Urban Area · Area profile
Canberra - Queanbeyan
517 km²
Daily life in Canberra - Queanbeyan is shaped by a highly educated workforce and a very walkable urban layout. The population has grown by 25% since 2011, creating a community that is noticeably younger than the national average. With a high concentration of professionals and public servants, it is a prosperous area where most residents live within a short walk of parks and public transport. This combination of high incomes and a youthful profile makes it a distinctive regional hub.
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The typical resident is 35, which is noticeably younger than the national figure. While the population is growing, the proportion of seniors is well below the Australian average, though it has risen 3.0 points since 2011.
A large proportion of the community was born overseas, with 28.2% of people born outside Australia. This figure has risen 4.5 points since 2011, and English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
Language diversity is high, as 24.1% of people use a language other than English at home. This is a little above the national average and has increased by 6.2 points since 2011.
About 43.6% of residents report having no religion, which is well above the national figure. This represents a significant shift over the last decade, rising 16 points since 2011.
The area is highly qualified, with 41.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national average. This trend has strengthened since 2011, with the share of graduates rising by 9.1 points.
Incomes are very high, with a typical weekly family income of $2,851, which is well above the national figure. Around 35.8% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, an increase of 15 points since 2011.
The community is generally healthy, with the share of people needing help with daily activities at 4.6%, which is a little below the national average. Long-term health conditions are also much lower than in most other areas.
Volunteerism is strong, with 18.1% of people volunteering, well above the national figure. The area also has a high number of former Defence Force members, at 6.1%.
Families tend to be larger than in most areas, with an average of 2.5 people per home. Couples with children make up nearly 60% of households.
Rent is higher than usual, with a typical weekly payment of $450. Separate houses are less common here than nationally, and the share of homes owned outright is well below the national figure.
While most people drive to work, 10.7% now work from home, a figure that has risen 8.1 points since 2011. Public transport use is also a little above the national average.
The population is quite mobile, with 45.7% of people having moved in the last five years. This is well above the national figure, alongside a high share of recent overseas arrivals.
Employment rates are very high, with 69.7% of adults working or looking for work. Many residents are employed in public administration and safety, and unemployment is much lower than in most other areas.
The area is very walkable, with a score of 6.9. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park, and 97.8% are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.