Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Torrens
1 km²
Daily life in Torrens revolves around family and a high standard of living, with a population of 2,424 people. It is an affluent area where many residents hold university degrees and earn well above the national figure. The community is notably young, with a high number of children and families living in large, detached homes. This creates a professional yet family-focused atmosphere in a well-connected part of the ACT.
Torrens's schools draw a community as advantaged as its high household incomes suggest.
Torrens has many young families but fewer schools per child than most areas.
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The area has a high proportion of children under 15, at 21.5%, which is well above both the state and national figures. While the typical resident is 39, the population is generally younger than in most similar areas.
A quarter of the population was born overseas, which is much higher than in most similar areas, though this is still well below the ACT average of 28.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
About 19% of residents use a language other than English at home, a figure that is much higher than in most similar areas but well below the state and national averages.
Religious affiliation is split almost evenly between Christianity (43.7%) and people reporting no religion (42.4%). The latter is well above the national figure of 38.9%.
Torrens is highly qualified, with 45% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, which is far above the national average of 26.3%. School completion is also very high, with 77.2% of residents finishing Year 12.
Incomes are among the highest at this level, with the typical weekly household earning $3,322. This is well above the national figure of $2,120, and 27% of people earn $2,000 or more each week.
Health figures are around the middle for its level, with 27.3% of people having a long-term health condition, which is about the same as the state and national averages.
The community is active, with 22.1% of people volunteering, a figure well above the national average. There is also a high rate of unpaid childcare, as 33% of residents provide this support.
There are 39 First Nations people in the area. While their typical personal income is lower than in most areas, Year 12 completion is far above the national average at 62.1%.
Families with children make up 65.9% of households, and homes are slightly larger than usual, with an average of 2.7 people per dwelling.
The area is dominated by separate houses, with 84.6% of homes being detached. These are often large, as 87.6% of homes have three or more bedrooms, though typical monthly mortgage payments are much higher than in most areas at $2,470.
Public transport use is among the highest for its level, with a very short walk to the nearest stop. Most residents still rely on cars, with 41.5% of homes owning two vehicles.
The area has seen significant movement, with 38.9% of people moving in the last five years and 13.2% arriving recently from overseas.
The workforce is strong, with 65% of people employed full-time. Many residents work in public administration and safety, which accounts for 29.4% of jobs.
Crime rates for assault, burglary, and property damage are much lower than in most areas. However, the rate of sexual offences is much higher than average.
The area is very walkable, with every home within a 15-minute walk of a park and a school. However, access to groceries and health services is much lower than in other parts of the ACT.