Mckellar
Household incomes place McKellar at the 94.7th percentile, a striking marker of established wealth in Canberra's north. The median age is 43, which is 3.0 years above the national figure, while the population of 2,740 reflects a settled suburb rather than a fast-expanding one. Housing is overwhelmingly detached, with 93.7% of dwellings being separate houses and 62.0% containing four or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Kaleen, McKellar presents a more detached setting, supported by an 81.0% same-address retention rate and a mature family profile.
Local council: Unincorporated ACT
Population
2,740
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,687/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
McKellar suits buyers seeking established detached housing, larger floorplans and a relatively stable resident base. A current median house price is not available, so purchasers should compare recent sales by address, land size and renovation level rather than rely on a single benchmark. Separate houses account for 93.7% of dwellings, while 62.0% have four or more bedrooms. Outright ownership at 42.5% is higher than mortgage ownership at 37.7%, and the mortgage-to-income measure is 18.6%, indicating less pressure than a highly leveraged market. Weekly rent of $438 provides a useful comparison for buyers weighing renting against a $2,167 monthly mortgage cost.
For Buyers
McKellar suits buyers seeking established detached housing, larger floorplans and a relatively stable resident base. A current median house price is not available, so purchasers should compare recent sales by address, land size and renovation level rather than rely on a single benchmark. Separate houses account for 93.7% of dwellings, while 62.0% have four or more bedrooms. Outright ownership at 42.5% is higher than mortgage ownership at 37.7%, and the mortgage-to-income measure is 18.6%, indicating less pressure than a highly leveraged market. Weekly rent of $438 provides a useful comparison for buyers weighing renting against a $2,167 monthly mortgage cost.
For Investors
McKellar has an established rental profile rather than a high-turnover investment market. Renters account for 18.9% of households, lower than the 42.5% outright-owned share and the 37.7% mortgaged share, which can limit the depth of tenant demand but also points to a settled ownership base. Weekly rent is $438 and vacancy is 3.9%, while rent growth reached 9.5%. Only 6 development applications were recorded over 12 months, mostly involving alterations and additions, so new competing supply appears limited. Overseas migration is the primary forecast migration driver, although investors should check purchase pricing carefully because a current median house price is unavailable.
Development Activity
Total DAs
23
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+500.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
McKellar has an older and more highly educated profile than national averages. The median age is 43, or 3.0 years above the national figure, while 50.9% of residents have university qualifications, 20.8 percentage points higher than nationally. Overseas-born residents account for 31.0%, which is 9.4 points above the national share. Households average 2.7 people, 0.2 higher than the national figure, and 81.0% of residents stayed at the same address, supporting a settled social pattern. English ancestry is most common at 786 people, followed by Irish at 270 and Scottish at 225. Christianity has 1,305 adherents, compared with 1,003 reporting no religion, while Mandarin, Italian and Arabic are among the local home languages.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.7%
Houses
6.0%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
McKellar's housing stock is strongly detached, with 93.7% separate houses, 6.0% semi-detached dwellings and only 0.3% apartments. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 62.0%, compared with 34.1% for three-bedroom homes, giving the suburb a larger-home profile than a compact, apartment-led market. Tenure is split between 42.5% owned outright, 37.7% with a mortgage and 18.9% rented. The mortgage-to-income measure is 18.6%, while rent-to-income is 16.3%, and neither housing stress flag is triggered. Compared with nearby Kaleen, the high separate-house share gives McKellar a more conventional family-housing setting. A current median house price is unavailable, so recent comparable sales matter more than broad suburb-level assumptions.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$438
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,160
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.9%
Unoccupied
39
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.5%
Couples with children
42.7%
Couples, no children
12.5%
Single parent
794
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration is McKellar's dominant industry, employing 322 people or 31.4% of workers, which reflects Canberra's government-centred employment base. Professional and technical services account for 12.9% and 132 workers, followed by healthcare at 12.7% and 130, education at 11.4% and 117, and construction at 8.1% and 83. Occupations are led by professionals at 383 people and managers at 265, ahead of clerical and administrative workers at 214. The full-time employment rate is 65.2%, participation is 62.1% and unemployment is 4.2%. Household income ranks at the 94.7th percentile, while IEO, IER and IRSAD are all in decile 9. IRSD is lower at decile 8, but still above lower-decile areas, suggesting strong resources with some relative disadvantage in distribution.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
1,418
Unemployed
60
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.2%
Part-time
29.3%
Participation
62.1%
Employed
1,358
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.9%
Postgraduate
16.0%
Born Overseas
31.0%
Dwellings
966
Transport to Work
McKellar is highly car-oriented: 72.9% of residents drive to work, compared with 3.9% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling. Working from home accounts for 13.9%, which can reduce commute frequency for some households. The IRSAD score sits in decile 9, higher than lower-decile areas, and IEO and IER are also decile 9, supporting access to economic and educational resources. Families should check nearby government and non-government school choices and exact enrolment zones against the address, since catchments can cross suburb boundaries. Community participation is notable at 18.2% volunteering, while 5.6% need assistance with core activities. Street-level checks of lighting, traffic and travel routes remain sensible when assessing daily comfort and safety.
Drive
72.9%
Public Transport
3.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
13.9%
Growth Outlook
McKellar's forecast direction is below zero and clearly aging rather than expanding quickly. Annual growth is forecast at -0.53%, while population change across the wider area is -2.1% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 10.4 percentage points and the young share down 2.2 points. This reflects an established housing base, a 19.0% turnover rate and 81.0% of residents staying at the same address. Overseas migration is the primary migration driver, but it has not reversed the slower trend. Gentrification is scored at 0 and labelled Not gentrifying, while rent growth of 9.5% may still affect affordability for tenants. The forecast therefore points to gradual change driven more by household aging than redevelopment.
Population trend: Unincorporated ACT council area
Mckellar sits in the Unincorporated ACT council area. These are the council area's residents, not Mckellar'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 Mckellar compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is McKellar a good suburb to live in?
McKellar suits households seeking established detached housing, larger homes and a settled community pattern. The median age is 43, 93.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 81.0% of residents stayed at the same address. Household income ranks above the national position at the 94.7th percentile.
What is the median house price in McKellar?
A current median house price is not available. Buyers should compare recent address-level sales, especially because 62.0% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 93.7% are separate houses. The listed mortgage cost is $2,167 per month, but that is a financing measure rather than a purchase price.
What schools are in McKellar?
School options should be checked using the exact address and current enrolment zones, with government and non-government choices considered across nearby suburbs. McKellar has 44.5% couples with children, 12.5% one-parent families and an average household size of 2.7 people, so catchment detail is important for family planning.
Is McKellar safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not stated, so a safety judgement should use recent incidents, lighting, traffic and walking routes for the exact address. Daily travel is car-led, with 72.9% driving and 3.9% using public transport. The IRSAD decile is 9, indicating higher relative advantage than lower-decile areas.
Is McKellar good for property investment?
McKellar may suit a long-term investor seeking established detached stock, but pricing and yield need address-level checks. Weekly rent is $438, vacancy is 3.9%, renting is 18.9% and 6 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Rent growth was 9.5%, while the area is labelled Not gentrifying.
How is McKellar's population changing?
McKellar's trajectory is aging and slow. Annual growth is -0.53%, while population change across the wider area is -2.1% over 10 years. Senior share rose 10.4 percentage points and young share fell 2.2 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the overall trend remains below zero.
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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