Latham
Public administration employs 32.6% of Latham's workers, an unusually strong civic footprint for a 3,767-person suburb. The median age is 38, 2.0 years below the national figure, while household income sits at the 80.5th percentile. Housing is 87.9% separate houses, and university attainment is 39.2%, 9.1 percentage points above national levels. Compared with nearby Higgins and Macgregor, Latham has a settled, owner-focused profile, with 81.1% staying at the same address and only 0.08% annual growth.
Population
3,767
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,125/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Latham suits buyers prioritising conventional family housing over apartment stock. Separate houses account for 87.9%, with 48.2% of dwellings containing 3 bedrooms and 40.4% containing 4 or more. The typical mortgage payment is $2,000 a month, while mortgage costs equal 21.7% of household income, higher than the 18.8% rent-to-income figure but not flagged as mortgage stress. A current sale median is needed to judge value against Canberra alternatives, so recent comparable sales matter more than a suburb-wide price headline.
For Buyers
Latham suits buyers prioritising conventional family housing over apartment stock. Separate houses account for 87.9%, with 48.2% of dwellings containing 3 bedrooms and 40.4% containing 4 or more. The typical mortgage payment is $2,000 a month, while mortgage costs equal 21.7% of household income, higher than the 18.8% rent-to-income figure but not flagged as mortgage stress. A current sale median is needed to judge value against Canberra alternatives, so recent comparable sales matter more than a suburb-wide price headline.
For Investors
Investor demand is likely to be steadier than speculative because only 21.1% of households rent, compared with 45.3% paying a mortgage, reinforcing an owner-occupier base. Weekly rent is $400 and vacancy is 3.8%, so tenant appeal will depend on maintaining practical three and four-bedroom stock rather than chasing apartment demand. Rent growth is forecast at 9.6%, while just 9 development applications were lodged in 12 months. Overseas migration is the primary driver, which may support rental turnover, but the absence of a sale median prevents a reliable gross-yield calculation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
44
Last 12 Months
9
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 Latham
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Latham Primary School
Demographics
Latham's median age of 38 is 2.0 years below the national level, yet the trajectory is aging because the senior share has risen 4.1 percentage points and the working share has fallen 2.8 points. University attainment reaches 39.2%, 9.1 points above national levels, while overseas-born residents are 20.5%, 1.1 points below national. English ancestry counts 1,334 people and Irish 530, while Christianity at 1,635 and no religion at 1,622 are almost even. Average household size is 2.6, only 0.1 above national, consistent with 45.3% of couples having children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.9%
Houses
10.5%
Townhouse
1.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing defines Latham more than medium-density stock: 87.9% of homes are separate houses, versus 10.5% semi-detached and 1.6% apartments. The tenure split is 32.4% owned outright, 45.3% with a mortgage and 21.1% rented, so mortgaged ownership is higher than outright ownership. Three-bedroom homes make up 48.2% and four-plus homes 40.4%, aligning with an average household size of 2.6. With no suburb median sale price, price-to-income comparisons should use current comparable houses, especially when comparing Latham with denser Belconnen options.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,089
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
56
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.3%
Couples with children
36.1%
Couples, no children
17.2%
Single parent
1,032
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration dominates employment at 32.6% and 441 workers, followed by education at 13.2% and 178, construction at 11.7% and 158, healthcare at 11.2% and 152, and professional and technical work at 10.6% and 143. Professionals number 493 and managers 302, helping explain weekly household income of $2,125 at the 80.5th percentile. Unemployment is 3.7% with participation at 66.1%, while IEO sits in decile 8 versus IER, IRSD and IRSAD in decile 7. That one-step education and occupation edge is higher than the broader resource profile.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
1,971
Unemployed
73
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
31.2%
Participation
66.1%
Employed
1,898
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.2%
Postgraduate
12.2%
Born Overseas
20.5%
Dwellings
1,404
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 75.2% travel as car drivers, compared with 3.5% using public transport and 2.2% walking or cycling; 13.4% work from home. School access includes Latham Primary School, a government primary school, so families should check enrolment zones and nearby school access against the exact address. The suburb covers 2.73 square kilometres at 1,379.2 people per square kilometre, giving a compact footprint, while IRSAD is in decile 7, above the midpoint. The 17.3% volunteering rate also points to civic participation, although current safety decisions should use recent ACT Police information rather than assume a crime profile.
Drive
75.2%
Public Transport
3.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
13.4%
Population Forecast
+0.08%/yr
(+3 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is slow rather than expansionary: the annual trend is 0.08%, while population change across the wider area is 4.7% over ten years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the shift trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 4.1 percentage points and working share down 2.8. Rent growth is 9.6%, yet the gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying. Compared with a renewal-led suburb, Latham's outlook is more about gradual household change than rapid redevelopment, consistent with an established suburb and only 9 development applications in 12 months.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+23
Net Internal / yr
-52
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Latham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Latham a good suburb to live in?
Latham can suit households wanting detached housing, established streets and car-based commuting. Separate houses account for 87.9%, household income is at the 80.5th percentile, and IRSAD is decile 7. Compared with a denser apartment setting, it is better aligned with families who value space and local routine over high public-transport use.
What is the median house price in Latham?
A current suburb median house price is not available to quote, so buyers should compare recent Latham sales by dwelling type. The housing mix is 48.2% three-bedroom and 40.4% four-plus homes, while 87.9% are separate houses. Those figures make detached comparables more useful than apartment benchmarks.
What schools are in Latham?
There is 1 local government primary school, Latham Primary School. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address and compare nearby options across the wider Belconnen area. School runs are more car-dependent than public-transport oriented, with 75.2% travelling by car and only 3.5% using public transport.
Is Latham safe?
Safety should be checked through current ACT Police incident information and at different times of day rather than inferred from housing or density. Latham covers 2.73 square kilometres and has density of 1,379.2 people per square kilometre; those figures describe the setting, not a crime rate. Compared with relying on a broad suburb label, address-level checking is more useful.
Is Latham good for property investment?
Latham may suit a long-term investor seeking an owner-occupier-led market rather than a high-turnover rental play. Renting is 21.1%, vacancy is 3.8%, weekly rent is $400 and rent growth is forecast at 9.6%. Compared with speculative redevelopment areas, the 0 gentrification score and 9 development applications in 12 months suggest a slower-changing setting, so yield needs a current sale price.
How is Latham's population changing?
Population change is gradual: the annual trend is 0.08%, while the wider area records 4.7% change over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 4.1 percentage points and working share down 2.8. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the gentrification score is 0, so change is more demographic than renewal-led.
How is commuting in Latham?
Commuting is car dependent. About 75.2% travel as car drivers, compared with 3.5% by public transport and 2.2% walking or cycling, while 13.4% work from home. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, Latham is better suited to households with reliable vehicle access, especially for school and cross-town trips.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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