Scullin vs Higgins

Scullin is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Higgins. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Higgins, about half of households are couple families.

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

Higgins

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 80%)
  • carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 62/100)
  • But Scullin has more childcare (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

They split

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

  • Scullin has more units and townhouses to downsize into (20% vs 4%)
  • Higgins carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 62/100)

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

Investors

Higgins

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.4% vs 3.7%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Scullin Higgins
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.

Scullin Higgins
Walkability 62 / 68
Scullin — Walkability: 62/100 Higgins — Walkability: 68/100
Safety 38 / 48
Scullin — Safety: 38/100 Higgins — Safety: 48/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Scullin — Low fire risk: 100/100 Higgins — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Scullin — Low flood risk: 100/100 Higgins — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Higgins has higher household incomes ($116,896 vs $105,300); Higgins skews older (38 vs 35).

Scullin Higgins
Population 3,069 3,321
+8% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.8% +8.1%
Median age 35 38
Median household income $105,300/yr $116,896/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk $400/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Scullin Higgins
0-4 7.8% / 6.5%
Scullin — 0-4: 7.8% Higgins — 0-4: 6.5%
5-14 13.1% / 13.6%
Scullin — 5-14: 13.1% Higgins — 5-14: 13.6%
15-19 5.0% / 6.3%
Scullin — 15-19: 5.0% Higgins — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 5.8% / 4.8%
Scullin — 20-24: 5.8% Higgins — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 16.7% / 14.5%
Scullin — 25-34: 16.7% Higgins — 25-34: 14.5%
35-44 16.7% / 14.7%
Scullin — 35-44: 16.7% Higgins — 35-44: 14.7%
45-54 12.6% / 13.2%
Scullin — 45-54: 12.6% Higgins — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 8.7% / 9.8%
Scullin — 55-64: 8.7% Higgins — 55-64: 9.8%
65-74 7.8% / 8.3%
Scullin — 65-74: 7.8% Higgins — 65-74: 8.3%
75-84 4.7% / 7.2%
Scullin — 75-84: 4.7% Higgins — 75-84: 7.2%
85+ 1.0% / 1.4%
Scullin — 85+: 1.0% Higgins — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Scullin 42.4% couple families
Scullin — Couple Families: 42.4% Scullin — Lone Person: 35.3% Scullin — One Parent Families: 15.4% Scullin — Group Household: 5.0% Scullin — Other Families: 2.0%
Higgins 47.7% couple families
Higgins — Couple Families: 47.7% Higgins — Lone Person: 30.0% Higgins — One Parent Families: 16.0% Higgins — Group Household: 4.8% Higgins — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Scullin 32.7% renting
Scullin — Owned Outright: 27.3% Scullin — Mortgage: 39.9% Scullin — Renting: 32.7%
Higgins 23.2% renting
Higgins — Owned Outright: 31.2% Higgins — Mortgage: 45.6% Higgins — Renting: 23.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Scullin Higgins
Bachelor Degree 17.7% / 15.3%
Scullin — Bachelor Degree: 17.7% Higgins — Bachelor Degree: 15.3%
Certificate III & IV 10.0% / 13.5%
Scullin — Certificate III & IV: 10.0% Higgins — Certificate III & IV: 13.5%
Postgraduate Degree 9.2% / 6.8%
Scullin — Postgraduate Degree: 9.2% Higgins — Postgraduate Degree: 6.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.0% / 7.9%
Scullin — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0% Higgins — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.6% / 3.5%
Scullin — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6% Higgins — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5%

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.

Scullin Higgins
England 1.7% / 3.2%
Scullin — England: 1.7% Higgins — England: 3.2%
India 2.4% / 1.5%
Scullin — India: 2.4% Higgins — India: 1.5%
China 1.6% / 1.2%
Scullin — China: 1.6% Higgins — China: 1.2%
Vietnam 1.1% / 1.5%
Scullin — Vietnam: 1.1% Higgins — Vietnam: 1.5%
Philippines 1.0% / 1.1%
Scullin — Philippines: 1.0% Higgins — Philippines: 1.1%
Nepal 1.3% / —
Scullin — Nepal: 1.3% Higgins — Nepal: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Scullin 79.9% houses
Scullin — Houses: 79.9% Scullin — Townhouses: 14.1% Scullin — Flats / Apartments: 5.9%
Higgins 96.2% houses
Higgins — Houses: 96.2% Higgins — Townhouses: 2.4% Higgins — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Scullin Higgins
Median house price $840,000 $857,500
Median unit price $540,000 $575,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 22 sales
 22 days
from 47 sales

Development activity

Scullin Higgins
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.

Scullin Higgins
Houses 3.7%
$610/wk on $849K
 4.4%
$675/wk on $799K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

Scullin Higgins
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 12% of ACT Higher than 31% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 50% of ACT Higher than 60% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 46% of ACT Higher than 16% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 31% of ACT Higher than 41% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 22% of ACT Higher than 60% of ACT

Liveability

Higgins scores higher overall (55 vs 50).

Scullin Higgins
Grade B
same for both
Score 50/100 55/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Scullin carries more crime risk (62 vs 52).

Scullin Higgins
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
62/100
 Moderate
52/100
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 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Scullin Higgins
Inside the suburb 1 0
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
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 4.9 km
 2
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 6.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.0% 1.7%

Schools in Scullin

  • Southern Cross Early Childhood School Government · Primary

Schools in Higgins

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

Amenities in the suburb

Scullin Higgins
Cafes & restaurants 3 1
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Childcare 3 0
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 0 1
Fuel stations 1 0

Mobility

Scullin Higgins
Walkability score 62/100 68/100
Distance to Canberra 11.9 km 12.8 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 19 min 20 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 34.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 86.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 3.3%
postcode 2614
 2.1%
postcode 2615
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 2614
 40
postcode 2615

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.

Scullin Higgins
Car (driver) 71.9% / 74.4%
Scullin — Car (driver): 71.9% Higgins — Car (driver): 74.4%
Worked from Home 12.1% / 12.7%
Scullin — Worked from Home: 12.1% Higgins — Worked from Home: 12.7%
Car (passenger) 7.0% / 5.7%
Scullin — Car (passenger): 7.0% Higgins — Car (passenger): 5.7%
Bus 6.1% / 5.1%
Scullin — Bus: 6.1% Higgins — Bus: 5.1%
Bicycle 1.4% / 1.2%
Scullin — Bicycle: 1.4% Higgins — Bicycle: 1.2%
Walked Only 1.5% / 0.9%
Scullin — Walked Only: 1.5% Higgins — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.4%).

Setting

Scullin Higgins
Elevation 599 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 593 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Scullin Higgins
Connectivity score 47/100 51/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 4%
1,344 premises
 11%
1,430 premises

Climate

Scullin Higgins
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)

Scullin Higgins
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

Scullin Higgins
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Scullin Higgins
Division Fenner
same for both
Member Andrew Leigh
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Scullin Higgins
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Scullin

Affordable Middle-Ring Quiet

Higgins

Affordable Middle-Ring Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Scullin

Scullin vs Florey Scullin vs Latham Scullin vs Page Scullin vs Hawker

Other comparisons with Higgins

Higgins vs Belconnen Higgins vs Holt Higgins vs Florey Higgins vs Latham Higgins vs Hawker
Full data on Scullin Full data on Higgins
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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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