Dickson, ACT: suburb profile

The population of Dickson ACT is 3,292 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Dickson is $1,303 per week ($67,756 per year). Median rent in Dickson is $500 per week ($2,167 per month). Dickson has a median age of 30 years, younger than the national median of 38. Dickson has a population density of 2,086 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Dickson is China. The most common religion is No religion (60.1% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Dickson is $1,904.

Population
3,292
Census 2021
Median income
$1,303/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$500/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
30years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Dickson vs the typical ACT suburb

The median personal income in Dickson is $1,303 a week, 9% above the typical ACT suburb ($1,192). That ranks 31st of 109 ACT suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $500 a week, $50 more than the typical ACT suburb. Rent takes 22.0% of the median household income here, against 18.2% in the typical ACT suburb. The median resident is 30, 8 years younger than in the typical ACT suburb (38).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureDicksonTypical ACTDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,303/wk$1,192/wk +9%$766/wk
Household income$2,277/wk$2,414/wk −6%$1,637/wk
Rent$500/wk$450/wk +11%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,904/mo$2,154/mo −12%$1,733/mo
Median age3038 −8 yrs42
Rent share of household income22.0%18.2% +3.8 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Dickson, the typical ACT suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Dickson Population

3,292 residents at the 2021 Census.

Dickson Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,303/wk
$67,756 per year
Ranked 277 of 14,663
Median Rent
$500/wk
$2,167 per month
Ranked 576 of 14,663
Median Age
30years
8 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,904/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 1 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Dickson Rent Prices & Affordability

22% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,277/wk
Median rent $500/wk
Rent to income 22.0%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Dickson against your income

About $9,867 a month
Median rent $500/wk
Left after rent $1,777/wk
Rent share 22.0%

Dickson Schools

17
schools nearby
10
government
1131
avg ICSEA score
10,061
total students
Blue Gum Community School Independent
Combined · K-10 · 167 students
1164
ICSEA
Brindabella Christian College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 929 students
1154
ICSEA
North Ainslie Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 527 students
1145
ICSEA
Turner School Government
Primary · K-6 · 318 students
1141
ICSEA
O'Connor Cooperative School Government
Primary · K-2 · 60 students
1141
ICSEA
Merici College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 992 students
1138
ICSEA
Emmaus Christian School Independent
Combined · K-10 · 590 students
1138
ICSEA
Majura Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 675 students
1135
ICSEA
Lyneham Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 498 students
1135
ICSEA
Lyneham High School Government
Secondary · 7-10 · 1,034 students
1132
ICSEA
Ainslie School Government
Primary · K-6 · 351 students
1130
ICSEA
St Joseph's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 334 students
1130
ICSEA
Daramalan College Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,498 students
1127
ICSEA
Rosary Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 369 students
1121
ICSEA
Campbell High School Government
Secondary · 7-10 · 420 students
1120
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 17 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Dickson, with a map

Dickson Map

Dickson, Australian Capital Territory Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Dickson, Australian Capital Territory: 35.2540°S, 149.1439°E

Dickson Schools (17)

People in Dickson

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.6% (1,602) Female 51.4% (1,693)

Population Density

2,086
people per km²
3,292 people · 1.6 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$2,895
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

China
5.8%
England
2.6%
Vietnam
1.3%
India
1.2%
United States of America
1.2%
Nepal
1.2%
New Zealand
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
6.6%
Vietnamese
2.0%
Cantonese
1.5%
Nepali
1.1%
Spanish
0.9%
French
0.7%
Italian
0.7%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
32.5%
Australian
28.6%
Irish
14.8%
Chinese
10.8%
Scottish
10.8%
German
5.8%
Italian
3.8%
Indian
2.2%
Vietnamese
2.1%
Dutch
2.0%
Australian Aboriginal
1.7%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
60.1%
Catholic
12.5%
Not stated
5.1%
Buddhism
4.6%
Anglican
3.8%
Hinduism
2.2%
Islam
1.8%
Uniting Church
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
30.0% 862
Separated
2.3% 66
Divorced
6.4% 185
Widowed
2.3% 65
Never married
59.0% 1,693

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
40.7%
Couple: children under 15
39.1%
Couple: no children under 15
8.6%
One parent: children under 15
7.1%
One parent: no children under 15
4.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
33.4%
2 persons
35.6%
3 persons
16.9%
4 persons
10.0%
5 persons
2.7%
6+ persons
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Dickson

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,431 occupied private dwellings in Dickson at the 2021 Census, 45.9% were rented, 19.5% owned outright and 33.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.8% 11 dwellings
Owned outright
19.5% 279 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
33.2% 475 dwellings
Rented
45.9% 657 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.5% 7 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
58.0%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
39.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
22.2%
2 bedrooms
31.3%
3 bedrooms
32.4%
4 bedrooms
11.2%
5 bedrooms
2.4%
6+ bedrooms
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
3.4%
$300-$449/mo
0.7%
$450-$599/mo
0.7%
$600-$799/mo
2.9%
$800-$999/mo
3.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
15.5%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
21.4%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
21.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
16.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
13.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
11.0%
1 vehicle
52.4%
2 vehicles
27.6%
3 vehicles
7.0%
4+ vehicles
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Dickson

Employment

Employed full-time
52.3% 1,397 people
Employed part-time
24.2% 647 people
Unemployed
3.6% 95 people
Not in labour force
19.9% 533 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
46.7%
Managers
20.9%
Clerical & Administrative
12.3%
Community & Personal Service
7.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
5.9%
Labourers
3.2%
Sales Workers
2.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.1%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.3%
$300-$399/wk
1.5%
$400-$499/wk
3.1%
$500-$649/wk
2.8%
$650-$799/wk
2.5%
$800-$999/wk
4.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
15.9%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
6.5%
$4,000+/wk
20.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
6.1%
$1-$149/wk
2.8%
$150-$299/wk
4.1%
$300-$399/wk
2.1%
$400-$499/wk
2.0%
$500-$649/wk
2.8%
$650-$799/wk
5.3%
$800-$999/wk
7.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
10.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
11.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
8.5%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
17.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.0%
$3,500+/wk
4.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
52.3%
Did not go to work
11.6%
Bicycle
10.1%
Tram/Light Rail
7.9%
Walked only
6.4%
Car (passenger)
6.0%
Bus
3.3%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.0%
Other
0.8%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.3%
Truck
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
91.7%
Year 10 or equivalent
5.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
2.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.4%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
45.7%
Postgraduate Degree
29.3%
Certificate III/IV
8.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
8.4%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
7.4%
Certificate I/II
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Society & Culture
34.8%
Management & Commerce
18.8%
Natural & Physical Sciences
7.7%
Information Technology
7.3%
Creative Arts
6.8%
Health
6.6%
Engineering
5.9%
Education
4.1%
Architecture & Building
3.0%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.6%
Agriculture & Environment
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
34.2%
Vocational Education
22.0%
Secondary: Government
21.2%
Pre-school
10.7%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
4.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
2.7%
Primary: Catholic
2.7%
Secondary: Catholic
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
93.2%
Has need for assistance
3.3%
Need for assistance not stated
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
421
Asthma
124
Arthritis
53
Heart disease
39
Diabetes
36
Lung condition
35
Cancer
30
Stroke
21
Kidney disease
12

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
10.1% 279
Did not provide
89.9% 2,481

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
22.6% 625
Not a volunteer
77.4% 2,144

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
1.9% 52
Current ADF: Reserves
0.5% 15
Previously served
2.1% 58
Never served
95.5% 2,639

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
65.5%
1 child
10.6%
2 children
16.2%
3 children
6.0%
4 children
1.2%
5+ children
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
4
1951: 1960
21
1961: 1970
37
1971: 1980
61
1981: 1990
68
1991: 2000
110
2001: 2010
179
2011: 2015
163
2016
58
2017
72
2018
86
2019
67
2020
21
2021
17

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

34.4%
moved in the last year
73.2%
moved in the last 5 years
4.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
78.0%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,060
Moved from ACT
643
Moved from NSW
160
Moved from overseas
75
Moved from VIC
73
Moved: same area (SA2)
47
Moved from QLD
43
Moved from WA
12
Moved from NT
10
Moved from SA
8

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
28.9%
5: 14 hours
38.6%
15: 29 hours
10.1%
30+ hours
4.4%
Did not do domestic work
18.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
92.3%
Step family: no other children
6.0%
Blended family: no other children
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Taylor
Income: $1,113/wk Rent: $282/wk $218/wk less rent
Moncrieff
Income: $1,222/wk Rent: $470/wk $30/wk less rent
Coombs
Income: $1,358/wk Rent: $480/wk $20/wk less rent
Braddon
Income: $1,512/wk Rent: $495/wk $5/wk less rent
Throsby
Income: $1,342/wk Rent: $375/wk $125/wk less rent
Turner
Income: $1,448/wk Rent: $480/wk $20/wk less rent
Phillip
Income: $1,342/wk Rent: $440/wk $60/wk less rent
Wright
Income: $1,446/wk Rent: $461/wk $39/wk less rent

Suburbs near Dickson

The closest suburb to Dickson is Ainslie, 1.1 km away.

Ainslie
1.1 km away · income $1,236/wk · rent $367/wk
Downer
1.3 km away · income $1,125/wk · rent $420/wk
Lyneham
1.6 km away · income $1,200/wk · rent $425/wk
Hackett
1.7 km away · income $1,361/wk · rent $374/wk
Braddon
1.9 km away · income $1,512/wk · rent $495/wk
Turner
2.5 km away · income $1,448/wk · rent $480/wk

Compare Dickson

Frequently Asked Questions About Dickson

What is the population of Dickson ACT?

The population of Dickson ACT is 3,292 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,086 people per km². Dickson is ranked #2,232 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Dickson?

The median personal income in Dickson ACT is $1,303 per week, or $67,756 per year. The median household income is $2,277 per week. Family income is $2,895 per week. Dickson is ranked #277 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Dickson?

Median rent in Dickson ACT is $500 per week ($2,167 per month). Rent represents 22.0% of household income, which is considered affordable. Dickson ranks #576 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Dickson?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Dickson ACT is $1,904. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Dickson?

The median age in Dickson ACT is 30 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Dickson a good suburb to live in?

Dickson is a suburb in Australian Capital Territory with a population of 3,292. The median income is $1,303/wk, which is above the typical ACT suburb ($1,192/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (22.0% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Canberra Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 80046. All dollar figures in AUD.