Isabella Plains vs Richardson

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Isabella Plains, about half of households are couple families.

Isabella Plains has a larger population of 4,329 compared to Richardson's 3,058, and notably lower crime risk at 26 versus Richardson's 73. Both suburbs share the same median age of 36 years and bushfire risk rating. Isabella Plains edges ahead on median household income ($110,812 versus $106,236) and liveability score (16 versus 13), though Richardson sits slightly closer to the CBD at 24.8 km. Rental costs are higher in Isabella Plains at $450 weekly versus $391, and it carries greater flood risk; however, Isabella Plains may better suit buyers prioritising a safer, more established community with stronger income levels.

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

They split

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

  • Isabella Plains carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 73/100)
  • Richardson has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 75%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Richardson

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($391/wk vs $450/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Isabella Plains

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (25% vs 4%)
  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 73/100)

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

Investors

Isabella Plains

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.3% vs 4.7%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Isabella Plains and Richardson 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 Richardson
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 Richardson
Walkability 61 / 63
Isabella Plains — Walkability: 61/100 Richardson — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 74 / 27
Isabella Plains — Safety: 74/100 Richardson — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 10 / 10
Isabella Plains — Low fire risk: 10/100 Richardson — Low fire risk: 10/100
Low flood risk 43 / 62
Isabella Plains — Low flood risk: 43/100 Richardson — Low flood risk: 62/100

Demographics

Isabella Plains has more residents (4,329 vs 3,058); Isabella Plains rents higher ($450/wk vs $391/wk).

Isabella Plains Richardson
Population 4,329
+29% vs other
 3,058
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.7% +1.7%
Median age 36
same for both
Median household income $110,812/yr
+4% vs other
 $106,236/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+13% vs other
 $391/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Isabella Plains Richardson
0-4 7.1% / 6.2%
Isabella Plains — 0-4: 7.1% Richardson — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 13.8% / 13.9%
Isabella Plains — 5-14: 13.8% Richardson — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 5.3% / 6.6%
Isabella Plains — 15-19: 5.3% Richardson — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 5.7% / 6.0%
Isabella Plains — 20-24: 5.7% Richardson — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 15.9% / 15.4%
Isabella Plains — 25-34: 15.9% Richardson — 25-34: 15.4%
35-44 13.9% / 14.1%
Isabella Plains — 35-44: 13.9% Richardson — 35-44: 14.1%
45-54 11.6% / 13.2%
Isabella Plains — 45-54: 11.6% Richardson — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 13.0% / 12.7%
Isabella Plains — 55-64: 13.0% Richardson — 55-64: 12.7%
65-74 7.5% / 8.6%
Isabella Plains — 65-74: 7.5% Richardson — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 4.3% / 2.8%
Isabella Plains — 75-84: 4.3% Richardson — 75-84: 2.8%
85+ 1.9% / 0.8%
Isabella Plains — 85+: 1.9% Richardson — 85+: 0.8%

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%
Richardson 43.3% couple families
Richardson — Couple Families: 43.3% Richardson — Lone Person: 29.6% Richardson — One Parent Families: 21.7% Richardson — Group Household: 3.2% Richardson — Other Families: 2.2%
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%
Richardson 26.0% renting
Richardson — Owned Outright: 26.3% Richardson — Mortgage: 47.7% Richardson — Renting: 26.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Isabella Plains Richardson
Certificate III & IV 14.2% / 15.4%
Isabella Plains — Certificate III & IV: 14.2% Richardson — Certificate III & IV: 15.4%
Bachelor Degree 12.8% / 10.2%
Isabella Plains — Bachelor Degree: 12.8% Richardson — Bachelor Degree: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 8.5%
Isabella Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Richardson — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Postgraduate Degree 4.1% / 3.5%
Isabella Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1% Richardson — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 1.8%
Isabella Plains — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Richardson — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

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.

Isabella Plains Richardson
India 4.3% / 2.3%
Isabella Plains — India: 4.3% Richardson — India: 2.3%
England 2.7% / 2.7%
Isabella Plains — England: 2.7% Richardson — England: 2.7%
Philippines 1.8% / 1.1%
Isabella Plains — Philippines: 1.8% Richardson — Philippines: 1.1%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.2%
Isabella Plains — New Zealand: 1.0% Richardson — New Zealand: 1.2%
Vietnam 1.3% / 0.7%
Isabella Plains — Vietnam: 1.3% Richardson — Vietnam: 0.7%
Iraq — / 1.0%
Isabella Plains — Iraq: not among its largest Richardson — Iraq: 1.0%

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%
Richardson 96.1% houses
Richardson — Houses: 96.1% Richardson — Townhouses: 4.1% Richardson — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Isabella Plains Richardson
Median house price $856,000 $830,000
Median unit price $690,500 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 36 sales
 13 days
from 21 sales

Development activity

Isabella Plains Richardson
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 Richardson
Houses 5.3%
$800/wk on $779K
 4.7%
$750/wk on $829K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

Isabella Plains Richardson
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 19% of ACT Higher than 13% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 49% of ACT Higher than 53% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 3% of ACT Higher than 5% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 30% of ACT Higher than 38% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 95% of ACT Higher than 79% of ACT

Liveability

Isabella Plains Richardson
Grade D
same for both
Score 16/100 13/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Richardson carries more crime risk (73 vs 26); Isabella Plains carries more flood risk (57 vs 38).

Isabella Plains Richardson
Bushfire High
90/100
same for both
Crime Low
26/100
 High
73/100
Flood Moderate
57/100
 Low
38/100
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
 2
within 5 km

Schools

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

Schools in Isabella Plains

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

Schools in Richardson

  • Richardson Primary School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

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

Mobility

Isabella Plains Richardson
Walkability score 61/100 63/100
Distance to Canberra 25.5 km
+3% vs other
 24.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 28 min 30 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 52.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 78.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2905
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2905
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.

Isabella Plains Richardson
Car (driver) 79.7% / 79.7%
Isabella Plains — Car (driver): 79.7% Richardson — Car (driver): 79.7%
Worked from Home 9.8% / 8.2%
Isabella Plains — Worked from Home: 9.8% Richardson — Worked from Home: 8.2%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / 6.9%
Isabella Plains — Car (passenger): 5.9% Richardson — Car (passenger): 6.9%
Bus 3.9% / 4.6%
Isabella Plains — Bus: 3.9% Richardson — Bus: 4.6%
Walked Only 0.5% / 0.4%
Isabella Plains — Walked Only: 0.5% Richardson — Walked Only: 0.4%

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

Setting

Isabella Plains Richardson
Elevation 596 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 609 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Isabella Plains Richardson
Connectivity score 47/100 50/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 4%
1,619 premises
 6%
1,198 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Isabella Plains Richardson
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

Richardson

Affordable Large Blocks Middle-Ring Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Isabella Plains

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

Other comparisons with Richardson

Richardson vs Calwell Richardson vs Monash Richardson vs Chisholm Richardson vs Theodore Richardson vs Gowrie Richardson vs Fadden
Full data on Isabella Plains Full data on Richardson
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or