Gungahlin
Public Administration employs 25.9% of Gungahlin's workforce (1,011 people), the highest single-industry concentration in this batch, reflecting Canberra's government-employment economy. Despite 84th-percentile household income ($2,208/week), 53.6% of residents rent, the highest renter share in this analysis, driven by a young, mobile population (median age 31, turnover rate 45.9%). Apartments at 46.8% nearly match detached houses at 35.7%, an unusually split housing stock. University qualifications at 57.6% are 27.5 points above national, yet the IER sits at decile 4, a gap explained by the renter-heavy, young-professional composition depressing household wealth metrics.
Population
8,586
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,208/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$576K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated $576,000 median (rent-derived, 2025) is moderate for Canberra. Apartments at 46.8% nearly equal detached houses at 35.7%, with semi-detached at 17.5%. Studio/one-bedrooms at 19.7% and two-bedrooms at 29.2% make up 48.9% of dwellings, unusual for a suburb with 3.6 average household income percentile. Monthly mortgage of $1,801 against $2,208/week income gives an 18.8% mortgage-to-income ratio, well below stress. Only 13.5% own outright, the lowest in this batch, consistent with a young community. Walking/cycling at 7.0% and public transport at 3.2% provide moderate car alternatives.
For Buyers
The estimated $576,000 median (rent-derived, 2025) is moderate for Canberra. Apartments at 46.8% nearly equal detached houses at 35.7%, with semi-detached at 17.5%. Studio/one-bedrooms at 19.7% and two-bedrooms at 29.2% make up 48.9% of dwellings, unusual for a suburb with 3.6 average household income percentile. Monthly mortgage of $1,801 against $2,208/week income gives an 18.8% mortgage-to-income ratio, well below stress. Only 13.5% own outright, the lowest in this batch, consistent with a young community. Walking/cycling at 7.0% and public transport at 3.2% provide moderate car alternatives.
For Investors
The 53.6% renter share is the highest in this analysis, providing a deep tenant pool. Weekly rent of $450 on a $576,000 median produces roughly 4.1% gross yield, above the ACT average. The 8.6% vacancy rate is elevated, likely reflecting new apartment completions. Population growth at 3.53% per year (337 persons) is strong, driven by overseas migration (165 net per year), though internal migration runs slightly negative (-29). Turnover at 45.9% means nearly half the residents change every five years, ensuring constant rental demand. Population is forecast to reach 11,716 by 2031.
Development Activity
Total DAs
35
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 Gungahlin iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Burgmann Anglican School
K-12 · 1755 students
Gungahlin College
10-12 · 1070 students
Demographics
University qualifications at 57.6% are 27.5 points above national, consistent with Canberra's public-service workforce. Chinese ancestry (1,184) is the largest non-European group, with Indian (625) second. Born-overseas at 49.8% is 28.2 points above national. Mandarin (426 speakers) leads non-English languages, followed by Nepali (230), Korean (147), Hindi (94) and Punjabi (92). The median age of 31 is 9 years below national. Hinduism (916) and Islam (531) are significant alongside Christianity (2,612). Average household size of 2.6 is near national, but the 30.7% couples-without-children share and 19.7% studio/one-bedroom rate reflect a young, pre-family composition.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
35.7%
Houses
17.5%
Townhouse
46.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Renting at 53.6% dominates tenure, with 32.9% mortgaged and only 13.5% owning outright, the lowest outright-ownership in this batch. Apartments (46.8%) nearly match houses (35.7%), with semi-detached (17.5%) filling the gap. Studio/one-bedrooms (19.7%), two-bedrooms (29.2%) and 4+ bedrooms (31.5%) create a polarized stock: small apartments and large houses with less in between. The 18.8% mortgage-to-income ratio is comfortable at 84th-percentile incomes. Affordability is stable at around 43% over the decade. The IRSD decile 7 sits in the upper-middle band despite the renter dominance.
Mortgage / mo
$1,801
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,049
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
304
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.7%
Couples, no children
6,300
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Administration at 25.9% (1,011 workers) dwarfs all other sectors, followed by Professional/Tech (12.3%, 478), Healthcare (12.2%, 475), Hospitality (9.9%, 386) and Education (9.0%, 351). This government-anchored economy provides stability but limited diversification. Professionals (1,377) and Managers (732) lead occupations, with Clerical/Admin (726) and Community/Personal (722) close behind. Full-time employment at 68.6% is above national, and the participation rate of 72.7% is significantly higher than the national benchmark. Unemployment at 4.8% is moderate. The IEO decile 9 reflects the highly educated workforce.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
6,205
Unemployed
301
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.6%
Part-time
26.6%
Participation
72.7%
Employed
4,989
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.6%
Postgraduate
23.6%
Born Overseas
49.8%
Dwellings
3,201
Transport to Work
Two schools serve the suburb: Burgmann Anglican School (Independent Combined, ICSEA 1,165, 1,755 students) and Gungahlin College (Government Secondary, ICSEA 1,061, 1,070 students). Both sit well above the national benchmark, with Burgmann scoring 165 points higher. Walking/cycling at 7.0% is above the national average, and public transport at 3.2% is moderate. The light rail extension has improved connectivity to the Civic centre. Need-for-assistance at 3.1% is below national. IRSAD decile 8 places Gungahlin in the upper band despite the high renter share.
Drive
81.4%
Public Transport
3.2%
Walk / Cycle
7.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+3.53%/yr
(+337 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 52.8% over the decade, reaching 9,555 by 2025, well above the national average, with the medium forecast projecting 11,716 by 2031. Annual growth of 3.53% (337 persons) is strong. Overseas migration at 165 per year is the primary driver, with internal migration slightly negative (-29). The young share dropped 6.0 points while the senior share rose 3.2 points, showing aging even in this young suburb. The working-age share grew 5.8 points, reflecting new professionals arriving. Real income declined 10.9% over the decade, a concerning trend possibly reflecting the shift from senior-public-servant households to entry-level professionals and students.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+165
Net Internal / yr
-29
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Accelerating: 7% → 52%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gungahlin compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gungahlin a good suburb to live in?
Gungahlin suits young professionals in Canberra's public sector. University qualifications at 57.6% (27.5 points above national) and IRSAD decile 8 confirm strong conditions. Both schools score ICSEA above 1,061. The tradeoff is the 53.6% renter share creating a transient community (45.9% turnover rate).
What is the median house price in Gungahlin?
The estimated median is $576,000 (rent-derived, 2025), moderate for Canberra. Monthly mortgage of $1,801 produces an 18.8% mortgage-to-income ratio at 84th-percentile household income. Weekly rent sits at $450. Note that apartments (46.8%) nearly match houses (35.7%), so the median blends different dwelling types.
What schools are in Gungahlin?
Gungahlin has 2 schools. Burgmann Anglican School (Independent Combined, ICSEA 1,165, 1,755 students) scores 165 points above the national benchmark. Gungahlin College (Government Secondary, ICSEA 1,061, 1,070 students) also exceeds baseline. No government primary school is located within the suburb.
Is Gungahlin safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Gungahlin in the current dataset. The IRSD decile 7 indicates below-average disadvantage. Unemployment at 4.8% is moderate, and need-for-assistance at 3.1% is below national. The 72.7% participation rate and 57.6% university qualifications correlate with lower crime.
Is Gungahlin good for property investment?
The 53.6% renter share is the highest in this batch, providing a deep tenant pool. Gross yield of roughly 4.1% ($450/week on $576,000) is above the ACT average. Population growth of 3.53% per year and 45.9% turnover ensure constant rental demand. The 8.6% vacancy rate is the main concern, reflecting new apartment supply.
How is Gungahlin's population changing?
Population grew 52.8% over the decade to 9,555 by 2025, projected to reach 11,716 by 2031. Overseas migration at 165 per year drives growth. The young share dropped 6.0 points while the working-age share grew 5.8 points, reflecting a shift from families to young professionals. Real income declined 10.9% over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Gungahlin?
With 49.8% born overseas (28.2 points above national), Gungahlin is highly multicultural. Mandarin (426 speakers) is the leading non-English language. Nepali (230), Korean (147), Hindi (94) and Punjabi (92) follow. Chinese ancestry (1,184) is the largest non-European group, with Indian (625) second.
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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