Macarthur
Macarthur's household income sits at the 97.3rd percentile nationally, while its 1,405 residents occupy a compact 1.3 sq km established neighbourhood. Detached homes make up 97.1% of dwellings, and 71.2% have four or more bedrooms, supporting established family households because the housing stock is designed around space rather than apartments. The median age is 39, one year below the national comparison, while 44.6% hold a university qualification, 14.5 percentage points above the national level. Nearby Fadden and Gowrie provide useful local contrasts when comparing access, housing stock and daily services. Macarthur's appeal is strongest for buyers seeking space, high incomes and a settled setting, although the annual trend is -0.79% and the trajectory is Aging.
Local council: Unincorporated ACT
Population
1,405
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,037/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Homebuyers face a stock-led market: 97.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 71.2% contain four or more bedrooms, so the suburb is better suited to space-seeking households than buyers targeting compact units. A current median house price is not stated, making recent comparable sales and an address-specific valuation more important than relying on a broad suburb estimate. The typical mortgage payment is $2,200 a month, while mortgage costs equal 16.7% of household income, below a high-stress profile. Household income ranks at the 97.3rd percentile, above most national households, which helps explain the strong ownership base: 42.4% own outright and 46.5% have a mortgage. Compared with smaller-lot options in nearby Fadden or Gowrie, Macarthur's detached emphasis may appeal to buyers prioritising land and bedrooms.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a stock-led market: 97.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 71.2% contain four or more bedrooms, so the suburb is better suited to space-seeking households than buyers targeting compact units. A current median house price is not stated, making recent comparable sales and an address-specific valuation more important than relying on a broad suburb estimate. The typical mortgage payment is $2,200 a month, while mortgage costs equal 16.7% of household income, below a high-stress profile. Household income ranks at the 97.3rd percentile, above most national households, which helps explain the strong ownership base: 42.4% own outright and 46.5% have a mortgage. Compared with smaller-lot options in nearby Fadden or Gowrie, Macarthur's detached emphasis may appeal to buyers prioritising land and bedrooms.
For Investors
Macarthur presents a low-turnover rental proposition rather than a high-yield story that can be calculated confidently without a current sale median. Weekly rent is $520, vacancy is 1.8%, and only 9.8% of households rent, indicating a smaller tenant pool than suburbs with heavier rental concentration. That scarcity can support tenant competition because available rental stock is limited, but investors should test the purchase price carefully. Mortgage costs are 16.7% of household income, while household income sits at the 97.3rd percentile, above the national profile. Development activity recorded 0 projects in the past 12 months, and migration is Balanced, so capital-growth assumptions should remain conservative compared with active expansion areas. The annual trend is -0.79%, reinforcing the need to prioritise asset quality, maintenance and tenant fit.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
Demographics
Macarthur has an established, mostly Australian-born profile: 17.0% of residents were born overseas, 4.6 percentage points below the national comparison, while English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 556, 234 and 201. The median age is 39, one year below the national comparison, but the suburb is ageing in trajectory terms. Couples with children account for 52.0% of families and couples without children 36.1%, with an average household size of 2.9, 0.4 above the national comparison. University attainment is a standout at 44.6%, 14.5 percentage points above the national level, helping align the area with professional and public-sector employment. Christianity is recorded for 749 people and no religion for 566, while overseas-born residents make up 17.0%, so services and community life should reflect both established and changing household needs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.1%
Houses
2.9%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Macarthur's housing is overwhelmingly detached and family-sized: separate houses account for 97.1% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 2.9%, and four-plus-bedroom homes 71.2%. Only 2.3% are two-bedroom dwellings, reinforcing a larger-home profile compared with apartment-oriented precincts. Tenure is split between 42.4% owned outright and 46.5% with a mortgage, while renting is 9.8%, a lower share than in more renter-heavy suburbs. Housing costs look manageable against local incomes: mortgage costs equal 16.7% of household income and rent equals 17.1%, while household income ranks at the 97.3rd percentile nationally. A current median house price is not available here, so comparisons with nearby Fadden and Gowrie should use matched house size, land and renovation condition rather than headline suburb figures.
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$520
Census 2021
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,334
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
1.8%
Unoccupied
9
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
52.0%
Couples with children
36.1%
Couples, no children
11.0%
Single parent
427
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration dominates Macarthur's employment base at 34.3% and 195 workers, followed by healthcare at 11.6% and education at 11.4%; professional and technical work contributes 9.9%, while construction is 8.6%. This mix fits Canberra's institutional economy because public-sector and service roles provide the main employment anchor. The labour-force participation rate is 69.1%, unemployment is 2.7%, and 63.3% of employed residents work full time. Occupations are led by 221 professionals, 145 managers and 129 clerical or administrative workers. Household income at the 97.3rd percentile is above the national profile, consistent with the concentration of qualified and managerial roles. Compared with lower-income employment markets, Macarthur's local spending capacity is stronger, although the compact 1.3 sq km footprint means household decisions are influenced by the wider Canberra employment network.
Unemployment
2.7%
Labour Force
764
Unemployed
21
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
69.1%
Employed
743
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.6%
Postgraduate
12.0%
Born Overseas
17.0%
Dwellings
489
Transport to Work
Macarthur suits residents who value a quiet, car-oriented routine. Car driving accounts for 77.9% of journeys to work, compared with 1.4% using public transport and 1.1% walking or cycling; 13.6% work from home. The compact 1.3 sq km area has a density of 1,079.6 people per sq km, which supports short local trips but does not remove the need to check connections for cross-Canberra travel. Socioeconomic conditions are particularly strong, with IRSAD and IRSD both at decile 10, while IEO is decile 9, all above the midpoint of the national decile scale. Volunteering is 19.7%, supporting local participation. Families should verify school catchments, enrolment rules and transport from the exact address, since boundaries and daily routes can differ between Macarthur, Fadden and Gowrie. A suburb-level crime rate should be checked through current ACT Policing information rather than inferred from socioeconomic rankings.
Drive
77.9%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
13.6%
Growth Outlook
Macarthur is an established, slow-growth market. The forecast annual trend is -0.79%, while population change across the wider area is -3.8% over 10 years, placing the trajectory below a positive-growth benchmark. Migration is labelled Balanced rather than driven by a single strong inflow, and the shift profile is Aging, with the senior share up 10.2 percentage points and the working share down 4.0 points. Rent growth of 18.7% has still been recorded, showing that softer population momentum does not remove rental pressure. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so change is more likely to come from household ageing and normal reinvestment than rapid demographic turnover. Affordability is marked Improving, moving from 42.3 in 2011 to 39.0 in 2021, which may support retention even as total population trends lower.
Population trend: Unincorporated ACT council area
Macarthur sits in the Unincorporated ACT council area. These are the council area's residents, not Macarthur'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 Macarthur compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Macarthur a good suburb to live in?
Macarthur can suit households seeking detached space, established services and strong incomes. Separate houses make up 97.1% of dwellings, household income ranks at the 97.3rd percentile, and 77.9% of workers drive, so the lifestyle is more car-oriented than transit-led. The ageing trajectory and -0.79% annual trend may matter to buyers seeking faster growth.
What is the median house price in Macarthur?
A current median house price is not stated, so buyers should use recent comparable sales and an independent valuation for the exact property. The suburb's typical mortgage payment is $2,200 per month, mortgage costs equal 16.7% of household income, and 97.1% of dwellings are separate houses. These figures help frame affordability, but they do not replace a current sale benchmark.
What schools are in Macarthur?
School choices in Macarthur should be checked through the current ACT Education directory and the exact address's enrolment zone. Compared with a generic catchment assumption, boundaries can differ across nearby suburbs such as Fadden and Gowrie. Household size averages 2.9 people and 52.0% of families are couples with children, so families should confirm sector, year levels, transport and application dates before signing a lease or contract.
Is Macarthur safe?
Macarthur's suburb-level crime rate is not stated here, so safety should be checked using current ACT Policing information and the exact street or property. The area has 1,405 residents across 1.3 sq km, and its IRSAD and IRSD scores are both decile 10. Those socioeconomic measures are above the national midpoint, but they should not be treated as a substitute for recent incident data, lighting checks or an evening inspection.
Is Macarthur good for property investment?
Macarthur may suit a conservative investor seeking detached housing and a tight rental market, but the missing current sale median prevents a reliable yield calculation. Weekly rent is $520, vacancy is 1.8%, renting is 9.8%, and recorded development activity is 0 projects over 12 months. Migration is Balanced and the annual trend is -0.79%, so the case is more income-and-quality focused than a high-growth comparison.
How is Macarthur's population changing?
Macarthur's current population is 1,405, while population change across the wider area is -3.8% over 10 years and the annual trend is -0.79%. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 10.2 percentage points and the working share down 4.0 points. Migration is Balanced, so the suburb is more likely to experience gradual household change than rapid expansion compared with growth-frontier areas.
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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