Macquarie
At 1.7 sq km, Macquarie packs 3,104 residents into a density of 1,825.5 people per sq km, while 55.6% hold a university qualification, 25.5 percentage points above the national figure. The suburb is also more internationally connected than the national profile, with 31.9% born overseas, 10.3 points higher. Its median age of 37 is 3 years below national, and household income sits at the 73.1st percentile. Compared with the broader Belconnen area and nearby Bruce, Macquarie is a compact, established suburb where professional employment matters because public administration, education and technical work dominate the local economy.
Local council: Unincorporated ACT
Population
3,104
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,947/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Homebuyers need to assess Macquarie through cash flow and dwelling type because a current median house price is unavailable. Monthly mortgage commitments are $2,000, while household income is $1,947 a week and mortgage costs equal 23.7% of income, with no mortgage-stress flag. Rent is $400 a week, or 20.5% of income. Separate houses lead the stock at 61.3%, followed by apartments at 24.4% and semi-detached homes at 14.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 44.2% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 25.6%. Compared with renting, buying may suit households seeking stability, but deposits, loan size and property condition remain decisive.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to assess Macquarie through cash flow and dwelling type because a current median house price is unavailable. Monthly mortgage commitments are $2,000, while household income is $1,947 a week and mortgage costs equal 23.7% of income, with no mortgage-stress flag. Rent is $400 a week, or 20.5% of income. Separate houses lead the stock at 61.3%, followed by apartments at 24.4% and semi-detached homes at 14.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 44.2% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 25.6%. Compared with renting, buying may suit households seeking stability, but deposits, loan size and property condition remain decisive.
For Investors
Macquarie's investor case rests on a sizeable renter base and an established market undergoing change. Renters account for 37.4% of tenure, above the 32.1% owned-outright share and 28.8% mortgaged share, while weekly rent is $400. Vacancy is 8.8%, so tenant demand should be tested rather than assumed. Rent growth across the wider area reached 54.8%, higher than real income growth of 26.4%, which may pressure affordability even as rents rise. Nine development applications were lodged in 12 months, indicating some local activity. The forecast trend is 2.71% annually and is driven by internal migration, which can support turnover because incoming households need housing.
Development Activity
Total DAs
33
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+125.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Macquarie
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Canberra High School
Macquarie Primary School
Demographics
Macquarie has a highly educated profile with a median age of 37, which is 3 years below national. University attainment is 55.6%, 25.5 percentage points above national, and overseas-born residents make up 31.9%, 10.3 points above national. Household size is 2.3 people, 0.2 below national, alongside 42.5% couples without children, 37.8% couples with children and 16.9% one-parent families. English, Other, Irish and Scottish are the leading ancestry responses at 984, 558, 362 and 336 people. No religion is recorded for 1,438 people, compared with 1,048 identifying with Christianity. Compared with nearby Belconnen and Bruce, Macquarie's compactness and high university share point to a professional, mobile population: 67.5% stayed while turnover reached 32.5%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
61.3%
Houses
14.3%
Townhouse
24.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Macquarie's housing profile is mixed rather than dominated by one tenure. Separate houses make up 61.3% of dwellings, compared with 24.4% apartments and 14.3% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 44.2%, while 4-plus-bedroom homes account for 25.6%; smaller 0-1 and 2-bedroom homes represent 12.0% and 18.2%. Tenure is split between 32.1% owned outright, 28.8% with a mortgage and 37.4% rented, meaning renting is higher than either ownership category. That mix creates choice within a 1.7 sq km suburb, but density of 1,825.5 people per sq km makes privacy, parking and shared-building costs important comparisons. Mortgage costs equal 23.7% of household income, with no mortgage-stress flag.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,078
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.8%
Unoccupied
122
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.8%
Couples with children
42.5%
Couples, no children
16.9%
Single parent
793
Total families
Economy & Employment
Macquarie's employment base is anchored by public administration, which accounts for 31.5% of industry employment and 388 people, followed by education at 16.1% and 198, professional and technical work at 12.5% and 154, healthcare at 11.4% and 141, and construction at 5.7% and 70. This mix aligns with 526 professionals and 265 managers as the two largest occupation groups, helping household income sit at the 73.1st percentile nationally. Labour-force participation is 63.1%, unemployment is 4.8%, and 1,020 workers are full-time versus 448 part-time. Socioeconomic results are uneven: IEO is decile 9, above IRSD decile 6, while IER is decile 4; IRSAD is decile 8. The gap suggests strong education and occupation outcomes do not translate evenly into economic resources because income and housing pressures differ between households.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
1,637
Unemployed
78
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.4%
Part-time
28.7%
Participation
63.1%
Employed
1,559
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
55.6%
Postgraduate
21.8%
Born Overseas
31.9%
Dwellings
1,266
Transport to Work
Macquarie is practical for residents who accept a car-oriented travel pattern. Drivers account for 68.2% of journeys, higher than public transport at 6.6% and walking or cycling at 6.4%, while 11.9% work from home. Two local government schools span primary and high school years, giving families access to both sectors of schooling within the suburb; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. IRSAD is 1,055 and ranks in decile 8, above IRSD decile 6 and IER decile 4, supporting a relatively advantaged overall setting without describing every household. Volunteering is 21.6%, while 6.2% need assistance. A current suburb crime rate is unavailable, so use ACT safety information and inspect immediate streets at different times.
Drive
68.2%
Public Transport
6.6%
Walk / Cycle
6.4%
Work from Home
11.9%
Growth Outlook
Macquarie's growth outlook is positive but not uniform. The forecast trend is 2.71% a year, with internal migration the primary driver, while population change across the wider area runs at 39.7% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Mixed: rent growth reached 54.8%, above real income growth of 26.4%, while affordability was broadly Stable at 55.5% in 2011 and 55.2% in 2021. Gentrification is labelled Active with a score of 40, while the wider shift score is 63. The 1.9-point fall in young share and 2.9-point rise in senior share suggest ageing alongside renewal. Change is likely to be shaped by incoming households and redevelopment because 9 development applications were lodged in 12 months.
Population trend: Unincorporated ACT council area
Macquarie sits in the Unincorporated ACT council area. These are the council area's residents, not Macquarie'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 Macquarie compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Macquarie a good suburb to live in?
Macquarie can suit households wanting a compact ACT setting with established services nearby. It has 3,104 residents, density of 1,825.5 people per sq km, 2 local government schools and an IRSAD decile of 8. Car use is 68.2%, higher than public transport at 6.6%, so check parking and commuting needs before choosing an address.
What is the median house price in Macquarie?
A suburb median house price is not available. Buyers should compare current listings and recent comparable sales, then test repayments against the $2,000 monthly mortgage benchmark and $400 weekly rent. Mortgage costs equal 23.7% of household income, with no mortgage-stress flag.
What schools are in Macquarie?
Macquarie has 2 local government schools: Macquarie Primary School and Canberra High School. They cover primary and high school years, but families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and year-level availability for each address. School access should be compared with commute needs because 68.2% of residents travel by car.
Is Macquarie safe?
A suburb crime rate is unavailable, so check current ACT Police information and inspect the immediate streets at different times. Macquarie has 3,104 residents and a density of 1,825.5 people per sq km; those figures describe scale, not safety. Compare the exact block, lighting, parking and late-night activity before deciding.
Is Macquarie good for property investment?
Macquarie may suit investors seeking an established rental market, but returns need careful testing. Renters represent 37.4% of tenure, weekly rent is $400 and vacancy is 8.8%, while 9 development applications were lodged in 12 months. The 2.71% annual forecast trend and internal migration driver are positive signals, so compare yield after costs rather than relying on demand assumptions.
How is Macquarie's population changing?
Macquarie has 3,104 residents today. Across the wider area, population change runs at 39.7% over 10 years, and the forecast trend is 2.71% annually, driven primarily by internal migration. The trajectory is Mixed, while gentrification is Active with a score of 40. Nine development applications also point to ongoing local activity.
What languages are spoken in Macquarie?
The leading listed languages are Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, Italian and Nepali, recorded for 36, 20, 17, 17 and 13 people respectively. With 31.9% of residents born overseas, Macquarie sits 10.3 percentage points above the national figure, so language needs can vary between households and should be considered when choosing services.
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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