Griffith vs Kingston

Kingston is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Griffith. In Griffith, most households own their home, about half of homes are flats or apartments, and about half of households are people living alone. In Kingston, about half of households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. On these figures, Kingston 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

Griffith

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (36% vs 3%)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Kingston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($645,000 vs $2,225,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Griffith has cheaper rent ($462/wk vs $510/wk)
  • Kingston has a bigger rental market to choose from (51% vs 41%)

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

Commuting to the city

Griffith

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 78/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kingston

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (97% vs 64%)
  • But Griffith is more walkable (88/100 vs 78/100)

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

Investors

Kingston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (48.7% vs 16.5%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Griffith Kingston
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.

Griffith Kingston
Walkability 88 / 78
Griffith — Walkability: 88/100 Kingston — Walkability: 78/100
Safety 31 / 34
Griffith — Safety: 31/100 Kingston — Safety: 34/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Griffith — Low fire risk: 100/100 Kingston — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 39
Griffith — Low flood risk: 100/100 Kingston — Low flood risk: 39/100

Demographics

Kingston rents higher ($510/wk vs $462/wk); Griffith skews older (38 vs 35).

Griffith Kingston
Population 5,328 6,579
+23% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.5% +48.7%
Median age 38 35
Median household income $132,184/yr
+3% vs other
 $128,388/yr
Median weekly rent $462/wk $510/wk
+10% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Griffith Kingston
0-4 3.7% / 3.6%
Griffith — 0-4: 3.7% Kingston — 0-4: 3.6%
5-14 9.4% / 5.0%
Griffith — 5-14: 9.4% Kingston — 5-14: 5.0%
15-19 5.4% / 2.2%
Griffith — 15-19: 5.4% Kingston — 15-19: 2.2%
20-24 6.0% / 7.0%
Griffith — 20-24: 6.0% Kingston — 20-24: 7.0%
25-34 20.6% / 30.3%
Griffith — 25-34: 20.6% Kingston — 25-34: 30.3%
35-44 13.3% / 18.3%
Griffith — 35-44: 13.3% Kingston — 35-44: 18.3%
45-54 13.5% / 11.3%
Griffith — 45-54: 13.5% Kingston — 45-54: 11.3%
55-64 12.0% / 10.4%
Griffith — 55-64: 12.0% Kingston — 55-64: 10.4%
65-74 8.4% / 7.8%
Griffith — 65-74: 8.4% Kingston — 65-74: 7.8%
75-84 4.9% / 3.3%
Griffith — 75-84: 4.9% Kingston — 75-84: 3.3%
85+ 2.9% / 0.6%
Griffith — 85+: 2.9% Kingston — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Griffith 50.3% lone person
Griffith — Lone Person: 50.3% Griffith — Couple Families: 31.2% Griffith — Group Household: 7.9% Griffith — One Parent Families: 9.2% Griffith — Other Families: 1.3%
Kingston 64.2% lone person
Kingston — Lone Person: 64.2% Kingston — Couple Families: 15.5% Kingston — Group Household: 10.5% Kingston — One Parent Families: 8.8% Kingston — Other Families: 1.0%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Griffith 41.4% renting
Griffith — Owned Outright: 25.6% Griffith — Mortgage: 33.0% Griffith — Renting: 41.4%
Kingston 51.4% renting
Kingston — Owned Outright: 17.7% Kingston — Mortgage: 31.0% Kingston — Renting: 51.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Griffith Kingston
Bachelor Degree 28.2% / 30.6%
Griffith — Bachelor Degree: 28.2% Kingston — Bachelor Degree: 30.6%
Postgraduate Degree 19.2% / 20.2%
Griffith — Postgraduate Degree: 19.2% Kingston — Postgraduate Degree: 20.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.0% / 6.4%
Griffith — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0% Kingston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 5.3% / 6.5%
Griffith — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.3% Kingston — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 6.5%
Certificate III & IV 4.9% / 4.5%
Griffith — Certificate III & IV: 4.9% Kingston — Certificate III & IV: 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.6%).

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.

Griffith Kingston
England 4.2% / 3.7%
Griffith — England: 4.2% Kingston — England: 3.7%
India 1.9% / 1.4%
Griffith — India: 1.9% Kingston — India: 1.4%
China 1.7% / 1.5%
Griffith — China: 1.7% Kingston — China: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.5%
Griffith — New Zealand: 1.3% Kingston — New Zealand: 1.5%
Nepal 1.2% / —
Griffith — Nepal: 1.2% Kingston — Nepal: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.8%
Griffith — South Africa: not among its largest Kingston — South Africa: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Griffith 53.6% flats / apartments
Griffith — Flats / Apartments: 53.6% Griffith — Houses: 35.6% Griffith — Townhouses: 10.7%
Kingston 90.6% flats / apartments
Kingston — Flats / Apartments: 90.6% Kingston — Houses: 3.0% Kingston — Townhouses: 6.4%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Griffith Kingston
Median house price $2,225,000 $645,000
Median unit price $626,250 $670,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 43 days
from 37 sales
 25 days
from 8 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.

Griffith Kingston
1 bed $500K / $516K
Griffith — 1 bed: $500K (45 sales) Kingston — 1 bed: $516K (88 sales)

45 vs 88 sales

2 bed $640K / $702K
Griffith — 2 bed: $640K (119 sales) Kingston — 2 bed: $702K (164 sales)

119 vs 164 sales

3 bed $895K / $1.17M
Griffith — 3 bed: $895K (22 sales) Kingston — 3 bed: $1.17M (24 sales)

22 vs 24 sales

Development activity

Griffith Kingston
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.

Griffith Kingston
Houses 2.2%
$825/wk on $2M
 2.2%
$648/wk on $1.5M
Units 5.3%
$620/wk on $610K
 5.1%
$630/wk on $644K

Ranking within ACT

Griffith Kingston
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 64% of ACT Higher than 60% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 96% of ACT Higher than 79% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 91% of ACT Higher than 53% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 63% of ACT Higher than 74% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 2% of ACT Higher than 3% of ACT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 24% of ACT Higher than 20% of ACT

Liveability

Griffith scores higher overall (88 vs 76); Griffith is more walkable (88 vs 78).

Griffith Kingston
Grade A+ A
Score 88/100 76/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Kingston carries more flood risk (61 vs 0).

Griffith Kingston
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
69/100
 Moderate
66/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
61/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Griffith Kingston
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
UNSW Canberra, 2.1 km
 3
UNSW Canberra, 1.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.8% 1.7%

Schools in Griffith

  • St Clare's College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • St Edmund's College Canberra Independent · Combined

Schools in Kingston

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

Amenities in the suburb

Griffith Kingston
Supermarkets 3 1
Cafes & restaurants 21 40
Parks & reserves 4 3
Childcare 3 0
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 3 1
Banks & Bank@Post 3 1
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 2
same for both
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Griffith Kingston
Walkability score 88/100 78/100
Distance to Canberra 8.3 km
+4% vs other
 8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 17 min 15 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 72.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 66.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 4.6%
postcode 2603
 3.6%
postcode 2604
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 25
postcode 2603
 16
postcode 2604

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.

Griffith Kingston
Car (driver) 58.3% / 54.4%
Griffith — Car (driver): 58.3% Kingston — Car (driver): 54.4%
Worked from Home 14.6% / 14.8%
Griffith — Worked from Home: 14.6% Kingston — Worked from Home: 14.8%
Walked Only 8.7% / 12.8%
Griffith — Walked Only: 8.7% Kingston — Walked Only: 12.8%
Bus 7.2% / 7.6%
Griffith — Bus: 7.2% Kingston — Bus: 7.6%
Car (passenger) 7.0% / 5.2%
Griffith — Car (passenger): 7.0% Kingston — Car (passenger): 5.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.3%).

Setting

Griffith Kingston
Elevation 585 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 562 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Griffith Kingston
Connectivity score 66/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the building
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 22%
3,410 premises
 35%
4,325 premises

Climate

Griffith Kingston
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)

Griffith Kingston
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Griffith Kingston
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Griffith Kingston
Division Canberra
same for both
Member Alicia Payne
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Griffith Kingston
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Griffith

Apartments Cafe Culture Inner Parks Professionals

Kingston

Apartments Inner Parks Professionals River Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Griffith

Griffith vs Narrabundah Griffith vs Red Hill Griffith vs Barton Griffith vs Forrest Griffith vs Fyshwick

Other comparisons with Kingston

Kingston vs Barton Kingston vs Fyshwick
Full data on Griffith Full data on Kingston
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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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