Belconnen vs Spence

Belconnen is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 38 in Spence. In Belconnen, most households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In Spence, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Belconnen is closer to the city centre: 13.2 km, against 16.3 km. On these figures, Belconnen tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone, while Spence suits families with children and couples.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Spence

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (93% vs 0%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (65% vs 25%)
  • carries lower crime risk (61/100 vs 90/100)
  • But Belconnen has more parks and reserves (12 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Spence

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($375/wk vs $430/wk)
  • But Belconnen has a bigger rental market to choose from (66% vs 20%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Belconnen sits closer to the CBD (13.2 km vs 16.3 km)
  • Spence is more walkable (57/100 vs 26/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Spence

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (57/100 vs 26/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (18% vs 9%)
  • carries lower crime risk (61/100 vs 90/100)
  • But Belconnen has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 8%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Where they sit

Belconnen and Spence drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Belconnen Spence
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Belconnen Spence
Walkability 26 / 57
Belconnen — Walkability: 26/100 Spence — Walkability: 57/100
Safety 10 / 39
Belconnen — Safety: 10/100 Spence — Safety: 39/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Belconnen — Low fire risk: 100/100 Spence — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 24 / 100
Belconnen — Low flood risk: 24/100 Spence — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Belconnen has more residents (8,502 vs 2,587); Spence has higher household incomes ($122,616 vs $92,352).

Belconnen Spence
Population 8,502
+70% vs other
 2,587
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +0.1%
Median age 30 38
Median household income $92,352/yr $122,616/yr
+33% vs other
Median weekly rent $430/wk
+13% vs other
 $375/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Belconnen Spence
0-4 4.5% / 6.0%
Belconnen — 0-4: 4.5% Spence — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 4.2% / 14.0%
Belconnen — 5-14: 4.2% Spence — 5-14: 14.0%
15-19 2.7% / 6.7%
Belconnen — 15-19: 2.7% Spence — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 15.6% / 5.5%
Belconnen — 20-24: 15.6% Spence — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 37.8% / 11.8%
Belconnen — 25-34: 37.8% Spence — 25-34: 11.8%
35-44 14.2% / 15.6%
Belconnen — 35-44: 14.2% Spence — 35-44: 15.6%
45-54 7.0% / 13.3%
Belconnen — 45-54: 7.0% Spence — 45-54: 13.3%
55-64 4.8% / 9.7%
Belconnen — 55-64: 4.8% Spence — 55-64: 9.7%
65-74 3.8% / 11.6%
Belconnen — 65-74: 3.8% Spence — 65-74: 11.6%
75-84 3.2% / 5.1%
Belconnen — 75-84: 3.2% Spence — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 2.2% / 1.0%
Belconnen — 85+: 2.2% Spence — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (37.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Belconnen 58.2% lone person
Belconnen — Lone Person: 58.2% Belconnen — Couple Families: 15.8% Belconnen — One Parent Families: 9.1% Belconnen — Group Household: 14.4% Belconnen — Other Families: 2.5%
Spence 29.1% lone person
Spence — Lone Person: 29.1% Spence — Couple Families: 49.2% Spence — One Parent Families: 15.8% Spence — Group Household: 3.9% Spence — Other Families: 2.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Belconnen 66.2% renting
Belconnen — Owned Outright: 11.8% Belconnen — Mortgage: 22.0% Belconnen — Renting: 66.2%
Spence 20.3% renting
Spence — Owned Outright: 33.5% Spence — Mortgage: 46.2% Spence — Renting: 20.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Belconnen Spence
Bachelor Degree 27.5% / 15.0%
Belconnen — Bachelor Degree: 27.5% Spence — Bachelor Degree: 15.0%
Postgraduate Degree 18.7% / 6.2%
Belconnen — Postgraduate Degree: 18.7% Spence — Postgraduate Degree: 6.2%
Certificate III & IV 6.3% / 12.7%
Belconnen — Certificate III & IV: 6.3% Spence — Certificate III & IV: 12.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.6% / 8.5%
Belconnen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6% Spence — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.5% / 3.9%
Belconnen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5% Spence — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.5%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Belconnen Spence
China 11.1% / 0.9%
Belconnen — China: 11.1% Spence — China: 0.9%
India 6.2% / 0.5%
Belconnen — India: 6.2% Spence — India: 0.5%
Nepal 5.7% / —
Belconnen — Nepal: 5.7% Spence — Nepal: not among its largest
England 2.0% / 2.9%
Belconnen — England: 2.0% Spence — England: 2.9%
Philippines 2.4% / —
Belconnen — Philippines: 2.4% Spence — Philippines: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.9%
Belconnen — Germany: not among its largest Spence — Germany: 0.9%
Scotland — / 0.6%
Belconnen — Scotland: not among its largest Spence — Scotland: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (11.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Belconnen 0.5% houses
Belconnen — Houses: 0.5% Belconnen — Flats / Apartments: 74.8% Belconnen — Townhouses: 24.7%
Spence 92.9% houses
Spence — Houses: 92.9% Spence — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Spence — Townhouses: 7.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Belconnen Spence
Median house price — $889,000
Median unit price — $582,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 19 days
from 47 sales

Development activity

Belconnen Spence
New dwellings approved 3,750
across Unincorporated ACT
same for both
Approvals change year on year -48%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Belconnen Spence
Houses — 5.1%
$840/wk on $850K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

Belconnen Spence
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 8% of ACT Higher than 49% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 17% of ACT Higher than 40% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 17% of ACT Higher than 21% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 66% of ACT Higher than 17% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 88% of ACT

Liveability

Spence is more walkable (57 vs 26); Spence scores higher overall (48 vs 24).

Belconnen Spence
Grade D C
Score 24/100 48/100
Socio-economic band — very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Belconnen carries more flood risk (76 vs 0); Belconnen carries more crime risk (90 vs 61).

Belconnen Spence
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
90/100
 Moderate
61/100
Flood High
76/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Belconnen Spence
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 6.4 km
 2
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 5.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 7.6% 1.5%

Schools in Belconnen

  • University of Canberra Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra Government · Secondary

Schools in Spence

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Belconnen Spence
Supermarkets 18 1
Cafes & restaurants 87 1
Parks & reserves 12 0
Childcare 8 3
GPs 9 0
Pharmacies 5 1
Police stations 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 9 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Beaches 6 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Spence sits further from the CBD (16.3 km vs 13.2 km).

Belconnen Spence
Walkability score 26/100 57/100
Distance to Canberra 13.2 km 16.3 km
+23% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 25 min 23 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 455.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 103.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 2615
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 2615
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Belconnen Spence
Car (driver) 52.8% / 75.3%
Belconnen — Car (driver): 52.8% Spence — Car (driver): 75.3%
Worked from Home 9.7% / 13.3%
Belconnen — Worked from Home: 9.7% Spence — Worked from Home: 13.3%
Bus 18.2% / 4.3%
Belconnen — Bus: 18.2% Spence — Bus: 4.3%
Walked Only 11.9% / 0.4%
Belconnen — Walked Only: 11.9% Spence — Walked Only: 0.4%
Car (passenger) 5.8% / 5.4%
Belconnen — Car (passenger): 5.8% Spence — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Bicycle 1.2% / 1.0%
Belconnen — Bicycle: 1.2% Spence — Bicycle: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.3%).

Setting

Belconnen Spence
Elevation 613 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 637 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Belconnen Spence
Connectivity score 69/100 45/100
Most common technology Fibre to the building Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 20%
5,370 premises
 0%
1,057 premises

Climate

Belconnen Spence
Annual rainfall 622 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 0.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Belconnen Spence
PM2.5 6.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.41 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Belconnen Spence
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Belconnen Spence
Division Fenner
same for both
Member Andrew Leigh
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Belconnen Spence
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Belconnen

Apartments Middle-Ring Multicultural Professionals Townhouses

Spence

Affordable Large Blocks Middle-Ring Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Belconnen

Belconnen vs Dunlop Belconnen vs Macgregor Belconnen vs Nicholls Belconnen vs Holt Belconnen vs Evatt Belconnen vs Crace

Other comparisons with Spence

Spence vs Evatt Spence vs Melba Spence vs Fraser
Full data on Belconnen Full data on Spence
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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