Turner
At a median age of 31, Turner sits 9 years below the national average, making it one of Canberra's most youthful pockets. That youth skews the tenure split sharply: 55.6% of residents rent, more than double the share who hold a mortgage (26.8%), and apartments account for 73.5% of dwellings in a suburb covering just 1.54 km2. University qualifications reach 74.7%, which is 44.6 percentage points above the national figure, the highest gap recorded in this dataset. Household income sits in the 88.7th percentile nationally, yet the suburb records 13 development applications in the past 12 months, including proposals for a 9-storey residential building and 10 townhouses, signalling ongoing densification pressure.
Population
4,470
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,330/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$611K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $611,000 is the primary entry point, though it reflects a market where 73.5% of dwellings are apartments and only 12.6% are separate houses. That scarcity of detached stock pushes buyers toward medium-density options: semi-detached dwellings account for 13.9% and two-bedroom configurations dominate at 38.8% of all dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,901, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8%, which is below the 30% stress threshold despite the relatively high purchase price. Buyers compete in a compact 1.54 km2 suburb at a density of 2,907 residents per km2, and the pipeline of multi-storey development applications suggests supply will grow. The 11.4% vacancy rate is notably elevated compared to typical residential markets, which rewards patient buyers willing to negotiate.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $611,000 is the primary entry point, though it reflects a market where 73.5% of dwellings are apartments and only 12.6% are separate houses. That scarcity of detached stock pushes buyers toward medium-density options: semi-detached dwellings account for 13.9% and two-bedroom configurations dominate at 38.8% of all dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,901, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8%, which is below the 30% stress threshold despite the relatively high purchase price. Buyers compete in a compact 1.54 km2 suburb at a density of 2,907 residents per km2, and the pipeline of multi-storey development applications suggests supply will grow. The 11.4% vacancy rate is notably elevated compared to typical residential markets, which rewards patient buyers willing to negotiate.
For Investors
Turner's investment profile is defined by renter dominance and high turnover. The 55.6% renter share provides a structurally large tenant pool, and weekly rent of $480 against an estimated $611,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.1%, reasonable for an inner-Canberra apartment market. The 11.4% vacancy rate is the key risk, sitting well above typical healthy market levels of 2-3%, reflecting the scale of apartment supply relative to demand. Overseas migration delivers a net 90 new residents annually, the primary population driver, because internal migration is essentially flat at minus 3 per year. The population grew 24.2% over 10 years and the medium forecast adds roughly 96 people annually to 2031. Development activity, with 13 applications in 12 months including high-density proposals, means new supply is entering an already-soft vacancy environment.
Development Activity
Total DAs
50
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+55.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Turner iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Turner School
K-6 · 318 students
Demographics
Turner's demographic profile is shaped by the nearby Australian National University and federal government employment. The median age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, the largest gap reflecting a concentration of students and early-career professionals. University qualifications at 74.7% run 44.6 percentage points above the national average, among the highest in Australia. Overseas-born residents account for 32.7%, which is 11.1 points above national, with English (1,443), Irish (631) and Scottish (566) ancestries leading, followed by Chinese (448). Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below the national figure, consistent with the high share of single-person and couple-without-children arrangements: 52.1% of families are couples with no children and one-parent families are negligible.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
12.6%
Houses
13.9%
Townhouse
73.5%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure structure reflects the suburb's renter-majority identity: 55.6% rent, 26.8% carry a mortgage and 17.6% own outright. These proportions sit in sharp contrast to owner-occupier-dominated markets elsewhere. Apartments account for 73.5% of all dwellings, semi-detached 13.9% and separate houses just 12.6%, meaning buyers seeking a standalone home face genuine scarcity. Bedroom sizes skew small: 31.4% of dwellings have zero to one bedrooms and 38.8% have two bedrooms, with three-bedroom and larger dwellings covering only 29.8% of stock. Rent-to-income at 20.6% and mortgage-to-income at 18.8% remain below the 30% stress threshold, because incomes sit in the 88.7th percentile nationally. The $480 weekly rent and $1,901 monthly mortgage are moderate by national standards given the income base.
Mortgage / mo
$1,901
Rent / wk
$480
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,448
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.4%
Unoccupied
275
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
52.1%
Couples, no children
2,448
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration dominates the Turner economy at 42.6% of employed residents (1,066 workers), well above the national average for this sector, because the suburb sits within the parliamentary triangle precinct. Professional and technical services follow at 17.2% (430 workers), education at 10.5% (262) and healthcare at 7.4% (186). By occupation, Professionals account for 1,372 workers and Managers for 576, together representing the majority of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.9%, close to full employment, and the full-time employment rate of 74.3% is high. Personal weekly income averages $1,448 and household weekly income $2,330, placing Turner in the 88.7th income percentile nationally. The SEIFA IRSAD and IEO scores are both decile 10, the top advantage tier, reflecting high education and occupation levels.
Unemployment
1.4%
Labour Force
2,047
Unemployed
29
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
74.3%
Part-time
21.8%
Participation
73.2%
Employed
2,900
Occupations
Top Industries
University
74.7%
Postgraduate
30.2%
Born Overseas
32.7%
Dwellings
2,128
Transport to Work
Turner's most distinctive livability feature is its walking and cycling mode share: 37.2% of residents walk or cycle to work, far above the national average and consistent with the suburb's inner-city location close to the parliamentary precinct and ANU. Public transport use is 6.2% and car-driver mode share is 51.7%, lower than most Australian suburbs. The suburb scores decile 10 on both IRSAD and IRSD, the top tier nationally for advantage and relative freedom from disadvantage. Volunteering runs at 23.6% of residents, above typical rates. No schools are recorded within the 1.54 km2 boundary, so families depend on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Crime data is not available in this dataset, though the decile 10 IRSD score is consistent with low-disadvantage, low-crime profiles nationally.
Drive
51.7%
Public Transport
6.2%
Walk / Cycle
37.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.96%/yr
(+96 people/yr)
EstablishedTurner's population grew 24.2% over the decade to 2021, a strong trajectory by established-suburb standards. The 2023 to 2025 historical counts show continued momentum: from 4,767 to 4,806 to 4,888, an annual pace of approximately 1.96% or 96 persons. The medium forecast extends this to roughly 5,508 by 2031. Population growth is driven almost entirely by overseas migration, which contributes a net 90 residents annually compared to near-zero net internal movement. Early gentrification signals are present: the gentrification score of 25 reflects population growth of 31% since 2011 and an accelerating share of higher-income residents. Affordability improved from 36.9% in 2011 to 33.1% in 2021, a genuine trend compared to many Canberra suburbs where affordability has deteriorated.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+90
Net Internal / yr
-3
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +31% since 2011, Accelerating: 11% → 18%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Turner compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Turner a good suburb to live in?
Turner ranks in decile 10 on IRSAD and IEO, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 88.7th percentile. University qualifications reach 74.7%, which is 44.6 points above national. The suburb is compact at 1.54 km2, walkable (37.2% walk or cycle to work), and predominantly apartment-based, which suits younger residents. The main trade-offs are an 11.4% vacancy rate and no schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Turner?
The estimated median house price is $611,000, based on 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,901, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $480. The market is 73.5% apartments, so detached house sales are rare and price comparisons with broader markets require caution.
What schools are in Turner?
No schools are recorded inside the Turner suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring inner-Canberra suburbs. The local population is exceptionally well-educated, with 74.7% holding university qualifications, which is 44.6 percentage points above the national figure, partly reflecting proximity to the Australian National University.
Is Turner safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Turner in this dataset. As an indirect measure, Turner scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest advantage tier nationally, and only 2.9% of residents (127 people) need daily assistance. High-advantage, high-education suburbs nationally tend to record below-average crime rates.
Is Turner good for property investment?
The renter majority of 55.6% and weekly rent of $480 imply a gross yield of approximately 4.1% against the $611,000 median, reasonable for inner Canberra. The main risk is an 11.4% vacancy rate, well above healthy market levels of 2-3%, which reflects apartment oversupply. Overseas migration adds 90 residents annually and population growth of 1.96% per year supports medium-term demand, but new high-density development approvals add to supply pressure.
How is Turner's population changing?
Population grew 24.2% over the decade to 2021 and continues rising, from 4,767 in 2023 to 4,888 in 2025. The annual growth pace is roughly 1.96% or 96 persons. Overseas migration contributes a net 90 residents a year, the primary driver, while internal migration is near zero. The medium forecast projects the population reaching 5,508 by 2031.
What languages are spoken in Turner?
About 32.7% of Turner residents were born overseas, which is 11.1 percentage points above the national figure. Mandarin is the most common non-English language with 115 speakers, followed by Hindi (29), Cantonese (24), Korean (19) and Persian (17). English-background ancestries remain dominant, with 1,443 residents of English ancestry.
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 Turner on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map