Mckellar
Household income in the 94.7th percentile nationally marks McKellar as one of the ACT's more prosperous pockets, yet the suburb is quietly shrinking. Population has slipped from 2,740 to around 2,619 over three years, and forecasts project a further decline to roughly 2,571 by 2031. The dominant identity signals are wealth and stability: 42.9% of homes are owned outright, 93.7% are separate houses, and the SEIFA IRSAD decile sits at 9, above the national average. The median age of 43 is three years higher than the national figure, pointing to an established, older resident base that is aging in place rather than being replaced by younger households.
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
5
Median House
$607K
Estimated from rent (2025)
McKellar's median house price is estimated at $607,000, considerably lower than many ACT suburbs closer to the city, which partly explains why 93.7% of dwellings are separate houses on traditional blocks. The bedroom profile skews large: 62.0% of homes have four or more bedrooms, and three-bedroom homes add another 34.1%, giving very few entry-level options. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning established buyers are not stretched. Outright ownership at 42.9% outnumbers mortgage holders at 38.0%, a pattern more typical of suburbs where residents have been paying off homes for decades than a market attracting waves of new buyers.
For Buyers
McKellar's median house price is estimated at $607,000, considerably lower than many ACT suburbs closer to the city, which partly explains why 93.7% of dwellings are separate houses on traditional blocks. The bedroom profile skews large: 62.0% of homes have four or more bedrooms, and three-bedroom homes add another 34.1%, giving very few entry-level options. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning established buyers are not stretched. Outright ownership at 42.9% outnumbers mortgage holders at 38.0%, a pattern more typical of suburbs where residents have been paying off homes for decades than a market attracting waves of new buyers.
For Investors
The rental market in McKellar is thin: only 19.1% of dwellings are rented, well below the national average, and the vacancy rate sits at 3.9%, which signals limited rental demand relative to supply. Weekly rent of $438 against the $607,000 estimated median implies a gross yield near 3.7%, modest but reasonable for the ACT. Development activity is very low at 5 applications in the past 12 months, with recent works focused on garage extensions and dual occupancy proposals rather than new housing supply. Net overseas migration averages just 20 persons per year while internal migration runs at minus 58, meaning the suburb is a consistent net exporter of residents. This demographic profile reduces the case for rent growth through population pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
22
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+150.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
McKellar's median age of 43 sits 3.0 years above the national figure, and the aging trajectory is confirmed by a 10.4-point rise in the senior share over the decade. University qualifications reach 50.9% of residents, which is 20.8 percentage points above the national average, placing the suburb in the top tier for educational attainment across Australia. Overseas-born residents account for 31.0% of the population, 9.4 points above the national figure. Ancestry is led by English (786 residents), Irish and Scottish backgrounds, with Mandarin, Italian and Arabic the main non-English languages. The volunteering rate stands at 18.2%, consistent with an older, community-connected population. Average household size is 2.7, marginally above the national figure, reflecting the family-home character of the housing stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.7%
Houses
6.0%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers dominate strongly: 42.9% own outright and 38.0% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at just 19.1%, well below national norms. Separate houses account for 93.7% of dwellings, one of the highest detached shares in the ACT, with semi-detached at 6.0% and apartments at only 0.3%. The bedroom distribution confirms this is a family-size stock, with four-or-more bedroom homes at 62.0% and three-bedroom at 34.1%. The vacancy rate of 3.9% is elevated relative to a low-renter suburb, suggesting some homes sit underutilised, consistent with an aging population in larger-than-needed houses. Housing stress measures are low: rent-to-income sits at 16.3% and mortgage-to-income at 18.6%, both comfortably below stress thresholds.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$438
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
29.2%
Couples, no children
2,297
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration employs 31.4% of McKellar's workforce, compared to the national share closer to 5%, reflecting the suburb's position within the ACT government employment catchment. Professional and technical services follow at 12.9% and healthcare at 12.7%, with education contributing 11.4%. By occupation, Professionals number 383 and Managers 265, together representing the majority of employed residents. The unemployment rate is 4.5% and the full-time employment rate is 69.0%, both close to national benchmarks. SEIFA scores confirm high economic advantage: the IEO decile is 9, IRSAD decile is 9, and the IRSD decile is 8, all above the national median. Real income growth reached 13.1% over the decade, supporting the improved affordability ratio from 48.0% in 2011 to 37.8% in 2021.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
1,411
Unemployed
77
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.0%
Part-time
26.5%
Participation
58.8%
Employed
1,283
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.9%
Postgraduate
16.0%
Born Overseas
31.0%
Dwellings
966
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 84.6% of residents drive to work, compared to national averages where alternatives are more common, and public transport use is just 4.5%. The suburb scores IRSAD decile 9, indicating low disadvantage relative to the national average, and only 5.6% of residents need daily assistance. Rent-to-income of 16.3% and mortgage-to-income of 18.6% mean housing costs sit comfortably within income for most households. No schools are recorded within the McKellar boundary in the dataset, so families rely on institutions in adjacent suburbs such as Belconnen and Kippax. Development activity is minimal at 5 applications in the past 12 months, keeping the streetscape consistent with its established, quiet residential character.
Drive
84.6%
Public Transport
4.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.53%/yr
(-14 people/yr)
EstablishedMcKellar's population declined 2.1% over the past decade and the trend shows no sign of reversing, with an annual drift of around minus 0.53% or minus 14 persons per year. The medium forecast projects population falling from approximately 2,619 today to 2,571 by 2031. The migration picture reinforces this: internal migration runs at a net minus 58 per year while overseas migration adds only about 20, leaving a structural annual deficit. The gentrification score is 0, confirming that no upward socioeconomic transition is underway in a suburb already at SEIFA decile 9. The aging trajectory is the defining shift, with the senior share rising 10.4 points and the working-age share falling 3.7 points over the decade, meaning the suburb is consolidating around an older, established resident base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+20
Net Internal / yr
-58
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
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 ranks in SEIFA IRSAD decile 9, above the national median for advantage. Household income sits in the 94.7th percentile nationally. The suburb is quiet and stable, with 93.7% separate houses and low housing stress (mortgage-to-income 18.6%). The main trade-off is limited amenity within its 1.41 km2 and a car-dependent transport profile where 84.6% drive.
What is the median house price in McKellar?
The median house price in McKellar is estimated at $607,000 based on 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $438 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in McKellar?
No schools are recorded within the McKellar suburb boundary in this dataset. Families access schools in nearby Belconnen and surrounding ACT suburbs. Despite this, McKellar's educational attainment is high, with 50.9% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 20.8 percentage points above the national figure.
Is McKellar safe?
Suburb-level crime data is not available for McKellar in this dataset. As a proxy, the suburb scores SEIFA IRSD decile 8 for relative disadvantage, above the national average, and only 5.6% of residents require daily assistance. These indicators are broadly consistent with a low-disadvantage, low-risk residential area.
Is McKellar good for property investment?
McKellar presents a mixed investment case. Gross yield is modest, with $438 weekly rent against a $607,000 estimated median implying around 3.7%. The rental market is shallow at 19.1% renter share and a 3.9% vacancy rate. Population is declining by about 14 persons per year, and net internal migration runs at minus 58, limiting rental demand growth.
How is McKellar's population changing?
McKellar's population fell approximately 2.1% over the past decade and continues declining at about 0.53% per year. The medium forecast projects around 2,571 residents by 2031, down from roughly 2,619 today. The senior share rose 10.4 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 3.7 points, confirming an aging-in-place trajectory.
What languages are spoken in McKellar?
About 31.0% of McKellar residents were born overseas, 9.4 percentage points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Mandarin (36 speakers), Italian (32), Arabic (23) and Croatian (19) the most common non-English languages recorded. The overseas-born share reflects moderate international diversity within a predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry base.
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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