City vs Reid

City is the younger of the two, with a median age of 27 against 40 in Reid. In both, most households are people living alone. In City, most households rent and the large majority of homes are flats or apartments. In Reid, about half of households rent. Houses cost more in Reid: a median of $1.72 million, against $520,000 in City, though rent is higher in City. City is the city centre itself; Reid is 2.6 km out. On these figures, City tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone.

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

Reid

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (36% vs 0%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (28% vs 14%)
  • carries lower crime risk (85/100 vs 95/100)
  • But City has more parks and reserves (5 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • City has cheaper houses ($520,000 vs $1,715,000)
  • Reid has cheaper units ($499,000 vs $570,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Reid

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 25%)
  • has cheaper rent ($430/wk vs $550/wk)
  • But City has a bigger rental market to choose from (63% vs 47%)

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

Commuting to the city

City

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (0.5 km vs 2.6 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (2 min vs 8 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • City has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • Reid has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 6%)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • City is growing faster (13.1% vs -5.6%)
  • Reid returns a higher gross yield on units (6.8% vs 5.7%)

Weighs unit yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

City Reid
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.

City Reid
Walkability 88 / 90
City — Walkability: 88/100 Reid — Walkability: 90/100
Safety 5 / 15
City — Safety: 5/100 Reid — Safety: 15/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
City — Low fire risk: 100/100 Reid — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
City — Low flood risk: 100/100 Reid — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

City has more residents (4,835 vs 1,544); Reid skews older (40 vs 27).

City Reid
Population 4,835
+68% vs other
 1,544
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.1% -5.6%
Median age 27 40
Median household income $116,064/yr $118,144/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $550/wk
+22% vs other
 $430/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

City Reid
0-4 1.4% / 3.4%
City — 0-4: 1.4% Reid — 0-4: 3.4%
5-14 1.6% / 4.7%
City — 5-14: 1.6% Reid — 5-14: 4.7%
15-19 12.7% / 4.1%
City — 15-19: 12.7% Reid — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 24.7% / 12.0%
City — 20-24: 24.7% Reid — 20-24: 12.0%
25-34 30.0% / 19.8%
City — 25-34: 30.0% Reid — 25-34: 19.8%
35-44 10.9% / 11.3%
City — 35-44: 10.9% Reid — 35-44: 11.3%
45-54 7.3% / 10.8%
City — 45-54: 7.3% Reid — 45-54: 10.8%
55-64 5.7% / 14.9%
City — 55-64: 5.7% Reid — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 3.8% / 11.5%
City — 65-74: 3.8% Reid — 65-74: 11.5%
75-84 1.5% / 6.2%
City — 75-84: 1.5% Reid — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 0.5% / 1.2%
City — 85+: 0.5% Reid — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

City 68.7% lone person
City — Lone Person: 68.7% City — Group Household: 15.8% City — Couple Families: 8.8% City — One Parent Families: 5.0% City — Other Families: 1.6%
Reid 56.1% lone person
Reid — Lone Person: 56.1% Reid — Group Household: 14.8% Reid — Couple Families: 20.5% Reid — One Parent Families: 7.5% Reid — Other Families: 1.2%
Lone Person Group Household Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

City 62.9% renting
City — Owned Outright: 15.7% City — Mortgage: 21.3% City — Renting: 62.9%
Reid 46.9% renting
Reid — Owned Outright: 30.8% Reid — Mortgage: 22.3% Reid — Renting: 46.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

City Reid
China 16.2% / 2.1%
City — China: 16.2% Reid — China: 2.1%
England 2.3% / 4.3%
City — England: 2.3% Reid — England: 4.3%
India 3.5% / 2.7%
City — India: 3.5% Reid — India: 2.7%
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.4%
City — New Zealand: 1.4% Reid — New Zealand: 1.4%
Malaysia 1.7% / 1.0%
City — Malaysia: 1.7% Reid — Malaysia: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

Qualifications

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

City Reid
Bachelor Degree 26.6% / 25.6%
City — Bachelor Degree: 26.6% Reid — Bachelor Degree: 25.6%
Postgraduate Degree 19.1% / 18.8%
City — Postgraduate Degree: 19.1% Reid — Postgraduate Degree: 18.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.4% / 6.9%
City — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4% Reid — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.3% / 5.6%
City — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3% Reid — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.6%
Certificate III & IV 3.9% / 4.0%
City — Certificate III & IV: 3.9% Reid — Certificate III & IV: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

City 100.0% flats / apartments
City — Flats / Apartments: 100.0% City — Houses: 0.0% City — Townhouses: 0.0%
Reid 41.9% flats / apartments
Reid — Flats / Apartments: 41.9% Reid — Houses: 36.2% Reid — Townhouses: 22.0%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

City Reid
Median house price $520,000 $1,715,000
Median unit price $570,000 $499,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 22 days
from 15 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

City Reid
1 bed $462K / $430K
City — 1 bed: $462K (70 sales) Reid — 1 bed: $430K (17 sales)

70 vs 17 sales

2 bed $665K / $547K
City — 2 bed: $665K (75 sales) Reid — 2 bed: $547K (20 sales)

75 vs 20 sales

3 bed $1M / $920K
City — 3 bed: $1M (9 sales) Reid — 3 bed: $920K (5 sales)

9 vs 5 sales

Development activity

City Reid
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.

City Reid
Houses —
same for both
Units 5.7%
$650/wk on $589K
 6.8%
$645/wk on $492K

Ranking within ACT

City Reid
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 29% of ACT Higher than 37% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 97% of ACT Higher than 99% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 99% of ACT Higher than 61% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of ACT Higher than 49% of ACT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 34% of ACT Higher than 80% of ACT

Liveability

City scores higher overall (91 vs 85).

City Reid
Grade A+
same for both
Score 91/100 85/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

City carries more crime risk (95 vs 85).

City Reid
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
95/100
 High
85/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

City Reid
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
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 3
Australian National University, 2.4 km
 3
UNSW Canberra, 2.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 24.5% 6.3%

Amenities in the suburb

City Reid
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 131 0
Parks & reserves 5 1
Childcare 1 2
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Police stations 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 12 0
EV chargers 4 0

Mobility

Reid sits further from the CBD (2.6 km vs 0.5 km).

City Reid
Walkability score 88/100 90/100
Distance to Canberra 0.5 km 2.6 km
+420% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 2 min 8 min
Public transport score 93/100
Tram · Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 449.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 51.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 7.1%
postcode 2601
 3.7%
postcode 2612
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 3
postcode 2601
 10
postcode 2612

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.

City Reid
Car (driver) 31.6% / 41.1%
City — Car (driver): 31.6% Reid — Car (driver): 41.1%
Walked Only 34.4% / 23.1%
City — Walked Only: 34.4% Reid — Walked Only: 23.1%
Worked from Home 14.2% / 15.9%
City — Worked from Home: 14.2% Reid — Worked from Home: 15.9%
Bus 12.4% / 9.8%
City — Bus: 12.4% Reid — Bus: 9.8%
Bicycle 3.1% / 6.9%
City — Bicycle: 3.1% Reid — Bicycle: 6.9%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 2.8%
City — Car (passenger): 3.2% Reid — Car (passenger): 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (41.1%).

Setting

City Reid
Elevation 571 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 567 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

City Reid
Connectivity score 80/100 55/100
Most common technology Fibre to the building Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 46%
4,885 premises
 18%
1,045 premises

Climate

City Reid
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)

City Reid
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

City Reid
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

City Reid
Division Canberra
same for both
Member Alicia Payne
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

City Reid
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

City

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Multicultural Parks Professionals Students Trams Transport Hub Urban

Reid

Apartments Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with City

City vs Braddon City vs Turner City vs Acton

Other comparisons with Reid

Reid vs Campbell Reid vs Braddon Reid vs Ainslie
Full data on City Full data on Reid
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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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