Amaroo
Amaroo's standout feature is household income at the 95.9th percentile, alongside a 35-year median age that is 5 years below the national figure. The suburb has 6,129 residents, a density of 2,369 people per square kilometre, and a family-heavy housing profile: 78.5% separate houses and 53.6% with four or more bedrooms. Mortgage holders account for 49.3%, while public administration employs 35.5% of workers. That combination points to an established, professional mortgage-belt suburb rather than a speculative growth precinct. For buyers comparing Amaroo with nearby Forde or Bonner, the useful distinction to test is its high-income, detached-house base and aging trajectory.
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
Amaroo suits households prioritising space and established owner-occupation, although a suburb-wide median house price is not available. Separate houses make up 78.5%, compared with 8.4% apartments and 13.1% semi-detached dwellings. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 53.6%, above the 35.8% three-bedroom share. The mortgage measure is $2,158 monthly, equal to 18.0% of household income, while rent is $460 weekly, or 16.6%. With 49.3% of households paying a mortgage and 21.9% owning outright, borrowing capacity matters. Buyers comparing Amaroo with nearby Forde or Bonner should test recent sales, block size and renovation needs.
For Buyers
Amaroo suits households prioritising space and established owner-occupation, although a suburb-wide median house price is not available. Separate houses make up 78.5%, compared with 8.4% apartments and 13.1% semi-detached dwellings. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 53.6%, above the 35.8% three-bedroom share. The mortgage measure is $2,158 monthly, equal to 18.0% of household income, while rent is $460 weekly, or 16.6%. With 49.3% of households paying a mortgage and 21.9% owning outright, borrowing capacity matters. Buyers comparing Amaroo with nearby Forde or Bonner should test recent sales, block size and renovation needs.
For Investors
Amaroo's investor case rests more on family rental demand than a rapid growth story. Renting households represent 27.9%, compared with 21.9% owning outright, and rent is $460 a week. Vacancy is 2.2%, which can support leasing continuity when homes are well maintained. Rent growth of 12.2% is higher than the 0.79% annual population trend, showing recent rental pressure has outpaced underlying growth. Only 3 development applications were recorded in 12 months, mostly alterations or a lease variation. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while gentrification is rated Not gentrifying with a score of 0. Focus on tenant retention and cash-flow sensitivity rather than redevelopment upside.
Development Activity
Total DAs
16
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
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Amaroo School (7-10)
Good Shepherd Primary School
Amaroo School (P-6)
Demographics
Amaroo is younger than the national profile but already showing an aging direction. Median age is 35, or 5 years below national, while 46.5% of residents have university qualifications, 16.4 percentage points above the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 26.4%, 4.8 points higher than nationally. Ancestry responses include English at 1,910, Irish at 568, Scottish at 532 and Indian at 318. Families shape daily demand because 58.0% of households are couples with children, compared with 28.1% couples without children. Average household size is 2.9, or 0.4 above national. Turnover is 21.8%, leaving 78.2% in the same address, which supports continuity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.5%
Houses
13.1%
Townhouse
8.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Amaroo's housing stock is strongly detached and family-sized, helping explain its high mortgage share. Separate houses account for 78.5%, versus 8.4% apartments and 13.1% semi-detached dwellings. Four-plus-bedroom homes represent 53.6%, above the 35.8% three-bedroom share; 3.4% have zero or one bedroom and 7.3% have two. Tenure is 49.3% mortgaged, 21.9% owned outright and 27.9% rented. Mortgage costs equal 18.0% of household income, compared with 16.6% for rent, and both stress flags are false. With no median sale price, compare exact dwellings in Amaroo, Forde and Bonner rather than relying on a suburb-wide headline.
Mortgage / mo
$2,158
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$460
Census 2021
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
58.0%
Couples with children
28.1%
Couples, no children
13.0%
Single parent
1,688
Total families
Economy & Employment
Amaroo's economy is concentrated in public administration, which accounts for 35.5% of workers, or 882 people. Professional and technical services contribute 12.0% and 297 workers, followed by healthcare at 10.8% and 267, education at 10.0% and 247, and construction at 7.1% and 176. Occupations include 913 professionals, 626 managers and 563 clerical or administrative workers. Participation is 74.8%, full-time employment 66.4% and unemployment 4.1%. Household income is $2,769 weekly at the 95.9th percentile, above the national middle. This government, professional and managerial mix helps explain why incomes rank higher than the typical household profile.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
3,551
Unemployed
146
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.4%
Part-time
28.4%
Participation
74.8%
Employed
3,405
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.5%
Postgraduate
16.7%
Born Overseas
26.4%
Dwellings
2,044
Transport to Work
Amaroo is practical for drivers and families: 75.8% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.8% using public transport and 2.1% walking or cycling. Another 13.5% work from home, so the 53.6% share of four-plus-bedroom homes may suit home-office needs. Three nearby schools include 2 government options, covering primary and Years 7-10, plus 1 non-government primary school. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb edges. Socioeconomic scores sit in decile 9 for both disadvantage and advantage, with IRSAD at 1,092. For safety, use current ACT Police incident information and compare exact streets. Compared with the 2.8% public transport share, car dependence is the clearest daily trade-off.
Drive
75.8%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
13.5%
Population Forecast
+0.79%/yr
(+47 people/yr)
EstablishedAmaroo's forecast points to measured expansion rather than a rapid boom. Annual trend growth is 0.79%, while population change across the wider area is 10.0% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, and the shift is labelled Aging: the young share has fallen 7.0 points while the senior share has risen 3.1. Rent growth of 12.2% is higher than the 0.79% annual trend, while affordability is Stable, moving from 38.0 in 2011 to 38.1 in 2021. Gentrification is Not gentrifying, with a score of 0. The established setting and only 3 development applications point to gradual household change rather than a major construction cycle.
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 can suit households wanting family-sized detached housing, schools and a high-income employment base. It has 6,129 residents, 78.5% separate houses and 53.6% four-plus-bedroom homes, but 75.8% drive, so car dependence is higher than public transport use at 2.8%.
What is the median house price in Amaroo?
A suburb-wide median house price is not available. Use recent sales for the exact dwelling type, noting that 78.5% of homes are separate houses, the mortgage measure is $2,158 monthly and rent is $460 weekly.
What schools are in Amaroo?
Amaroo has 3 nearby schools: a government primary campus, a government high school for Years 7-10 and a non-government primary school. Check the enrolment zone for the exact address, because school access can differ across 2.59 square kilometres.
Is Amaroo safe?
Use current ACT Police incident information and compare the exact streets before deciding. Amaroo has 6,129 residents and a density of 2,369 people per square kilometre, so conditions can vary within a compact 2.59-square-kilometre area.
Is Amaroo good for property investment?
Amaroo may suit investors seeking family rental demand: 27.9% of households rent, weekly rent is $460 and vacancy is 2.2%. However, annual growth is 0.79% and the forecast stage is Not gentrifying, so returns should be tested on the individual property's price and costs.
How is Amaroo's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 10.0% over 10 years, with annual trend growth of 0.79%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while Amaroo's trajectory is Aging: the young share is down 7.0 points and senior share up 3.1.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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