Spence, ACT: suburb profile

The population of Spence ACT is 2,587 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Spence is $1,125 per week ($58,500 per year). Median rent in Spence is $375 per week ($1,625 per month). Spence has a median age of 38 years, equal to the national median. Spence has a population density of 1,699 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Spence is England. The most common religion is No religion (46.7% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Spence is $2,120.

Population
2,587
Census 2021
Median income
$1,125/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$375/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
38years
Census 2021

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

Spence vs the typical ACT suburb

The median personal income in Spence is $1,125 a week, 6% below the typical ACT suburb ($1,192). That ranks 77th of 109 ACT suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $375 a week, $75 less than the typical ACT suburb. Rent takes 15.9% of the median household income here, against 18.2% in the typical ACT suburb. The median resident is 38, the same age as in the typical ACT suburb.

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureSpenceTypical ACTDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,125/wk$1,192/wk −6%$766/wk
Household income$2,358/wk$2,414/wk −2%$1,637/wk
Rent$375/wk$450/wk −17%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,120/mo$2,154/mo −2%$1,733/mo
Median age3838 0 yrs42
Rent share of household income15.9%18.2% −2.3 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 Spence, the typical ACT suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Spence Population

2,587 residents at the 2021 Census.

Spence Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,125/wk
$58,500 per year
Ranked 623 of 14,663
Median Rent
$375/wk
$1,625 per month
Ranked 2,632 of 14,663
Median Age
38years
Same as the national median
Mortgage
$2,120/mo
Avg household size: 2.7 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Spence Rent Prices & Affordability

16% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $2,358/wk
Median rent $375/wk
Rent to income 15.9%

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

Median rent in Spence against your income

About $10,218 a month
Median rent $375/wk
Left after rent $1,983/wk
Rent share 15.9%

Spence Schools

12
schools nearby
9
government
1054
avg ICSEA score
5,627
total students
St Monica's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 412 students
1080
ICSEA
Miles Franklin Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 394 students
1077
ICSEA
St John the Apostle Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 368 students
1077
ICSEA
St Francis Xavier College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,323 students
1070
ICSEA
Giralang Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 268 students
1070
ICSEA
Mount Rogers Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 461 students
1056
ICSEA
Evatt Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 281 students
1047
ICSEA
Fraser Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 462 students
1042
ICSEA
Florey Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 397 students
1042
ICSEA
Melba Copland Secondary School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 953 students
1041
ICSEA
Charnwood-Dunlop School Government
Primary · K-6 · 308 students
987
ICSEA
Melba Copland Secondary School Copland Campus Years 7 - 9 Government
Secondary

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

All schools near Spence, with a map

Spence Map

Spence, Australian Capital Territory Map data: OpenStreetMap
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Spence, Australian Capital Territory: 35.1988°S, 149.0655°E

Spence Schools (12)

People in Spence

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.5% (1,282) Female 50.5% (1,307)

Population Density

1,699
people per km²
2,587 people · 1.5 km²

Households

2.7
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,747
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

England
2.9%
China
0.9%
Germany
0.9%
United States of America
0.7%
Chile
0.6%
Scotland
0.6%
India
0.5%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Spanish
1.4%
Mandarin
1.1%
Greek
0.9%
Vietnamese
0.9%
Serbian
0.7%
Arabic
0.6%
German
0.6%

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

Ancestry

Australian
41.5%
English
38.9%
Irish
14.9%
Scottish
12.9%
German
4.7%
Italian
2.9%
Chinese
2.6%
Australian Aboriginal
2.4%
Greek
1.9%
Dutch
1.8%
Polish
1.3%

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
46.7%
Catholic
21.5%
Anglican
9.7%
Not stated
5.5%
Uniting Church
2.4%
Christian (other)
2.3%
Eastern Orthodox
1.9%
Pentecostal
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

2.4%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
49.4% 1,022
Separated
2.8% 58
Divorced
9.0% 186
Widowed
3.1% 64
Never married
35.7% 739

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
45.5%
Couple: no children
25.6%
Couple: no children under 15
16.4%
One parent: no children under 15
6.5%
One parent: children under 15
6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
21.0%
2 persons
33.9%
3 persons
15.8%
4 persons
18.2%
5 persons
8.0%
6+ persons
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Spence

Housing Tenure

Of the 926 occupied private dwellings in Spence at the 2021 Census, 19.9% were rented, 32.8% owned outright and 45.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 8 dwellings
Owned outright
32.8% 304 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
45.2% 419 dwellings
Rented
19.9% 184 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.1% 10 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
92.5%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
6.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.5%
2 bedrooms
2.9%
3 bedrooms
45.6%
4 bedrooms
39.9%
5 bedrooms
5.8%
6+ bedrooms
2.3%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
2.9%
$300-$449/mo
1.3%
$450-$599/mo
1.3%
$600-$799/mo
1.6%
$800-$999/mo
1.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
11.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
16.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
31.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
20.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
12.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.0%
1 vehicle
29.2%
2 vehicles
45.7%
3 vehicles
13.5%
4+ vehicles
7.6%

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

Work, income and education in Spence

Employment

Employed full-time
42.2% 806 people
Employed part-time
21.6% 413 people
Unemployed
3.0% 58 people
Not in labour force
33.2% 634 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
32.9%
Managers
18.7%
Clerical & Administrative
16.3%
Technicians & Trade Workers
14.1%
Community & Personal Service
10.8%
Sales Workers
3.4%
Labourers
2.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.4%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.0%
$150-$299/wk
1.5%
$300-$399/wk
2.1%
$400-$499/wk
4.0%
$500-$649/wk
2.1%
$650-$799/wk
4.7%
$800-$999/wk
4.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
12.0%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
10.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
8.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
7.6%
$4,000+/wk
20.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.9%
$1-$149/wk
5.1%
$150-$299/wk
4.6%
$300-$399/wk
2.3%
$400-$499/wk
2.2%
$500-$649/wk
2.5%
$650-$799/wk
7.0%
$800-$999/wk
8.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
11.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
10.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
15.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.4%
$3,500+/wk
4.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
73.6%
Did not go to work
13.3%
Car (passenger)
5.3%
Bus
3.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.0%
Bicycle
1.0%
Truck
0.9%
Other
0.5%
Walked only
0.4%
Train
0.3%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.3%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
76.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
15.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
5.5%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.1%

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
31.8%
Certificate III/IV
27.0%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.6%
Postgraduate Degree
13.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
7.9%
Certificate I/II
1.2%

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

Field of Study

Society & Culture
20.7%
Management & Commerce
17.7%
Engineering
10.3%
Architecture & Building
8.6%
Education
8.5%
Health
8.2%
Creative Arts
7.4%
Information Technology
7.4%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.8%
Agriculture & Environment
2.5%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
27.3%
Secondary: Government
20.4%
Vocational Education
13.1%
Primary: Catholic
12.2%
Pre-school
11.3%
Secondary: Catholic
9.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
4.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
1.8%

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
90.5%
Has need for assistance
5.4%
Need for assistance not stated
4.0%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
332
Asthma
117
Arthritis
100
Diabetes
72
Heart disease
68
Cancer
46
Kidney disease
33
Lung condition
30
Stroke
21
Dementia
6

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.3% 304
Did not provide
84.7% 1,688

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
20.1% 399
Not a volunteer
79.9% 1,586

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.3% 5
Current ADF: Reserves
0.4% 8
Previously served
5.1% 102
Never served
94.2% 1,883

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
31.7%
1 child
10.3%
2 children
30.4%
3 children
19.0%
4 children
7.7%
5+ children
1.0%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
17
1951: 1960
27
1961: 1970
60
1971: 1980
51
1981: 1990
48
1991: 2000
50
2001: 2010
94
2011: 2015
39
2017
7
2018
8
2019
13

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

Population Mobility

8.7%
moved in the last year
29.5%
moved in the last 5 years
4.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
65.9%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,253
Moved from ACT
143
Moved from NSW
27
Moved from overseas
16
Moved from QLD
10
Moved from VIC
7
Moved: same area (SA2)
6

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.1%
5: 14 hours
35.3%
15: 29 hours
14.9%
30+ hours
7.2%
Did not do domestic work
18.5%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
86.4%
Step family: no other children
8.6%
Blended family: no other children
3.8%
Other couple: children only
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Rivett
Income: $1,113/wk Rent: $322/wk $53/wk less rent
Lyons (ACT)
Income: $1,097/wk Rent: $360/wk $15/wk less rent
Taylor
Income: $1,113/wk Rent: $282/wk $93/wk less rent
Ainslie
Income: $1,236/wk Rent: $367/wk $8/wk less rent

Suburbs near Spence

The closest suburb to Spence is Evatt, 1.4 km away.

Evatt
1.4 km away · income $1,149/wk · rent $466/wk
Melba
1.6 km away · income $1,118/wk · rent $400/wk
Fraser
2.0 km away · income $1,164/wk · rent $450/wk
Flynn (ACT)
2.1 km away · income $1,173/wk · rent $481/wk
McKellar
2.4 km away · income $1,160/wk · rent $438/wk
Charnwood
2.9 km away · income $948/wk · rent $380/wk

Compare Spence (ACT)

Frequently Asked Questions About Spence

What is the population of Spence ACT?

The population of Spence ACT is 2,587 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,699 people per km². Spence is ranked #2,668 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Spence?

The median personal income in Spence ACT is $1,125 per week, or $58,500 per year. The median household income is $2,358 per week. Family income is $2,747 per week. Spence is ranked #623 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Spence?

Median rent in Spence ACT is $375 per week ($1,625 per month). Rent represents 15.9% of household income, which is considered affordable. Spence ranks #2,632 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Spence?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Spence ACT is $2,120. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Spence?

The median age in Spence ACT is 38 years. This is equal to the national median age of 38 years.

Is Spence a good suburb to live in?

Spence is a suburb in Australian Capital Territory with a population of 2,587. The median income is $1,125/wk, which is below the typical ACT suburb ($1,192/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (15.9% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 80118. All dollar figures in AUD.