Amaroo
Roughly half the homes here, 53.6%, carry four or more bedrooms, and that family-house bias explains most of what makes the suburb tick. Household income sits in the 95.9th percentile nationally, yet the median house price of $624,000 stays well below ACT and capital-city norms, so 49.8% of households carry a mortgage rather than renting. The suburb scores decile 9 across all four SEIFA indexes, the second-highest advantage tier, and 46.5% of adults hold a university qualification, 16.4 points above the national figure. At a median age of 35, residents skew five years younger than national, a Gungahlin family belt where 89.1% drive to work.
Population
6,129
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,769/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$624K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $624,000 median, Amaroo prices below most established Canberra markets, and the housing stock is built for families: 78.5% are separate houses against just 8.4% apartments. Four-plus-bedroom homes dominate at 53.6%, with three-bedroom dwellings adding 35.8%, so buyers chasing a smaller footprint have little to choose from. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,158, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold thanks to household incomes in the 95.9th percentile. That affordability is why mortgage holders (49.8%) far outnumber outright owners (22.1%): the suburb attracts working families buying with debt rather than retirees who have paid down. The trade-off is supply, since detached family homes turn over slowly at a 21.8% mobility rate.
For Buyers
At a $624,000 median, Amaroo prices below most established Canberra markets, and the housing stock is built for families: 78.5% are separate houses against just 8.4% apartments. Four-plus-bedroom homes dominate at 53.6%, with three-bedroom dwellings adding 35.8%, so buyers chasing a smaller footprint have little to choose from. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,158, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold thanks to household incomes in the 95.9th percentile. That affordability is why mortgage holders (49.8%) far outnumber outright owners (22.1%): the suburb attracts working families buying with debt rather than retirees who have paid down. The trade-off is supply, since detached family homes turn over slowly at a 21.8% mobility rate.
For Investors
Renters make up 28.1% of households, below the national norm, and weekly rent of $460 against the $624,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.8%, healthier than premium Canberra suburbs because the entry price is lower. The 2.2% vacancy rate is tight, signalling steady tenant demand rather than oversupply. Demand support is thin on the surface: net internal migration removes 132 residents a year while overseas migration adds 55, leaving population growth at just 0.79% annually. Development is minimal, with only 2 applications lodged in 12 months, so new rental supply will not undercut existing landlords. Rent grew 12.2% over the decade. The investment case rests on a stable, family-heavy tenant pool and low vacancy more than rapid capital growth, given the aging, slow-growth trajectory.
Development Activity
Total DAs
15
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+200.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Amaroo iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Good Shepherd Primary School
K-6 · 762 students
Amaroo School
K-10 · 1638 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 runs 5.0 years below the national figure, and household size averages 2.9 people, 0.4 above national, both pointing to a young-family base where couples with children (2,794 families) far outnumber couples without (950). University qualifications reach 46.5%, which is 16.4 points above national, and 26.4% of residents were born overseas, 4.8 points above national. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,910), Irish (568) and Scottish (532), with Indian (318) the largest non-European group. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (69 speakers), Hindi (40) and Croatian (35). Christianity is the main religion at 2,795 residents, followed by Hinduism (315), consistent with the growing South Asian presence the Indian ancestry count reflects.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.5%
Houses
13.1%
Townhouse
8.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward mortgaged owners: 49.8% carry a mortgage, 22.1% own outright and 28.1% rent. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners more than two to one marks this as a working-family belt rather than a settled retiree area. The stock is 78.5% separate houses, with apartments at only 8.4% and semi-detached dwellings 13.1%, so the market is overwhelmingly detached. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 53.6% and three-bedroom 35.8%, leaving little for downsizers. Against a $624,000 median and household income in the 95.9th percentile, the price-to-income position is favourable: mortgage-to-income sits at 18.0% and rent-to-income at 16.6%, both well below the 30% stress line. That gap between strong incomes and modest prices keeps the suburb accessible to dual-income families.
Mortgage / mo
$2,158
Rent / wk
$460
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,207
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.2%
Unoccupied
46
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.8%
Couples, no children
5,340
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is anchored to the public sector: Public Admin alone employs 35.5% (882 workers), far above any other industry, followed by Professional/Tech at 12.0%, Healthcare at 10.8% and Education at 10.0%. By occupation, Professionals (913) and Managers (626) lead, with Clerical and Admin roles (563) reflecting the Canberra government economy. Unemployment is low at 4.3% and the full-time employment rate reaches 70.1%, with participation at 71.1%. This concentration in stable, salaried government work explains the decile 9 SEIFA scores across all four indexes and the high 18.0% household income percentile gap above national. The reliance on Public Admin is also a risk: real incomes fell 9.0% over the decade, a sign that public-sector wage restraint has eroded purchasing power despite secure employment.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
3,676
Unemployed
112
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.1%
Part-time
25.6%
Participation
71.1%
Employed
3,229
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.5%
Postgraduate
16.7%
Born Overseas
26.4%
Dwellings
2,044
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 89.1% of commuters drive while only 1.6% use public transport and 2.5% walk or cycle, well below denser inner suburbs, a function of Gungahlin's low-density layout at 2,369 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSAD and IRSD, the second-highest tier nationally, so relative disadvantage is minimal, and only 4.1% of residents (242 people) need daily assistance. Volunteering runs at 17.7%, and housing stress is low, with rent-to-income at 16.6% keeping tenants comfortable. No schools are recorded inside the 2.59 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Gungahlin suburbs, a common pattern for a planned area where amenities cluster across district centres rather than within each suburb.
Drive
89.1%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.79%/yr
(+47 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is modest at 0.79% a year, about 47 people, and the trajectory is classified as established and aging. The senior share rose 3.1 points over the decade while the young-age share fell 7.0 points, so the family belt is maturing in place. The current 5,985 residents sit below the 6,098 recorded in 2023, and medium forecasts lift the count from 6,215 in 2026 to 6,449 by 2031, a slow climb. Overseas migration of 55 a year is the only positive driver, offset by net internal outflow of 132. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, fitting a suburb already at decile 9 advantage with little room to climb. Affordability held steady, moving only from 38.0% in 2011 to 38.1% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+55
Net Internal / yr
-132
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -132/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Amaroo compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Amaroo a good suburb to live in?
Amaroo scores decile 9 across all four SEIFA indexes, the second-highest advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 95.9th percentile. University qualifications reach 46.5%, 16.4 points above national. It suits families, with 78.5% separate houses and a young median age of 35, five years below national.
What is the median house price in Amaroo?
The median house price is $624,000, well below most established Canberra markets. Weekly rent averages $460 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,158, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold for households in the 95.9th income percentile.
What schools are in Amaroo?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.59 km2 Amaroo boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Gungahlin suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 46.5%, which is 16.4 points above the national figure.
Is Amaroo safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Amaroo in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the second-highest tier, and only 4.1% of its residents, 242 people, need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Amaroo good for property investment?
Rent of $460 a week against a $624,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.8%, higher than premium Canberra suburbs, and the 2.2% vacancy rate is tight. Only 2 development applications were lodged in 12 months, limiting new supply, though 0.79% annual population growth means returns lean on yield over capital growth.
How is Amaroo's population changing?
Population growth is 0.79% annually, about 47 people, and the profile is aging. The senior share rose 3.1 points while the young-age share fell 7.0 points over the decade. Medium forecasts lift the count from 6,215 in 2026 to 6,449 by 2031, a slow climb driven by 55 overseas arrivals a year.
What languages are spoken in Amaroo?
About 26.4% of residents were born overseas, 4.8 points above national. English dominates, with Mandarin (69 speakers), Hindi (40), Croatian (35) and Urdu (35) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a growing South Asian presence that the 318 residents of Indian ancestry also show.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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