 5214. It falls within the South Australia - South East region. The local government area is Alexandrina.
According to the 2021 Census, Goolwa has a population of 2,558 with a median age of 67. The median weekly household income is $790, below the SA average. The unemployment rate is 7.4%, higher than the SA average. The Indigenous population is 53 (2.1% of residents).
Housing in Goolwa includes a median weekly rent of $250, median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,000, with 1,239 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the SA average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 73.4% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Goolwa scores in decile 1 out of 10, which is well below the national average.
Schools in Goolwa include Goolwa Secondary College and Goolwa Primary School.
Goolwa is part of the Fleurieu - Kangaroo Island statistical area in South Australia.
Goolwa details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 5214 |
| State | South Australia (SA) |
| Phone Area Code | 08 |
| Population (2021) | 2,558 |
| Median Age | 67 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $790/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $493/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $250 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $1,000 |
| Average Household Size | 1.8 persons |
| Area | 17.3 km² |
| Population Density | 147/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 1,239 |
| Australian Citizens | 91.4% |
| Indigenous Population | 53 (2.1%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.4% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 1/10 (well below average) |
| Latitude | -35.4980286 |
| Longitude | 138.7783094 |
| Distance from Adelaide | 65 km |
| Region (SA4) | South Australia - South East |
| Area (SA3) | Fleurieu - Kangaroo Island |
| Local Government | Alexandrina |
| Federal Electorate | Mayo |
| State Electorate | Finniss |
| Time Zone | ACST (UTC+9:30), Australia/Adelaide (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 187 (7.3%) |
| 15–24 years | 129 (5.0%) |
| 25–44 years | 251 (9.8%) |
| 45–64 years | 596 (23.3%) |
| 65+ years | 1,393 (54.5%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 613 (24.0%) |
| Heart Disease | 303 (11.8%) |
| Asthma | 256 (10.0%) |
| Diabetes | 249 (9.7%) |
| Cancer | 157 (6.1%) |
| Lung Condition | 124 (4.8%) |
| Dementia | 90 (3.5%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 121 (10.0%) |
| 1 vehicle | 629 (51.9%) |
| 2 vehicles | 322 (26.6%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 140 (11.6%) |
Schools in Goolwa
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Goolwa. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Goolwa
Same Postcode (5214)
More Goolwa 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.