Macgregor
Few Canberra suburbs lean as hard into detached family housing as Macgregor, where 90.7% of dwellings are separate houses and apartments account for just 0.2%. The household income sits in the 89th percentile nationally, yet the median house price of $609,000 is well below the prices commanded by inner Canberra, a gap that exists because Belconnen's outer ring trades distance for affordability. With 30.3% of workers in Public Administration, the local economy is anchored to the federal public service. The median age of 34 is 6 years below the national median, but the senior share grew 3.8 points over the decade, signalling an established suburb that is gradually aging in place rather than turning over.
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
10
Median House
$609K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Buyers searching Macgregor are almost always buying a freestanding house, since separate houses make up 90.7% of stock and apartments only 0.2%. The market is family-scaled: 60.4% of homes have three bedrooms and 32.4% have four or more, so smaller buyers face limited choice. The median price of $609,000 is affordable relative to the 89th-percentile household income, which is why the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at just 19.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. Mortgage holders dominate tenure at 58.4%, far above the 21.0% who own outright, reflecting a suburb still working through its loans rather than one of settled retirees. Monthly repayments average $2,000, comfortable on a family income that the income percentile suggests is high by national standards.
For Buyers
Buyers searching Macgregor are almost always buying a freestanding house, since separate houses make up 90.7% of stock and apartments only 0.2%. The market is family-scaled: 60.4% of homes have three bedrooms and 32.4% have four or more, so smaller buyers face limited choice. The median price of $609,000 is affordable relative to the 89th-percentile household income, which is why the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at just 19.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. Mortgage holders dominate tenure at 58.4%, far above the 21.0% who own outright, reflecting a suburb still working through its loans rather than one of settled retirees. Monthly repayments average $2,000, comfortable on a family income that the income percentile suggests is high by national standards.
For Investors
The rental case in Macgregor is modest. Renters make up only 20.6% of households, below the national average, because the suburb skews toward owner-occupier families on mortgages (58.4%). Weekly rent of $464 against a $609,000 median produces a gross yield near 4.0%, stronger than inner-city Canberra but on a shallow tenant pool. The vacancy rate of 4.4% is higher than a tight market, suggesting landlords compete for tenants rather than name their price. Rents have grown 16.0% over the period, a real demand signal. Population growth is driven by overseas migration at 53 per year, but net internal migration runs at minus 154 per year, so investors should not assume strong domestic tenant inflow. Only 10 development applications were lodged in 12 months, indicating a stable, low-churn housing stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
49
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+11.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Macgregor iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Macgregor Primary School
K-6 · 590 students
Demographics
Macgregor's residents are younger than the country as a whole, with a median age of 34, fully 6 years below the national median. University qualification at 42.7% runs 12.6 points above the national rate, consistent with a public-service workforce that rewards credentials. Overseas-born residents account for 27.1%, which is 5.5 points above national, and the Indian community shows up clearly in the ancestry mix (379) and in Punjabi being the most spoken non-English language (103 speakers). English ancestry still leads at 2,260, followed by Irish at 751 and Scottish at 644. Couples with children (3,226 families) outnumber couples without children (1,275) by more than two to one, a ratio that explains why four-bedroom homes are common and why the suburb reads as a family belt rather than a singles market.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.7%
Houses
9.0%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Macgregor is mortgage-heavy: 58.4% of households are paying off a loan, far above the 21.0% who own outright and the 20.6% who rent. That pattern, combined with separate houses at 90.7% of stock, marks a classic detached mortgage belt. Bedroom counts confirm the family orientation, with 60.4% three-bedroom homes and 32.4% with four or more, while one-bedroom dwellings are negligible at 0.6%. The $609,000 median against the 89th-percentile household income gives a low price-to-income burden, and both rent-to-income (19.8%) and mortgage-to-income (19.7%) sit comfortably below the 30% stress line. Affordability has improved over the decade, with the affordability measure easing from 42.8% in 2011 to 39.6% in 2021, a rare trend when most Australian suburbs moved the other way.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$464
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
21.2%
Couples, no children
6,004
Total families
Economy & Employment
The Macgregor economy is unusually concentrated in government work, with Public Administration employing 30.3% of workers (840 people), roughly double what most suburbs show. Healthcare follows at 15.5% and Education at 11.8%, so more than half the workforce sits in public-funded sectors, which tends to stabilise incomes through downturns. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 963, ahead of Clerical and Administrative roles at 601. The labour market is tight: unemployment is 3.9%, below the typical national rate, with full-time employment at 70.2% and participation at 69.4%. The SEIFA profile is firmly advantaged, with the index of economic resources in decile 7 and the other three indices all in decile 8 nationally, placing Macgregor in the top fifth of Australian suburbs for socioeconomic standing.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
4,018
Unemployed
189
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.2%
Part-time
25.9%
Participation
69.4%
Employed
3,561
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.7%
Postgraduate
13.2%
Born Overseas
27.1%
Dwellings
2,498
Transport to Work
Macgregor is built around the car: 89.4% of commuters drive, while public transport carries just 3.6% and active transport only 0.9%, well below what inner Canberra records. That reflects an outer Belconnen location where buses are the main public option and most trips are made by private vehicle. The socioeconomic backdrop is reassuring, with the SEIFA index of relative advantage and disadvantage in decile 8 nationally, putting Macgregor among the more advantaged fifth of Australian suburbs. Only 4.9% of residents report needing assistance with core activities, below typical levels, and the volunteering rate of 16.4% points to an engaged community. No standalone schools sit within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families typically rely on nearby Belconnen schools, a common pattern for ACT residential estates.
Drive
89.4%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.65%/yr
(+115 people/yr)
EstablishedMacgregor is growing slowly and steadily rather than booming. The trend rate is 1.65% per year, about 115 people, and the medium forecast lifts population from roughly 7,000 today to 8,047 by 2031. Over the past decade population rose 28.0%, but the engine is now overseas migration at 53 per year, offset by net internal outflow of 154 per year, so the suburb is adding migrants while losing some residents to other parts of Canberra. The trajectory is classified as aging: the senior share grew 3.8 points and the working-age share fell 3.2 points over the period. The gentrification score of 8 marks it as not gentrifying, which means buyers should expect stable, incremental capital movement rather than the rapid revaluation seen in transitioning inner suburbs.
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 families wanting a freestanding home: 90.7% of dwellings are separate houses and the SEIFA advantage index sits in decile 8 nationally. Household income ranks in the 89th percentile, yet the $609,000 median keeps costs manageable. The main trade-off is car dependence, with 89.4% driving and only 3.6% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Macgregor?
The median house price is about $609,000, well below inner Canberra prices. Against the 89th-percentile household income, that gives a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 19.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $464 and monthly mortgage repayments around $2,000.
What schools are in Macgregor?
This dataset lists no standalone schools inside the Macgregor boundary, so families typically use nearby Belconnen schools. With 60.4% of homes having three bedrooms and 32.4% having four or more, the suburb is family-oriented, and Education employs 11.8% of local workers.
Is Macgregor safe?
Suburb-level crime figures are not available in this dataset, so a direct rate cannot be quoted. The SEIFA index of advantage in decile 8 nationally and only 4.9% of residents needing core assistance point to a settled, advantaged area. The 16.4% volunteering rate suggests an engaged community.
Is Macgregor good for property investment?
Rent of $464 a week on a $609,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, stronger than inner Canberra. But renters are only 20.6% of households and vacancy is 4.4%, so the tenant pool is shallow. Rents grew 16.0% over the period, while net internal migration of minus 154 per year limits domestic tenant inflow.
How is Macgregor's population changing?
Population grows about 1.65% a year, roughly 115 people, with the medium forecast reaching 8,047 by 2031. The decade saw 28.0% growth, now driven by overseas migration of 53 per year against net internal outflow of 154. The senior share rose 3.8 points, marking an aging trajectory.
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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