Fastest growing Canberra suburbs (2016-2021)
Moncrieff grew fastest in percentage terms, at +4,957%. It also added the most residents, 5,204. Both figures are the change between the 2016-2021 Censuses, the most recent per-suburb measurement available. These 30 suburbs came from a field of 100 eligible Canberra suburbs.
This ranking shows which Canberra suburbs grew fastest between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses — once by percent change, and once by the sheer number of residents added, because those two questions have very different answers.
Percent growth and headcount growth are both real and they rarely agree. A suburb going from 100 residents to 5,000 has grown 4,900%, and a suburb going from 35,000 to 56,000 has grown 63% — but the second one added four times as many people. The first list finds the greenfield estates, the second finds the established corridors absorbing most of the actual growth. Both are ranked within Canberra's own pool. Note the period: the 2021 Census is the most recent per-suburb population count available in Australia, so this measures the five years to 2021 rather than the present day. Growth corridors tend to persist, but a suburb that has since filled up will still appear here.
Canberra suburbs that grew fastest, 2016-2021
Ranked on percent population change between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses. Percent growth favours suburbs starting from a small base, so greenfield estates built on former farmland dominate the top.
Moncrieff
ACT 2914 · 5,310 residents5,204 residents added · +4957% · 5,310 residents in 2021
Lawson
ACT 2617 · 2,739 residents2,591 residents added · +1751% · 2,739 residents in 2021
Coombs
ACT 2611 · 4,851 residents3,039 residents added · +168% · 4,851 residents in 2021
Greenway
ACT 2900 · 4,129 residents2,234 residents added · +118% · 4,129 residents in 2021
Phillip
ACT 2606 · 5,197 residents2,261 residents added · +77% · 5,197 residents in 2021
Dickson
ACT 2602 · 3,292 residents1,143 residents added · +53% · 3,292 residents in 2021
Kingston
ACT 2604 · 6,579 residents2,154 residents added · +49% · 6,579 residents in 2021
Gungahlin
ACT 2912 · 8,586 residents2,451 residents added · +40% · 8,586 residents in 2021
Wright
ACT 2611 · 3,808 residents1,054 residents added · +38% · 3,808 residents in 2021
Acton
ACT 2601 · 2,848 residents762 residents added · +36% · 2,848 residents in 2021
Barton
ACT 2600 · 1,946 residents506 residents added · +35% · 1,946 residents in 2021
Campbell
ACT 2612 · 6,564 residents1,567 residents added · +31% · 6,564 residents in 2021
Belconnen
ACT 2617 · 8,502 residents1,845 residents added · +28% · 8,502 residents in 2021
Holt
ACT 2615 · 5,628 residents1,008 residents added · +22% · 5,628 residents in 2021
Downer
ACT 2602 · 4,296 residents633 residents added · +17% · 4,296 residents in 2021
Ranked from 100 qualifying suburbs.
Canberra suburbs that added the most residents, 2016-2021
Ranked on the NUMBER of residents added between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses rather than the percentage, which surfaces the established growth corridors instead of small suburbs multiplying from near zero.
Moncrieff
ACT 2914 · 5,310 residents5,204 residents added · +4957% · 5,310 residents in 2021
Coombs
ACT 2611 · 4,851 residents3,039 residents added · +168% · 4,851 residents in 2021
Lawson
ACT 2617 · 2,739 residents2,591 residents added · +1751% · 2,739 residents in 2021
Gungahlin
ACT 2912 · 8,586 residents2,451 residents added · +40% · 8,586 residents in 2021
Phillip
ACT 2606 · 5,197 residents2,261 residents added · +77% · 5,197 residents in 2021
Greenway
ACT 2900 · 4,129 residents2,234 residents added · +118% · 4,129 residents in 2021
Kingston
ACT 2604 · 6,579 residents2,154 residents added · +49% · 6,579 residents in 2021
Belconnen
ACT 2617 · 8,502 residents1,845 residents added · +28% · 8,502 residents in 2021
Campbell
ACT 2612 · 6,564 residents1,567 residents added · +31% · 6,564 residents in 2021
Dickson
ACT 2602 · 3,292 residents1,143 residents added · +53% · 3,292 residents in 2021
Franklin
ACT 2913 · 7,484 residents1,064 residents added · +17% · 7,484 residents in 2021
Wright
ACT 2611 · 3,808 residents1,054 residents added · +38% · 3,808 residents in 2021
Holt
ACT 2615 · 5,628 residents1,008 residents added · +22% · 5,628 residents in 2021
Braddon
ACT 2612 · 6,383 residents882 residents added · +16% · 6,383 residents in 2021
Watson
ACT 2602 · 6,727 residents865 residents added · +15% · 6,727 residents in 2021
Ranked from 100 qualifying suburbs.
100% population growth, ranked within Canberra's candidate pool — once by percent change and once by residents added, because those two questions have different answers. Nothing else is blended in: a suburb that grew is not thereby better or worse to live in. The figures are the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the most recent per-suburb population counts published in Australia, so this measures the five years to 2021 rather than today. Suburbs missing either count are excluded rather than ranked as no-growth. See how we calculate for the full methodology.
Common questions about this ranking
What are the fastest growing Canberra suburbs (2016-2021)?
Moncrieff grew fastest in percentage terms, at +4,957%. It also added the most residents, 5,204. Both figures are the change between the 2016-2021 Censuses, the most recent per-suburb measurement available. These 30 suburbs came from a field of 100 eligible Canberra suburbs.
What period does this cover?
The 2016-2021 Censuses. The 2021 Census is the most recent per-suburb population count published in Australia, so this measures the five years to 2021 rather than the present day. Growth corridors tend to persist, but a suburb that has since filled up will still appear here, and one that took off after 2021 will not.
Why are there two different lists?
Because percent growth and headcount growth rarely agree, and both are real. A suburb going from 100 residents to 5,000 grew 4,900%; one going from 35,000 to 56,000 grew 63% but added four times as many people. The percent list finds greenfield estates built on former farmland; the headcount list finds the established corridors absorbing most of the actual growth. Presenting only one would hide half the answer.
Does fast growth make a suburb a good place to live?
This ranking does not say so, and deliberately blends nothing else in. Rapid growth can mean new housing, new schools and rising demand, or it can mean construction, strained roads and services that have not caught up — often both at once in the same suburb. Check the walkability, transport, schools and risk figures on each suburb's own page.
Which suburbs are eligible?
Suburbs in Canberra with at least 500 residents and a population figure in both Censuses. A suburb missing either count is left out rather than ranked as no-growth, and the top 15 are shown in each list.
Same list in other cities
- Fastest growing Sydney suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Melbourne suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Brisbane suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Perth suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Adelaide suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Hobart suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Darwin suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Newcastle suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Central Coast suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Sunshine Coast suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Gold Coast suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Wollongong suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Geelong suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Townsville suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Toowoomba suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Busselton suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Ballarat suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Cairns suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Albany suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Ballina suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Geraldton suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Warragul suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Bundaberg suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Launceston suburbs (2016-2021)
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- Fastest growing Rockhampton suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Mackay suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Albury – Wodonga suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Camden Haven suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Burnie suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Wagga Wagga suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Coffs Harbour suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Alice Springs suburbs (2016-2021)
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Related
Rankings last computed 12 October 2026. Recomputed after each ACARA schools data refresh.
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