Gungahlin vs Nicholls

Gungahlin is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 44 in Nicholls. In Gungahlin, about half of households rent and about half of homes are flats or apartments. In Nicholls, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Nicholls: a median of $1.23 million, against $985,000 in Gungahlin, and rent is higher there too. Gungahlin is closer to the city centre: 13.5 km, against 15.4 km. On these figures, Gungahlin tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone, while Nicholls suits couples.

Gungahlin and Nicholls are quite different in character. Gungahlin is younger (median age 31 versus 44) and more walkable with a score of 86 compared to Nicholls' 50, though it sits closer to the CBD at 13.5 km. Nicholls has a notably higher median household income of $162,968 against Gungahlin's $114,816, and property prices are substantially higher across both houses and units. Gungahlin may suit those prioritising walkability and proximity to the city centre, while Nicholls appeals to buyers seeking a more affluent, established neighbourhood with higher incomes and property values.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Nicholls

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (89% vs 36%)
  • carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 84/100)
  • But Gungahlin has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Gungahlin

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($426,500 vs $800,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($985,000 vs $1,227,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Gungahlin

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (54% vs 15%)
  • has cheaper rent ($450/wk vs $502/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Gungahlin

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (8% vs 0%)
  • is more walkable (86/100 vs 50/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (20 min vs 30 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Gungahlin

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (9 vs 1)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (64% vs 11%)
  • is more walkable (86/100 vs 50/100)
  • But Nicholls has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 6%)

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

Investors

Gungahlin

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (40.0% vs -2.7%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gungahlin Nicholls
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.

Gungahlin Nicholls
Walkability 86 / 50
Gungahlin — Walkability: 86/100 Nicholls — Walkability: 50/100
Safety 16 / 57
Gungahlin — Safety: 16/100 Nicholls — Safety: 57/100
Low fire risk 10 / 12
Gungahlin — Low fire risk: 10/100 Nicholls — Low fire risk: 12/100
Low flood risk 58 / 45
Gungahlin — Low flood risk: 58/100 Nicholls — Low flood risk: 45/100

Demographics

Nicholls has higher household incomes ($162,968 vs $114,816); Nicholls skews older (44 vs 31).

Gungahlin Nicholls
Population 8,586
+22% vs other
 6,680
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +40.0% -2.7%
Median age 31 44
Median household income $114,816/yr $162,968/yr
+42% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk $502/wk
+12% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gungahlin Nicholls
0-4 6.5% / 4.0%
Gungahlin — 0-4: 6.5% Nicholls — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 9.4% / 13.1%
Gungahlin — 5-14: 9.4% Nicholls — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 5.1% / 7.1%
Gungahlin — 15-19: 5.1% Nicholls — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 9.5% / 7.1%
Gungahlin — 20-24: 9.5% Nicholls — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 27.8% / 8.7%
Gungahlin — 25-34: 27.8% Nicholls — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 16.5% / 10.8%
Gungahlin — 35-44: 16.5% Nicholls — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 11.6% / 17.2%
Gungahlin — 45-54: 11.6% Nicholls — 45-54: 17.2%
55-64 7.3% / 15.4%
Gungahlin — 55-64: 7.3% Nicholls — 55-64: 15.4%
65-74 4.2% / 10.6%
Gungahlin — 65-74: 4.2% Nicholls — 65-74: 10.6%
75-84 1.7% / 5.1%
Gungahlin — 75-84: 1.7% Nicholls — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 0.4% / 0.9%
Gungahlin — 85+: 0.4% Nicholls — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gungahlin 41.3% couple families
Gungahlin — Couple Families: 41.3% Gungahlin — Lone Person: 34.8% Gungahlin — One Parent Families: 12.0% Gungahlin — Group Household: 9.5% Gungahlin — Other Families: 2.3%
Nicholls 65.0% couple families
Nicholls — Couple Families: 65.0% Nicholls — Lone Person: 19.8% Nicholls — One Parent Families: 11.5% Nicholls — Group Household: 2.6% Nicholls — Other Families: 1.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Gungahlin 53.6% renting
Gungahlin — Owned Outright: 13.5% Gungahlin — Mortgage: 32.9% Gungahlin — Renting: 53.6%
Nicholls 14.8% renting
Nicholls — Owned Outright: 41.5% Nicholls — Mortgage: 43.7% Nicholls — Renting: 14.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Gungahlin Nicholls
Bachelor Degree 20.4% / 18.9%
Gungahlin — Bachelor Degree: 20.4% Nicholls — Bachelor Degree: 18.9%
Postgraduate Degree 14.2% / 10.7%
Gungahlin — Postgraduate Degree: 14.2% Nicholls — Postgraduate Degree: 10.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 8.9%
Gungahlin — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Nicholls — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Certificate III & IV 7.9% / 8.4%
Gungahlin — Certificate III & IV: 7.9% Nicholls — Certificate III & IV: 8.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 3.9%
Gungahlin — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Nicholls — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.4%).

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.

Gungahlin Nicholls
China 8.7% / 3.8%
Gungahlin — China: 8.7% Nicholls — China: 3.8%
India 7.5% / 2.3%
Gungahlin — India: 7.5% Nicholls — India: 2.3%
England 1.8% / 3.6%
Gungahlin — England: 1.8% Nicholls — England: 3.6%
Nepal 4.9% / —
Gungahlin — Nepal: 4.9% Nicholls — Nepal: not among its largest
Vietnam 1.9% / 1.4%
Gungahlin — Vietnam: 1.9% Nicholls — Vietnam: 1.4%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.3%
Gungahlin — New Zealand: 0.9% Nicholls — New Zealand: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gungahlin 35.5% houses
Gungahlin — Houses: 35.5% Gungahlin — Flats / Apartments: 47.1% Gungahlin — Townhouses: 17.4%
Nicholls 89.3% houses
Nicholls — Houses: 89.3% Nicholls — Flats / Apartments: 0.3% Nicholls — Townhouses: 10.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Gungahlin Nicholls
Median house price $985,000 $1,227,500
Median unit price $426,500 $800,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 56 sales
 22 days
from 86 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.

Gungahlin Nicholls
3 bed $850K / $930K
Gungahlin — 3 bed: $850K (23 sales) Nicholls — 3 bed: $930K (24 sales)

23 vs 24 sales

4 bed $1.08M / $1.22M
Gungahlin — 4 bed: $1.08M (31 sales) Nicholls — 4 bed: $1.22M (62 sales)

31 vs 62 sales

5 bed $1.14M / $1.52M
Gungahlin — 5 bed: $1.14M (9 sales) Nicholls — 5 bed: $1.52M (27 sales)

9 vs 27 sales

Development activity

Gungahlin Nicholls
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.

Gungahlin Nicholls
Houses 4.3%
$720/wk on $875K
 4.5%
$750/wk on $875K
Units 6.7%
$565/wk on $439K
 —

Ranking within ACT

Gungahlin Nicholls
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 26% of ACT Higher than 89% of ACT
Schools — Higher than 100% of ACT
Walkability Higher than 96% of ACT Higher than 34% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 28% of ACT Higher than 37% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 93% of ACT Higher than 90% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 46% of ACT Higher than 66% of ACT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 76% of ACT —

Liveability

Gungahlin is more walkable (86 vs 50); Nicholls scores higher overall (52 vs 39).

Gungahlin Nicholls
Grade C B
Score 39/100 52/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Gungahlin carries more crime risk (84 vs 43); Nicholls carries more flood risk (55 vs 42).

Gungahlin Nicholls
Bushfire High
90/100
 High
88/100
Crime High
84/100
 Moderate
43/100
Flood Moderate
42/100
 Moderate
55/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Gungahlin Nicholls
Inside the suburb 2 3
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 7.7 km
 2
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 6.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.1% 3.5%

Schools in Gungahlin

  • Burgmann Anglican School Independent · Combined
  • Gungahlin College Government · Secondary

Schools in Nicholls

  • Holy Spirit Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • St John Paul II College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Gold Creek School Government · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Gungahlin Nicholls
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 28 5
Parks & reserves 5 2
Childcare 11 8
GPs 9 1
Pharmacies 3 1
Police stations 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 7 0
Fuel stations 2
same for both
EV chargers 3 2
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Gungahlin Nicholls
Walkability score 86/100 50/100
Distance to Canberra 13.5 km 15.4 km
+14% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 20 min 30 min
Public transport score 94/100
Tram · Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 200.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 99.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.5%
postcode 2912
 2.7%
postcode 2913
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 19
postcode 2912
 47
postcode 2913

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.

Gungahlin Nicholls
Car (driver) 64.7% / 75.5%
Gungahlin — Car (driver): 64.7% Nicholls — Car (driver): 75.5%
Worked from Home 10.1% / 14.6%
Gungahlin — Worked from Home: 10.1% Nicholls — Worked from Home: 14.6%
Car (passenger) 6.6% / 6.3%
Gungahlin — Car (passenger): 6.6% Nicholls — Car (passenger): 6.3%
Tram / Light Rail 7.9% / 0.5%
Gungahlin — Tram / Light Rail: 7.9% Nicholls — Tram / Light Rail: 0.5%
Bus 5.0% / 1.7%
Gungahlin — Bus: 5.0% Nicholls — Bus: 1.7%
Walked Only 5.2% / 0.6%
Gungahlin — Walked Only: 5.2% Nicholls — Walked Only: 0.6%
Bicycle 0.4% / 0.8%
Gungahlin — Bicycle: 0.4% Nicholls — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.5%).

Setting

Gungahlin Nicholls
Elevation 627 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both

NBN connectivity

Gungahlin Nicholls
Connectivity score 100/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
3,690 premises
 100%
2,517 premises

Climate

Gungahlin Nicholls
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)

Gungahlin Nicholls
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

Gungahlin Nicholls
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Gungahlin Nicholls
Division Fenner
same for both
Member Andrew Leigh
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gungahlin Nicholls
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Gungahlin

Affordable Apartments Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Trams Transport Hub

Nicholls

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gungahlin

Gungahlin vs Ngunnawal Gungahlin vs Harrison Gungahlin vs Franklin Gungahlin vs Amaroo Gungahlin vs Palmerston Gungahlin vs Forde

Other comparisons with Nicholls

Nicholls vs Ngunnawal Nicholls vs Belconnen Nicholls vs Casey Nicholls vs Palmerston Nicholls vs Crace Nicholls vs Giralang
Full data on Gungahlin Full data on Nicholls
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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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