Higgins
Household income in the 84.8th percentile nationally is the most telling number in Higgins, placing this 3,321-person suburb well above the ACT middle ground while the median house price of $557,000 sits far below what that income would fetch in Sydney or Melbourne. At 95.7% separate houses, the suburb is almost purely detached, with a density of 1,984 residents per sq km across 1.67 sq km. Public Admin employs 31.8% of the local workforce, which is no surprise for a Canberra suburb, and university qualifications reach 41.9%, which is 11.8 percentage points above the national average.
Population
3,321
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,248/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$557K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $557,000 is the entry point for a suburb where 95.7% of dwellings are separate houses and four-bedroom-plus homes account for 36.2% of stock, with three-bedroom dominating at 51.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, translating to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability is reinforced by household incomes at the 84.8th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 31.2% outnumber renters at 23.2%, and 45.6% carry a mortgage, the typical pattern for an established, owner-dominant suburb where entry prices remain accessible compared to capital city equivalents.
For Buyers
The median house price of $557,000 is the entry point for a suburb where 95.7% of dwellings are separate houses and four-bedroom-plus homes account for 36.2% of stock, with three-bedroom dominating at 51.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, translating to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability is reinforced by household incomes at the 84.8th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 31.2% outnumber renters at 23.2%, and 45.6% carry a mortgage, the typical pattern for an established, owner-dominant suburb where entry prices remain accessible compared to capital city equivalents.
For Investors
The 23.2% renter share and $400 weekly rent give investors a modest yield picture against the $557,000 median. Vacancy stands at 5.1%, higher than a tight market would show, suggesting limited rental demand pressure. Development activity is low at 3 applications in 12 months, with recent filings covering dual occupancy amendments and secondary residence variations rather than new multi-dwelling supply. Net overseas migration of 22 per year provides some demand support, but net internal migration is negative at minus 32 annually, meaning more residents leave for other regions than arrive. Annual population growth of 0.36% and a medium forecast of 3,383 by 2031 from the current 3,321 point to slow, steady rather than high-demand conditions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
31
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-66.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, though the suburb is on an aging trajectory, with the senior share rising 3.3 points and the working-age share falling 2.6 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 23.8%, which is 2.2 points above the national average. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic dominant, led by English (1,128), Irish (418) and Scottish (317). University qualifications at 41.9% run 11.8 percentage points above the national figure, consistent with the professional character of a Public Service suburb. Average household size of 2.6 is slightly above national, and couples with children (1,258 families) outnumber couples without children (727), reflecting the family-oriented composition.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.7%
Houses
2.4%
Townhouse
1.9%
Apartment
Tenure
The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 95.7%, with semi-detached at 2.4% and apartments at just 1.9%, which is unusually detached-dominant even by Canberra standards. Bedroom distribution centers on three-bedroom homes at 51.4% and four-plus at 36.2%, with smaller configurations rare. Tenure divides into 31.2% outright owners, 45.6% on mortgages and 23.2% renters, typical of a mortgage-belt suburb rather than a transient or rental-heavy area. Rent-to-income sits at 17.8% and mortgage-to-income at 20.5%, both below stress thresholds, because household incomes rank in the 84.8th percentile nationally. The 5.1% vacancy rate is worth monitoring as it indicates some slack in the local rental market.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,053
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
66
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.2%
Couples, no children
2,773
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Admin accounts for 31.8% of employed residents (388 workers), which is characteristic of Canberra's government employment base and sets Higgins apart from most suburban areas nationally. Healthcare follows at 12.0% (147 workers) and Education at 11.7% (143), forming a public-sector-dominated economy across three service industries. By occupation, Professionals lead at 444 workers, followed by Clerical/Admin (250) and Managers (247), a distribution that aligns with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation advantage. The unemployment rate of 4.1% and a full-time employment rate of 69.9% are broadly in line with ACT norms. SEIFA IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 8 both place Higgins in the upper advantage range nationally.
Unemployment
5.4%
Labour Force
1,790
Unemployed
96
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.9%
Part-time
26.0%
Participation
61.2%
Employed
1,559
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.9%
Postgraduate
12.9%
Born Overseas
23.8%
Dwellings
1,242
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high at 86.1% of commuters driving, compared to the national urban norm where alternatives are more common, a pattern shared across most Canberra suburbs due to limited public transport. Only 4.8% use public transport and 2.4% walk or cycle. No schools are recorded within the Higgins boundary, so families draw on neighboring suburbs for education. The suburb earns decile 8 on IRSAD, placing it in the upper advantage band nationally, and 6.1% of residents (198 people) need assistance with daily activities, a modest figure for a suburb with a median age of 38. Volunteering reaches 17.8% of the population, above typical suburban rates, and housing stress is absent on both the rent and mortgage measures, providing a stable cost-of-living environment relative to state and national benchmarks.
Drive
86.1%
Public Transport
4.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.36%/yr
(+12 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth runs at 0.36%, adding about 12 residents per year, and the 10-year population change of 7.5% reflects steady rather than rapid expansion. Medium forecasts project 3,383 residents by 2031 from a current base of 3,321. The migration picture is mixed: overseas migration contributes a net 22 per year but internal migration subtracts 32, leaving the suburb reliant on natural increase and modest overseas arrivals. The aging trajectory (senior share up 3.3 points, young share down 1.0 point over the decade) suggests household composition is slowly shifting toward empty nesters. Rent growth of 14.9% over the period and real income growth of 10.2% indicate the suburb absorbed cost increases without reaching stress levels, consistent with affordability improving from 44.8% in 2011 to 38.0% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+22
Net Internal / yr
-32
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Higgins compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Higgins a good suburb to live in?
Higgins ranks in SEIFA decile 8 on both IRSAD and IRSAD measures, placing it in the upper advantage band nationally. Household incomes sit in the 84.8th percentile, university qualifications reach 41.9% (11.8 points above national) and housing stress is absent on both rent and mortgage measures. The main trade-off is high car reliance, with 86.1% of commuters driving due to limited public transport.
What is the median house price in Higgins?
The median house price is approximately $557,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $400. The suburb is almost entirely separate houses (95.7%), with four-bedroom-plus homes at 36.2% of stock.
What schools are in Higgins?
No schools are recorded inside the Higgins boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighboring suburbs. Despite that, local educational attainment is high, with 41.9% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 11.8 percentage points above the national average, reflecting the professional public-sector workforce.
Is Higgins safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Higgins in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, placing it in the upper advantage range nationally, and 6.1% of its 3,321 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, stable residential area.
Is Higgins good for property investment?
The 23.2% renter share and $400 weekly rent against a $557,000 median give a modest gross yield. Vacancy at 5.1% suggests limited rental demand pressure. Net internal migration is minus 32 per year, partially offset by overseas arrivals of 22. Annual population growth of 0.36% and slow development activity point to steady rather than high-demand conditions for investors.
How is Higgins's population changing?
Population grows at 0.36% annually, adding about 12 residents per year, with a 10-year change of 7.5%. Medium forecasts project 3,383 residents by 2031 from the current 3,321. The suburb is on an aging trajectory, with the senior share up 3.3 points and working-age share down 2.6 points over the decade, driven by net internal outflow of 32 residents per year.
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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