$475 ▲ +23.4%
Higher than 90% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: $385
- 2016: $380
- 2021: $475
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Canberra · Federal Electorate
Housing & Dwellings in Canberra
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
Fewer detached houses and a rise in renting have shifted the housing landscape in Canberra since 2011. The city is now marked by high living costs, with typical weekly rents hitting $475. This reflects a broader trend toward smaller, more expensive homes compared to other parts of the country.
$475
▲ +23.4%
- $200–$214: 2 areas
- $214–$229: 1 area
- $229–$243: 4 areas
- $243–$257: 7 areas
- $257–$271: 5 areas
- $271–$286: 3 areas
- $286–$300: 2 areas
- $300–$314: 8 areas
- $314–$329: 12 areas
- $329–$343: 5 areas
- $343–$357: 14 areas
- $357–$371: 9 areas
- $371–$386: 14 areas
- $386–$400: 8 areas
- $400–$414: 18 areas
- $414–$429: 8 areas
- $429–$443: 9 areas
- $443–$457: 4 areas
- $457–$471: 1 area
- $471–$486: 3 areas
- $486–$500: 2 areas
- $500–$514: 3 areas
- $514–$529: 0 areas
- $529–$543: 0 areas
- $543–$557: 4 areas
- $557–$571: 2 areas
- $571–$586: 0 areas
- $586–$600: 3 areas
All federal electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Canberra — higher than 90% of areas.
| Canberra | $475 |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | $450 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $450 |
| Australia | $375 |
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Typical weekly rent is $475, which is well above the national figure of $375. Home loan payments are also high, with the typical monthly payment sitting at $2,167, a figure that has barely changed since 2011.
$2,167 → 0.0%
Higher than 73% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: $2,167
- 2016: $2,058
- 2021: $2,167
Median monthly mortgage repayment for households with a mortgage.
Weekly rent distribution
View on map →In Canberra, the largest group is $350–$549 at 43%, followed by $550–$749 (25%) and $200–$349 (12%).
Monthly mortgage distribution
View on map →Canberra splits fairly evenly between $1,800–$2,999 (33%) and $3,000 or more (30%), with $1,000–$1,799 at 25%.
Owning & renting
How homes are owned or rented.
Renting is much more common here than in most areas, with 38% of households renting—well above the national figure of 30.6%. Meanwhile, the share of homes owned outright rose slightly since 2011 to reach 28.2%.
38.0% ▲ +14.0%
Higher than 82% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 33.4%
- 2016: 33.8%
- 2021: 38.0%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
28.2% ▲ +10.2%
Lower than 67% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 25.6%
- 2016: 23.9%
- 2021: 28.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings owned outright (no mortgage).
How homes are owned or rented
View on map →In Canberra, the largest group is Rented at 38%, followed by Owned with a mortgage (31%) and Owned outright (28%).
Types of homes
Houses, townhouses, apartments and bedrooms.
Separate houses are far less common here than in the rest of Australia, making up only 48.2% of homes. This is consistent with a sharp decline in large homes, as the share of dwellings with three or more bedrooms fell by 19 points since 2011.
0.90 ▼ -18.2%
Higher than 86% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 1.10
- 2016: 0.90
- 2021: 0.90
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
48.2% ▼ -30.4%
Lower than 88% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 69.3%
- 2016: 65.9%
- 2021: 48.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
59.2% ▼ -23.9%
Lower than 87% of federal electorate areas.
- 2011: 77.8%
- 2016: 76.4%
- 2021: 59.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings with three or more bedrooms.
Types of homes
View on map →In Canberra, the largest group is Separate house at 48%, followed by Flat or apartment (34%) and Townhouse / semi-detached (17%).
Bedrooms per home
View on map →In Canberra, the largest group is 3 bedrooms at 32%, followed by 2 bedrooms (25%) and 4 bedrooms (21%).
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Canberra
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Housing & Dwellings in Canberra [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ced/CED802/canberra/topic/housing-dwellings