Macarthur vs Gilmore

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Macarthur, most households are couple families. In Gilmore, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Macarthur: a median of $1.02 million, against $925,000 in Gilmore, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Macarthur tends to suit couples.

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

Macarthur

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 65/100)

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

First-home buyers

Gilmore

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($925,000 vs $1,017,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Gilmore

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (23% vs 10%)
  • has cheaper rent ($430/wk vs $520/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Gilmore

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (59/100 vs 35/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Macarthur carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 65/100)
  • Gilmore is more walkable (59/100 vs 35/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Macarthur Gilmore
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.

Macarthur Gilmore
Walkability 35 / 59
Macarthur — Walkability: 35/100 Gilmore — Walkability: 59/100
Safety 88 / 35
Macarthur — Safety: 88/100 Gilmore — Safety: 35/100
Low fire risk 7 / 9
Macarthur — Low fire risk: 7/100 Gilmore — Low fire risk: 9/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Macarthur — Low flood risk: 100/100 Gilmore — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Gilmore has more residents (2,706 vs 1,405); Macarthur has higher household incomes ($157,924 vs $125,632).

Macarthur Gilmore
Population 1,405 2,706
+93% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.5% -1.6%
Median age 39 37
Median household income $157,924/yr
+20% vs other
 $125,632/yr
Median weekly rent $520/wk
+17% vs other
 $430/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Macarthur Gilmore
0-4 6.3% / 6.1%
Macarthur — 0-4: 6.3% Gilmore — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 15.3% / 14.1%
Macarthur — 5-14: 15.3% Gilmore — 5-14: 14.1%
15-19 5.3% / 6.5%
Macarthur — 15-19: 5.3% Gilmore — 15-19: 6.5%
20-24 4.6% / 5.2%
Macarthur — 20-24: 4.6% Gilmore — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 11.3% / 13.5%
Macarthur — 25-34: 11.3% Gilmore — 25-34: 13.5%
35-44 14.1% / 14.7%
Macarthur — 35-44: 14.1% Gilmore — 35-44: 14.7%
45-54 13.1% / 12.6%
Macarthur — 45-54: 13.1% Gilmore — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 14.1% / 14.9%
Macarthur — 55-64: 14.1% Gilmore — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 12.7% / 9.1%
Macarthur — 65-74: 12.7% Gilmore — 65-74: 9.1%
75-84 2.5% / 2.4%
Macarthur — 75-84: 2.5% Gilmore — 75-84: 2.4%
85+ 1.0% / 1.0%
Macarthur — 85+: 1.0% Gilmore — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Macarthur 66.1% couple families
Macarthur — Couple Families: 66.1% Macarthur — Lone Person: 19.0% Macarthur — One Parent Families: 14.0% Macarthur — Group Household: 0.9% Macarthur — Other Families: 0.0%
Gilmore 53.8% couple families
Gilmore — Couple Families: 53.8% Gilmore — Lone Person: 25.5% Gilmore — One Parent Families: 18.6% Gilmore — Group Household: 1.6% Gilmore — Other Families: 0.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Macarthur 10.0% renting
Macarthur — Owned Outright: 42.9% Macarthur — Mortgage: 47.1% Macarthur — Renting: 10.0%
Gilmore 23.2% renting
Gilmore — Owned Outright: 30.7% Gilmore — Mortgage: 46.2% Gilmore — Renting: 23.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Macarthur Gilmore
Bachelor Degree 17.7% / 12.2%
Macarthur — Bachelor Degree: 17.7% Gilmore — Bachelor Degree: 12.2%
Certificate III & IV 12.9% / 15.0%
Macarthur — Certificate III & IV: 12.9% Gilmore — Certificate III & IV: 15.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.6% / 8.9%
Macarthur — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6% Gilmore — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree 6.5% / 3.7%
Macarthur — Postgraduate Degree: 6.5% Gilmore — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.5% / 2.8%
Macarthur — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.5% Gilmore — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

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.

Macarthur Gilmore
England 4.5% / 2.9%
Macarthur — England: 4.5% Gilmore — England: 2.9%
India 1.7% / 1.3%
Macarthur — India: 1.7% Gilmore — India: 1.3%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.3%
Macarthur — New Zealand: 0.7% Gilmore — New Zealand: 1.3%
Philippines 0.7% / 1.2%
Macarthur — Philippines: 0.7% Gilmore — Philippines: 1.2%
South Africa 0.9% / 0.6%
Macarthur — South Africa: 0.9% Gilmore — South Africa: 0.6%
Sri Lanka 0.8% / —
Macarthur — Sri Lanka: 0.8% Gilmore — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
China — / 0.7%
Macarthur — China: not among its largest Gilmore — China: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Macarthur 97.3% houses
Macarthur — Houses: 97.3% Macarthur — Townhouses: 2.9% Macarthur — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Gilmore 92.6% houses
Gilmore — Houses: 92.6% Gilmore — Townhouses: 7.2% Gilmore — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Macarthur Gilmore
Median house price $1,017,500 $925,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 17 sales
 18 days
from 29 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.

Macarthur Gilmore
3 bed $918K / $840K
Macarthur — 3 bed: $918K (12 sales) Gilmore — 3 bed: $840K (29 sales)

12 vs 29 sales

4 bed $1.16M / $965K
Macarthur — 4 bed: $1.16M (20 sales) Gilmore — 4 bed: $965K (28 sales)

20 vs 28 sales

Development activity

Macarthur Gilmore
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.

Macarthur Gilmore
Houses — 5.3%
$875/wk on $860K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

Macarthur Gilmore
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 86% of ACT Higher than 54% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 21% of ACT Higher than 44% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 22% of ACT Higher than 2% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 12% of ACT Higher than 22% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 92% of ACT

Liveability

Macarthur scores higher overall (50 vs 23); Gilmore is more walkable (59 vs 35).

Macarthur Gilmore
Grade B D
Score 50/100 23/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Gilmore carries more crime risk (65 vs 12).

Macarthur Gilmore
Bushfire High
93/100
 High
91/100
Crime Low
12/100
 Moderate
65/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Macarthur Gilmore
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Macarthur

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

Schools in Gilmore

  • Gilmore Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Macarthur Gilmore
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Childcare 1 2

Mobility

Macarthur Gilmore
Walkability score 35/100 59/100
Distance to Canberra 22.3 km 22.9 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 26 min 28 min
Public transport score 31/100
Bus
 75/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 26.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 13 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 2904
 1.4%
postcode 2905
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2904
 47
postcode 2905

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.

Macarthur Gilmore
Car (driver) 77.9% / 81.0%
Macarthur — Car (driver): 77.9% Gilmore — Car (driver): 81.0%
Worked from Home 13.6% / 9.4%
Macarthur — Worked from Home: 13.6% Gilmore — Worked from Home: 9.4%
Car (passenger) 6.0% / 5.5%
Macarthur — Car (passenger): 6.0% Gilmore — Car (passenger): 5.5%
Bus 1.4% / 2.7%
Macarthur — Bus: 1.4% Gilmore — Bus: 2.7%
Walked Only 0.6% / 0.9%
Macarthur — Walked Only: 0.6% Gilmore — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.0%).

Setting

Macarthur Gilmore
Elevation 659 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 662 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Macarthur Gilmore
Connectivity score 45/100 46/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
513 premises
 1%
1,049 premises

Climate

Macarthur Gilmore
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)

Macarthur Gilmore
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

Macarthur Gilmore
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Macarthur Gilmore
Division Bean
same for both
Member David Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Macarthur Gilmore
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Macarthur

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Quiet

Gilmore

Affordable Large Blocks Middle-Ring Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Macarthur

Macarthur vs Chisholm Macarthur vs Fadden

Other comparisons with Gilmore

Gilmore vs Chisholm Gilmore vs Fadden
Full data on Macarthur Full data on Gilmore
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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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