Hackett vs Watson

Watson is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 40 in Hackett. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Hackett, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Hackett: a median of $1.27 million, against $1.17 million in Watson, though rent is higher in Watson. Hackett is closer to the city centre: 6.5 km, against 7.9 km. On these figures, Watson tends to suit young adults.

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

  • Hackett has more separate houses rather than flats (76% vs 58%)
  • Watson has more parks and reserves (8 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Hackett

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($368,000 vs $472,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Hackett has cheaper rent ($374/wk vs $437/wk)
  • Watson has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 24%)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Hackett has more residents already 65 and over (15% vs 10%)
  • Watson has more units and townhouses to downsize into (42% vs 24%)

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

Investors

They split

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

  • Hackett returns a higher gross yield on units (6.9% vs 6.2%)
  • Watson is growing faster (14.8% vs 7.9%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Hackett Watson
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.

Hackett Watson
Walkability 64 / 68
Hackett — Walkability: 64/100 Watson — Walkability: 68/100
Safety 44 / 36
Hackett — Safety: 44/100 Watson — Safety: 36/100
Low fire risk 32 / 64
Hackett — Low fire risk: 32/100 Watson — Low fire risk: 64/100
Low flood risk 100 / 81
Hackett — Low flood risk: 100/100 Watson — Low flood risk: 81/100

Demographics

Watson has more residents (6,727 vs 3,227); Hackett skews older (40 vs 34).

Hackett Watson
Population 3,227 6,727
+108% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.9% +14.8%
Median age 40 34
Median household income $136,396/yr
+8% vs other
 $125,528/yr
Median weekly rent $374/wk $437/wk
+17% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hackett Watson
0-4 5.5% / 6.5%
Hackett — 0-4: 5.5% Watson — 0-4: 6.5%
5-14 15.3% / 13.4%
Hackett — 5-14: 15.3% Watson — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 6.4% / 4.7%
Hackett — 15-19: 6.4% Watson — 15-19: 4.7%
20-24 4.7% / 6.6%
Hackett — 20-24: 4.7% Watson — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 10.4% / 18.9%
Hackett — 25-34: 10.4% Watson — 25-34: 18.9%
35-44 14.8% / 18.5%
Hackett — 35-44: 14.8% Watson — 35-44: 18.5%
45-54 16.1% / 12.8%
Hackett — 45-54: 16.1% Watson — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 11.7% / 9.1%
Hackett — 55-64: 11.7% Watson — 55-64: 9.1%
65-74 7.5% / 5.4%
Hackett — 65-74: 7.5% Watson — 65-74: 5.4%
75-84 5.2% / 3.1%
Hackett — 75-84: 5.2% Watson — 75-84: 3.1%
85+ 2.7% / 1.1%
Hackett — 85+: 2.7% Watson — 85+: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hackett 48.2% couple families
Hackett — Couple Families: 48.2% Hackett — Lone Person: 33.0% Hackett — One Parent Families: 12.4% Hackett — Group Household: 5.0% Hackett — Other Families: 1.5%
Watson 39.6% couple families
Watson — Couple Families: 39.6% Watson — Lone Person: 36.7% Watson — One Parent Families: 13.8% Watson — Group Household: 8.3% Watson — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Hackett 23.7% renting
Hackett — Owned Outright: 37.8% Hackett — Mortgage: 38.5% Hackett — Renting: 23.7%
Watson 33.9% renting
Watson — Owned Outright: 23.0% Watson — Mortgage: 43.1% Watson — Renting: 33.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Hackett Watson
Bachelor Degree 22.2% / 22.7%
Hackett — Bachelor Degree: 22.2% Watson — Bachelor Degree: 22.7%
Postgraduate Degree 16.7% / 16.8%
Hackett — Postgraduate Degree: 16.7% Watson — Postgraduate Degree: 16.8%
Certificate III & IV 5.3% / 6.4%
Hackett — Certificate III & IV: 5.3% Watson — Certificate III & IV: 6.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.9% / 6.2%
Hackett — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9% Watson — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 5.6% / 5.0%
Hackett — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.6% Watson — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.7%).

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.

Hackett Watson
England 4.1% / 2.8%
Hackett — England: 4.1% Watson — England: 2.8%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.4%
Hackett — New Zealand: 1.3% Watson — New Zealand: 1.4%
India 0.5% / 2.0%
Hackett — India: 0.5% Watson — India: 2.0%
China 0.7% / 1.7%
Hackett — China: 0.7% Watson — China: 1.7%
Vietnam — / 1.0%
Hackett — Vietnam: not among its largest Watson — Vietnam: 1.0%
Canada 0.7% / —
Hackett — Canada: 0.7% Watson — Canada: not among its largest
Greece 0.6% / —
Hackett — Greece: 0.6% Watson — Greece: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hackett 76.2% houses
Hackett — Houses: 76.2% Hackett — Townhouses: 14.4% Hackett — Flats / Apartments: 9.4%
Watson 57.9% houses
Watson — Houses: 57.9% Watson — Townhouses: 29.5% Watson — Flats / Apartments: 12.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Hackett Watson
Median house price $1,275,000 $1,172,500
Median unit price $368,000 $472,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 38 sales
 23 days
from 74 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.

Hackett Watson
3 bed $1.19M / $1.1M
Hackett — 3 bed: $1.19M (36 sales) Watson — 3 bed: $1.1M (47 sales)

36 vs 47 sales

4 bed $1.43M / $1.27M
Hackett — 4 bed: $1.43M (25 sales) Watson — 4 bed: $1.27M (34 sales)

25 vs 34 sales

5 bed $1.85M / $1.34M
Hackett — 5 bed: $1.85M (9 sales) Watson — 5 bed: $1.34M (5 sales)

9 vs 5 sales

Development activity

Hackett Watson
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.

Hackett Watson
Houses 4.0%
$908/wk on $1.2M
 4.2%
$740/wk on $925K
Units 6.9%
$490/wk on $370K
 6.2%
$550/wk on $462K

Ranking within ACT

Hackett Watson
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 71% of ACT Higher than 53% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 54% of ACT Higher than 61% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 85% of ACT Higher than 84% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 14% of ACT Higher than 73% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 29% of ACT Higher than 42% of ACT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 83% of ACT Higher than 59% of ACT

Liveability

Hackett Watson
Grade A B
Score 67/100 63/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Watson carries more flood risk (19 vs 0); Hackett carries more bushfire risk (68 vs 36).

Hackett Watson
Bushfire Moderate
68/100
 Low
36/100
Crime Moderate
56/100
 Moderate
64/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
19/100
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
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Hackett Watson
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Australian National University, 5.6 km
 3
Australian National University, 6.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.7% 3.0%

Schools in Hackett

  • Blue Gum Community School Independent · Combined

Schools in Watson

  • Majura Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Rosary Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Hackett Watson
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 1 3
Parks & reserves 1 8
Childcare 2 4
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Hackett Watson
Walkability score 64/100 68/100
Distance to Canberra 6.5 km 7.9 km
+22% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 13 min 15 min
Public transport score 72/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 24.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 113.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 4.3%
postcode 2602
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 30
postcode 2602
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.

Hackett Watson
Car (driver) 60.1% / 63.6%
Hackett — Car (driver): 60.1% Watson — Car (driver): 63.6%
Worked from Home 16.1% / 15.3%
Hackett — Worked from Home: 16.1% Watson — Worked from Home: 15.3%
Bicycle 11.6% / 6.8%
Hackett — Bicycle: 11.6% Watson — Bicycle: 6.8%
Car (passenger) 5.8% / 5.1%
Hackett — Car (passenger): 5.8% Watson — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Bus 4.2% / 4.9%
Hackett — Bus: 4.2% Watson — Bus: 4.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.6%).

Setting

Hackett Watson
Elevation 615 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 600 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Hackett Watson
Connectivity score 45/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 1%
1,360 premises
 55%
3,269 premises

Climate

Hackett Watson
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)

Hackett Watson
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Hackett Watson
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Hackett Watson
Division Canberra
same for both
Member Alicia Payne
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Hackett Watson
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Hackett

Inner Parks Premium Professionals

Watson

Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hackett

Hackett vs Ainslie Hackett vs Downer Hackett vs Dickson

Other comparisons with Watson

Watson vs Lyneham Watson vs Downer Watson vs Dickson
Full data on Hackett Full data on Watson
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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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