ACT · Unincorporated ACT Council

Fadden, 2904

Est. population · Jun 2025

3,016

Growth (1 yr)

+0.6%

Growth (5 yr)

+0.9%

Median age

43

Median income

$3,302/wk

Employment rate

65.9%

Languages at home

15.3%non-English

Most common: Arabic, Mandarin, Italian

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

60.2/100
Good

55th in ACT

Verified 70% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • National parks
  • High desirability
  • Education hub
What Fadden is known for: National parks, High desirability, Education hub

Suburb profile

Fadden is a well-connected mid-sized suburb in Unincorporated ACT with everyday amenities close at hand. Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Sport and recreation are easy to access, with local venues supporting active weekends and after-work routines.

Green space punches above what many metro suburbs offer, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb. Families benefit from nearby schooling, and buses help with daily commutes. Housing is expensive relative to much of the state.

Crime trends have improved of late compared with the previous period. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.

Desirability rates good overall, led by community and employment, while growth momentum land closer to the middle of the pack for similar metro suburbs. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Fadden snapshot

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

No data available

Population (ERP)

3,016

+0.6% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

5.0%

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

#37

among Metro Canberra · Established

Safety

6th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

55th

percentile in ACT

Advantage (IRSAD)

10/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

65th

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
60.2/100 — Good
National rank
1003rd in Australia
State rank
55th in ACT
Peer rank
#37 among Metro Canberra · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#55 among Metro Canberra suburbs
Data confidence
70%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability indexSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

3,016(June 2025)

+0.6% annual · +0.9% over 5 years · 55th percentile in ACT

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.6%
5-year growth
+0.9%
Change in 1 year
+18
Change in 5 years
+27
Growth rank in ACT
55th 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 (~2,950), extrapolated at -0.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
3,006
Median age
43
Median household income / week
$3,302
Dwelling vacancy
5%
Unoccupied private dwellings
55 of 1,093
Median monthly mortgage
$2,383
Employment rate
65.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
1,005 / 19 / 14

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian 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 ProfileAustralian 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)
24
Against the person
1
Against property
14
Rate per 1,000 residents
8
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 3,006 residents
State safety percentile
6.2th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-54.6%

Most common offence types

  • Burglary Dwellings2
  • Motor Vehicle Theft4
  • Other Offences9
  • Property Damage6
  • Theft (Excluding Motor Vehicles)2

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
5
Median school ICSEA (5 schools)
1,043
Median ICSEA percentile
65th
School list
  • Fadden Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1076 · 77th percentile · LBOTE 13% · 229 students · Top SEA quarter 34% · 0.3 km awayView on My School →
  • Holy Family Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1076 · 77th percentile · LBOTE 9% · 641 students · Top SEA quarter 28% · 0.9 km awayView on My School →
  • Gowrie Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1043 · 65th percentile · LBOTE 10% · 228 students · Top SEA quarter 22% · 1.4 km awayView on My School →
  • Caroline Chisholm SchoolCombined · Government · ICSEA 989 · 42th percentile · LBOTE 19% · 571 students · Top SEA quarter 11% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
  • Erindale CollegeSecondary · Government · ICSEA 1041 · 65th percentile · LBOTE 12% · 871 students · Top SEA quarter 21% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

223 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

5 playgrounds · 1 sports centres · 155 swimming pools

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • A car helps for daily errands
  • Great for outdoor family life11 parks mapped in suburb, 5 playgrounds nearby
  • Well connected by public transport26 public transport stops
  • Strong local sport and recreation162 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
30/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
3.66
Community(1)
  • Fadden PrimarySchool
Health & services(1)
  • Tuggeranong Veterinary HospitalVeterinary

    Unit 5 2 Hanlon Crescent

Sport & outdoors(174)
  • Fadden PinesPark
  • Fadden Pines ParkPark
  • Park (9)
  • Picnic area
  • Bertram Street Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
  • Mcphail Place Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
  • Nicklin Crescent Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
  • Parnell Place Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
  • Playground
  • mPowerdomeSports centre
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool (155)
Transport(26)

26 bus stops

Other(7)
  • Bbq (4)
  • Bench (2)
  • Drinking water (3)
  • Wanniassa Hills Nature ReserveNature Reserve
  • Parking (6)
  • Picnic Table (4)
  • 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 insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

3 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Fadden PinesPark
  • Fadden Pines ParkPark
  • Wanniassa Hills Nature ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
18
Parks (OSM)
11

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

Health access

Nearest hospital
Canberra Hospital (6.3 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
63
Participants per 1,000 residents
20.9

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

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
25° / 10°
Rainfall
168 mm · ~21 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
19° / 5°
Rainfall
142 mm · ~18 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
11° / -2°
Rainfall
105 mm · ~13 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
18° / 4°
Rainfall
161 mm · ~20 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from ACT planning register.

2026· 3 proposals
  • June 2026

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGActive
  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • March 2026

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
2025· 5 proposals
  • September 2025

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • August 2025

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • July 2025

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • March 2025

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGActive
2024· 2 proposals
  • July 2024

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • February 2024

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
2023· 2 proposals
  • April 2023

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • February 2023

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
2022· 7 proposals
  • December 2022

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • October 2022

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • June 2022

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • May 2022

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • March 2022

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
2021· 8 proposals
  • December 2021

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • November 2021

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • September 2021

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • May 2021

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • January 2021

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
2020· 5 proposals
  • December 2020

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • October 2020

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted
  • September 2020

  • SUBC
    FADDEN · TUGGERANONGCompleted

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

  • Active & completed development applicationsACT Planning · 2026 · 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 overlaysState government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Bean
Member of Parliament
David SMITH (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
113,876
Turnout (2025)
92.5%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+6.3 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 30.7%Labor 69.3%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 2.9 km away).

Coalition 31.0%Labor 69.0%

0.3 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +6.5 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • FaddenLabor 69.0% · Coalition 31.0% TPP (2025)0.2 km away
  • GowrieLabor 70.1% · Coalition 29.9% TPP (2025)1.2 km away
  • ChisholmLabor 67.5% · Coalition 32.5% TPP (2025)1.7 km away
  • Wanniassa HillsLabor 71.4% · Coalition 28.6% TPP (2025)2.2 km away
  • GilmoreLabor 65.0% · Coalition 35.0% TPP (2025)2.4 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

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

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

This suburb ranks highly for

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.