Macquarie vs Bruce

Bruce is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 37 in Macquarie. In Macquarie, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Bruce, about half of households rent. Houses cost more in Bruce: a median of $1.17 million, against $1 million in Macquarie, and rent is higher there too. Bruce is closer to the city centre: 7.3 km, against 9.1 km. On these figures, Bruce tends to suit renters, young adults, and share households.

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

Macquarie

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (62% vs 21%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (46% vs 38%)
  • But Bruce has more childcare (7 vs 4)

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

First-home buyers

Bruce

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($417,500 vs $585,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 24%)
  • But Macquarie has cheaper houses ($1,000,000 vs $1,165,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bruce

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (52% vs 38%)

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

Commuting to the city

Macquarie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (85/100 vs 65/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Macquarie has more residents already 65 and over (18% vs 11%)
  • Bruce has more units and townhouses to downsize into (79% vs 38%)

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

Investors

Macquarie

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (15.0% vs 7.5%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (7.8% vs 6.3%)
  • But Bruce returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.3% vs 4.1%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Macquarie Bruce
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.

Macquarie Bruce
Walkability 85 / 65
Macquarie — Walkability: 85/100 Bruce — Walkability: 65/100
Safety 25 / 30
Macquarie — Safety: 25/100 Bruce — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 100 / 53
Macquarie — Low fire risk: 100/100 Bruce — Low fire risk: 53/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Macquarie — Low flood risk: 100/100 Bruce — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bruce has more residents (7,520 vs 3,104); Macquarie skews older (37 vs 29).

Macquarie Bruce
Population 3,104 7,520
+142% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +15.0% +7.5%
Median age 37 29
Median household income $101,244/yr $117,832/yr
+16% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $430/wk
+8% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Macquarie Bruce
0-4 4.8% / 3.9%
Macquarie — 0-4: 4.8% Bruce — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 11.6% / 6.6%
Macquarie — 5-14: 11.6% Bruce — 5-14: 6.6%
15-19 4.3% / 7.5%
Macquarie — 15-19: 4.3% Bruce — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 7.8% / 17.8%
Macquarie — 20-24: 7.8% Bruce — 20-24: 17.8%
25-34 17.4% / 26.2%
Macquarie — 25-34: 17.4% Bruce — 25-34: 26.2%
35-44 15.2% / 12.9%
Macquarie — 35-44: 15.2% Bruce — 35-44: 12.9%
45-54 11.4% / 7.6%
Macquarie — 45-54: 11.4% Bruce — 45-54: 7.6%
55-64 10.0% / 6.3%
Macquarie — 55-64: 10.0% Bruce — 55-64: 6.3%
65-74 8.9% / 5.8%
Macquarie — 65-74: 8.9% Bruce — 65-74: 5.8%
75-84 7.2% / 3.5%
Macquarie — 75-84: 7.2% Bruce — 75-84: 3.5%
85+ 1.9% / 1.8%
Macquarie — 85+: 1.9% Bruce — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Macquarie 44.5% lone person
Macquarie — Lone Person: 44.5% Macquarie — Couple Families: 32.1% Macquarie — One Parent Families: 14.3% Macquarie — Group Household: 7.5% Macquarie — Other Families: 1.6%
Bruce 44.1% lone person
Bruce — Lone Person: 44.1% Bruce — Couple Families: 28.6% Bruce — One Parent Families: 9.2% Bruce — Group Household: 15.2% Bruce — Other Families: 2.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Macquarie 38.0% renting
Macquarie — Owned Outright: 32.7% Macquarie — Mortgage: 29.3% Macquarie — Renting: 38.0%
Bruce 51.6% renting
Bruce — Owned Outright: 20.1% Bruce — Mortgage: 28.3% Bruce — Renting: 51.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Macquarie Bruce
Bachelor Degree 20.9% / 25.5%
Macquarie — Bachelor Degree: 20.9% Bruce — Bachelor Degree: 25.5%
Postgraduate Degree 13.5% / 16.7%
Macquarie — Postgraduate Degree: 13.5% Bruce — Postgraduate Degree: 16.7%
Certificate III & IV 8.5% / 6.6%
Macquarie — Certificate III & IV: 8.5% Bruce — Certificate III & IV: 6.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.0% / 6.5%
Macquarie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0% Bruce — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.4% / 4.0%
Macquarie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.4% Bruce — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.5%).

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.

Macquarie Bruce
China 2.4% / 6.2%
Macquarie — China: 2.4% Bruce — China: 6.2%
India 2.6% / 4.9%
Macquarie — India: 2.6% Bruce — India: 4.9%
England 3.5% / 2.1%
Macquarie — England: 3.5% Bruce — England: 2.1%
Nepal 1.0% / 3.5%
Macquarie — Nepal: 1.0% Bruce — Nepal: 3.5%
Vietnam 1.7% / 1.6%
Macquarie — Vietnam: 1.7% Bruce — Vietnam: 1.6%
Philippines 1.1% / 1.1%
Macquarie — Philippines: 1.1% Bruce — Philippines: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Macquarie 61.6% houses
Macquarie — Houses: 61.6% Macquarie — Townhouses: 14.4% Macquarie — Flats / Apartments: 24.0%
Bruce 20.7% houses
Bruce — Houses: 20.7% Bruce — Townhouses: 45.8% Bruce — Flats / Apartments: 33.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Macquarie Bruce
Median house price $1,000,000 $1,165,000
Median unit price $585,000 $417,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 28 sales
 44 days
from 28 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.

Macquarie Bruce
3 bed $929K / $797K
Macquarie — 3 bed: $929K (24 sales) Bruce — 3 bed: $797K (9 sales)

24 vs 9 sales

4 bed $1.29M / $1.28M
Macquarie — 4 bed: $1.29M (13 sales) Bruce — 4 bed: $1.28M (14 sales)

13 vs 14 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Macquarie Bruce
1 bed $355K / $369K
Macquarie — 1 bed: $355K (13 sales) Bruce — 1 bed: $369K (83 sales)

13 vs 83 sales

2 bed $550K / $482K
Macquarie — 2 bed: $550K (11 sales) Bruce — 2 bed: $482K (47 sales)

11 vs 47 sales

3 bed $780K / $610K
Macquarie — 3 bed: $780K (11 sales) Bruce — 3 bed: $610K (27 sales)

11 vs 27 sales

Development activity

Macquarie Bruce
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.

Macquarie Bruce
Houses 4.1%
$730/wk on $922K
 5.3%
$780/wk on $760K
Units 7.8%
$550/wk on $365K
 6.3%
$500/wk on $412K

Ranking within ACT

Macquarie Bruce
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 11% of ACT Higher than 34% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 91% of ACT Higher than 55% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 44% of ACT Higher than 29% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 51% of ACT Higher than 64% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 37% of ACT Higher than 93% of ACT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 95% of ACT Higher than 68% of ACT

Liveability

Macquarie is more walkable (85 vs 65).

Macquarie Bruce
Grade A B
Score 65/100 64/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Bruce carries more bushfire risk (47 vs 0).

Macquarie Bruce
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime High
75/100
 High
70/100
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 2
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Macquarie Bruce
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 2.7 km
 3
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 0.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.5% 14.6%

Schools in Macquarie

  • Canberra High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Macquarie Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Bruce

  • Radford College Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Macquarie Bruce
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 9 7
Parks & reserves 1 3
Childcare 4 7
GPs 3 5
Pharmacies 2 1
Hospitals 0 3
Banks & Bank@Post 2 1
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0

Mobility

Macquarie Bruce
Walkability score 85/100 65/100
Distance to Canberra 9.1 km
+20% vs other
 7.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 15 min 12 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 58.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 356.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 3.3%
postcode 2614
 2.7%
postcode 2617
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 2614
 29
postcode 2617

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.

Macquarie Bruce
Car (driver) 67.4% / 63.4%
Macquarie — Car (driver): 67.4% Bruce — Car (driver): 63.4%
Worked from Home 11.7% / 10.4%
Macquarie — Worked from Home: 11.7% Bruce — Worked from Home: 10.4%
Bus 7.7% / 12.9%
Macquarie — Bus: 7.7% Bruce — Bus: 12.9%
Car (passenger) 6.9% / 5.5%
Macquarie — Car (passenger): 6.9% Bruce — Car (passenger): 5.5%
Walked Only 3.2% / 4.9%
Macquarie — Walked Only: 3.2% Bruce — Walked Only: 4.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.4%).

Setting

Macquarie Bruce
Elevation 616 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 620 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Macquarie Bruce
Connectivity score 56/100 67/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the building
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 20%
1,603 premises
 24%
3,868 premises

Climate

Macquarie Bruce
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)

Macquarie Bruce
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

Macquarie Bruce
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Macquarie Bruce
Division Canberra
same for both
Member Alicia Payne
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Macquarie Bruce
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Macquarie

Inner Professionals

Bruce

Affordable Apartments Inner Professionals Students Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Macquarie

Macquarie vs Belconnen Macquarie vs Belconnen Macquarie vs Page Macquarie vs Cook Macquarie vs Weetangera Macquarie vs Aranda

Other comparisons with Bruce

Bruce vs Belconnen Bruce vs Kaleen Bruce vs O'Connor Bruce vs Lyneham Bruce vs Lawson Bruce vs Aranda
Full data on Macquarie Full data on Bruce
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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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