Phillip
High-density growth defines Phillip: 67.1% of dwellings are apartments, the median age is 32, and 45.6% of residents were born overseas. Its 5,197 residents live at 2,018.3 people per square kilometre, making the suburb more compact than detached-house areas such as nearby Curtin. Education is a standout, with 62.4% holding a university qualification, 32.3 percentage points above the national comparison. Household income sits at $2,075 a week, at the 78th percentile, while the 4.19% annual growth trend points to continuing demand. The mix suits professionals, renters and smaller households more than buyers seeking a traditional family block.
Population
5,197
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,075/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Phillip suits buyers prioritising apartment access, modest upkeep and proximity to employment rather than a detached block. Apartments account for 67.1% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 32.8%, and separate houses only 0.1%, so compared with nearby Curtin, the choice is strongly weighted to compact housing. A median house price is not available, but the weekly rent is $440 and the reported monthly mortgage amount is $1,608. Mortgage costs equal 17.9% of household income and rent equals 21.2%, both below common stress thresholds. With 49.8% renting and an average household size of 1.9 people, Phillip is better matched to singles and couples than larger households.
For Buyers
Phillip suits buyers prioritising apartment access, modest upkeep and proximity to employment rather than a detached block. Apartments account for 67.1% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 32.8%, and separate houses only 0.1%, so compared with nearby Curtin, the choice is strongly weighted to compact housing. A median house price is not available, but the weekly rent is $440 and the reported monthly mortgage amount is $1,608. Mortgage costs equal 17.9% of household income and rent equals 21.2%, both below common stress thresholds. With 49.8% renting and an average household size of 1.9 people, Phillip is better matched to singles and couples than larger households.
For Investors
Phillip presents a rental-focused profile, with 49.8% of occupied dwellings rented, weekly rent of $440 and a vacancy rate of 9.6%. The relatively high vacancy rate is above tighter-market settings, so investors should allow for leasing variability even though the large renter base supports recurring demand. The annual growth trend is 4.19%, and internal migration is the primary driver, which can reinforce tenant turnover in an apartment-heavy precinct. Development activity totals 5 applications over 12 months, a modest pipeline compared with areas recording more than 20. Rent growth has reached 15.8% across the wider forecast area. Apartments make up 67.1% of dwellings, making body corporate costs, building quality and competing supply more important than in detached-house markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
60
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-64.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Phillip
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Canberra College
Demographics
Phillip's 32-year median age is 8.0 years below the national comparison, while 62.4% of residents hold a university qualification, 32.3 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 45.6%, 24.0 points higher than nationally, with Indian ancestry represented by 420 people and Nepali and Malayalam reported by 164 and 113 residents. The average household size is 1.9, or 0.6 below the national comparison, consistent with 56.3% of families being couples without children. Turnover is high at 51.9%, so Phillip is more mobile than established nearby suburbs such as Curtin. No religion is the largest listed affiliation at 2,055, ahead of Christianity at 1,727.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
0.1%
Houses
32.8%
Townhouse
67.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Phillip's housing stock is built around compact living: 67.1% of dwellings are apartments, 32.8% are semi-detached and only 0.1% are separate houses. Compared with nearby Curtin's more detached suburban form, this creates a sharper split between smaller homes and traditional blocks. Two-bedroom dwellings are the largest category at 49.6%, followed by 0 to 1 bedroom at 32.0%; 3-bedroom homes account for 17.7% and 4 or more bedrooms just 0.6%. Tenure is divided between renting at 49.8%, mortgages at 35.1% and outright ownership at 14.0%. That pattern reflects a younger, mobile population, while the 1.9-person average household size reduces demand for large floor plans. Mortgage repayments equal 17.9% of household income, below rent's 21.2% share.
Mortgage / mo
$1,608
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$440
Census 2021
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,342
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.6%
Unoccupied
277
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.2%
Couples with children
56.3%
Couples, no children
12.2%
Single parent
1,326
Total families
Economy & Employment
Phillip's employment base is closely tied to Canberra's institutional economy. Public administration accounts for 31.2% of workers, followed by healthcare at 26.7%, professional and technical services at 8.6%, retail at 6.1% and hospitality at 6.0%. Professionals number 1,369, while clerical and administrative workers number 509 and managers 473. The suburb is more university-oriented than the national comparison, with 62.4% holding a university qualification, 32.3 percentage points above the national figure. Participation is high at 79.4%, unemployment is 3.4% and 73.4% of employed residents work full time, supporting household income of $2,075 a week at the 78th percentile. The SEIFA education and occupation decile is 10, but the economic resources decile is 2, an unusually wide gap because strong qualifications coexist with financial pressure for some residents.
Unemployment
3.4%
Labour Force
3,665
Unemployed
124
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
73.4%
Part-time
21.6%
Participation
79.4%
Employed
3,541
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
62.4%
Postgraduate
22.4%
Born Overseas
45.6%
Dwellings
2,620
Transport to Work
Phillip's compact form supports several ways to travel, although the car remains the most common option: 56.4% drive as a car driver, compared with 11.4% using public transport and 15.9% walking or cycling. Working from home accounts for 10.1%, which may soften peak commuting demand. Phillip includes Canberra College, a government college, and exact enrolment zones should be checked because school boundaries can cross suburb edges. Social conditions are relatively advantaged on the SEIFA measures, with IRSAD and IRSD both in decile 9, while education and occupation reaches decile 10. Compared with lower-density suburbs, Phillip offers easier apartment-based living and active travel potential, but residents should weigh traffic, shared-building management and the limited detached-house setting.
Drive
56.4%
Public Transport
11.4%
Walk / Cycle
15.9%
Work from Home
10.1%
Population Forecast
+4.19%/yr
(+299 people/yr)
High GrowthPhillip is classified as high growth, with an annual trend of 4.19% and internal migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change reaches 150.1% over 10 years, while rent growth is 15.8%, supporting the view that new housing and employment access are attracting residents. The trajectory is Mixed rather than a simple upward shift: affordability improved from 35.3 in 2011 to 32.8 in 2021, real income growth was 1.2% and the young share rose 1.7 percentage points. Gentrification is not the main signal, with a score of 0 and a New development stage. Compared with slower established suburbs, Phillip's momentum is more closely linked to construction and internal movement than to replacement of an older resident base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+101
Net Internal / yr
+311
Gentrification Signal
New development
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Phillip compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phillip a good suburb to live in?
Phillip can suit people who value apartment living, employment access and a younger social mix. The median age is 32, 67.1% of dwellings are apartments and public transport is used by 11.4% of residents. Compared with detached suburbs, it is less suited to buyers wanting a large block or four-bedroom family layout.
What is the median house price in Phillip?
A suburb-level median house price is not available for Phillip, so buyers should compare current apartment sales by building, size and tenure rather than assume a detached-house benchmark. Weekly rent is $440, apartments represent 67.1% of dwellings and 49.8% of households rent. Compared with house-focused suburbs, apartment evidence is the more relevant guide.
What schools are in Phillip?
Phillip includes Canberra College, a government college. The suburb has 5,197 residents and a median age of 32, but school access depends on the exact address and year level. Compared with suburbs containing several primary and secondary campuses, families should check nearby-school options and enrolment boundaries before signing.
Is Phillip safe?
Assess safety at the exact address rather than relying on a single suburb-wide rate. Phillip has a density of 2,018.3 people per square kilometre and 49.8% of households rent, so apartment entry systems, lighting and street activity are practical checks. Compared with quieter detached areas, inspect the building and surrounding streets at different times.
Is Phillip good for property investment?
Phillip may appeal to investors seeking an apartment-led rental market, with 49.8% renting, weekly rent of $440 and vacancy at 9.6%. The annual growth trend is 4.19% and internal migration is the main driver, but the 9.6% vacancy rate is above tighter markets. Compared with detached-house suburbs, investors should focus more on body corporate costs, building quality and competing apartment supply.
How is Phillip's population changing?
Phillip's population is 5,197 today, and the wider-area forecast records 150.1% population change over 10 years. Growth is classified as high, running at 4.19% annually and driven primarily by internal migration. The trajectory is Mixed, while the young share rose 1.7 percentage points. Compared with established suburbs, change is being shaped more by new development and resident turnover than by an older age profile.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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