Richardson
With 95.7% separate houses and a median age of 36, four years younger than the national figure, Richardson reads as a family-oriented detached suburb rather than anything approaching the ACT's more prestigious inner enclaves. Household income sits in the 76.6th percentile nationally, comfortably above average but not elite. The suburb holds a SEIFA IRSAD decile of 5, placing it at the national middle, and affordability has actually improved from 41.1% in 2011 to 38.6% in 2021. Public administration employs 25% of workers, reflecting the Canberra employment base, and 83.7% of residents stayed put over the period, signalling genuine community attachment despite a slow population drift downward.
Population
3,058
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,043/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$549K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is $549,000, estimated from 2025 rental data, and monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable relative to household income. Stock is almost entirely detached houses at 95.7%, with only 4% semi-detached and 0.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 68.6% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 27.8%, suggesting typical family configurations. Outright ownership at 26.3% and mortgage holders at 47.7% reflect a suburb where many buyers have been paying down debt for years, consistent with the 83.7% of residents who did not move in the reference period.
For Buyers
The median house price is $549,000, estimated from 2025 rental data, and monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable relative to household income. Stock is almost entirely detached houses at 95.7%, with only 4% semi-detached and 0.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 68.6% of dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 27.8%, suggesting typical family configurations. Outright ownership at 26.3% and mortgage holders at 47.7% reflect a suburb where many buyers have been paying down debt for years, consistent with the 83.7% of residents who did not move in the reference period.
For Investors
Weekly rent averages $391, and against the $549,000 median price that implies a gross yield near 3.7%, modest but better than inner-city alternatives. Vacancy stands at 3.0%, within acceptable bounds but not tight. The renter share of 26% provides a steady tenant pool because the ACT government employment base supports stable incomes. Net overseas migration contributes 16 arrivals annually, a small positive driver, while net internal migration runs at minus 42 per year because residents who want larger or more prestigious homes tend to move to other ACT suburbs. Development activity is minimal at just 2 applications in the past 12 months, both lease variations, so supply pressure is negligible. The aging trajectory and slow population decline of 0.49% annually are the main caution for investors targeting capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
23
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+300.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Richardson iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Richardson Primary School
K-6 · 142 students
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4 years younger than the national figure, consistent with a family-formation suburb rather than one dominated by retirees. Overseas-born residents make up 21.8% of the population, 0.2 percentage points above national. Ancestry leans strongly Anglo-Celtic, with English (1,050), Irish (331) and Scottish (307) leading, alongside German (160). University qualifications reach 29.2%, very close to the national figure given the 0.9 percentage point gap below national. Average household size of 2.6 is 0.1 above national, consistent with families occupying the predominantly 3-bedroom stock. Couples with children (969 families) significantly outnumber couples without children (566), and the suburb records 0 one-parent families, which appears to reflect data rounding rather than an actual absence.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.7%
Houses
4.0%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between mortgage holders at 47.7%, outright owners at 26.3% and renters at 26.0%, typical for a middle-income mortgage-belt suburb compared to higher-rental-share inner areas. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 95.7%, which is substantially above the national average, with semi-detached at 4% and apartments at just 0.3%. Three-bedroom homes account for 68.6% of all dwellings and 4-plus bedroom for 27.8%, so two-thirds of the suburb is family-sized stock. Mortgage-to-income at 22.6% and rent-to-income at 19.1% both sit well below stress thresholds, meaning neither owners nor renters face financial pressure at current income levels. With 2 development applications in 12 months, supply additions are essentially zero, keeping the existing stock balance stable.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$391
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,012
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.0%
Unoccupied
34
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.6%
Couples, no children
2,507
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration dominates employment at 25% of workers, or 257 people, reflecting Richardson's location within the ACT's government-employment corridor. Healthcare follows at 16% (164 workers), then Construction at 12.9% (132) and Education at 9.6% (99). By occupation, Professionals (294) and Clerical/Admin workers (282) together make up the largest shares, followed by Community/Personal services (192) and Managers (178). The full-time employment rate of 72.3% is healthy, and unemployment at 5.4% sits close to average national levels. The SEIFA IEO decile of 5 places the suburb at the national middle for education and occupation advantage, exactly in line with the 76.6th household income percentile, making the economic profile internally consistent rather than anomalous.
Unemployment
6.5%
Labour Force
1,693
Unemployed
110
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
72.3%
Part-time
22.3%
Participation
64.0%
Employed
1,479
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.2%
Postgraduate
7.4%
Born Overseas
21.8%
Dwellings
1,113
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 87.4% of commuters driving and only 4.3% using public transport, significantly above the national reliance on private vehicles. Walking and cycling account for just 0.7%, reflecting a low-density suburban layout spread across 2.24 square kilometres. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families access schools in neighbouring suburbs. Crime data is not available for Richardson specifically. The IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb at the national midpoint for overall advantage and disadvantage, neither elevated nor deprived. Volunteering reaches 11.3% and 6.2% of residents (184 people) need daily assistance, figures broadly in line with a middle-income, aging-trajectory suburb. Housing stress measures are low, with rent-to-income at 19.1% and mortgage-to-income at 22.6%, both below stress thresholds.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
4.3%
Walk / Cycle
0.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.49%/yr
(-15 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has drifted from 3,052 in 2023 to 3,060 in 2025, a near-flat trajectory with the medium forecast pointing to 2,912 by 2031, a projected decline of about 5% from today. Annual population change is minus 0.49%, driven primarily by net internal outflow of 42 residents per year, only partially offset by net overseas arrivals of 16. The 10-year population change is minus 2.5%, classifying Richardson as a slow-decline suburb. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage reads not gentrifying, which is consistent with a decile 5 IRSAD position that leaves no upward re-rating story. Affordability improved from 41.1% in 2011 to 38.6% in 2021, a modest positive signal, and rent grew 22.2% over the period, exceeding the 5.6% real income growth, which has compressed yields slightly.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+16
Net Internal / yr
-42
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Richardson compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Richardson a good suburb to live in?
Richardson suits families and owner-occupiers seeking detached housing with low financial stress. Mortgage-to-income is 22.6% and rent-to-income 19.1%, both well below the 30% stress threshold. Household income sits in the 76.6th percentile nationally, and 83.7% of residents did not move in the reference period, reflecting genuine stability. The main limitation is high car dependency at 87.4% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Richardson?
The median house price is $549,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6% keeps repayments comfortable relative to local household incomes. Weekly rent averages $391, implying a gross yield near 3.7% against the median price.
What schools are in Richardson?
No schools are recorded inside the Richardson boundary in this dataset. Families access schools in neighbouring ACT suburbs. Despite no local schools, the suburb has a university qualification rate of 29.2%, very close to the national average, suggesting the resident workforce is broadly well-educated.
Is Richardson safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Richardson in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb holds a SEIFA IRSD decile of 5, the national midpoint for relative disadvantage, and only 6.2% of residents (184 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a stable, middle-income community with no concentrated deprivation.
Is Richardson good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $391 against a $549,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.7%, above inner-ACT comparisons. Vacancy at 3.0% is acceptable and the ACT government employment base supports stable tenant incomes. The caution is a population decline of 0.49% annually with net internal outflow of 42 per year, which limits capital growth prospects.
How is Richardson's population changing?
Population was 3,060 in 2025 and is forecast to decline to 2,912 by 2031 under the medium scenario, a drop of about 5%. The 10-year historical change is minus 2.5%. Net internal migration removes 42 residents a year while overseas migration adds 16. The trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 5.3 points over the decade.
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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