Macgregor
Household income ranks at the 89.1st percentile while Macgregor's median age is 34, or 6 years below the national figure. Its 7,049 residents live at 1,648.9 people per square kilometre, and 90.7% of homes are separate houses. With 50.1% of families being couples with children and 58.0% of dwellings mortgaged, the suburb reads as a family-focused mortgage belt rather than a high-turnover apartment market. Compared with nearby Dunlop or Latham, buyers should weigh Macgregor's car-oriented, detached format against access to work and services. The combination of 2.7 people per household and 20.5% renting helps explain its established family character.
Population
7,049
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,344/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Macgregor suits buyers seeking a conventional family home: 90.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 60.4% have 3 bedrooms and 32.4% have 4 or more. The trade-off is financing exposure, with 58.0% of households paying a mortgage compared with 20.9% owning outright. Mortgage cost is $2,000 per month, while rent is $464 weekly. Mortgage-to-income is 19.7%, below the 19.8% rent-to-income measure by 0.1 percentage points, so neither stress flag is present. A suburb-wide median sale price is not available, so compare current Macgregor listings with Dunlop and Latham on land, renovation needs and travel time rather than relying on a single benchmark.
For Buyers
Macgregor suits buyers seeking a conventional family home: 90.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 60.4% have 3 bedrooms and 32.4% have 4 or more. The trade-off is financing exposure, with 58.0% of households paying a mortgage compared with 20.9% owning outright. Mortgage cost is $2,000 per month, while rent is $464 weekly. Mortgage-to-income is 19.7%, below the 19.8% rent-to-income measure by 0.1 percentage points, so neither stress flag is present. A suburb-wide median sale price is not available, so compare current Macgregor listings with Dunlop and Latham on land, renovation needs and travel time rather than relying on a single benchmark.
For Investors
Macgregor presents an established rental profile without being dominated by tenants. The renting share is 20.5%, weekly rent is $464 and vacancy is 4.4%, indicating an owner-occupier base with a usable, though not exceptionally tight, tenant pool. Rent growth of 16.0% supports recent income momentum, while 6 development applications in 12 months point to small-scale renewal rather than a large pipeline. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which can broaden rental demand, but the 58.0% mortgage share is higher than renting and keeps owner-occupiers central. Compared with a more rental-heavy market, investors should prioritise dwelling condition, transport access and conservative vacancy assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
51
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-53.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Macgregor
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Macgregor Primary School
Demographics
Macgregor's median age of 34 is 6 years below the national figure, while university attainment is 42.7%, 12.6 percentage points above the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 27.1%, 5.5 points above the national share, with English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts of 2,260, 751 and 644, alongside 379 people reporting Indian ancestry. Punjabi is the leading listed language at 103 people, followed by Hindi at 47 and Bengali at 46. Families shape daily life: 50.1% of families are couples with children, average household size is 2.7, and 80.8% stayed at the same address, above the 19.2% turnover rate. Compared with a higher-turnover district, this points to a settled family base with measured cultural change.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.7%
Houses
9.0%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Macgregor's housing stock is strongly detached and family-sized: 90.7% are separate houses, 9.0% semi-detached and 0.2% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 60.4%, while 32.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, so space is more central than compact-living choice. Tenure is mortgage-led, with 58.0% paying a mortgage, 20.9% owning outright and 20.5% renting. The $464 weekly rent equates to 19.8% of household income, while the $2,000 monthly mortgage measure is 19.7%, below the rent ratio by 0.1 points. Compared with Latham or Dunlop, purchasers should compare land size, dwelling age and renovation scope because no suburb-wide median price is available.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$464
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,172
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.4%
Unoccupied
115
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.1%
Couples with children
31.8%
Couples, no children
16.5%
Single parent
1,965
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration accounts for 30.3% of workers, or 840 people, ahead of healthcare at 15.5% and education at 11.8%. Professional and technical work contributes 9.4% and construction 6.9%, giving Macgregor a strong public-sector and service orientation. Occupations are led by 963 professionals, 601 clerical and administrative workers and 549 managers, with 496 community and personal service workers and 476 trades workers. Participation is 73.5%, unemployment 3.6% and full-time employment 66.2%, supporting household income at the 89.1st percentile. IEO, IRSD and IRSAD are all decile 8, while IER is decile 7. The one-decile gap likely reflects different education and resource measures. Compared with the national baseline, this is an advantaged employment profile, underpinned by Canberra's government economy.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
3,920
Unemployed
143
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.2%
Part-time
28.1%
Participation
73.5%
Employed
3,777
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.7%
Postgraduate
13.2%
Born Overseas
27.1%
Dwellings
2,498
Transport to Work
Macgregor is practical for households that drive: 79.8% travel as car drivers, compared with 3.2% using public transport, while 10.8% work from home. That pattern supports local flexibility but makes commute planning more important than in a transit-oriented suburb. One local school, Macgregor Primary School, is a government primary school; families should check exact enrolment zones and secondary options across nearby catchments before buying. Social conditions are comparatively strong, with an IRSAD decile of 8, volunteering at 16.4% and need for assistance at 4.9%. For safety, review current ACT Police incident information for the past 12 months, since a suburb crime rate is not stated. Compared with a more transit-rich location, Macgregor's strengths are space and household stability, while car dependence is the main practical constraint.
Drive
79.8%
Public Transport
3.2%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
10.8%
Population Forecast
+1.65%/yr
(+115 people/yr)
EstablishedMacgregor is an established suburb with an annual growth trend of 1.65%, and population change across the wider area is 28.0% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, giving the area a different engine from growth led mainly by internal moves. The trajectory is classified as Aging: the senior share has increased 3.8 percentage points while the working share has fallen 3.2 points. Affordability improved from 42.8 in 2011 to 39.6 in 2021, and rent growth reached 16.0%. Gentrification is not the main story, with a score of 8 and a stage of Not gentrifying, despite a population signal of +24% since 2011. Compared with a renewal-led suburb, Macgregor's outlook is steady, family-oriented and increasingly shaped by ageing.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+53
Net Internal / yr
-154
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +24% since 2011, Net internal outflow -154/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Macgregor compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Macgregor a good suburb to live in?
Macgregor suits households wanting detached housing and family space: 90.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 50.1% of families are couples with children and the median age is 34. Car use is high at 79.8%, so it is a stronger fit for drivers than households seeking frequent public transport.
What is the median house price in Macgregor?
A single suburb-wide median house price is not stated. Buyers should compare recent Macgregor sales by dwelling type, land size and condition, then test the result against the $2,000 monthly mortgage measure and the household mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.7%.
What schools are in Macgregor?
Macgregor Primary School is the named local school, and it is a government primary school. There is 1 listed school within the suburb, so families seeking secondary education should check the exact ACT enrolment zone and nearby options before buying. Household size is 2.7, consistent with a family-oriented housing profile.
Is Macgregor safe?
Macgregor's current crime rate should be checked through ACT Police incident information for the past 12 months because a suburb-level rate is not stated. Its IRSAD decile is 8 and 4.9% of residents need assistance, but those measures should not be treated as a substitute for recent, location-specific safety information.
Is Macgregor good for property investment?
Macgregor can suit a conservative, owner-occupier-oriented investor. Weekly rent is $464, vacancy is 4.4% and renters represent 20.5%, while 6 development applications in 12 months indicate modest renewal. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, but the 58.0% mortgage share is higher than renting.
How is Macgregor's population changing?
Macgregor has 7,049 residents today. The wider area's forecast trend is 1.65% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver, while 10-year population change is 28.0%. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.8 percentage points, so growth is occurring alongside a gradual shift toward older households rather than only a younger influx.
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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