Gilmore
Household income in the 90.9th percentile nationally tells the opening story of Gilmore, a compact 2.05 km2 suburb in Canberra's south where public sector employment underpins the economy and 92.8% of dwellings are separate houses. With a population of 2,706 and a median age of 37 (3.0 years below national), Gilmore skews toward working-age families, with couples with children making up the largest household type. The suburb scores IRSAD decile 8, placing it in the upper advantage tier compared to most Australian communities, yet the median house price of $587,000 remains well below Canberra's inner-north equivalents, offering relative affordability within a high-income territory.
Population
2,706
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,416/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$587K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $587,000, the median house price in Gilmore sits at a level that, combined with weekly household income of $2,416, produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,048, manageable by ACT standards. The housing stock is strongly detached: 92.8% of dwellings are separate houses, and 45.5% have four or more bedrooms, compared to just 3.8% with two bedrooms. That bedroom profile reflects the family-oriented character, with 964 couples raising children in the suburb. Semi-detached dwellings account for the remaining 7.2%, and no apartments are recorded, so buyers seeking an ACT house without climbing into inner-suburb pricing will find Gilmore representative of value in the territory.
For Buyers
At $587,000, the median house price in Gilmore sits at a level that, combined with weekly household income of $2,416, produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,048, manageable by ACT standards. The housing stock is strongly detached: 92.8% of dwellings are separate houses, and 45.5% have four or more bedrooms, compared to just 3.8% with two bedrooms. That bedroom profile reflects the family-oriented character, with 964 couples raising children in the suburb. Semi-detached dwellings account for the remaining 7.2%, and no apartments are recorded, so buyers seeking an ACT house without climbing into inner-suburb pricing will find Gilmore representative of value in the territory.
For Investors
Gilmore's 23.2% renter share is lower than the national average, and weekly rent of $430 against a $587,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.8%, modest but not atypical for ACT. The vacancy rate of 2.8% signals balanced conditions rather than oversupply. Net internal migration runs at negative 33 residents per year while overseas arrivals add 12, keeping demand for rental stock steady without strong pressure on rents. Only 2 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating very limited new supply entering the area. The rent-to-income ratio of 17.8% keeps tenants financially comfortable, which supports stable tenancy and low arrears risk, but the suburb's population trend of negative 0.59% annually is a factor investors should weigh against yield prospects.
Development Activity
Total DAs
19
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Gilmore iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Gilmore Primary School
K-6 · 113 students
Demographics
Gilmore's median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, reflecting the concentration of working-age families rather than retirees. University qualifications reach 33.1% of residents, 3.0 percentage points above the national rate, consistent with the territory's public sector and professional workforce. Overseas-born residents account for 18.5%, which is 3.1 points below the national share. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic dominant: English (959), Irish (349) and Scottish (276) are the top three, with German (114) the fifth. Average household size of 2.8 is 0.3 above national, driven by the prevalence of couple-with-children families. The volunteering rate of 14.3% and a 64.8% participation rate round out a picture of an active, working-age community that ranks decile 7 on the IEO index, above average nationally.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.8%
Houses
7.2%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The ownership rate in Gilmore is striking: 30.7% own outright and 46.2% carry a mortgage, putting combined owner-occupier share at 76.9%, higher than the national norm and well above the renter share of 23.2%. The detached house proportion of 92.8% is dominant, and the four-or-more-bedroom segment at 45.5% signals that families, not singles or downsizers, drive housing demand here. Three-bedroom homes account for 49.7% of stock, creating a tight spectrum of large family homes with limited smaller-format alternatives. Median house price of $587,000 carries a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.6%, below the stress threshold. Turnover is low, with 83.7% of residents having stayed in the suburb, indicating strong owner attachment to existing housing stock.
Mortgage / mo
$2,048
Rent / wk
$430
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,164
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.8%
Unoccupied
27
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.2%
Couples, no children
2,358
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration dominates Gilmore's employment at 31.6% of workers, which is the defining economic characteristic of most ACT suburbs. Healthcare follows at 13.1%, Construction at 11.2%, Education at 9.2% and Professional/Tech at 8.3%. By occupation, Professionals (320) and Clerical/Admin workers (267) lead, followed by Managers (217), consistent with a SEIFA IEO decile 7 score reflecting above-average education and occupational status. The unemployment rate is low at 3.0%, full-time employment reaches 70.5% of workers, and household income at the 90.9th percentile nationally reflects the premium Canberra's public sector pays relative to other cities. Real income growth of 9.9% over the decade added tangible purchasing power, confirming the suburb's economic stability.
Unemployment
5.8%
Labour Force
1,483
Unemployed
86
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.5%
Part-time
26.5%
Participation
64.8%
Employed
1,361
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.1%
Postgraduate
7.8%
Born Overseas
18.5%
Dwellings
946
Transport to Work
Car dependency defines transport in Gilmore: 89.7% of residents drive to work, compared to just 2.7% using public transport and 1.5% walking or cycling. This is above the national car-dependency norm, reflecting the suburb's southern Canberra location and limited bus connectivity relative to inner suburbs. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby institutions in adjacent Tuggeranong suburbs. SEIFA IRSAD decile 8 places Gilmore in the upper advantage tier nationally, indicating below-average disadvantage across social and economic dimensions. Housing stress metrics are low: rent-to-income at 17.8% and mortgage-to-income at 19.6% both sit comfortably below stress thresholds, and 6.1% of residents need daily assistance, reflecting some care needs consistent with the aging shift observed over the past decade.
Drive
89.7%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.59%/yr
(-16 people/yr)
EstablishedGilmore's population has contracted slightly over the decade, down 4.8% from the 2011 base, with an annual trend of negative 0.59% or approximately 16 fewer residents per year. Medium forecasts project the population falling from roughly 2,647 in 2026 to around 2,568 by 2031 as the aging trajectory tightens. The senior share grew 7.6 points while the young adult share fell 1.8 points over the decade, typical of an aging-trajectory suburb. Net internal migration is negative at 33 residents per year, partly offset by 12 overseas arrivals annually. The gentrification score of 12 places Gilmore firmly in the not-gentrifying category, and with affordability already improving from 43.0% in 2011 to 36.9% in 2021, the suburb's relative value position is strengthening even as absolute population drifts lower.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+12
Net Internal / yr
-33
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gilmore compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gilmore a good suburb to live in?
Gilmore ranks in IRSAD decile 8, the upper advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 90.9th percentile. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.6% is well below the stress threshold, and 92.8% of dwellings are detached houses, making it well suited to families seeking space at a $587,000 median price.
What is the median house price in Gilmore?
The median house price is $587,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,048, and the rent-to-income ratio for tenants sits at 17.8%, both below stress thresholds. Weekly rent averages $430.
What schools are in Gilmore?
No schools are recorded within the Gilmore suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the surrounding Tuggeranong area. The suburb's university qualification rate of 33.1% is 3.0 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting the ACT's highly educated resident base.
Is Gilmore safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Gilmore in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSAD decile 8, placing it above average nationally on the index of relative disadvantage, and housing stress rates (mortgage-to-income 19.6%, rent-to-income 17.8%) are well below levels associated with economic pressure.
Is Gilmore good for property investment?
The $430 weekly rent against a $587,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.8%. Vacancy sits at 2.8%, indicating balanced conditions. Net internal migration is negative 33 residents per year and population is declining at 0.59% annually, so demand-side growth is limited. The stable ACT public sector workforce supports steady tenancy.
How is Gilmore's population changing?
Gilmore's population fell 4.8% over the decade, with an annual decline of roughly 16 residents. The medium forecast projects a further drop from around 2,647 in 2026 to approximately 2,568 by 2031. The aging trajectory, with the senior share up 7.6 points since 2011, is the primary driver of this gradual contraction.
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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