O'malley vs Symonston

O'Malley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 55 in Symonston. In both, most households own their home. In O'Malley, the large majority of homes are detached houses and most households are couple families. In Symonston, most homes are flats or apartments and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in O'Malley: a median of $2.4 million, against $380,000 in Symonston, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, O'Malley tends to suit couples, while Symonston suits people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

O'Malley

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 87/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 17%)
  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Symonston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($380,000 vs $2,400,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Symonston

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($275/wk vs $975/wk)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (32% vs 11%)
  • But O'Malley leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 33%)

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

Commuting to the city

O'Malley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (38/100 vs 11/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

O'Malley

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 87/100)
  • is more walkable (38/100 vs 11/100)
  • But Symonston has more units and townhouses to downsize into (66% vs 4%)

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

Investors

Symonston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (17.2% vs -6.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

O'malley Symonston
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.

O'malley Symonston
Walkability 38 / 11
O'malley — Walkability: 38/100 Symonston — Walkability: 11/100
Safety 88 / 13
O'malley — Safety: 88/100 Symonston — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 11 / 19
O'malley — Low fire risk: 11/100 Symonston — Low fire risk: 19/100
Low flood risk 84 / 41
O'malley — Low flood risk: 84/100 Symonston — Low flood risk: 41/100

Demographics

O'Malley has higher household incomes ($232,752 vs $43,732); O'Malley rents higher ($975/wk vs $275/wk).

O'malley Symonston
Population 928
+29% vs other
 655
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -6.4% +17.2%
Median age 51 55
Median household income $232,752/yr
+81% vs other
 $43,732/yr
Median weekly rent $975/wk
+72% vs other
 $275/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

O'malley Symonston
0-4 1.9% / 2.0%
O'malley — 0-4: 1.9% Symonston — 0-4: 2.0%
5-14 11.4% / 4.4%
O'malley — 5-14: 11.4% Symonston — 5-14: 4.4%
15-19 6.6% / 2.9%
O'malley — 15-19: 6.6% Symonston — 15-19: 2.9%
20-24 6.5% / 4.9%
O'malley — 20-24: 6.5% Symonston — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 6.7% / 8.9%
O'malley — 25-34: 6.7% Symonston — 25-34: 8.9%
35-44 7.5% / 11.9%
O'malley — 35-44: 7.5% Symonston — 35-44: 11.9%
45-54 16.2% / 14.2%
O'malley — 45-54: 16.2% Symonston — 45-54: 14.2%
55-64 15.2% / 22.1%
O'malley — 55-64: 15.2% Symonston — 55-64: 22.1%
65-74 16.2% / 17.9%
O'malley — 65-74: 16.2% Symonston — 65-74: 17.9%
75-84 10.1% / 9.3%
O'malley — 75-84: 10.1% Symonston — 75-84: 9.3%
85+ 2.2% / 1.1%
O'malley — 85+: 2.2% Symonston — 85+: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

O'malley 22.1% lone person
O'malley — Lone Person: 22.1% O'malley — Couple Families: 65.3% O'malley — One Parent Families: 9.0% O'malley — Group Household: 2.0% O'malley — Other Families: 1.5%
Symonston 73.1% lone person
Symonston — Lone Person: 73.1% Symonston — Couple Families: 8.8% Symonston — One Parent Families: 8.3% Symonston — Group Household: 6.9% Symonston — Other Families: 2.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

O'malley 10.6% renting
O'malley — Owned Outright: 58.7% O'malley — Mortgage: 30.6% O'malley — Renting: 10.6%
Symonston 31.7% renting
Symonston — Owned Outright: 66.7% Symonston — Mortgage: 1.6% Symonston — Renting: 31.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

O'malley Symonston
Bachelor Degree 24.8% / 5.5%
O'malley — Bachelor Degree: 24.8% Symonston — Bachelor Degree: 5.5%
Postgraduate Degree 16.4% / 2.1%
O'malley — Postgraduate Degree: 16.4% Symonston — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%
Certificate III & IV 5.5% / 12.4%
O'malley — Certificate III & IV: 5.5% Symonston — Certificate III & IV: 12.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.4% / 4.1%
O'malley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4% Symonston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 1.7%
O'malley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Symonston — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.8%).

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.

O'malley Symonston
England 3.1% / 3.1%
O'malley — England: 3.1% Symonston — England: 3.1%
India 4.4% / 0.5%
O'malley — India: 4.4% Symonston — India: 0.5%
China 4.4% / —
O'malley — China: 4.4% Symonston — China: not among its largest
Philippines — / 3.5%
O'malley — Philippines: not among its largest Symonston — Philippines: 3.5%
Sri Lanka 3.1% / —
O'malley — Sri Lanka: 3.1% Symonston — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 2.3%
O'malley — New Zealand: not among its largest Symonston — New Zealand: 2.3%
Greece 2.2% / —
O'malley — Greece: 2.2% Symonston — Greece: not among its largest
Thailand — / 0.8%
O'malley — Thailand: not among its largest Symonston — Thailand: 0.8%
Zimbabwe — / 0.8%
O'malley — Zimbabwe: not among its largest Symonston — Zimbabwe: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

O'malley 96.5% houses
O'malley — Houses: 96.5% O'malley — Flats / Apartments: 1.9% O'malley — Townhouses: 1.6%
Symonston 33.6% houses
Symonston — Houses: 33.6% Symonston — Flats / Apartments: 58.4% Symonston — Townhouses: 8.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

O'malley Symonston
Median house price $2,400,000 $380,000
Median unit price $1,510,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 8 sales
 22 days
from 4 sales

Development activity

O'malley Symonston
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.

O'malley Symonston
Houses 5.7%
$1,775/wk on $1.62M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

O'malley Symonston
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 100% of ACT Higher than 1% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 24% of ACT Higher than 10% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 51% of ACT Higher than 95% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 62% of ACT Higher than 46% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 99% of ACT —

Liveability

O'Malley scores higher overall (61 vs 8); O'Malley is more walkable (38 vs 11).

O'malley Symonston
Grade B D
Score 61/100 8/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Symonston carries more crime risk (87 vs 12); Symonston carries more flood risk (59 vs 16).

O'malley Symonston
Bushfire High
89/100
 High
81/100
Crime Low
12/100
 High
87/100
Flood Low
16/100
 Moderate
59/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

O'malley Symonston
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
UNSW Canberra, 5.6 km
 1
UNSW Canberra, 5.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.6% 0.0%

Amenities in the suburb

O'malley Symonston
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 3 0
Childcare 0 2
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

O'malley Symonston
Walkability score 38/100 11/100
Distance to Canberra 14.2 km
+8% vs other
 13.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 21 min 18 min
Public transport score 63/100
Bus
 43/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 16.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 9.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 3.4%
postcode 2606
 5.0%
postcode 2609
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 20
postcode 2606
 88
postcode 2609

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.

O'malley Symonston
Car (driver) 71.5% / 79.9%
O'malley — Car (driver): 71.5% Symonston — Car (driver): 79.9%
Worked from Home 17.3% / 5.0%
O'malley — Worked from Home: 17.3% Symonston — Worked from Home: 5.0%
Car (passenger) 7.0% / 10.1%
O'malley — Car (passenger): 7.0% Symonston — Car (passenger): 10.1%
Walked Only 1.6% / 5.0%
O'malley — Walked Only: 1.6% Symonston — Walked Only: 5.0%
Bus 1.9% / —
O'malley — Bus: 1.9% Symonston — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.9%).

Setting

O'malley Symonston
Elevation 679 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 579 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

O'malley Symonston
Connectivity score 65/100 53/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 36%
465 premises
 11%
270 premises

Climate

O'malley Symonston
Annual rainfall 686 mm 622 mm
Summer max (Jan) 28.2°C 28.5°C
Winter min (Jul) 0.9°C 0.8°C

Air quality (annual mean)

O'malley Symonston
PM2.5 7.3 µg/m³ 5.4 µg/m³
PM10 11.9 µg/m³ 14.1 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.32 pphm —

Council rates

O'malley Symonston
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

O'malley Symonston
Division Bean
same for both
Member David Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

O'malley Symonston
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

O'malley

Acreage Luxury Middle-Ring Multicultural Professionals Retirees

Symonston

Affordable Middle-Ring Multicultural Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with O'malley

O'malley vs Phillip O'malley vs Garran O'malley vs Mawson O'malley vs Red Hill O'malley vs Isaacs

Other comparisons with Symonston

Symonston vs Narrabundah Symonston vs Garran Symonston vs Red Hill Symonston vs Fyshwick
Full data on O'malley Full data on Symonston
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.

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