Royalla
With household income at the 99.2nd percentile nationally, Royalla sits among the wealthiest rural-fringe suburbs in Australia, yet its character is shaped less by affluence than by function: 30.1% of its workforce commutes to Public Administration roles in Canberra, making it effectively a premium satellite of the national capital. Covering 42.9 km2, the suburb houses just 1,063 residents at a density of 24.8 per km2, with 100% of dwellings being separate houses and 78.6% having four or more bedrooms. The average household size of 3.4 is 0.9 above the national figure, reflecting the family-oriented composition.
Population
1,063
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,655/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
17
Median House
$1.4M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,350,000 reflects Royalla's position as a high-income acreage market south of Canberra. Prices eased from $1,380,000 in 2024 to $1,320,000 in 2025, a -4.3% correction rather than a trend collapse. Every dwelling is a separate house, and 78.6% have four or more bedrooms, so buyers get substantial land and space compared to urban alternatives. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,840, which produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold despite the high purchase price, because household incomes are in the 99.2nd percentile nationally. The renting segment is just 2.8%, which means almost all transactions involve owner-occupiers competing against each other rather than a broad investor market.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,350,000 reflects Royalla's position as a high-income acreage market south of Canberra. Prices eased from $1,380,000 in 2024 to $1,320,000 in 2025, a -4.3% correction rather than a trend collapse. Every dwelling is a separate house, and 78.6% have four or more bedrooms, so buyers get substantial land and space compared to urban alternatives. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,840, which produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold despite the high purchase price, because household incomes are in the 99.2nd percentile nationally. The renting segment is just 2.8%, which means almost all transactions involve owner-occupiers competing against each other rather than a broad investor market.
For Investors
At 2.8% renting, Royalla is one of the lowest-renter suburbs nationally, making it a poor fit for yield-focused investors. Weekly rent of $530 against a $1,350,000 median implies a gross yield below 2%, thin even by regional ACT-fringe standards. The vacancy rate sits at 4.9%, relatively high for such a small rental pool. Development activity is modest at 15 applications in the past 12 months, consistent with a stable acreage zone rather than a growing subdivision. The investment case depends entirely on capital growth driven by Canberra's housing demand spillover, because the rental market is structurally thin compared to typical investment suburbs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
88
Last 12 Months
17
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+21.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (370 residents), Scottish (133) and Irish (124) are the top three groups, consistent with the identity signal. Overseas-born residents account for 12.3%, which is 9.3 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the low-migration profile of ACT-fringe rural communities. The median age of 41 is roughly 1.0 year above national. University-educated residents reach 32.2%, which is 2.1 percentage points above national, aligning with the professional workforce tied to Canberra's public sector. The average household size of 3.4 is 0.9 above the national average, with 421 couples-with-children families recorded, and the volunteering rate of 24.2% indicates strong community participation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Every dwelling in Royalla is a separate house, and 78.6% have four or more bedrooms, making it one of the most detached, large-lot suburbs in NSW. Tenure is split between 30.4% owned outright and 66.8% with a mortgage, a high mortgage rate that reflects relatively recent development rather than an aging ownership base. The renting share of 2.8% is far below typical suburban levels, meaning the owner-occupier market sets prices without much rental price competition. Prices moved from $1,380,000 in 2024 to $1,320,000 in 2025, a -4.3% decline. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.9% is healthy, lower than the national stress threshold, because household incomes here sit in the 99.2nd percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,840
Rent / wk
$530
HH Size
3.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,285
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
15
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.8%
Couples, no children
936
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Administration dominates at 30.1% of employed residents (107 workers), which is unusually high compared to most NSW suburbs and directly reflects proximity to the ACT. Construction follows at 16.6% (59 workers) and Education at 12.6% (45 workers), with Professional/Technical services at 11.2% and Healthcare at 10.1%. By occupation, Managers (131) and Professionals (117) are the top two categories, consistent with seniority in Canberra-based roles. The unemployment rate is 2.4%, below most NSW benchmarks, and the full-time employment rate of 70.2% is above the national average. Household income in the 99.2nd percentile nationally reflects the concentration of high-grade public sector and professional employment.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.2%
Part-time
27.4%
Participation
64.1%
Employed
520
Occupations
Top Industries
University
32.2%
Postgraduate
8.2%
Born Overseas
12.3%
Dwellings
292
Transport to Work
Car dependency is total: 94.1% of residents drive to work and only 0.7% use public transport, which is well below the national average, because the rural setting offers no bus or rail access of significance. Walking and cycling account for 1.2% of trips. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on facilities in neighbouring areas or Canberra, a practical constraint given the 42.9 km2 spread and 1,063 residents. The housing stress indicators are positive: mortgage-to-income at 17.9% and rent-to-income at 14.5% are both below stress thresholds, meaning residents are not financially stretched by housing costs despite the $1,350,000 median. The need-for-assistance rate is 2.4%, reflecting a predominantly working-age, healthy population.
Drive
94.1%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Royalla compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Royalla a good suburb to live in?
Royalla suits families seeking large acreage homes near Canberra. Household incomes are at the 99.2nd percentile nationally, housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 17.9%, and the volunteering rate of 24.2% reflects strong community engagement. The main trade-offs are no public transport (94.1% drive), no recorded schools within the boundary, and a $1,350,000 median house price.
What is the median house price in Royalla?
The median house price is $1,350,000. Prices eased from $1,380,000 in 2024 to $1,320,000 in 2025, a -4.3% movement. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,840, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 17.9%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Royalla?
No schools are recorded within the Royalla suburb boundary in this dataset. With a population of 1,063 spread across 42.9 km2, families typically rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs or Canberra. University qualifications among residents reach 32.2%, which is 2.1 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Royalla safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Royalla in this dataset. Indirectly, the low unemployment rate of 2.4%, household incomes in the 99.2nd percentile nationally, and a stable community where 87.1% of residents remained at the same address between census periods all point to a low-disadvantage, low-turnover environment.
Is Royalla good for property investment?
Royalla is a poor rental market: only 2.8% of residents rent, vacancy sits at 4.9%, and weekly rent of $530 against a $1,350,000 median implies a gross yield below 2%. Prices fell -4.3% from 2024 to 2025. The investment case rests on Canberra demand spillover driving capital growth, not income return.
How is Royalla's population changing?
Royalla has a population of 1,063 across 42.9 km2. The suburb shows low turnover, with 87.1% of residents staying at the same address between census periods. Development activity is modest at 15 applications in 12 months, consistent with gradual infill rather than rapid estate growth.
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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