Charnwood vs Macgregor

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Macgregor, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Macgregor: a median of $840,000, against $742,000 in Charnwood, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Macgregor tends to suit 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

Charnwood

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 1)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (6 vs 3)
  • But Macgregor carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 76/100)

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

First-home buyers

Charnwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($742,000 vs $840,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Charnwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (32% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $464/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Charnwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (73/100 vs 39/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Charnwood is more walkable (73/100 vs 39/100)
  • Macgregor carries lower crime risk (29/100 vs 76/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Charnwood Macgregor
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.

Charnwood Macgregor
Walkability 73 / 39
Charnwood — Walkability: 73/100 Macgregor — Walkability: 39/100
Safety 24 / 71
Charnwood — Safety: 24/100 Macgregor — Safety: 71/100
Low fire risk 69 / 70
Charnwood — Low fire risk: 69/100 Macgregor — Low fire risk: 70/100
Low flood risk 100 / 53
Charnwood — Low flood risk: 100/100 Macgregor — Low flood risk: 53/100

Demographics

Macgregor has more residents (7,049 vs 3,055); Macgregor has higher household incomes ($121,888 vs $94,536).

Charnwood Macgregor
Population 3,055 7,049
+131% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.6% +3.7%
Median age 35 34
Median household income $94,536/yr $121,888/yr
+29% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $464/wk
+22% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Charnwood Macgregor
0-4 7.2% / 7.8%
Charnwood — 0-4: 7.2% Macgregor — 0-4: 7.8%
5-14 13.9% / 16.4%
Charnwood — 5-14: 13.9% Macgregor — 5-14: 16.4%
15-19 5.6% / 4.9%
Charnwood — 15-19: 5.6% Macgregor — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 5.2% / 5.1%
Charnwood — 20-24: 5.2% Macgregor — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 16.2% / 16.0%
Charnwood — 25-34: 16.2% Macgregor — 25-34: 16.0%
35-44 16.5% / 19.8%
Charnwood — 35-44: 16.5% Macgregor — 35-44: 19.8%
45-54 12.8% / 11.8%
Charnwood — 45-54: 12.8% Macgregor — 45-54: 11.8%
55-64 9.6% / 8.0%
Charnwood — 55-64: 9.6% Macgregor — 55-64: 8.0%
65-74 7.9% / 7.0%
Charnwood — 65-74: 7.9% Macgregor — 65-74: 7.0%
75-84 3.6% / 2.8%
Charnwood — 75-84: 3.6% Macgregor — 75-84: 2.8%
85+ 1.0% / 0.5%
Charnwood — 85+: 1.0% Macgregor — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Charnwood 37.1% couple families
Charnwood — Couple Families: 37.1% Charnwood — Lone Person: 34.3% Charnwood — One Parent Families: 22.9% Charnwood — Group Household: 4.1% Charnwood — Other Families: 1.7%
Macgregor 51.6% couple families
Macgregor — Couple Families: 51.6% Macgregor — Lone Person: 26.5% Macgregor — One Parent Families: 17.0% Macgregor — Group Household: 3.5% Macgregor — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Charnwood 31.7% renting
Charnwood — Owned Outright: 22.6% Charnwood — Mortgage: 45.7% Charnwood — Renting: 31.7%
Macgregor 20.6% renting
Macgregor — Owned Outright: 21.0% Macgregor — Mortgage: 58.4% Macgregor — Renting: 20.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Charnwood Macgregor
Certificate III & IV 15.5% / 12.2%
Charnwood — Certificate III & IV: 15.5% Macgregor — Certificate III & IV: 12.2%
Bachelor Degree 11.0% / 15.3%
Charnwood — Bachelor Degree: 11.0% Macgregor — Bachelor Degree: 15.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 9.0%
Charnwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Macgregor — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / 6.9%
Charnwood — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Macgregor — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 2.8%
Charnwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Macgregor — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.5%).

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.

Charnwood Macgregor
India 1.8% / 4.3%
Charnwood — India: 1.8% Macgregor — India: 4.3%
England 2.1% / 2.8%
Charnwood — England: 2.1% Macgregor — England: 2.8%
Philippines 2.2% / 1.9%
Charnwood — Philippines: 2.2% Macgregor — Philippines: 1.9%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.2%
Charnwood — New Zealand: 1.0% Macgregor — New Zealand: 1.2%
Vietnam 0.9% / 1.0%
Charnwood — Vietnam: 0.9% Macgregor — Vietnam: 1.0%
China 0.7% / 1.2%
Charnwood — China: 0.7% Macgregor — China: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Charnwood 87.5% houses
Charnwood — Houses: 87.5% Charnwood — Townhouses: 12.7% Charnwood — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Macgregor 90.6% houses
Macgregor — Houses: 90.6% Macgregor — Townhouses: 9.0% Macgregor — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Charnwood Macgregor
Median house price $742,000 $840,000
Median unit price — $616,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 18 days
from 30 sales
 20 days
from 81 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Charnwood Macgregor
3 bed $725K / $790K
Charnwood — 3 bed: $725K (44 sales) Macgregor — 3 bed: $790K (101 sales)

44 vs 101 sales

4 bed $885K / $976K
Charnwood — 4 bed: $885K (13 sales) Macgregor — 4 bed: $976K (39 sales)

13 vs 39 sales

Development activity

Charnwood Macgregor
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.

Charnwood Macgregor
Houses 4.4%
$580/wk on $690K
 4.3%
$650/wk on $785K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

Charnwood Macgregor
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 9% of ACT Higher than 46% of ACT
Schools Higher than 59% of ACT —
Walkability Higher than 72% of ACT Higher than 25% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 13% of ACT Higher than 10% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of ACT Higher than 61% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 58% of ACT Higher than 50% of ACT

Liveability

Charnwood is more walkable (73 vs 39); Charnwood scores higher overall (48 vs 35).

Charnwood Macgregor
Grade C
same for both
Score 48/100 35/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Macgregor carries more flood risk (47 vs 0); Charnwood carries more crime risk (76 vs 29).

Charnwood Macgregor
Bushfire Low
31/100
 Low
30/100
Crime High
76/100
 Low
29/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
47/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Charnwood Macgregor
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 7.2 km
 1
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 8.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.2% 1.5%

Schools in Charnwood

  • St Thomas Aquinas Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Charnwood-Dunlop School Government · Primary below peers
  • Brindabella Christian College - Charnwood campus Independent · Primary

Schools in Macgregor

  • Macgregor Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Charnwood Macgregor
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 6 0
Parks & reserves 7 1
Childcare 6 3
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 0 1

Mobility

Charnwood Macgregor
Walkability score 73/100 39/100
Distance to Canberra 16.8 km
+2% vs other
 16.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 25 min 24 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 35.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 105.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
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.

Charnwood Macgregor
Car (driver) 79.8% / 79.1%
Charnwood — Car (driver): 79.8% Macgregor — Car (driver): 79.1%
Worked from Home 9.2% / 10.7%
Charnwood — Worked from Home: 9.2% Macgregor — Worked from Home: 10.7%
Car (passenger) 5.5% / 5.3%
Charnwood — Car (passenger): 5.5% Macgregor — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Bus 4.4% / 4.1%
Charnwood — Bus: 4.4% Macgregor — Bus: 4.1%
Walked Only 0.8% / 0.5%
Charnwood — Walked Only: 0.8% Macgregor — Walked Only: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.8%).

Setting

Charnwood Macgregor
Elevation 581 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 553 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Charnwood Macgregor
Connectivity score 74/100 65/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 53%
1,343 premises
 36%
2,793 premises

Climate

Charnwood Macgregor
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)

Charnwood Macgregor
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

Charnwood Macgregor
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Charnwood Macgregor
Division Fenner
same for both
Member Andrew Leigh
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Charnwood Macgregor
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Charnwood

Affordable Large Blocks Middle-Ring Parks

Macgregor

Affordable Family Large Blocks Middle-Ring

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Charnwood

Charnwood vs Dunlop Charnwood vs Latham Charnwood vs Flynn Charnwood vs Fraser

Other comparisons with Macgregor

Macgregor vs Belconnen Macgregor vs Dunlop Macgregor vs Holt Macgregor vs Latham Macgregor vs Strathnairn
Full data on Charnwood Full data on Macgregor
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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