Median house price
—
No data available
ACT · Unincorporated ACT Council
Nicholls, 2913
Est. population · Jun 2025
6,548
Growth (1 yr)
-0.7%
Growth (5 yr)
-2.9%
Median age
44
Median income
$3,134/wk
Employment rate
67.4%
Languages at home
25.2%non-English
Most common: Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Heritage area
- Green suburb
- High desirability
- National parks
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
Nicholls is a practical mid-sized suburb in Unincorporated ACT, well placed for families who want metro access without the inner-city squeeze. Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout. The suburb has a clear multicultural mix alongside longer-term local households.
Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many metro suburbs, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. Everyday errands are walkable, and buses keep the wider city within easy reach. Housing is expensive relative to much of the state.
Reported crime has been falling recently. The built character feels historic and distinctive, with heritage detail visible throughout.
Among similar metro suburbs, the suburb earns a good desirability read, with community and employment, plus growth momentum the standout strengths.
At a glance
Nicholls snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
6,548
-0.7% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
4.0%
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
#6
among Metro Canberra · Established
Safety
49th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
8th
percentile in ACT
Advantage (IRSAD)
10/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
80th
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
- 69.0/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 6% of Australian Capital Territory's suburbs
- National rank
- 280th in Australia
- State rank
- 6th in ACT
- Peer rank
- #6 among Metro Canberra · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #6 among Metro Canberra suburbs
- Data confidence
- 77%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
6,548(June 2025)
-0.7% annual · -2.9% over 5 years · 8th percentile in ACT
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- -0.7%
- 5-year growth
- -2.9%
- Change in 1 year
- -45
- Change in 5 years
- -198
- Growth rank in ACT
- 8th 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 (~6,350), extrapolated at -0.6% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 6,680
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $3,134
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 94 of 2,370
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,300
- Employment rate
- 67.4%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 2,033 / 237 / 0
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)
- 112
- Against the person
- 23
- Against property
- 50
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 17.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 290 residents
- State safety percentile
- 48.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -36.2%
Most common offence types
- Assault - Non-Fv9
- Motor Vehicle Theft8
- Other Offences39
- Property Damage11
- Theft (Excluding Motor Vehicles)19
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
- 3
- Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
- 1,085
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 80th
School list
- Gold Creek SchoolCombined · Government · ICSEA 1052 · 69th percentile · LBOTE 39% · 1,261 students · Top SEA quarter 26% · 0.8 km awayView on My School →
- Holy Spirit Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1085 · 80th percentile · LBOTE 23% · 733 students · Top SEA quarter 31% · 0.9 km awayView on My School →
- St John Paul II CollegeSecondary · Catholic · ICSEA 1089 · 81th percentile · LBOTE 23% · 880 students · Top SEA quarter 34% · 1.2 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
2 childcare services from OpenStreetMap
- Kidstart Education & Activity Centrekindergarten
- childcarechildcare
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · current · Updated
Amenities
178 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
2 restaurants · 4 cafes · 1 pubs · 1 supermarkets · 3 fast food · 11 playgrounds · 1 ev charging · 2 petrol stations
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Highly walkable for everyday errands
- Great for outdoor family life — 23 parks mapped in suburb, 11 playgrounds nearby
- Well connected by public transport — 50 public transport stops
- Strong local sport and recreation — 12 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 75/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0.6
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 1.5
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 3.44
Food & drink(10)
- Cafe
Unit Shop 6 18 O'Hanlon Place
- Cafe InjoyCafe
Unit 1 39 O'Hanlon Place
- Cottage KitchenCafe
- Gold Creek CafeCafe
- KFCFast food
48 O'Hanlon Place
- McDonald'sFast food
- Nichols Takeaway & PizzaFast food
- George Harcourt InnPub
3 Gold Creek Road
- Cucina RistoranteRestaurant
- Nicholls Chinese FoodRestaurant
Shopping(2)
- FoodaryConvenience store
- Nicholls IGASupermarket
Community(3)
- Childcare
- Kidstart Education & Activity CentreKindergarten
- St John Paul II CollegeSchool
1021 Gungahlin Drive
Sport & outdoors(35)
- Park (23)
- Anne Clark Avenue Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Blacklock Close Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Candlebark Close Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Metcalfe Street Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Paisley Street Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Playground (3)
- Stedman Place Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Sue Geh Circuit Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Tubman Place Neighbourhood PlaygroundPlayground
- Sports field
Entertainment(1)
- National Dinosaur MuseumMuseum
Transport(50)
50 bus stops
Other(31)
- Artwork
- ATM
- Aboriginal Dreamings GalleryAttraction
- Cockington Green GardensAttraction
11 Gold Creek Road
- Federation SquareAttraction
- Ginninderra VillageAttraction
- Lolly shopAttraction
- The BirdwalkAttraction
- The National Dinosaur MuseumAttraction
- Bbq
- Bench (7)
- Caltex Star MartCar wash
- The Lolly ShopConfectionery
- Conference Centre
- Tesla SuperchargerEV charging
- Garden (2)
- Green and Gold NurseryGarden Centre
- Gift (2)
- Gold Creek Tourist ResortHotel
- Leumah LodgeHotel
- Civic GuideInformation
- Mini Golf Federation SquareMiniature Golf
- Percival Hill Nature ReserveNature Reserve
- Parking (36)
- AmpolPetrol station
- BPPetrol station
- Picnic Table (2)
- Post Box
- Public toilets
- Shelter (3)
- Canberra Walk in AviaryZoo
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
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Percival Hill Nature ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 53
- Parks (OSM)
- 23
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
- University of Canberra Hospital (5.2 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)
- 157
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 24.0
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· 1 proposal
February 2026
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
2025· 4 proposals
December 2025
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINActive
October 2025
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
September 2025
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
April 2025
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
2024· 6 proposals
December 2024
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
November 2024
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
October 2024
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
2023· 18 proposals
November 2023
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
September 2023
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
June 2023
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
May 2023
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
March 2023
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
February 2023
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
2022· 9 proposals
November 2022
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
October 2022
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
August 2022
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
July 2022
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
April 2022
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
February 2022
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
January 2022
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
2021· 2 proposals
December 2021
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
November 2021
- SUBCNICHOLLS · GUNGAHLINCompleted
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Active & completed development applications — ACT Planning · 2026 · Updated
Heritage
32 heritage places
- Aboriginal Place PH12PH123 - Registered Places or Objects
- Aboriginal Places - Grinding Grooves in the ACTPH2 (GH10, WP4)3 - Registered Places or Objects
- Aboriginal Places in the District of GungahlinPH13 - Registered Places or Objects
- Aboriginal Places in the District of GungahlinGTR23 - Registered Places or Objects
- Aboriginal Places in the District of GungahlinPH33 - Registered Places or Objects
- Aboriginal Places in the District of GungahlinGTR33 - Registered Places or Objects
- Aboriginal Places in the District of GungahlinPH63 - Registered Places or Objects
- Aboriginal Places in the District of GungahlinGAR IF23 - Registered Places or Objects
- Aboriginal Places in the District of GungahlinGn113 - Registered Places or Objects
- Aboriginal Places in the District of GungahlinPH433 - 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
- Fenner
- Member of Parliament
- Andrew LEIGH (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 105,428
- Turnout (2025)
- 92.0%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +6.4 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 27.9%Labor 72.1%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 2.9 km away).
Coalition 29.6%Labor 70.4%
1.7 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +7.3 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- NichollsLabor 68.4% · Coalition 31.6% TPP (2025)0.9 km away
- Nicholls NorthLabor 69.6% · Coalition 30.4% TPP (2025)1.3 km away
- GungahlinLabor 71.2% · Coalition 28.8% TPP (2025)2.4 km away
- PalmerstonLabor 75.3% · Coalition 24.7% TPP (2025)2.4 km away
- NgunnawalLabor 76.4% · Coalition 23.6% TPP (2025)2.6 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)
- 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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
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.