Located in Australian Capital Territory, Acton sits 4 km from Canberra CBD, around 9 minutes by car. The suburb has 2,848 residents and a median age of 19. Population grew 36.5% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $9 per week. The area shows high flood risk and high crime risk. Walkability is low.
Is Acton a good suburb?
Acton scores a D (22/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on safety.
Close to the CBD
Walkability 39/100 · 3.6 km · 9 min drive to Canberra
High crime risk
Fire 51/100 · Crime 86/100 · Flood 92/100
Community data available
median age 19 · 2,848 residents
Liveability Rating
22 / 100 · Ranked #96 in ACTEach bar is Acton's rank among ACT suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 3 of 5 factors: no school or socio-economic data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Acton?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
22 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025151 Affordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 20% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2601.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Is Acton safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Acton sits in the high band, with 34 incidents recorded in 2025 — down about 3% on the prior year.
34 offences
2.9% since 2024Crime Trend
Schools
Universities nearby
- 1.8 kmAustralian National UniversityAustralian National University · 420 courses
- 3.4 kmUNSW CanberraUniversity of New South Wales · 52 courses
- 4.8 kmUC - Canberra, BruceUniversity of Canberra · 192 courses
69.7% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Acton is car-dependent on foot — at 39/100, most errands require a car. Within the suburb there are 1 supermarket, 5 parks and 27 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Acton.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 66.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 53.9 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 31.6 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 18.0 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Acton.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 90%
- Premises covered
- 262
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Acton is home to about 2,800 residents, and skews young, with a median age of 19 against the national 38.. Unemployment is recorded at 17.3%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
2,848
Median Age
19
Median Household Income
—
Census Median Rent
$9/wk
Census Median Mortgage
—
Avg Household Size
1.0
Median Personal Income
$13,364/yr
Unemployment Rate
17.3%
Unoccupied Dwellings
—
Total Dwellings
0
Owner-Occupier Rate
—
Houses
—
Rental Stress
—
Mortgage Stress
—
Work From Home
19.2%
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 56.6%
- English Spoken at Home
- 62.5%
- Employment Rate
- 47.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 81.9%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
353 residents (12.4%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 2,843 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Commute to Work
52% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (710 of 1,361), an area that takes in all or part of this suburb, so many of them work close to home.
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 6,867 people work here; 1,361 employed residents live here.
A jobs hub: 5.0 jobs for every working resident. At least 80% of the people who work here must live elsewhere.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $3,105 a year through Unincorporated ACT based on 2026 figures.
Building Approvals: Unincorporated ACT
In the year to August 2026, 3,750 new dwellings were approved across Unincorporated ACT. That mix is 813 houses and 2,937 units. Approvals are down 47.7% on the same period a year earlier.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 5.4 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 14.1 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 3 · ozone 0.
From the Civic monitoring station, 1.7 km away. ACT Health publishes these readings unverified, so they may still be revised.
Climate & Setting
from Canberra Airport, 8.1 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, frosty winters.
- Elevation
- 562 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Annual rainfall
- 622 mm
- 69 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 28.5°C
- 10 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 0.8°C
- 61 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
3 facilities within 5 km- 0.4 kmHigher EducationTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 1.2 kmScientific Research ServicesTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 4.2 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
EV adoption
In postcode 2601, 183 of 2,574 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 8.2% (211 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 15.3%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2601, 59 rooftop-solar systems totalling 3.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 2,272 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 5 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27No First Home Owner Grant is available in this state — the scheme has been replaced with a separate stamp-duty concession.
The Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) instead provides a stamp-duty reduction of up to ~$34,000 for eligible buyers under the income threshold.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Alicia Payne Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Alicia Payne | 76.4% | 23.6% | +4.0 |
| 2022 | Alicia Payne | 72.5% | 27.5% | -5.4 |
| 2019 | Alicia Payne | 67.1% | 32.9% | -4.1 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Elected at the 2024 election:
- Andrew Barr ACT Labor
- Elizabeth Lee Canberra Liberals
- Rachel Stephen-Smith ACT Labor
- Shane Rattenbury The ACT Greens
- Thomas Emerson Independents for Canberra
Next election: 21 October 2028.
| Year | Seats won |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 ACT Labor · 1 Canberra Liberals · 1 The ACT Greens · 1 Independents for Canberra |
| 2020 | 2 Australian Labor Party · 2 ACT Greens · 1 Canberra Liberals |
A vacancy here is filled by a recount of the original votes, not a by-election, so a member listed may since have been replaced. Boundaries were last redrawn in 2023. Results: Elections ACT.
Looking at a specific address in Acton?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 2,848 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Featured in
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Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Canberra There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Canberra suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Compare Acton to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other ACT suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Acton
Is Acton a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Acton is high (86/100, ranked against other ACT suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Acton?
Acton has a moderate recorded bushfire history (51/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a high share of it (92/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Acton a good place to live?
Acton has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (22/100), ranked against other ACT suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Acton?
Acton, ACT had a population of 2,848 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Acton, ACT?
The postcode for Acton, ACT is 2601.
How far is Acton from Canberra?
Acton is 4 km from Canberra CBD by road, about 9 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median weekly rent in Acton?
There are too few current rental listings in Acton for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $9, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Acton?
The median age of residents in Acton was 19 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Acton at risk of bushfire?
Acton has a moderate recorded bushfire history (51/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
Is Acton walkable?
Acton scores 39/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Acton?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Acton (Civic) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.4 µg/m³ and PM10 of 14.1 µg/m³. That puts Acton below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Acton?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Acton, Canberra Airport (8.1 km away), summer days average 28.5°C, winter nights 0.8°C, 622 mm of rain a year over 69 rainy days, and 10 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
What first-home buyer assistance is available in Acton?
ACT does not have a First Home Owner Grant — the scheme was replaced with the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, a stamp-duty reduction for eligible first-home buyers under the income threshold. Confirm eligibility with the ACT Revenue Office before signing a contract.
What council does Acton belong to?
Acton sits within the Unincorporated ACT local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Acton?
The average residential rates bill through Unincorporated ACT is $3,105 a year (2026). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Acton?
Across Unincorporated ACT, 3,750 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 47.7% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Acton in?
Acton sits within the federal Division of Canberra, currently held by Alicia Payne (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Council rates · FY 2026–27
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2024
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.