ACT 2902 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Kambah

A 15,670-person footprint makes Kambah one of Tuggeranong's larger residential districts, with a density of 1,382.3 people per sq km and a strongly detached pattern: 84.8% of homes are separate houses. Compared with nearby Wanniassa and Greenway, it reads more like a broad family-house market than a compact town-centre fringe. The median age is 41, university attainment is 42.1%, 12.0 points above the national level, and household income sits in the 83.8th percentile nationally, so the suburb combines scale, stable incomes and an older household profile.

Kambah urban fabric map

Population

15,670

Median Age

41.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,207/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

23

Median House

$557K

Estimated from rent (2025)

11.34 km²· 1,382.3 people/km²· Family income $2,630/wk

Kambah suits buyers who want space more than apartment convenience because 84.8% of dwellings are separate houses and only 2.0% are apartments. The bedroom mix is family-sized, with 46.3% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 44.1% having 4 or more. Kambah's current median sale price is unquoted, so holding costs matter: the median mortgage is $2,000 per month and mortgage payments absorb 20.9% of income, below stress signals. Household income of $2,207 per week also sits higher than many national households.

For Buyers

Kambah suits buyers who want space more than apartment convenience because 84.8% of dwellings are separate houses and only 2.0% are apartments. The bedroom mix is family-sized, with 46.3% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 44.1% having 4 or more. Kambah's current median sale price is unquoted, so holding costs matter: the median mortgage is $2,000 per month and mortgage payments absorb 20.9% of income, below stress signals. Household income of $2,207 per week also sits higher than many national households.

For Investors

Kambah is not a high-renter market: 21.6% of homes are rented, below the owner-occupier base of 78.3% when outright owners and mortgage holders are combined. Median rent is $400 per week and the vacancy rate is 4.7%, higher than a tight rental setting, so income certainty depends on presentation and pricing. Development activity is still visible, with 23 applications in 12 months, and rents have grown 17.6% across the shift period because detached family stock remains useful even as population growth slows.

Development Activity

Total DAs

143

Last 12 Months

23

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+27.8%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
15
New Dwelling
9
Garage / Carport / Shed
4
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
3
Demolition
2
Commercial / Industrial
1
Signage / Advertising
1
Change of Use
1

Schools in Kambah iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

St Thomas the Apostle Primary School

ICSEA 1082 Primary Catholic

K-6 · 325 students

Taylor Primary School

ICSEA 1043 Primary Government

K-6 · 286 students

Namadgi School

ICSEA 978 Combined Government

K-10 · 578 students

Demographics

Kambah's population is slightly older than the national profile, with a median age of 41, 1.0 year above the national benchmark. Overseas-born residents make up 21.4%, 0.2 points lower than nationally, while university attainment is 42.1%, 12.0 points above national. English ancestry is the largest group at 5,913 people, followed by Irish at 2,253 and Scottish at 1,910. Malayalam, Nepali and Arabic speakers are present in smaller counts, so the suburb is mainly long-settled but not culturally uniform.

Age Distribution

0-14
18.8%
15-24
11.2%
25-44
25.4%
45-64
24.9%
65+
19.8%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
1.2%
2 bed
8.3%
3 bed
46.3%
4+ bed
44.1%

Dwelling Structure

84.8%

Houses

13.3%

Townhouse

2.0%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 36.5% Mortgage 41.8% Rent 21.6%

The housing structure is the clearest signal in Kambah: 36.5% of homes are owned outright, 41.8% are mortgaged and 21.6% are rented. That ownership split is higher on stability than a renter-heavy inner market, which helps explain the older trajectory. Separate houses account for 84.8% of dwellings, compared with only 13.3% semi-detached homes and 2.0% apartments. A current median sale price is not quoted, but the $2,000 monthly mortgage and 20.9% mortgage-to-income ratio point to manageable carrying costs for many existing households.

Mortgage / mo

$2,000

Rent / wk

$400

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$1,070

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

4.7%

Unoccupied

290

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

18.1%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.9%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Malayalam
105
Nepali
66
Arabic
55
Punjabi
43
French
40
Mandarin
39

Ancestry

English
5,913
Irish
2,253
Other
1,929
Scottish
1,910
German
846
Ancestry NS
643

Household Composition

26.8%

Couples, no children

12,785

Total families

Economy & Employment

Public sector employment dominates Kambah because 32.0% of local workers are in Public Admin, supported by Healthcare at 16.0%, Professional/Tech at 10.7%, Education at 10.5% and Construction at 7.5%. Occupations lean white-collar, led by 2,073 Professionals, 1,224 Clerical/Admin workers and 1,221 Managers. The unemployment rate is 4.4% and full-time work is 66.5% of employed residents. SEIFA is consistently above average, with IEO decile 8, IER decile 8, IRSD decile 7 and IRSAD decile 8, signalling advantage without top-decile exclusivity.

Unemployment

5.4%

Labour Force

8,390

Unemployed

449

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
8
Disadvantage
7
Economic resources
8
Education & occupation
8

Full-time

66.5%

Part-time

29.1%

Participation

59.4%

Employed

7,223

Occupations

Professionals 2,073
Clerical/Admin 1,224
Managers 1,221
Community/Personal 923
Sales 497
Labourers 441
Machinery/Drivers 236

Top Industries

Public Admin 32.0%
Healthcare 16.0%
Professional/Tech 10.7%
Education 10.5%
Construction 7.5%

University

42.1%

Postgraduate

11.9%

Born Overseas

21.4%

Dwellings

5,844

Transport to Work

Kambah is car-oriented, with 87.6% driving to work, far higher than the 3.5% using public transport and 2.1% walking or cycling. School access is local rather than elite-heavy: 3 schools span an ICSEA range from 978 to 1082, led by St Thomas the Apostle Primary School at 1082 with 325 enrolments and Taylor Primary School at 1043 with 286. IRSAD decile 8 supports above-average social advantage. Safety needs a separate check because no suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is published for Kambah.

Drive

87.6%

Public Transport

3.5%

Walk / Cycle

2.1%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

-0.01%/yr

(-2 people/yr)

Established

Kambah is forecast to be almost flat, with trend growth of -0.01% a year, equal to about -2 people annually. The medium path moves from 15,666 residents in 2026 to 15,654 in 2031, lower by 12 people over the period. Migration explains the softness: overseas migration averages +71 people a year, but internal migration averages -101 a year. The shift trajectory is Aging, with seniors up 9.5 points and working-age share down 7.0 points. Gentrification is scored 0 and labelled Not gentrifying, so renewal pressure is limited.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+71

Net Internal / yr

-101

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

Net internal outflow -101/yr

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Kambah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 2%
Household Income
Top 16%
Rent Level
Top 17%
Apartments
Bottom 35%
Renters
Top 46%
Uni Educated
Top 16%
Public Transport
Top 48%
Born Overseas
Top 27%
Density
Top 12%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kambah a good suburb to live in?

Kambah is a strong fit for households wanting space, with 84.8% separate houses and 90.4% of homes having 3 or more bedrooms. It is more car-dependent than urban areas, with 87.6% driving to work.

What is the median house price in Kambah?

Kambah's current median house price is not quoted. Affordability can be read through costs instead: the median mortgage is $2,000 per month and mortgage payments sit at 20.9% of income.

What schools are in Kambah?

Kambah has 3 local schools: St Thomas the Apostle Primary School, Taylor Primary School and Namadgi School. ICSEA scores range from 978 to 1082, with Catholic and Government sectors represented.

Is Kambah safe?

A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is not published for Kambah, so buyers should check current ACT policing sources. Local stability is supported by 78.3% owner occupation across outright and mortgaged homes.

Is Kambah good for property investment?

Kambah is more defensive than high-growth. Renters make up 21.6% of households, median rent is $400 per week and vacancy is 4.7%, so investor returns depend on buying well rather than expecting rapid scarcity.

How is Kambah's population changing?

Kambah is forecast to be almost flat, falling by about 2 people a year at -0.01% annually. The medium projection moves from 15,666 residents in 2026 to 15,654 in 2031.

What development is happening in Kambah?

Kambah recorded 23 development applications over 12 months, including lease variation activity and secondary residence work. That suggests incremental change rather than a major apartment-led redevelopment cycle.

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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