Garran vs Hughes

In both, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Garran: a median of $1.43 million, against $1.26 million in Hughes, and rent is higher there too. Hughes is closer to the city centre: 10.7 km, against 13.2 km.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Garran has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • Hughes carries lower crime risk (19/100 vs 62/100)

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

First-home buyers

Hughes

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($350,000 vs $740,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,260,000 vs $1,425,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Hughes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $550/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Hughes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (10.7 km vs 13.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Garran

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (39% vs 27%)
  • But Hughes carries lower crime risk (19/100 vs 62/100)

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

Investors

Hughes

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.0% vs 2.9%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Garran Hughes
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.

Garran Hughes
Walkability 73 / 69
Garran — Walkability: 73/100 Hughes — Walkability: 69/100
Safety 38 / 81
Garran — Safety: 38/100 Hughes — Safety: 81/100
Low fire risk 11 / 9
Garran — Low fire risk: 11/100 Hughes — Low fire risk: 9/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Garran — Low flood risk: 100/100 Hughes — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Garran rents higher ($550/wk vs $400/wk); Hughes skews older (43 vs 41).

Garran Hughes
Population 3,706
+13% vs other
 3,210
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.0% +7.4%
Median age 41 43
Median household income $155,220/yr
+6% vs other
 $145,444/yr
Median weekly rent $550/wk
+27% vs other
 $400/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Garran Hughes
0-4 5.2% / 4.6%
Garran — 0-4: 5.2% Hughes — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 15.5% / 14.0%
Garran — 5-14: 15.5% Hughes — 5-14: 14.0%
15-19 4.9% / 5.9%
Garran — 15-19: 4.9% Hughes — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 4.5% / 5.1%
Garran — 20-24: 4.5% Hughes — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 9.4% / 10.0%
Garran — 25-34: 9.4% Hughes — 25-34: 10.0%
35-44 15.7% / 13.0%
Garran — 35-44: 15.7% Hughes — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 13.1% / 13.3%
Garran — 45-54: 13.1% Hughes — 45-54: 13.3%
55-64 10.5% / 12.0%
Garran — 55-64: 10.5% Hughes — 55-64: 12.0%
65-74 9.2% / 9.0%
Garran — 65-74: 9.2% Hughes — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 8.1% / 6.7%
Garran — 75-84: 8.1% Hughes — 75-84: 6.7%
85+ 3.8% / 6.4%
Garran — 85+: 3.8% Hughes — 85+: 6.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Garran 52.9% couple families
Garran — Couple Families: 52.9% Garran — Lone Person: 32.0% Garran — One Parent Families: 10.9% Garran — Group Household: 3.1% Garran — Other Families: 1.1%
Hughes 48.8% couple families
Hughes — Couple Families: 48.8% Hughes — Lone Person: 34.0% Hughes — One Parent Families: 12.5% Hughes — Group Household: 3.7% Hughes — 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.

Garran 30.6% renting
Garran — Owned Outright: 36.7% Garran — Mortgage: 32.7% Garran — Renting: 30.6%
Hughes 24.9% renting
Hughes — Owned Outright: 37.8% Hughes — Mortgage: 37.3% Hughes — Renting: 24.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Garran Hughes
Bachelor Degree 22.3% / 23.5%
Garran — Bachelor Degree: 22.3% Hughes — Bachelor Degree: 23.5%
Postgraduate Degree 15.6% / 15.6%
Garran — Postgraduate Degree: 15.6% Hughes — Postgraduate Degree: 15.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.4% / 6.3%
Garran — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4% Hughes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Certificate III & IV 4.8% / 4.9%
Garran — Certificate III & IV: 4.8% Hughes — Certificate III & IV: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.0% / 5.0%
Garran — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.0% Hughes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.5%).

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.

Garran Hughes
India 6.8% / 2.6%
Garran — India: 6.8% Hughes — India: 2.6%
England 3.9% / 3.8%
Garran — England: 3.9% Hughes — England: 3.8%
New Zealand 1.3% / 2.0%
Garran — New Zealand: 1.3% Hughes — New Zealand: 2.0%
China 2.1% / 1.1%
Garran — China: 2.1% Hughes — China: 1.1%
Nepal 1.1% / 1.2%
Garran — Nepal: 1.1% Hughes — Nepal: 1.2%
Philippines 1.3% / —
Garran — Philippines: 1.3% Hughes — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Garran 61.0% houses
Garran — Houses: 61.0% Garran — Townhouses: 22.5% Garran — Flats / Apartments: 16.5%
Hughes 73.5% houses
Hughes — Houses: 73.5% Hughes — Townhouses: 13.2% Hughes — Flats / Apartments: 13.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Garran Hughes
Median house price $1,425,000 $1,260,000
Median unit price $740,000 $350,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 18 sales
 21 days
from 32 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.

Garran Hughes
3 bed $1.12M / $1.19M
Garran — 3 bed: $1.12M (18 sales) Hughes — 3 bed: $1.19M (32 sales)

18 vs 32 sales

4 bed $1.51M / $1.48M
Garran — 4 bed: $1.51M (20 sales) Hughes — 4 bed: $1.48M (25 sales)

20 vs 25 sales

5 bed $2.02M / $1.75M
Garran — 5 bed: $2.02M (7 sales) Hughes — 5 bed: $1.75M (7 sales)

7 vs 7 sales

Development activity

Garran Hughes
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.

Garran Hughes
Houses 2.9%
$800/wk on $1.45M
 4.0%
$850/wk on $1.09M
Units 4.2%
$620/wk on $760K
 —

Ranking within ACT

Garran Hughes
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 85% of ACT Higher than 81% of ACT
Schools Higher than 95% of ACT —
Walkability Higher than 73% of ACT Higher than 64% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 92% of ACT Higher than 94% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 20% of ACT Higher than 16% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 7% of ACT Higher than 35% of ACT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 10% of ACT —

Liveability

Garran Hughes
Grade A
same for both
Score 69/100
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Garran carries more crime risk (62 vs 19).

Garran Hughes
Bushfire High
89/100
 High
91/100
Crime Moderate
62/100
 Low
19/100
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Garran Hughes
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
UNSW Canberra, 4.8 km
 3
UNSW Canberra, 4.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.4%
same for both

Schools in Garran

  • Garran Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Sts Peter and Paul Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Malkara School Government · Primary · Special school

Schools in Hughes

  • Hughes Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Garran Hughes
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 3 1
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Childcare 6 3
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 2 1
Hospitals 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0

Mobility

Garran sits further from the CBD (13.2 km vs 10.7 km).

Garran Hughes
Walkability score 73/100 69/100
Distance to Canberra 13.2 km
+19% vs other
 10.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 19 min 16 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 63/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 92.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 17.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 4.6%
postcode 2605
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 37
postcode 2605
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.

Garran Hughes
Car (driver) 62.2% / 64.3%
Garran — Car (driver): 62.2% Hughes — Car (driver): 64.3%
Worked from Home 16.4% / 15.1%
Garran — Worked from Home: 16.4% Hughes — Worked from Home: 15.1%
Walked Only 9.4% / 6.5%
Garran — Walked Only: 9.4% Hughes — Walked Only: 6.5%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / 7.0%
Garran — Car (passenger): 5.9% Hughes — Car (passenger): 7.0%
Bus 3.9% / 3.5%
Garran — Bus: 3.9% Hughes — Bus: 3.5%
Bicycle 2.1% / 3.7%
Garran — Bicycle: 2.1% Hughes — Bicycle: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.3%).

Setting

Garran Hughes
Elevation 624 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 594 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Garran Hughes
Connectivity score 46/100 45/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
1,644 premises
 0%
1,285 premises

Climate

Garran Hughes
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)

Garran Hughes
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Garran Hughes
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Garran Hughes
Division Canberra
same for both
Member Alicia Payne
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Garran Hughes
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Garran

Inner Premium Professionals Quiet Townhouses

Hughes

Inner Premium Professionals Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Garran

Garran vs Phillip Garran vs Red Hill Garran vs O'Malley Garran vs Symonston

Other comparisons with Hughes

Hughes vs Curtin Hughes vs Phillip Hughes vs Red Hill Hughes vs Deakin
Full data on Garran Full data on Hughes
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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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