Located in Australian Capital Territory, Parkes sits 5 km from Canberra CBD, around 13 minutes by car. The area shows high flood risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. Walkability is moderate.
This suburb is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 0. Below that the school, census and safety figures behind the score cover too few people to rank fairly against the rest of the state. The individual measures further down this page are still shown.
How do you rate the liveability in Parkes?
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Our score
Not enough data to score this suburb.
Residents say
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Median Unit Price
Public listings dataParkes's unit market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $798,000, roughly 20% below where it sat a year earlier.
$798,500
24% above its 5 neighbours (median $645,000)
Based on 28 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 34 days — median across 14 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 9 sales $576K
- 2 bed 14 sales $885K
- 3 bed 5 sales $1.59M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsUnits in Parkes are currently listed at around $899,000 on average. Based on 17 units listed in the past six months.
$899K
17 units listed in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsUnits in Parkes rent for around $812 a week on average, based on 56 units listed for rent in the past six months.
$812/wk
25% above its 4 neighbours (median $650/wk)
56 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025124 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 24% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2600.
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.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$812/week ($42,000 a year) on a $899,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Parkes safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Parkes is recorded, with 21 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 24% on the prior year.
21 offences
23.5% since 2024Crime Trend
Schools
Universities nearby
- 1.1 kmUNSW CanberraUniversity of New South Wales · 52 courses
- 4.0 kmAustralian National UniversityAustralian National University · 420 courses
- 7.0 kmUC - Canberra, BruceUniversity of Canberra · 192 courses
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
Parkes is car-dependent on foot — at 44/100, most errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Parkes.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 128.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 106.6 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 57.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 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 Parkes.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 84%
- Premises covered
- 101
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
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
0
Median Age
32
Median Household Income
—
Census Median Rent
—
Census Median Mortgage
—
Avg Household Size
0.0
Median Personal Income
$11,700/yr
Unemployment Rate
—
Unoccupied Dwellings
—
Total Dwellings
0
Owner-Occupier Rate
—
Houses
—
Rental Stress
—
Mortgage Stress
—
Work From Home
—
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- —
- English Spoken at Home
- —
- Employment Rate
- 0%
- Completed Year 12
- —
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, 1.5 km away. ACT Health publishes these readings unverified, so they may still be revised.
Climate & Setting
from Canberra Airport, 5.9 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, frosty winters.
- Elevation
- 563 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
6 facilities within 5 km- 2.3 kmHigher EducationTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 3.1 kmRailway Rolling Stock Manufacturing and Repair ServicesTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 3.3 kmScientific Research ServicesTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 4.4 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Toluene (methylbenzene) · Benzene
- 4.9 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds
EV adoption
In postcode 2600, 306 of 7,211 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 6.2% (446 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 10.4%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2600, 1,083 rooftop-solar systems totalling 13.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 3,740 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 90 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.
Mortgage repayments
20 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 2600.
Conveyance duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with ACT Revenue Office
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-28 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
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 Parkes?
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 0 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.
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
Campbell ACT 2612
City ACT 2601
Yarralumla ACT 2600
Acton ACT 2601
Barton ACT 2600
Reid ACT 2612
Compare Parkes 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 Parkes
What natural hazards affect Parkes?
Parkes has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a high share of it (84/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the postcode for Parkes, ACT?
The postcode for Parkes, ACT is 2600.
How far is Parkes from Canberra?
Parkes is 5 km from Canberra CBD by road, about 13 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median weekly rent in Parkes?
The median advertised rent in Parkes is $812 a week for units (56 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Parkes?
The median age of residents in Parkes was 32 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Parkes walkable?
Parkes scores 44/100 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 Parkes?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Parkes (Civic) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.4 µg/m³ and PM10 of 14.1 µg/m³. That puts Parkes 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 Parkes?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Parkes, Canberra Airport (5.9 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 Parkes?
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 Parkes belong to?
Parkes 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 Parkes?
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 Parkes?
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 Parkes in?
Parkes sits within the federal Division of Canberra, currently held by Alicia Payne (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- 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.