Goolwa crime rate and Crime Score · South Australia
SA Police recorded 118 offences in Goolwa in 2025-26, including 36 violent offences and 11 break-ins. That is about 4,613 per 100,000 of its 2,558 residents (2021 Census). The rates and Crime Score below are for the whole Alexandrina council area.
Goolwa is a suburb in the Alexandrina council area of South Australia (about 31,427 residents in the council). The council has a Crime Score 19 out of 100 (very low), 340th of 362 councils nationally.
The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by homicide (45th percentile), assault (16th percentile), break-ins (23rd percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 24.
In 2025-26: violent 493 per 100,000 (+3% vs five years earlier); property 1,289 per 100,000 (-23% vs five years earlier); break-ins 270 per 100,000 (-16% vs five years earlier); theft 391 per 100,000 (-40% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 53rd of 69 South Australia councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Alexandrina council area is 4.5% (South Australia 5.4%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 2% of occupied homes (110 public and 124 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; South Australia 5.6%). An estimated 63 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 21.2 per 10,000 residents (South Australia 41.7), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 17.2% of residents were born overseas (South Australia 25.2%), most often in England, New Zealand, Scotland. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 3.9% (confidence 80 of 100); social housing about 1.8% of homes; about 20.8 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 17.5% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
South Australia publishes suburb-level counts: 118 offences were recorded in Goolwa in 2025-26. The rates and Crime Score above are for the whole Alexandrina council area.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 493 | 155 | +3% |
| Property | 1,289 | 405 | -23% |
| Break-ins | 270 | 85 | -16% |
| Theft | 391 | 123 | -40% |
Of 37 regional SA suburbs and towns with at least 2,000 residents, Goolwa has the 19th lowest recorded crime rate: about 4,030 offences a year per 100,000 residents (2023-24 to 2025-26 average), against a median of 4,030. Regional South Australia rankings.
Alexandrina council area: full statistics · Interactive map of every council.
Crime in postcode 5214: every suburb and council it covers.
Questions
Is Goolwa safe?
Goolwa recorded about 4,030 offences a year per 100,000 residents over 2023-24 to 2025-26, close to the median of 4,030 for regional SA suburbs and towns: the 19th lowest rate of 37. In 2025-26 police recorded 36 violent offences (1,410 per 100,000 residents) and 11 break-ins there. These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.
What is the crime rate in Goolwa?
In 2025-26 police recorded 118 offences in Goolwa, about 4,610 per 100,000 of its 2,558 residents (2021 Census), including 36 violent offences and 11 break-ins.
Nearby suburbs
Alexandrina · Ashbourne · Blackfellows Creek · Bremer · Clayton Bay · Currency Creek · Finniss · Goolwa Beach · Goolwa North · Goolwa South · Hindmarsh Island · Hope Forest · Kondoparinga · Kuitpo Colony · Kyeema · McHarg Creek · Middleton · Milang · Mosquito Hill · Mount Compass · Mount Magnificent · Mount Observation · Mundoo Island · Nangkita · Nurragi · Point Sturt · Port Elliot · Sandergrove · Tooperang · Yundi
australiancrimerate.com.au/suburb/sa/goolwa/ · Australian Crime Map