Parkes vs Acton
Acton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 19 against 32 in Parkes. Acton is closer to the city centre: 3.6 km, against 5.2 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
They split
one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here
- Parkes has more parks and reserves (20 vs 5)
- Acton has more childcare (4 vs 1)
Weighs schools, parks, and childcare.
Renters
Parkes
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- has cheaper rent ($0/wk vs $9/wk)
Weighs 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
Too close to call
Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.
Weighs GPs and walkability.
Where they sit
Parkes and Acton drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.
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.
Demographics
Acton has more residents (2,848 vs 0); Acton rents higher ($9/wk vs $0/wk).
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | — | 2,848 (not reported on the other side) |
| Population trend (2016 → 2021) | — | +36.5% |
| Median age | 32 | 19 |
| Median household income | — same for both | |
| Median weekly rent | — | $9/wk (not reported on the other side) |
Property market
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | — same for both | |
| Median unit price | $798,500 | — |
| Median land price | — same for both | |
Development activity
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| New dwellings approved | 3,750 across Unincorporated ACT same for both | |
| Approvals change year on year | -48% same for both | |
Gross rental yield
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Houses | — same for both | |
| Units | 4.7% $812/wk on $899K | — |
Ranking within ACT
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| House price | — same for both | |
| Income | — same for both | |
| Schools | — same for both | |
| Walkability | Higher than 27% of ACT | Higher than 26% of ACT |
| Affordability | — same for both | |
| EV adoption | Higher than 77% of ACT | Higher than 98% of ACT |
| NBN connectivity | Higher than 81% of ACT | Higher than 82% of ACT |
| Rental yield (units) | Higher than 15% of ACT | — |
Liveability
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | — | D |
| Score | — | 22/100 |
| Socio-economic band | — same for both | |
Risk profile
Acton carries more bushfire risk (51 vs 0).
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Bushfire | None 0/100 | Moderate 51/100 |
| Crime | — | High 86/100 |
| Flood | High 84/100 | High 92/100 |
| 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 | 3 within 5 km |
Schools
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 UNSW Canberra, 1.1 km | 3 Australian National University, 1.8 km |
Amenities in the suburb
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | 0 | 1 |
| Cafes & restaurants | 19 | 27 |
| Parks & reserves | 20 | 5 |
| Childcare | 1 | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 0 | 1 |
| EV chargers | 0 | 1 |
| Waterways | 4 | 6 |
Mobility
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Walkability score | 44/100 | 39/100 |
| Distance to Canberra | 5.2 km +31% vs other | 3.6 km |
| Drive time (normal traffic) | 13 min | 9 min |
| Public transport score | 79/100 Bus same for both | |
| Peak arrivals per hour | 128.5 7-9am + 5-7pm | 66.5 7-9am + 5-7pm |
| Median peak wait | 0 min scheduled, not actual | 1 min scheduled, not actual |
| Electric vehicle share | 4.2% postcode 2600 | 7.1% postcode 2601 |
| Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings | 29 postcode 2600 | 3 postcode 2601 |
Setting
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 563 m above sea level, at the suburb centre | 562 m above sea level, at the suburb centre |
NBN connectivity
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity score | 94/100 | 96/100 |
| Most common technology | Fibre to the premises same for both | |
| Full-fibre (FTTP) share | 84% 101 premises | 90% 262 premises |
Climate
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 5.4 µg/m³ same for both | |
| PM10 | 14.1 µg/m³ same for both | |
| NO₂ | — same for both | |
Council rates
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Average residential rate | $3,105/yr same for both | |
| Council | Unincorporated ACT same for both | |
Federal electorate
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Division | Canberra same for both | |
| Member | Alicia Payne same for both | |
| Party | Australian Labor Party same for both | |
First Home Owner Grant
| Parkes | Acton | |
|---|---|---|
| Grant amount | Not offered same for both | |
| Property price cap | — same for both | |
| Eligibility | None same for both | |
Tags
More comparisons
Other comparisons with Parkes
Other comparisons with Acton
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.