Coombs vs Duffy

Coombs is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 39 in Duffy. In both, most households own their home and about half of households are couple families. In Duffy, the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Coombs tends to suit young adults and families with children.

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

Duffy

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (87% vs 37%)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 51/100)

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

First-home buyers

Coombs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($572,500 vs $700,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Coombs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (72/100 vs 57/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Coombs has more units and townhouses to downsize into (63% vs 13%)
  • Duffy has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 3%)

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

Investors

Coombs

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (167.9% vs 7.4%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.3% vs 4.3%)
  • But Duffy returns a higher gross yield on units (7.1% vs 6.3%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Coombs Duffy
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.

Coombs Duffy
Walkability 72 / 57
Coombs — Walkability: 72/100 Duffy — Walkability: 57/100
Safety 49 / 67
Coombs — Safety: 49/100 Duffy — Safety: 67/100
Low fire risk 1 / 1
Coombs — Low fire risk: 1/100 Duffy — Low fire risk: 1/100
Low flood risk 36 / 84
Coombs — Low flood risk: 36/100 Duffy — Low flood risk: 84/100

Demographics

Coombs has more residents (4,851 vs 3,395); Duffy skews older (39 vs 30).

Coombs Duffy
Population 4,851
+30% vs other
 3,395
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +167.9% +7.4%
Median age 30 39
Median household income $136,968/yr
+2% vs other
 $134,836/yr
Median weekly rent $480/wk
+7% vs other
 $445/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coombs Duffy
0-4 9.2% / 5.7%
Coombs — 0-4: 9.2% Duffy — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 15.0% / 13.6%
Coombs — 5-14: 15.0% Duffy — 5-14: 13.6%
15-19 4.7% / 6.7%
Coombs — 15-19: 4.7% Duffy — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 6.7% / 5.7%
Coombs — 20-24: 6.7% Duffy — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 26.0% / 11.1%
Coombs — 25-34: 26.0% Duffy — 25-34: 11.1%
35-44 21.3% / 13.6%
Coombs — 35-44: 21.3% Duffy — 35-44: 13.6%
45-54 9.5% / 15.3%
Coombs — 45-54: 9.5% Duffy — 45-54: 15.3%
55-64 4.6% / 11.5%
Coombs — 55-64: 4.6% Duffy — 55-64: 11.5%
65-74 2.3% / 8.9%
Coombs — 65-74: 2.3% Duffy — 65-74: 8.9%
75-84 0.8% / 6.2%
Coombs — 75-84: 0.8% Duffy — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 0.2% / 1.7%
Coombs — 85+: 0.2% Duffy — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Coombs 51.0% couple families
Coombs — Couple Families: 51.0% Coombs — Lone Person: 26.3% Coombs — One Parent Families: 14.1% Coombs — Group Household: 7.1% Coombs — Other Families: 1.5%
Duffy 51.3% couple families
Duffy — Couple Families: 51.3% Duffy — Lone Person: 27.9% Duffy — One Parent Families: 15.8% Duffy — Group Household: 4.2% Duffy — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Coombs 28.1% renting
Coombs — Owned Outright: 7.4% Coombs — Mortgage: 64.5% Coombs — Renting: 28.1%
Duffy 19.2% renting
Duffy — Owned Outright: 37.4% Duffy — Mortgage: 43.4% Duffy — Renting: 19.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coombs Duffy
Bachelor Degree 23.4% / 19.6%
Coombs — Bachelor Degree: 23.4% Duffy — Bachelor Degree: 19.6%
Postgraduate Degree 14.5% / 11.0%
Coombs — Postgraduate Degree: 14.5% Duffy — Postgraduate Degree: 11.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.2% / 8.3%
Coombs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2% Duffy — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Certificate III & IV 6.0% / 9.1%
Coombs — Certificate III & IV: 6.0% Duffy — Certificate III & IV: 9.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.0% / 4.7%
Coombs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0% Duffy — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.4%).

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.

Coombs Duffy
India 9.0% / 1.5%
Coombs — India: 9.0% Duffy — India: 1.5%
England 1.8% / 4.2%
Coombs — England: 1.8% Duffy — England: 4.2%
Nepal 4.6% / —
Coombs — Nepal: 4.6% Duffy — Nepal: not among its largest
China 2.8% / 0.7%
Coombs — China: 2.8% Duffy — China: 0.7%
Philippines 2.9% / 0.5%
Coombs — Philippines: 2.9% Duffy — Philippines: 0.5%
Pakistan 1.8% / 0.4%
Coombs — Pakistan: 1.8% Duffy — Pakistan: 0.4%
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Coombs — New Zealand: not among its largest Duffy — New Zealand: 1.2%
Germany — / 0.7%
Coombs — Germany: not among its largest Duffy — Germany: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Coombs 37.3% houses
Coombs — Houses: 37.3% Coombs — Townhouses: 34.6% Coombs — Flats / Apartments: 28.1%
Duffy 87.4% houses
Duffy — Houses: 87.4% Duffy — Townhouses: 7.9% Duffy — Flats / Apartments: 4.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Coombs Duffy
Median house price $1,050,000 $968,750
Median unit price $572,500 $700,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 25 sales
 23 days
from 25 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.

Coombs Duffy
3 bed $900K / $951K
Coombs — 3 bed: $900K (11 sales) Duffy — 3 bed: $951K (18 sales)

11 vs 18 sales

4 bed $1.35M / $1.1M
Coombs — 4 bed: $1.35M (23 sales) Duffy — 4 bed: $1.1M (22 sales)

23 vs 22 sales

Development activity

Coombs Duffy
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.

Coombs Duffy
Houses 5.3%
$720/wk on $710K
 4.3%
$760/wk on $910K
Units 6.3%
$600/wk on $499K
 7.1%
$560/wk on $410K

Ranking within ACT

Coombs Duffy
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 71% of ACT Higher than 68% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 69% of ACT Higher than 39% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 73% of ACT Higher than 70% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 93% of ACT Higher than 25% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 91% of ACT Higher than 55% of ACT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 63% of ACT Higher than 88% of ACT

Liveability

Coombs is more walkable (72 vs 57).

Coombs Duffy
Grade C
same for both
Score 43/100 42/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Coombs carries more flood risk (64 vs 16); Coombs carries more crime risk (51 vs 33).

Coombs Duffy
Bushfire High
99/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Low
33/100
Flood Moderate
64/100
 Low
16/100
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

Coombs Duffy
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Australian National University, 7.9 km
 1
Australian National University, 9.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.5% 2.2%

Schools in Coombs

  • Charles Weston School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Duffy

  • Duffy Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Coombs Duffy
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 3 2
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 7 0

Mobility

Coombs Duffy
Walkability score 72/100 57/100
Distance to Canberra 14.3 km 14.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 19 min
same for both
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 43.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 82.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 4.0%
postcode 2611
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2611
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.

Coombs Duffy
Car (driver) 75.2% / 71.2%
Coombs — Car (driver): 75.2% Duffy — Car (driver): 71.2%
Worked from Home 10.6% / 15.0%
Coombs — Worked from Home: 10.6% Duffy — Worked from Home: 15.0%
Car (passenger) 6.0% / 6.0%
Coombs — Car (passenger): 6.0% Duffy — Car (passenger): 6.0%
Bus 6.6% / 4.4%
Coombs — Bus: 6.6% Duffy — Bus: 4.4%
Bicycle 0.8% / 2.7%
Coombs — Bicycle: 0.8% Duffy — Bicycle: 2.7%
Walked Only 0.9% / 0.3%
Coombs — Walked Only: 0.9% Duffy — Walked Only: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.2%).

Setting

Coombs Duffy
Elevation 561 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 594 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Coombs Duffy
Connectivity score 100/100 46/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
2,384 premises
 2%
1,464 premises

Climate

Coombs Duffy
Annual rainfall 686 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.2°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 0.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Coombs Duffy
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Coombs Duffy
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Coombs Duffy
Division Bean
same for both
Member David Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Coombs Duffy
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Coombs

Family Middle-Ring Multicultural Professionals River Townhouses Young Families

Duffy

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Professionals Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coombs

Coombs vs Weston Coombs vs Wright Coombs vs Holder Coombs vs Denman Prospect

Other comparisons with Duffy

Duffy vs Wright Duffy vs Rivett Duffy vs Chapman Duffy vs Holder
Full data on Coombs Full data on Duffy
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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