Crestwood
One in four working residents of Crestwood are employed in public administration (25.9%), the single defining fact about this postcode 2620 pocket on the Queanbeyan side of the ACT border. That government-job concentration sits behind a household income in the 60.5th percentile nationally and a median age of 35, a full 5.0 years below the national figure. Housing stays reachable: the $580,000 median house price is well below Sydney levels, mortgage-to-income runs at just 23.3% and rent-to-income at 18.6%, both under the 30% stress line. The renter share of 42.7% is high for a detached-house area where 45.7% of dwellings are separate houses, a split that reflects the steady flow of public-sector tenants drawn to the nearby Canberra workforce.
Population
4,936
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,719/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$580K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a $580,000 median house price, Crestwood is far more attainable than the Sydney market, and the entry cost is reinforced by an affordable monthly mortgage of $1,733 that produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Prices have been broadly flat, moving from $570,000 in 2024 to $582,500 in 2025, a 2.2% annual gain that suggests stability rather than speculation. Stock favours families: 45.7% of dwellings are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 30.7% and four-or-more bedroom homes another 20.4%, though two-bedroom dwellings still lead at 36.1%. Only 23.3% of residents own outright while 34.0% carry a mortgage, a younger ownership profile consistent with the median age of 35, five years under national.
For Buyers
At a $580,000 median house price, Crestwood is far more attainable than the Sydney market, and the entry cost is reinforced by an affordable monthly mortgage of $1,733 that produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Prices have been broadly flat, moving from $570,000 in 2024 to $582,500 in 2025, a 2.2% annual gain that suggests stability rather than speculation. Stock favours families: 45.7% of dwellings are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 30.7% and four-or-more bedroom homes another 20.4%, though two-bedroom dwellings still lead at 36.1%. Only 23.3% of residents own outright while 34.0% carry a mortgage, a younger ownership profile consistent with the median age of 35, five years under national.
For Investors
A 42.7% renter share gives Crestwood an unusually deep tenant pool for a suburb where separate houses are 45.7% of stock, driven by public servants working across the ACT border. Weekly rent of $320 against the $580,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%, modest but stronger than premium Sydney suburbs where yields fall closer to 1.3%. The 8.5% vacancy rate points to some softness rather than acute scarcity. Development is light at 16 applications over 12 months, several for medium-density and multi-dwelling housing, so new supply is limited and unlikely to flood the market. With prices rising only 2.2% a year, the case rests on yield and tenant stability from the government workforce more than on rapid capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
91
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 35 runs 5.0 years below the national figure, marking Crestwood as a younger, family-forming area rather than a retirement zone. University qualifications reach 38.8%, which is 8.7 points above national, and 29.9% of residents were born overseas, 8.3 points above the national share. That migration shows in the language mix, led by Punjabi (96 speakers), Nepali (94) and Macedonian (42), and in religion, where Hinduism (331) is the clear second faith behind Christianity (2,146). Ancestry stays Anglo-Celtic at the top, with English (1,475), Irish (473) and Scottish (390) leading. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, and families split between couples with children (1,493) and couples without (1,033, or 29.5%).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
45.7%
Houses
20.9%
Townhouse
33.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans toward renting and recent ownership: 42.7% rent, 34.0% carry a mortgage and only 23.3% own outright, a younger debt-carrying profile that fits the median age of 35. The stock is house-led at 45.7% separate dwellings, with apartments at 33.4% and semi-detached at 20.9%, so renters and owners compete across formats rather than one dominant type. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 36.1%, ahead of three-bedroom at 30.7% and four-plus at 20.4%. The median house price moved from $570,000 in 2024 to $582,500 in 2025, a 2.2% rise. Affordability is the standout: mortgage-to-income at 23.3% and rent-to-income at 18.6% both sit well below the 30% stress threshold, because incomes in the 60.5th percentile are paired with prices far under capital-city levels.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$982
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
195
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.5%
Couples, no children
3,502
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is anchored by government: Public Administration leads at 25.9% (476 workers), reflecting the suburb's position next to the Canberra labour market, with Healthcare second at 15.4% (283) and Construction third at 10.3% (189). Retail (8.1%) and Professional/Tech (7.3%) round out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (523), Clerical and Administrative workers (453) and Managers (335) dominate, an administrative tilt that matches the public-sector base. Unemployment is low at 4.5% and the full-time employment rate is 71.9%, above what the modest 60.5th-percentile income would suggest, because secure government roles support steady participation at 66.1%. The large public-administration weighting also explains why incomes are stable rather than high, since salaried public roles cluster around the middle of the national distribution.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
71.9%
Part-time
23.6%
Participation
66.1%
Employed
2,598
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.8%
Postgraduate
14.7%
Born Overseas
29.9%
Dwellings
2,109
Transport to Work
Crestwood is built around the car: 86.1% of residents drive to work while only 2.8% use public transport and 2.8% walk or cycle, a far heavier car reliance than the national average and a function of the dispersed Queanbeyan-Canberra commute. Affordability supports day-to-day comfort, with rent-to-income at 18.6% and mortgage-to-income at 23.3%, both under the 30% stress line. Community ties are moderate: volunteering runs at 12.2% and 5.3% of residents (248 people) need daily assistance, a low share consistent with the younger median age of 35. No schools are recorded inside the 1.96 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Queanbeyan suburbs, a practical trade-off given the area's compact size and strong car access.
Drive
86.1%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Crestwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Crestwood a good suburb to live in?
Crestwood suits buyers wanting affordability near Canberra, with a $580,000 median house price and household income in the 60.5th percentile nationally. Mortgage-to-income sits at just 23.3% and rent-to-income at 18.6%, both below the 30% stress line. The median age of 35 is 5.0 years under national, marking a younger, family-forming area.
What is the median house price in Crestwood?
The median house price is $580,000, well below Sydney levels. Prices rose 2.2% from $570,000 in 2024 to $582,500 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $320 and the monthly mortgage runs about $1,733, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Crestwood?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.96 km2 Crestwood boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Queanbeyan suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 38.8%, which is 8.7 points above the national figure.
Is Crestwood safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Crestwood in this dataset. As indirect indicators, only 5.3% of residents (248 people) need daily assistance and the residential turnover rate is a low 30.1%, meaning about 70% of residents stayed put, both consistent with a settled, stable community.
Is Crestwood good for property investment?
Rent of $320 a week against a $580,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.9%, stronger than premium Sydney suburbs nearer 1.3%. A 42.7% renter share offers a deep tenant pool from the public-sector workforce, though the 8.5% vacancy rate and 2.2% annual price growth mean returns lean on yield over capital gains.
How is Crestwood's population changing?
Crestwood houses 4,936 residents at a density of 2,520.7 per km2 on a 1.96 km2 footprint. The median age of 35 is 5.0 years below national, pointing to a younger, family-forming population. Turnover of 30.1% means roughly 70% of residents stayed put, a stable profile tied to secure public-sector jobs.
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.
Explore Crestwood on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map