Glenelg (SA), SA
By Lauren McCaleb · Reviewed by Dylan Duncan ·
Glenelg is a beachside suburb of Adelaide, about 9 km south-west of the city centre on the shore of Holdfast Bay, in the City of Holdfast Bay. The oldest European settlement on mainland South Australia, it was the site of the 1836 proclamation of the colony and remains one of Adelaide's most popular seaside destinations. Its sandy beach, the 215-metre Glenelg Jetty, the cafes and shops of Jetty Road, and Moseley Square — terminus of the historic tram line from the city — draw visitors year-round. The suburb is named after Lord Glenelg, a British minister. The Kaurna people knew the area as Pattawilya and the nearby river as Pattawilyangga, now the Patawalonga.
More advantaged than the national average
Glenelg (SA) is more socio-economically advantaged than about 74% of the 14,462 Australian suburbs we score, based on the ABS SEIFA index (raw score 1030, where about 1000 is the national average).
A socio-economic measure from ABS Census data — not a measure of how good a suburb is to live in or visit. How we calculate this.
Glenelg (SA) at a glance
- Population (2021)
- 3,440
- Median age
- 55
- Median weekly household income
- $1,430
- SEIFA score
- 1030
- Coordinates
- -34.9801, 138.5151
Glenelg (SA) demographics (2021 Census)
The figures below profile Glenelg (SA) using the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census; every percentage is a share of a clearly stated Census count, so each one traces back to the source. At a glance, the largest age group is seniors (65+) at 37%, 42% of homes are rented, and 31% of residents were born overseas.
Age profile
| Age group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Children (0–14) | 228 | 7% |
| Youth (15–24) | 234 | 7% |
| Young adults (25–44) | 845 | 25% |
| Mid-life (45–64) | 866 | 25% |
| Seniors (65+) | 1,259 | 37% |
Share of the 3,432 people counted by age.
Housing and households
| Tenure | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Owned outright | 620 | 37% |
| Owned with a mortgage | 243 | 14% |
| Rented | 704 | 42% |
| Dwelling type | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Houses | 265 | 16% |
| Townhouses & semis | 349 | 21% |
| Flats & apartments | 1,026 | 61% |
Tenure and dwelling shares are of the roughly 1,682 occupied private dwellings in Glenelg (SA).
- Median weekly rent
- $350
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Average household size
- 1.8 people
- Median weekly family income
- $2,158
- Median weekly personal income
- $915
Community and culture
- Born overseas
- 1,022 (31%)
- Speaks a language other than English at home
- 522 (16%)
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- 30 (1%)
Work and education
- Completed Year 12
- 1,958 (62%)
- Labour-force participation
- 52.6%
- Unemployment rate
- 5.3%
- Employed full-time
- 943
- Employed part-time
- 555
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2021 (General Community Profile, by Suburb and Locality). © Australian Bureau of Statistics, released under CC BY 4.0. How we group bands and derive each share is set out on our methodology page.
Weather and climate in Glenelg (SA)
Based on 2014–2023 records, the warmest month in Glenelg (SA) is January (average daytime high around 27.9°C) and the coolest is July (around 14°C). The area receives roughly 711 mm of rain across the year.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27.9°C | 17.5°C | 29 mm |
| Feb | 26.5°C | 17°C | 29 mm |
| Mar | 24.7°C | 16°C | 20 mm |
| Apr | 21.4°C | 14°C | 51 mm |
| May | 17.3°C | 11.7°C | 86 mm |
| Jun | 14.8°C | 9.6°C | 100 mm |
| Jul | 14°C | 8.9°C | 104 mm |
| Aug | 14.7°C | 8.8°C | 95 mm |
| Sep | 17.2°C | 10.2°C | 62 mm |
| Oct | 20.5°C | 11.9°C | 52 mm |
| Nov | 22.7°C | 13.6°C | 52 mm |
| Dec | 25.6°C | 15.6°C | 31 mm |
Climate normals, 2014–2023 (Open-Meteo, ERA5 reanalysis).
Common questions about Glenelg (SA)
Where is Glenelg (SA)?
Glenelg (SA) is a suburb of South Australia, Australia.
What is the population of Glenelg (SA)?
At the 2021 Census, Glenelg (SA) had a population of about 3,440.
Is Glenelg (SA) an advantaged area?
Glenelg (SA) has an ABS SEIFA score of 1030, where about 1000 is the national average — higher scores indicate greater relative socio-economic advantage. That gives it a Suburb Score of 74 out of 100 — more socio-economically advantaged than about 74% of Australian suburbs.
What is the weather like in Glenelg (SA)?
Glenelg (SA) has average daytime highs of about 20.6°C and overnight lows of about 12.9°C, with roughly 711 mm of rain across the year (based on 2014–2023 climate normals).
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