Isabella Plains vs Gordon

In both, the large majority of households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Isabella Plains is closer to the city centre: 25.5 km, against 28.7 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Gordon

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($580,000 vs $690,500)

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

They split

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

  • Isabella Plains sits closer to the CBD (25.5 km vs 28.7 km)
  • Gordon is more walkable (71/100 vs 61/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Gordon

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (71/100 vs 61/100)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Isabella Plains returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.3% vs 4.2%)
  • Gordon is growing faster (3.7% vs -1.7%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Isabella Plains Gordon
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.

Isabella Plains Gordon
Walkability 61 / 71
Isabella Plains — Walkability: 61/100 Gordon — Walkability: 71/100
Safety 74 / 79
Isabella Plains — Safety: 74/100 Gordon — Safety: 79/100
Low fire risk 10 / 2
Isabella Plains — Low fire risk: 10/100 Gordon — Low fire risk: 2/100
Low flood risk 43 / 100
Isabella Plains — Low flood risk: 43/100 Gordon — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Gordon has more residents (7,892 vs 4,329); Gordon skews older (38 vs 36).

Isabella Plains Gordon
Population 4,329 7,892
+82% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.7% +3.7%
Median age 36 38
Median household income $110,812/yr $120,692/yr
+9% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+7% vs other
 $420/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Isabella Plains Gordon
0-4 7.1% / 6.5%
Isabella Plains — 0-4: 7.1% Gordon — 0-4: 6.5%
5-14 13.8% / 12.9%
Isabella Plains — 5-14: 13.8% Gordon — 5-14: 12.9%
15-19 5.3% / 5.7%
Isabella Plains — 15-19: 5.3% Gordon — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 5.7% / 6.5%
Isabella Plains — 20-24: 5.7% Gordon — 20-24: 6.5%
25-34 15.9% / 13.8%
Isabella Plains — 25-34: 15.9% Gordon — 25-34: 13.8%
35-44 13.9% / 12.6%
Isabella Plains — 35-44: 13.9% Gordon — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 11.6% / 14.2%
Isabella Plains — 45-54: 11.6% Gordon — 45-54: 14.2%
55-64 13.0% / 14.1%
Isabella Plains — 55-64: 13.0% Gordon — 55-64: 14.1%
65-74 7.5% / 7.7%
Isabella Plains — 65-74: 7.5% Gordon — 65-74: 7.7%
75-84 4.3% / 4.3%
Isabella Plains — 75-84: 4.3% Gordon — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 1.9% / 1.7%
Isabella Plains — 85+: 1.9% Gordon — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Isabella Plains 47.3% couple families
Isabella Plains — Couple Families: 47.3% Isabella Plains — Lone Person: 30.6% Isabella Plains — One Parent Families: 17.7% Isabella Plains — Group Household: 3.0% Isabella Plains — Other Families: 1.5%
Gordon 48.7% couple families
Gordon — Couple Families: 48.7% Gordon — Lone Person: 29.4% Gordon — One Parent Families: 18.5% Gordon — Group Household: 2.3% Gordon — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Isabella Plains 20.2% renting
Isabella Plains — Owned Outright: 29.4% Isabella Plains — Mortgage: 50.4% Isabella Plains — Renting: 20.2%
Gordon 19.8% renting
Gordon — Owned Outright: 28.0% Gordon — Mortgage: 52.2% Gordon — Renting: 19.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Isabella Plains Gordon
Certificate III & IV 14.2% / 14.2%
Isabella Plains — Certificate III & IV: 14.2% Gordon — Certificate III & IV: 14.2%
Bachelor Degree 12.8% / 12.7%
Isabella Plains — Bachelor Degree: 12.8% Gordon — Bachelor Degree: 12.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 10.0%
Isabella Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Gordon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0%
Postgraduate Degree 4.1% / 4.4%
Isabella Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1% Gordon — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 2.5%
Isabella Plains — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Gordon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.2%).

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.

Isabella Plains Gordon
India 4.3% / 2.8%
Isabella Plains — India: 4.3% Gordon — India: 2.8%
England 2.7% / 3.1%
Isabella Plains — England: 2.7% Gordon — England: 3.1%
Philippines 1.8% / 1.4%
Isabella Plains — Philippines: 1.8% Gordon — Philippines: 1.4%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.1%
Isabella Plains — New Zealand: 1.0% Gordon — New Zealand: 1.1%
Vietnam 1.3% / 0.7%
Isabella Plains — Vietnam: 1.3% Gordon — Vietnam: 0.7%
Sri Lanka 0.7% / 0.7%
Isabella Plains — Sri Lanka: 0.7% Gordon — Sri Lanka: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Isabella Plains 75.1% houses
Isabella Plains — Houses: 75.1% Isabella Plains — Townhouses: 24.4% Isabella Plains — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Gordon 69.1% houses
Gordon — Houses: 69.1% Gordon — Townhouses: 29.4% Gordon — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Isabella Plains Gordon
Median house price $856,000 $917,516
Median unit price $690,500 $580,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 36 sales
 22 days
from 53 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.

Isabella Plains Gordon
3 bed $810K / $784K
Isabella Plains — 3 bed: $810K (58 sales) Gordon — 3 bed: $784K (64 sales)

58 vs 64 sales

4 bed $945K / $1.04M
Isabella Plains — 4 bed: $945K (24 sales) Gordon — 4 bed: $1.04M (46 sales)

24 vs 46 sales

5 bed $1.02M / $1.22M
Isabella Plains — 5 bed: $1.02M (7 sales) Gordon — 5 bed: $1.22M (7 sales)

7 vs 7 sales

Development activity

Isabella Plains Gordon
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.

Isabella Plains Gordon
Houses 5.3%
$800/wk on $779K
 4.2%
$675/wk on $845K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

Isabella Plains Gordon
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 19% of ACT Higher than 42% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 49% of ACT Higher than 67% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 3% of ACT Higher than 7% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 30% of ACT Higher than 72% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 95% of ACT Higher than 41% of ACT

Liveability

Gordon scores higher overall (38 vs 16); Gordon is more walkable (71 vs 61).

Isabella Plains Gordon
Grade D C
Score 16/100 38/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Isabella Plains carries more flood risk (57 vs 0).

Isabella Plains Gordon
Bushfire High
90/100
 High
98/100
Crime Low
26/100
 Low
21/100
Flood Moderate
57/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Isabella Plains Gordon
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Isabella Plains

  • St Mary MacKillop College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Isabella Plains Early Childhood School Government · Primary

Schools in Gordon

  • Gordon Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Covenant Christian School Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Isabella Plains Gordon
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 1
same for both
Childcare 3 5
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 1 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Gordon sits further from the CBD (28.7 km vs 25.5 km).

Isabella Plains Gordon
Walkability score 61/100 71/100
Distance to Canberra 25.5 km 28.7 km
+13% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 28 min 31 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 52.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 126.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2905
 1.7%
postcode 2906
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2905
 46
postcode 2906

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.

Isabella Plains Gordon
Car (driver) 79.7% / 79.6%
Isabella Plains — Car (driver): 79.7% Gordon — Car (driver): 79.6%
Worked from Home 9.8% / 10.3%
Isabella Plains — Worked from Home: 9.8% Gordon — Worked from Home: 10.3%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / 5.6%
Isabella Plains — Car (passenger): 5.9% Gordon — Car (passenger): 5.6%
Bus 3.9% / 3.4%
Isabella Plains — Bus: 3.9% Gordon — Bus: 3.4%
Walked Only 0.5% / 0.5%
Isabella Plains — Walked Only: 0.5% Gordon — Walked Only: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.7%).

Setting

Isabella Plains Gordon
Elevation 596 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 577 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Isabella Plains Gordon
Connectivity score 47/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 4%
1,619 premises
 47%
3,162 premises

Climate

Isabella Plains Gordon
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)

Isabella Plains Gordon
PM2.5 7.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.32 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Isabella Plains Gordon
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Isabella Plains Gordon
Division Bean
same for both
Member David Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Isabella Plains Gordon
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Isabella Plains

Affordable Middle-Ring Quiet Townhouses

Gordon

Outer Quiet Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Isabella Plains

Isabella Plains vs Calwell Isabella Plains vs Monash Isabella Plains vs Greenway Isabella Plains vs Bonython Isabella Plains vs Gowrie Isabella Plains vs Richardson

Other comparisons with Gordon

Gordon vs Calwell Gordon vs Conder Gordon vs Banks Gordon vs Bonython
Full data on Isabella Plains Full data on Gordon
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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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