Palmerston, ACT: suburb profile

The population of Palmerston ACT is 5,579 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Palmerston is $1,134 per week ($58,968 per year). Median rent in Palmerston is $450 per week ($1,950 per month). Palmerston has a median age of 36 years, younger than the national median of 38. Palmerston has a population density of 2,864 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Palmerston is China. The most common religion is No religion (39.8% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Palmerston is $1,940.

Population
5,579
Census 2021
Median income
$1,134/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$450/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
36years
Census 2021

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

Palmerston vs the typical ACT suburb

The median personal income in Palmerston is $1,134 a week, 5% below the typical ACT suburb ($1,192). That ranks 74th of 109 ACT suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $450 a week, the same as the typical ACT suburb. Rent takes 19.4% of the median household income here, against 18.2% in the typical ACT suburb. The median resident is 36, 2 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.
MeasurePalmerstonTypical ACTDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,134/wk$1,192/wk −5%$766/wk
Household income$2,316/wk$2,414/wk −4%$1,637/wk
Rent$450/wk$450/wk 0%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,940/mo$2,154/mo −10%$1,733/mo
Median age3638 −2 yrs42
Rent share of household income19.4%18.2% +1.3 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 Palmerston, the typical ACT suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Palmerston Population

5,579 residents at the 2021 Census.

Palmerston Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,134/wk
$58,968 per year
Ranked 597 of 14,663
Median Rent
$450/wk
$1,950 per month
Ranked 1,049 of 14,663
Median Age
36years
2 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,940/mo
Avg household size: 2.6 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Palmerston Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $2,316/wk
Median rent $450/wk
Rent to income 19.4%

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

Median rent in Palmerston against your income

About $10,036 a month
Median rent $450/wk
Left after rent $1,866/wk
Rent share 19.4%

Palmerston Schools

12
schools nearby
7
government
1083
avg ICSEA score
10,104
total students
Burgmann Anglican School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,755 students
1165
ICSEA
Franklin School Government
Primary · K-6 · 477 students
1098
ICSEA
Good Shepherd Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 762 students
1095
ICSEA
St John Paul II College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 880 students
1089
ICSEA
Holy Spirit Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 733 students
1085
ICSEA
Palmerston District Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 640 students
1077
ICSEA
Amaroo School Government
Combined · K-10 · 1,638 students
1070
ICSEA
Giralang Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 268 students
1070
ICSEA
Gungahlin College Government
Secondary · 10-12 · 1,070 students
1061
ICSEA
Gold Creek School Government
Combined · K-10 · 1,261 students
1052
ICSEA
Ngunnawal Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 620 students
1049
ICSEA
Burgmann Anglican School - Forde Campus Independent
Combined

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

All schools near Palmerston, with a map

Palmerston Map

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

Palmerston, Australian Capital Territory: 35.1932°S, 149.1195°E

Palmerston Schools (12)

People in Palmerston

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.5% (2,765) Female 50.5% (2,818)

Population Density

2,864
people per km²
5,579 people · 1.9 km²

Households

2.6
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,686
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
3.8%
India
3.6%
Vietnam
2.4%
England
2.0%
Philippines
1.2%
New Zealand
0.9%
South Korea
0.9%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
4.8%
Vietnamese
3.0%
Cantonese
1.7%
Arabic
1.3%
Urdu
1.2%
Punjabi
1.2%
Hindi
1.1%

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

Ancestry

Australian
30.6%
English
28.8%
Irish
10.1%
Chinese
8.3%
Scottish
8.2%
Indian
3.9%
Italian
3.4%
German
3.2%
Vietnamese
3.1%
Filipino
2.2%
Croatian
1.8%

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
39.8%
Catholic
18.1%
Anglican
8.8%
Not stated
5.3%
Islam
4.6%
Buddhism
4.6%
Hinduism
3.5%
Christian (other)
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
49.1% 2,183
Separated
2.8% 123
Divorced
8.5% 379
Widowed
3.8% 171
Never married
35.8% 1,593

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
44.1%
Couple: no children
24.2%
Couple: no children under 15
17.3%
One parent: children under 15
7.9%
One parent: no children under 15
6.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
21.9%
2 persons
32.8%
3 persons
18.3%
4 persons
17.1%
5 persons
6.7%
6+ persons
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Palmerston

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,038 occupied private dwellings in Palmerston at the 2021 Census, 28.3% were rented, 28.3% owned outright and 42.0% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.5% 11 dwellings
Owned outright
28.3% 577 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
42.0% 855 dwellings
Rented
28.3% 576 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.5% 11 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
60.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
32.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
6.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
0.5%
2 bedrooms
13.7%
3 bedrooms
47.3%
4 bedrooms
31.2%
5 bedrooms
6.6%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.7%
$300-$449/mo
1.8%
$450-$599/mo
1.0%
$600-$799/mo
2.2%
$800-$999/mo
4.2%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
13.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
19.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
28.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
14.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
10.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.4%
1 vehicle
37.4%
2 vehicles
40.3%
3 vehicles
11.7%
4+ vehicles
6.1%

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

Work, income and education in Palmerston

Employment

Employed full-time
47.9% 1,974 people
Employed part-time
20.8% 856 people
Unemployed
2.8% 117 people
Not in labour force
28.6% 1,178 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
36.2%
Managers
17.9%
Clerical & Administrative
16.3%
Technicians & Trade Workers
10.8%
Community & Personal Service
9.9%
Sales Workers
3.9%
Labourers
3.1%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.0%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
0.9%
$1-$149/wk
0.5%
$150-$299/wk
1.0%
$300-$399/wk
2.2%
$400-$499/wk
4.1%
$500-$649/wk
2.6%
$650-$799/wk
3.5%
$800-$999/wk
4.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.3%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
14.4%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
9.3%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
7.2%
$4,000+/wk
19.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.1%
$1-$149/wk
4.1%
$150-$299/wk
4.4%
$300-$399/wk
2.3%
$400-$499/wk
2.0%
$500-$649/wk
2.2%
$650-$799/wk
6.9%
$800-$999/wk
8.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
10.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
8.5%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
16.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.9%
$3,500+/wk
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
73.4%
Did not go to work
12.4%
Car (passenger)
6.8%
Bus
1.7%
Tram/Light Rail
1.4%
Bicycle
1.4%
Walked only
0.7%
Other
0.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.7%
Truck
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
79.6%
Year 10 or equivalent
13.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
4.6%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.8%

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
35.9%
Certificate III/IV
20.7%
Postgraduate Degree
19.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.8%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
6.8%
Certificate I/II
1.2%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
21.7%
Society & Culture
19.8%
Engineering
10.9%
Information Technology
10.5%
Education
8.4%
Health
7.8%
Natural & Physical Sciences
5.5%
Architecture & Building
4.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.6%
Creative Arts
4.3%
Agriculture & Environment
1.8%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
33.9%
Secondary: Government
18.1%
Vocational Education
13.7%
Pre-school
10.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
6.6%
Secondary: Catholic
6.5%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
5.7%
Primary: Catholic
5.4%

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
91.6%
Has need for assistance
4.9%
Need for assistance not stated
3.5%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
577
Asthma
233
Diabetes
138
Arthritis
130
Heart disease
100
Lung condition
69
Cancer
60
Kidney disease
41
Stroke
41
Dementia
7

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.9% 553
Did not provide
87.1% 3,731

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
16.2% 693
Not a volunteer
83.8% 3,587

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
1.2% 51
Current ADF: Reserves
0.5% 23
Previously served
3.4% 148
Never served
94.8% 4,073

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
34.6%
1 child
16.4%
2 children
28.2%
3 children
14.9%
4 children
4.1%
5+ children
1.7%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
9
1951: 1960
41
1961: 1970
118
1971: 1980
149
1981: 1990
246
1991: 2000
226
2001: 2010
396
2011: 2015
270
2016
49
2017
45
2018
54
2019
82
2020
20
2021
4

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

Population Mobility

12.5%
moved in the last year
38.7%
moved in the last 5 years
3.9%
unemployment rate (Census)
70.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
4,662
Moved from ACT
429
Moved from NSW
97
Moved: same area (SA2)
38
Moved from overseas
30
Moved from QLD
30
Moved from VIC
28

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
23.1%
5: 14 hours
32.9%
15: 29 hours
13.7%
30+ hours
7.4%
Did not do domestic work
22.9%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
88.7%
Step family: no other children
4.8%
Blended family: no other children
4.1%
Intact family: other children present
1.8%
Other couple: children only
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Lyons (ACT)
Income: $1,097/wk Rent: $360/wk $90/wk less rent
Richardson
Income: $1,012/wk Rent: $391/wk $59/wk less rent
Holt
Income: $1,041/wk Rent: $396/wk $54/wk less rent
Theodore (ACT)
Income: $1,195/wk Rent: $430/wk $20/wk less rent
Charnwood
Income: $948/wk Rent: $380/wk $70/wk less rent
Conder
Income: $1,179/wk Rent: $390/wk $60/wk less rent
Scullin
Income: $1,041/wk Rent: $390/wk $60/wk less rent
Macquarie
Income: $1,078/wk Rent: $400/wk $50/wk less rent

Suburbs near Palmerston

The closest suburb to Palmerston is Crace, 1.6 km away.

Crace
1.6 km away · income $1,395/wk · rent $460/wk
Gungahlin
1.8 km away · income $1,049/wk · rent $450/wk
Nicholls
2.1 km away · income $1,251/wk · rent $502/wk
Franklin (ACT)
2.1 km away · income $1,121/wk · rent $460/wk
Ngunnawal
2.5 km away · income $1,124/wk · rent $450/wk
Amaroo (ACT)
2.8 km away · income $1,207/wk · rent $460/wk

Compare Palmerston (ACT)

Frequently Asked Questions About Palmerston

What is the population of Palmerston ACT?

The population of Palmerston ACT is 5,579 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,864 people per km². Palmerston is ranked #1,419 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Palmerston?

The median personal income in Palmerston ACT is $1,134 per week, or $58,968 per year. The median household income is $2,316 per week. Family income is $2,686 per week. Palmerston is ranked #597 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Palmerston?

Median rent in Palmerston ACT is $450 per week ($1,950 per month). Rent represents 19.4% of household income, which is considered affordable. Palmerston ranks #1,049 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Palmerston?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Palmerston ACT is $1,940. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Palmerston?

The median age in Palmerston ACT is 36 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Palmerston a good suburb to live in?

Palmerston is a suburb in Australian Capital Territory with a population of 5,579. The median income is $1,134/wk, which is below the typical ACT suburb ($1,192/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (19.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Canberra Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 80107. All dollar figures in AUD.