Holder
A 41-year median age, 89.1 household-income percentile and 38.2% outright ownership give Holder a notably established profile. The suburb has 2,816 residents across 1.87 square kilometres, with 74.6% of dwellings separate houses and 40.2% containing 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Weston and Rivett, Holder reads as a settled, professional, car-oriented neighbourhood rather than a fast-changing growth precinct. Its 53.9% university-educated share is 23.8 percentage points above the national comparison, while annual forecast growth is only 0.35%.
Local council: Unincorporated ACT
Population
2,816
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,338/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Holder suits buyers seeking established houses, larger floorplans and relatively secure household finances, although a current median house price is unavailable. Separate houses account for 74.6% of homes, while 45.3% have 3 bedrooms and 40.2% have 4 or more, supporting family use and home offices. Mortgage payments average $2,167 monthly, and mortgage stress is not flagged at a 21.4% mortgage-to-income ratio. With household income at the 89.1 percentile, borrowing capacity is above the national midpoint, but the 42.3% mortgaged share means competition for suitable homes can remain firm. Compared with nearby Weston and Rivett, Holder's established detached stock may appeal to buyers prioritising space over apartment living.
For Buyers
Holder suits buyers seeking established houses, larger floorplans and relatively secure household finances, although a current median house price is unavailable. Separate houses account for 74.6% of homes, while 45.3% have 3 bedrooms and 40.2% have 4 or more, supporting family use and home offices. Mortgage payments average $2,167 monthly, and mortgage stress is not flagged at a 21.4% mortgage-to-income ratio. With household income at the 89.1 percentile, borrowing capacity is above the national midpoint, but the 42.3% mortgaged share means competition for suitable homes can remain firm. Compared with nearby Weston and Rivett, Holder's established detached stock may appeal to buyers prioritising space over apartment living.
For Investors
Holder presents as a low-turnover, established rental market rather than a high-development investment play. Weekly rent is $465 and vacancy is 4.4%, while only 18.6% of households rent, below the 38.2% owned-outright share. Rents have grown 22.4%, which supports income prospects, but the modest 0.35% annual growth trend suggests investors should not rely on rapid capital appreciation. Development activity is limited to 2 applications over 12 months, including a proposal involving 2 dwellings, so new supply pressure appears contained. Migration is labelled Balanced, and the suburb is classified as established, making property quality, tenant retention and purchase price discipline more important than speculative growth. Mortgage-to-income is 21.4%, below the 19.9% rent-to-income figure only after comparing different tenure groups, so cash-flow analysis remains essential.
Development Activity
Total DAs
23
Last 12 Months
2
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 Holder
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Canberra Montessori School
Communities@Work Galilee School Holder Campus
St Jude's Primary School
Demographics
Holder has a median age of 41, just 1 year above the national comparison, with an average household size of 2.5. Its university-educated share is 53.9%, or 23.8 percentage points above the national figure, helping explain the strong professional and public administration presence. Overseas-born residents account for 23.6%, only 2.0 percentage points above the national comparison, while English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 1,043, 444 and 362 respectively. No religion is recorded for 1,247 residents and Christianity for 1,214. Couples with children represent 42.8% of families, compared with 41.3% couples without children, creating a mixed family and mature-household base. Holder is less transient than many inner urban areas, with 78.5% staying at the same address and a 21.5% turnover rate, giving it a more settled feel than nearby growth-oriented pockets around Weston Creek.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.6%
Houses
19.4%
Townhouse
6.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Holder's housing stock is strongly detached, with 74.6% separate houses, 19.4% semi-detached dwellings and 6.0% apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 45.3% of dwellings and 4-or-more-bedroom homes 40.2%, so the suburb is oriented toward established family housing rather than compact apartment demand. Tenure is divided between 38.2% owned outright, 42.3% mortgaged and 18.6% rented, with only 0.9% in other arrangements. Mortgage stress is not flagged at 21.4% of household income, while rent accounts for 19.9%. Compared with nearby Weston and Rivett, Holder's profile is more clearly defined by established detached stock and larger homes than by apartment supply. The 2.5-person average household size suggests some homes may have spare capacity, particularly where 4 or more bedrooms are retained after children leave home.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$465
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,273
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.4%
Unoccupied
51
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.8%
Couples with children
41.3%
Couples, no children
15.1%
Single parent
801
Total families
Economy & Employment
Holder's economy is closely tied to Canberra's public-sector and knowledge-work base. Public administration employs 429 people, or 38.2% of industry employment, followed by professional and technical services at 143, healthcare at 121, education at 120 and construction at 66. Occupations are led by 483 professionals and 291 managers, ahead of 210 clerical and administrative workers. The unemployment rate is 3.5%, participation is 65.6% and 954 people work full time, indicating a stronger employment position than many lower-income districts. Household income sits at the 89.1 percentile, while SEIFA places education and occupation at decile 10, economic resources at decile 8, IRSAD at decile 9 and disadvantage at decile 10. The lower economic-resources decile compared with the education and occupation decile may reflect high skills without uniformly high asset or income outcomes across every household.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
1,500
Unemployed
53
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.9%
Part-time
28.2%
Participation
65.6%
Employed
1,447
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
53.9%
Postgraduate
17.8%
Born Overseas
23.6%
Dwellings
1,093
Transport to Work
Holder is practical for residents who drive, with 71.3% travelling as car drivers compared with 4.9% using public transport and 3.7% walking or cycling. A further 14.5% work from home, so reliable home space is useful in the suburb's 3-bedroom and 4-or-more-bedroom housing stock. Three nearby schools are identified, all in the non-government sector and classified as Other, including Canberra Montessori School, Communities@Work Galilee School Holder Campus and St Jude's Primary School. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because school access can cross suburb boundaries. Holder's IRSAD decile of 9 and volunteering rate of 23.4% point to strong social resources, while 4.7% need assistance. The 71.3% driver share is higher than the 4.9% public-transport share, so daily convenience depends more on road access than on transit frequency.
Drive
71.3%
Public Transport
4.9%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
14.5%
Growth Outlook
Holder is forecast to grow slowly, with an annual trend of 0.35% and population change across the wider area of 3.9% over 10 years. Migration is classified as Balanced, while the trajectory is Mixed, consistent with an established suburb where replacement demand matters more than large-scale expansion. Rent growth of 22.4% has been stronger than the population trend, indicating housing demand has tightened faster than the resident base has expanded. Affordability improved from 41.5% in 2011 to 36.5% in 2021, while real income growth reached 13.0%. Gentrification is not the main story: the score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying. A senior-share increase of 2.9 percentage points and a working-share decline of 3.4 points suggest gradual ageing, which may support renovation, downsizing and turnover demand rather than rapid demographic change.
Population trend: Unincorporated ACT council area
Holder sits in the Unincorporated ACT council area. These are the council area's residents, not Holder'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 Holder compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Holder a good suburb to live in?
Holder is well suited to households wanting established homes, professional employment access and a settled community. It has 2,816 residents, a median age of 41, an IRSAD decile of 9 and 74.6% separate houses, although daily travel is car-oriented at 71.3% driver use.
What is the median house price in Holder?
A current median house price is unavailable for Holder. The housing profile is still clear: 74.6% of dwellings are separate houses, 40.2% have 4 or more bedrooms and 42.3% of households have a mortgage, so buyers should assess comparable house sales and borrowing costs carefully.
What schools are in Holder?
Holder has 3 identified schools: Canberra Montessori School, Communities@Work Galilee School Holder Campus and St Jude's Primary School. All are non-government providers classified as Other, so families should confirm the exact program, enrolment requirements and address-based access before choosing a home.
Is Holder safe?
A current safety decision should use recent local incident information rather than social indicators alone. Holder has an IRSAD decile of 9, a volunteering rate of 23.4% and 4.7% of residents needing assistance. These figures describe community conditions, not a crime rate, so check current ACT Police information for the exact streets considered.
Is Holder good for property investment?
Holder can suit investors seeking an established rental market, with weekly rent of $465, vacancy of 4.4% and rent growth of 22.4%. However, annual forecast growth is only 0.35%, renting is 18.6% and development activity totals 2 applications, so price discipline and property condition are important.
How is Holder's population changing?
Holder has 2,816 residents today, with a median age of 41 and 78.5% remaining at the same address. The wider-area forecast records 3.9% population change over 10 years, an annual trend of 0.35% and Balanced migration, indicating gradual change rather than rapid expansion.
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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