Aranda
Household income in the 98th percentile nationally tells the opening story in Aranda, a compact 1.56 km2 suburb in Canberra's inner north-west. With a median age of 42, two years above national, and university qualifications at 66.2%, which is 36.1 points above the national rate, the suburb draws a highly educated, established professional cohort. Nearly 88% of dwellings are separate houses, the highest rate among ACT's inner suburbs, and 44.5% of residents own their home outright, reflecting wealth accumulated over decades rather than speculative activity. Population sits at 2,605 with slow, steady growth of 0.26% annually.
Population
2,605
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,161/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Median House
$721K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $721,000 (derived from weekly rents of $530 in 2025) positions Aranda as accessible compared to Canberra's more expensive inner suburbs, yet well above the national median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,500, and mortgage-to-income sits at 18.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are in the 98th percentile nationally. Separate houses dominate at 87.3% of stock, with 57.6% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, making Aranda a strong fit for families. Just 2.6% are apartments, so competition for detached houses is concentrated in a tight, low-turnover market where 44.5% of owners hold their property debt-free.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $721,000 (derived from weekly rents of $530 in 2025) positions Aranda as accessible compared to Canberra's more expensive inner suburbs, yet well above the national median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,500, and mortgage-to-income sits at 18.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are in the 98th percentile nationally. Separate houses dominate at 87.3% of stock, with 57.6% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, making Aranda a strong fit for families. Just 2.6% are apartments, so competition for detached houses is concentrated in a tight, low-turnover market where 44.5% of owners hold their property debt-free.
For Investors
Aranda's 16.1% renter share is low relative to national averages, reflecting the ownership-dominant tenure profile where 44.5% own outright and 39.4% carry a mortgage. Weekly rent of $530 against an estimated $721,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.8%, modest but stable in a market with very low rental stress at 16.8% rent-to-income. The vacancy rate of 4.6% is slightly elevated, suggesting tenants have choice, which limits upward rent pressure in the short term. Net overseas migration adds 28 residents a year while internal migration runs at negative 20, meaning demand growth is thin. With only 5 development applications in the past 12 months, new supply is minimal, which supports long-run capital values more than rental yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
36
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Aranda iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Aranda Primary School
K-6 · 517 students
St Vincent's Primary School
K-6 · 195 students
Demographics
Aranda's median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, and overseas-born residents at 26.5% are 4.9 points above national, driven by professional migration linked to Canberra's government and research sectors. The dominant ancestry groups are English (988), Irish (375) and Scottish (334), with Chinese ancestry ranking fifth at 172 residents. University qualifications reach 66.2%, some 36.1 points above the national rate, one of the highest concentrations of degree-holders in Australia. Average household size is 2.8, slightly above the national figure of 2.5, consistent with the strong couples-with-children profile: 986 such families versus 559 couples without children. A 30.9% volunteering rate points to high civic engagement relative to most suburbs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.3%
Houses
10.1%
Townhouse
2.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure structure strongly favours ownership: 44.5% own outright and 39.4% carry a mortgage, leaving just 16.1% renting, well below national averages. Detached houses account for 87.3% of dwellings, compared to a national average closer to 70%, and 57.6% have four or more bedrooms, reflecting the family-formation profile of the suburb. Only 2.6% are apartments and 10.1% semi-detached, making this one of the most house-dominant stock profiles in the ACT. The estimated median house price of $721,000 sits at roughly 4.4 times annual household income of $164,000, a ratio that is high by historical standards but below the 6-8 times seen in Sydney. Mortgage stress is low at 18.3% of income, because incomes are in the 98th percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wk
$530
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,372
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.6%
Unoccupied
43
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.5%
Couples, no children
2,107
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Admin employs 33.5% of Aranda workers (357 people), reflecting Canberra's government-heavy economy, with Education at 17.0% (181) and Professional/Tech at 15.1% (161) rounding out the top three. Healthcare accounts for 9.1% (97). By occupation, Professionals dominate with 526 workers, followed by Managers at 294, a ratio consistent with the suburb's decile 10 score on both the IEO (education and occupation) and IRSAD (socioeconomic advantage). Unemployment sits at 3.2% and the full-time employment rate is 66.2%. All four SEIFA indexes sit at decile 10, the top national tier, with IRSAD score 1,147 and IEO score 1,172, placing Aranda among Australia's most advantaged communities by every standard measure.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
1,379
Unemployed
40
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.2%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
61.4%
Employed
1,245
Occupations
Top Industries
University
66.2%
Postgraduate
29.4%
Born Overseas
26.5%
Dwellings
899
Transport to Work
Aranda scores decile 10 on IRSAD, the top tier for socioeconomic advantage nationally, and only 4.5% of residents (112 people) require daily assistance. Active transport is notable: 10.0% walk or cycle to work, above the national average, while 9.1% use public transport and 74.3% drive. The rent-to-income ratio is just 16.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 18.3% is equally comfortable for current mortgage holders. No specific crime statistics are available for Aranda, but the IRSD decile 10 score places it among the lowest-disadvantage areas in Australia, which is correlated with lower crime rates. No schools are listed in the dataset for the suburb's 1.56 km2 boundary, so families use schools in nearby suburbs such as Bruce and Acton.
Drive
74.3%
Public Transport
9.1%
Walk / Cycle
10.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.26%/yr
(+7 people/yr)
EstablishedAranda's annual population growth rate is 0.26%, adding about 7 people a year, well below the national average for established suburbs, which classifies it firmly as a slow-growth area. The 10-year population change is 5.1%, tracking from 2,601 in 2023 to 2,643 in 2025, with medium forecasts projecting 2,647 by 2031. Overseas migration adds a net 28 residents annually while internal migration removes 20. The gentrification score of 27 with a stage of early signs is driven by rent growth of 32.5% over the period against real income growth of just 6.3%, meaning rents have significantly outrun wages. Affordability has been stable, moving from 38.1% in 2011 to 38.6% in 2021. The low turnover rate (21.5% moved in the past 5 years) reflects a resident base that stays long-term.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+28
Net Internal / yr
-20
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Aranda compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aranda a good suburb to live in?
Aranda ranks in decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, the top national advantage tier, with household income in the 98th percentile. University qualifications reach 66.2%, some 36.1 points above national. The suburb has a low mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.3% and a 30.9% volunteering rate, pointing to a financially secure and civically engaged community.
What is the median house price in Aranda?
The estimated median house price is $721,000 (derived from weekly rents of $530 in 2025). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,500, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.3%, below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 98th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Aranda?
No schools are recorded inside Aranda's 1.56 km2 boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in adjacent suburbs such as Bruce, Florey and Hawker. Despite this, the resident population is highly educated, with 66.2% holding university qualifications, which is 36.1 points above the national figure.
Is Aranda safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Aranda in this dataset. As a proxy, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest national tier, and only 4.5% of 2,605 residents require daily assistance. Low disadvantage scores are strongly correlated with lower crime rates in ACT suburbs.
Is Aranda good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $530 against a $721,000 estimated median gives a gross yield near 3.8%, modest but stable. The 4.6% vacancy rate is slightly elevated, which limits short-term rent growth. Only 5 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is minimal. The investment case depends more on long-run capital growth in a high-income, low-turnover suburb than on immediate yield.
How is Aranda's population changing?
Aranda's population grew 5.1% over the decade, rising from 2,601 in 2023 to 2,643 in 2025, with an annual growth rate of 0.26% (about 7 people per year). Overseas migration adds 28 residents net annually while internal migration removes 20. Medium forecasts project 2,647 residents by 2031, with the 78.5% of residents who stayed in the same home over 5 years reflecting a very stable, low-churn community.
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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