Palmerston
Nearly a third of Palmerston's workforce, 32.0%, draws a pay packet from Public Administration, the highest single concentration you will find in most census tracts, and that Canberra government anchor explains much of the suburb's profile. Household income sits in the 88.4th percentile nationally and university qualifications reach 49.4%, which is 19.3 points above the national figure, yet the median house price stays at $591,000. The median age of 36 runs 4 years below national, and 60.3% of dwellings are separate houses across a compact 1.95 km2 footprint. SEIFA scores land at decile 8 on three of four indexes, an upper-advantage tier without the price tag of comparable Sydney or Melbourne suburbs.
Population
5,579
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,316/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$591K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $591,000 median house price is affordable relative to the suburb's earning power, because household income in the 88.4th percentile far outpaces what buyers commit each month. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,940, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 19.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold and a sign that local owners carry comfortable debt loads. The stock suits families: 60.3% are separate houses, three-bedroom dwellings make up 47.3% and four-plus-bedroom homes another 38.4%, so smaller apartments are scarce. Mortgage holders (42.6%) outnumber both outright owners (28.7%) and renters (28.7%), pointing to a settled owner-occupier base buying for the long term rather than a churn of investors.
For Buyers
The $591,000 median house price is affordable relative to the suburb's earning power, because household income in the 88.4th percentile far outpaces what buyers commit each month. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,940, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 19.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold and a sign that local owners carry comfortable debt loads. The stock suits families: 60.3% are separate houses, three-bedroom dwellings make up 47.3% and four-plus-bedroom homes another 38.4%, so smaller apartments are scarce. Mortgage holders (42.6%) outnumber both outright owners (28.7%) and renters (28.7%), pointing to a settled owner-occupier base buying for the long term rather than a churn of investors.
For Investors
Renters make up 28.7% of households and weekly rent averages $450, which against the $591,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.0%, stronger than the sub-2% returns common in premium capital-city suburbs. The 3.8% vacancy rate is balanced rather than oversupplied, and rent grew 15.4% over the measured period. Demand support is thin, though: net overseas migration adds 67 residents a year while internal migration removes 114, and the medium population forecast declines from 5,579 toward 5,367 by 2031. Development is minimal at just 3 applications in 12 months, mostly a pergola and secondary-residence works rather than new supply. The investment case rests on solid yield and a stable government-employed tenant base more than capital growth, since annual population change runs at -0.4%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
15
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-25.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Palmerston iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Palmerston District Primary School
K-6 · 640 students
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4.0 years below the national figure, a younger profile that fits a family-oriented suburb where couples with children form 1,999 of 4,596 families against 1,100 couples with no children. Overseas-born residents reach 32.2%, which is 10.6 points above national, and ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,607), Irish (563) and Scottish (459), with Chinese (462) close behind. The top non-English languages are Mandarin (134 speakers), Punjabi (42) and Urdu (41). University qualifications at 49.4% run 19.3 points above national, consistent with the public-service workforce. Average household size is 2.6, which is 0.1 above national, and the trajectory is slowly aging, with the senior share up 6.1 points over the decade.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.3%
Houses
39.7%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward recent buyers: 42.6% carry a mortgage, while 28.7% own outright and 28.7% rent, so mortgage holders outnumber debt-free owners by a wide margin, unusual and a marker of a younger settling-in population. The stock is 60.3% separate houses and 39.7% semi-detached, with no apartment share recorded, which keeps the dwelling mix family-sized: 47.3% have three bedrooms and 38.4% have four or more. The estimated median house price is $591,000, modest given household income in the 88.4th percentile. Mortgage-to-income sits at 19.3% and rent-to-income at 19.4%, both far below the 30% stress line, a divergence from high-cost markets that reflects strong local incomes against restrained prices.
Mortgage / mo
$1,940
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,134
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
80
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.9%
Couples, no children
4,596
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is dominated by government: Public Administration leads at 32.0% (698 workers), followed by Education at 12.7% (276), Professional/Tech at 12.5% (273) and Healthcare at 11.7% (254), with Construction at 6.7%. By occupation, Professionals (853) lead, then Clerical/Admin (519) and Managers (453), aligning with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.1% and the full-time employment rate is 69.7%, while participation reads 66.4%. The IER economic-resources score sits at decile 7, one tier below the decile 8 advantage indexes, because the 28.7% renter base and younger mortgage-heavy households depress aggregate wealth measures. Real incomes grew 4.1% over the decade.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
3,231
Unemployed
149
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.7%
Part-time
26.2%
Participation
66.4%
Employed
2,832
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.4%
Postgraduate
17.6%
Born Overseas
32.2%
Dwellings
2,034
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 87.4% driving to work against just 2.0% on public transport and 2.5% walking or cycling, a function of the suburb's outer-Gungahlin position rather than poor amenity. The suburb earns decile 8 on IRSAD, an upper-advantage tier nationally, and decile 8 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning few residents face deprivation. Only 5.1% (272 people) need daily assistance, and volunteering runs at 16.2%. Rent-to-income at 19.4% and mortgage-to-income at 19.3% both keep households comfortable, well below the 30% stress threshold. No schools are recorded inside the 1.95 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Gungahlin suburbs, a practical trade-off at a density of 2,864 residents per km2.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.4%/yr
(-22 people/yr)
EstablishedPalmerston is contracting slightly: annual population change registers -0.4%, roughly 22 fewer residents a year, and the 10-year change is -1.8%, classifying it as an established, slow-growth suburb. The medium forecast trims the population from 5,537 in 2025 toward 5,367 by 2031, so no expansion is expected. Net overseas migration of 67 a year is the only positive driver, offset by net internal outflow of 114, the single signal flagged behind the not-gentrifying reading. The gentrification stage is not gentrifying, fitting a suburb already at decile 8 advantage with limited room to climb. Affordability actually improved from 44.0% in 2011 to 39.7% in 2021, a better trend than most capital-city markets where prices outran incomes.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+67
Net Internal / yr
-114
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -114/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Palmerston compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palmerston a good suburb to live in?
Palmerston scores decile 8 on three of four SEIFA indexes, an upper-advantage tier, with household income in the 88.4th percentile nationally. University qualifications reach 49.4%, which is 19.3 points above national, and the median house price of $591,000 stays affordable relative to that earning power. The median age of 36 suits families.
What is the median house price in Palmerston?
The estimated median house price is $591,000, modest given household income in the 88.4th percentile. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,940, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $450, implying a gross yield near 4.0%.
What schools are in Palmerston?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.95 km2 Palmerston boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Gungahlin suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 49.4%, which is 19.3 points above the national figure.
Is Palmerston safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Palmerston in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, an upper tier, and only 5.1% of its 5,579 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Palmerston good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $450 against a $591,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, stronger than the sub-2% returns in premium capital suburbs, and the 3.8% vacancy rate is balanced. Net overseas migration of 67 a year supports demand, but -0.4% population growth means returns lean on yield over capital growth.
How is Palmerston's population changing?
Population change runs at -0.4% annually, about 22 fewer residents a year, with a -1.8% shift over 10 years. The medium forecast trims numbers from 5,537 in 2025 toward 5,367 by 2031. The profile is slowly aging, with the senior share up 6.1 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Palmerston?
About 32.2% of residents were born overseas, 10.6 points above the national figure. English is the dominant language, with Mandarin (134 speakers), Punjabi (42), Urdu (41) and Cantonese (40) the most common non-English languages, reflecting an internationally mixed resident 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.
Explore Palmerston on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map