Median house price
—
No data available
ACT · Unincorporated ACT Council
Downer, 2602
Est. population · Jun 2025
4,795
Growth (1 yr)
+0.3%
Growth (5 yr)
+9.8%
Median age
35
Median income
$2,267/wk
Employment rate
67.7%
Languages at home
24.4%non-English
Most common: Mandarin, Vietnamese, Greek
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Education hub
- High desirability
- Heritage area
- Excellent transport
- Cycling
Suburb profile
Downer is a well-connected mid-sized suburb in Unincorporated ACT with everyday amenities close at hand. Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with family life visible on every street. Many residents were born overseas or speak a language other than English at home.
School and preschool provision is plentiful within the local area. Green space punches above what many metro suburbs offer, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb. Residents can rely on buses for getting around locally and across the city.
Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers. Crime trends have improved of late compared with the previous period.
Community and employment, plus growth momentum push the suburb to a good desirability read, even as local dining and lifestyle amenities look more ordinary among similar metro suburbs. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Downer snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
4,795
+0.3% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
5.9%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#4
among Metro Canberra · Emerging
Safety
42nd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
46th
percentile in ACT
Advantage (IRSAD)
10/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
92nd
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 59.9/100 — Good
- National rank
- 1033rd in Australia
- State rank
- 56th in ACT
- Peer rank
- #4 among Metro Canberra · Emerging suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #56 among Metro Canberra suburbs
- Data confidence
- 77%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
4,795(June 2025)
+0.3% annual · +9.8% over 5 years · 46th percentile in ACT
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.3%
- 5-year growth
- +9.8%
- Change in 1 year
- +14
- Change in 5 years
- +428
- Growth rank in ACT
- 46th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~5,200), extrapolated at +1.6% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 4,296
- Median age
- 35
- Median household income / week
- $2,267
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 103 of 1,732
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 67.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 1,092 / 261 / 274
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 76
- Against the person
- 11
- Against property
- 45
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 15.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 391 residents
- State safety percentile
- 41.6th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -66.3%
Most common offence types
- Assault - Non-Fv8
- Burglary Dwellings8
- Other Offences20
- Property Damage10
- Theft (Excluding Motor Vehicles)20
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- ACT crime statistics by suburb (quarterly) — ACT Policing / dataACT · Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated · Quarterly XLSX release
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 10
- Median school ICSEA (10 schools)
- 1,135
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 92th
School list
- Daramalan CollegeSecondary · Independent · ICSEA 1127 · 91th percentile · LBOTE 11% · 1,498 students · Top SEA quarter 50% · 1.1 km awayView on My School →
- Dickson CollegeSecondary · Government · ICSEA 1101 · 84th percentile · LBOTE 39% · 899 students · Top SEA quarter 46% · 1.1 km awayView on My School →
- Emmaus Christian SchoolCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1138 · 93th percentile · LBOTE 32% · 590 students · Top SEA quarter 57% · 1.1 km awayView on My School →
- Rosary Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1121 · 90th percentile · LBOTE 15% · 369 students · Top SEA quarter 50% · 1.1 km awayView on My School →
- Majura Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1135 · 92th percentile · LBOTE 29% · 675 students · Top SEA quarter 58% · 1.2 km awayView on My School →
- North Ainslie Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1145 · 94th percentile · LBOTE 30% · 527 students · Top SEA quarter 63% · 1.3 km awayView on My School →
- Brindabella Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1154 · 96th percentile · LBOTE 72% · 929 students · Top SEA quarter 61% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
- Lyneham High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 1132 · 92th percentile · LBOTE 45% · 1,034 students · Top SEA quarter 57% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
- Blue Gum Community SchoolCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1164 · 97th percentile · LBOTE 10% · 167 students · Top SEA quarter 69% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →
- Lyneham Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1135 · 92th percentile · LBOTE 45% · 498 students · Top SEA quarter 58% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- Downer Preschoolkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · current · Updated
Amenities
89 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 cafes · 4 playgrounds
Local character & venue list
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Great for outdoor family life — 7 parks mapped in suburb, 4 playgrounds nearby
- Well connected by public transport — 23 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 32/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0.23
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0.23
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 1.63
Food & drink(1)
- Gang GangCafe
Frencham Place
Community(1)
- Downer PreschoolKindergarten
Sport & outdoors(12)
- Park (7)
- Berry Street Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Fenton Street Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Melba Street Central Community PlaygroundPlayground
- Tardent Street Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Sports field
Transport(23)
23 bus stops
Other(7)
- Bench
- Bicycle Parking (5)
- Drinking water (3)
- Garden (35)
- Parking (5)
- Post Box (2)
- Public toilets
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 7
- Parks (OSM)
- 7
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Calvary Bruce Private Hospital (4.9 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 112
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 23.4
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 27° / 12°
- Rainfall
- 171 mm · ~21 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 21° / 7°
- Rainfall
- 169 mm · ~21 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 12° / 1°
- Rainfall
- 183 mm · ~23 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 19° / 6°
- Rainfall
- 212 mm · ~26 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from ACT planning register.
2026· 8 proposals
July 2026
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
June 2026
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
May 2026
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALActive
April 2026
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
March 2026
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
February 2026
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALActive
2025· 6 proposals
September 2025
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
June 2025
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
May 2025
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
January 2025
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
2024· 7 proposals
November 2024
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
October 2024
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
May 2024
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
April 2024
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
February 2024
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
2023· 10 proposals
December 2023
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
November 2023
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
October 2023
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
September 2023
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
June 2023
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
March 2023
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
February 2023
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
January 2023
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
2022· 10 proposals
October 2022
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
September 2022
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
August 2022
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
June 2022
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
May 2022
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
March 2022
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
January 2022
- SUBCDOWNER · CANBERRA CENTRALCompleted
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Active & completed development applications — ACT Planning · 2026 · Updated
Heritage
6 heritage places
- Buildings of the Former CS and IR Dickson Experiment Station, Downer Shops and Community Centre 3 - Registered Places or Objects
- Buildings of the Former CS and IR Dickson Experiment Station, Downer Shops and Community Centre 3 - Registered Places or Objects
- Buildings of the Former CS and IR Dickson Experiment Station, Downer Shops and Community Centre 3 - Registered Places or Objects
- Buildings of the Former CS and IR Dickson Experiment Station, Downer Shops and Community Centre 3 - Registered Places or Objects
- Trees of the Former CS&IR Experiment Station 3 - Registered Places or Objects
- Trees of the Former CS&IR Experiment Station 3 - Registered Places or Objects
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via ACT Bushfire Prone Area (SBMP) mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Canberra
- Member of Parliament
- Alicia PAYNE (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 102,942
- Turnout (2025)
- 92.7%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +4.0 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 23.6%Labor 76.4%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 3.0 km away).
Coalition 16.5%Labor 83.5%
7.1 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +1.9 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- DownerLabor 84.0% · Coalition 16.0% TPP (2025)0.3 km away
- DicksonLabor 79.3% · Coalition 20.7% TPP (2025)0.8 km away
- Dickson EastLabor 80.1% · Coalition 19.9% TPP (2025)1.2 km away
- WatsonLabor 85.1% · Coalition 14.9% TPP (2025)1.2 km away
- Ainslie NorthLabor 87.2% · Coalition 12.8% TPP (2025)1.4 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
More in Unincorporated ACT Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile elsewhere in Australian Capital Territory or interstate.