State Electorate · Area profile
Cheltenham
17 km²
Positioned in the heart of the Charles Sturt area, Cheltenham is a diverse and accessible suburb of Greater Adelaide. The community has a notably international feel, with nearly a third of residents born overseas and many speaking languages other than English at home. It is a relatively young area where the typical resident is 37, and the population has grown by 14% since 2011. This growth is mirrored by a workforce that is more active than in most similar areas.
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The area is noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of 37 and a lower proportion of seniors. Since 2011, the population has grown by 4,799 people, while the number of children under 15 has fallen slightly to 16.0%.
Born overseas, 31.7% of residents come from other countries, which is well above the national figure of 27.7%. The most common ancestries are English, Australian, and Italian.
Language diversity is very high here, with 33.4% of people using a language other than English at home—far above the state average. Consequently, the proportion of people who speak little or no English is also much higher than in most areas.
Christianity remains the most common faith at 44.8%, though those reporting no religion rose significantly by 15 points since 2011 to reach 36.2%. This figure is still well below the South Australian average.
Educational attainment has risen, with 59.8% of residents completing Year 12 and the share of adults with a bachelor degree or higher climbing 11 points since 2011 to 23.4%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,482, which is about the same as the state figure. While typical personal incomes have risen by $270 since 2011, the area has fewer high earners compared to most other places.
The need for help with daily activities is much higher than in most areas at 7.3%. Long-term health conditions are reported at 28.1%, with mental health and arthritis being among the most common.
Volunteer rates are well below the state average at 11.9%. Similarly, fewer people here spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework compared to most areas.
Single-person households are very common, with 31.3% of people living alone, which is well above the national figure. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most similar areas.
Renting is more common than average at 34.4%, and the area has far fewer detached houses than the state average. Homes also tend to be smaller, with 67.5% having three or more bedrooms, well below the national figure.
Public transport use for commuting is much higher than in most areas, and 9.4% of homes have no motor vehicle. However, only 8.0% of the workforce works from home, which is far below the national average.
The community is quite mobile, with 39.9% of residents moving house in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 15.8% of the population, a figure slightly above the national average.
More adults are working or looking for work here than in most similar areas. The most common industries for local workers are health care and social assistance, followed by retail trade.
The suburb is very walkable, with 100% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park and groceries. Almost every home is also within a 10-minute walk of public transport.