Charnwood
Charnwood's clearest signal is its established, detached-house base: 87.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 68.7% have 3 bedrooms. A population of 3,055 across 1.86 square kilometres produces a density of 1,646.1 people per square kilometre. At a median age of 35, residents are 5 years younger than the national median, while household income sits at the 65.6th percentile. Compared with nearby Dunlop and Macgregor, Charnwood is better understood as a mature, mortgage-led suburb than a rapid-growth market, with 31.6% renting and 45.6% paying a mortgage.
Local council: Unincorporated ACT
Population
3,055
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,818/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Charnwood suits buyers seeking conventional family housing because 87.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 68.7% contain 3 bedrooms, compared with only 0.3% apartments. A current median house price is not published, so affordability is better assessed through the recorded $1,755 monthly mortgage benchmark and $380 weekly rent. Mortgage payments represent 22.3% of household income, while rent represents 20.9%, both below the 30% stress threshold. The 45.6% mortgage share also indicates a substantial owner-occupier base, although buyers should compare individual streets and property condition carefully.
For Buyers
Charnwood suits buyers seeking conventional family housing because 87.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 68.7% contain 3 bedrooms, compared with only 0.3% apartments. A current median house price is not published, so affordability is better assessed through the recorded $1,755 monthly mortgage benchmark and $380 weekly rent. Mortgage payments represent 22.3% of household income, while rent represents 20.9%, both below the 30% stress threshold. The 45.6% mortgage share also indicates a substantial owner-occupier base, although buyers should compare individual streets and property condition carefully.
For Investors
Charnwood has a meaningful tenant market, with 31.6% of households renting compared with 22.5% owning outright. Weekly rent is $380 and vacancy is 5.6%, giving investors a measurable rental market but not a basis for assuming immediate scarcity. Rent growth of 18.8% supports recent income momentum, while only 2 development applications were lodged in 12 months, limiting evidence of a large new supply pipeline. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, which may support demand, but the suburb's established housing stock and aging trajectory favour steady, tenant-focused strategies over high-growth speculation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
22
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Charnwood
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Brindabella Christian College Charwood Campus
St Thomas Aquinas Primary School
Charnwood-Dunlop School
Demographics
Charnwood has a median age of 35, which is 5 years below the national figure, while its university-educated share of 30.9% is 0.8 percentage points above the national comparison. Residents born overseas account for 22.5%, or 0.9 points above the national share. English ancestry is recorded for 1,123 people, followed by Irish at 356 and Scottish at 299. No religion is reported by 1,362 people versus 1,249 identifying with Christianity. Compared with more mobile markets, Charnwood is settled: 80.7% stayed at the same address over the reference period, supporting continuity in local networks.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.1%
Houses
12.6%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Charnwood's housing profile is strongly detached and family-oriented. Separate houses account for 87.1% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 12.6%, and apartments just 0.3%, while 3-bedroom homes represent 68.7% and 4-bedroom-or-larger homes 19.8%. Compared with apartment-oriented suburbs, this mix places greater emphasis on land, maintenance and established family layouts. Tenure is led by mortgages at 45.6%, followed by renting at 31.6% and outright ownership at 22.5%. The $1,755 monthly mortgage benchmark compares with $380 weekly rent, with housing costs at 22.3% of income for mortgages and 20.9% for rent.
Mortgage / mo
$1,755
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$380
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$948
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
69
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.8%
Couples with children
31.0%
Couples, no children
25.8%
Single parent
831
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration is Charnwood's largest industry at 24.0%, followed by healthcare at 14.2%, education at 11.5%, construction at 11.1% and professional and technical services at 8.9%. This mix aligns with the occupation profile, where professionals number 293, clerical and administrative workers 255, trades 254, community and personal service workers 218, and managers 181. The labour force participation rate is 66.1%, full-time employment is 64.8%, and unemployment is 4.7%. Compared with the midpoint of the SEIFA decile scale, education and occupation sits above it at decile 6, while economic resources and disadvantage sit lower at deciles 4 and 5, indicating mixed household capacity.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
1,590
Unemployed
75
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.8%
Part-time
28.1%
Participation
66.1%
Employed
1,515
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.9%
Postgraduate
8.6%
Born Overseas
22.5%
Dwellings
1,172
Transport to Work
Charnwood is practical for households that rely on cars: 80.5% drive to work compared with 3.5% using public transport, while 1.2% walk or cycle and 9.3% work from home. Families have access to 3 nearby schools spanning a government primary school and 2 non-government campuses, giving the area a mix of school sectors and types. Safety should be checked against current ACT Police incident information because no suburb crime rate is stated. The 6.3% need-assistance rate and 14.7% volunteering rate provide social context but are not crime measures. Compared with the national midpoint, Charnwood's IRSAD decile of 5 is broadly middle-ranked, while its 1,646.1 people per square kilometre reflects a compact suburban footprint.
Drive
80.5%
Public Transport
3.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
9.3%
Growth Outlook
Charnwood is a slow-growth, aging suburb rather than a gentrification story. The forecast annual trend is -0.13%, while population change across the wider area is -0.4% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is labelled Aging, supported by a 4.2% increase in the senior share and a 1.3% decline in the young share. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, but the gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying. Compared with higher-growth areas, Charnwood's outlook is shaped more by established housing, household turnover and demographic change than by major redevelopment.
Population trend: Unincorporated ACT council area
Charnwood sits in the Unincorporated ACT council area. These are the council area's residents, not Charnwood's.
Residents 2025
484,630
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.3%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Charnwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Charnwood a good suburb to live in?
Charnwood can suit households seeking established housing, schools and car-based access. About 87.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 68.7% have 3 bedrooms and 80.5% of workers drive, while the median age of 35 is 5 years below the national median.
What is the median house price in Charnwood?
A current median house price is not published for Charnwood. The housing context is 87.1% separate houses and 68.7% three-bedroom dwellings, with a recorded mortgage benchmark of $1,755 per month and weekly rent of $380.
What schools are in Charnwood?
Charnwood has 3 listed schools: Charnwood-Dunlop School, Brindabella Christian College Charnwood Campus and St Thomas Aquinas Primary School. The mix includes 1 government primary school and 2 non-government campuses, so families should check the exact enrolment zone for each address.
Is Charnwood safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not stated, so check current ACT Police incident information before committing to an address. Charnwood records 6.3% of residents needing assistance and a 14.7% volunteering rate; these figures describe support needs and participation rather than crime.
Is Charnwood good for property investment?
Charnwood has 31.6% renting, $380 weekly rent and a 5.6% vacancy rate. Rent growth of 18.8% is supportive, but only 2 development applications were recorded in 12 months and the forecast annual trend is -0.13%, pointing to an established, moderate-growth strategy.
How is Charnwood's population changing?
The suburb has 3,055 residents today, while the wider-area forecast records -0.4% population change over 10 years and an annual trend of -0.13%. Its trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.2% and the young share down 1.3%; overseas migration remains the primary growth driver.
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).
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