idc-logo
svg rectangle color
AustraliaCommunity profile

In Canberra, 65% of households were purchasing or fully owned their home, 24.4% were renting privately, and 5.5% were in social housing in 2021.

Canberra's Housing Tenure data provides insights into its socio-economic status as well as the role it plays in the housing market. For example, a high concentration of private renters may indicate a transient area attractive to young singles and couples, while a concentration of home owners indicates a more settled area with mature families and empty-nesters (Household Summary). Tenure can also reflect built form (Dwelling Type), with a significantly higher share of renters in high density housing and a substantially larger proportion of home-owners in separate houses, although this is not always the case.

In conjunction with other socio-economic status indicators in Canberra, Tenure data is useful for analysing housing markets, housing affordability and identifying public housing areas.

Further reading: How can Councils influence affordable housing.

Q:

Derived from the Census questions:

'Is this dwelling (owned outright, owned with a mortgage etc.)', and 'If this dwelling is being rented, who is it rented from?'

Housing tenure
Canberra - Households (Enumerated)20212016Change
Tenure typeNumber%Victoria %Number%Victoria %2016 to 2021
Fully owned45,16725.831.038,95825.830.7+6,209
Mortgage68,02838.934.655,09836.633.5+12,930
Renting - Total52,57130.027.545,32230.126.7+7,249
Renting - Social housing9,6825.52.59,2926.22.8+390
Renting - Private42,67624.424.935,84323.823.7+6,833
Renting - Not stated2130.10.11870.10.2+26
Other tenure type2,7901.61.71,9231.31.7+867
Not stated6,4143.75.29,4086.27.5-2,994
Total households174,970100.0100.0150,709100.0100.0+24,261
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

Analysis of the housing tenure of households of Canberra in 2021 compared to Victoria shows that there was a smaller proportion of households who owned their dwelling; a larger proportion purchasing their dwelling; and a larger proportion who were renters.

Overall, 25.8% of households owned their dwelling; 38.9% were purchasing, and 30.0% were renting, compared with 31.0%, 34.6% and 27.5% respectively for Victoria.

Emerging groups

The largest changes in housing tenure categories for the households in Canberra between 2016 and 2021 were:

  • Mortgage (+12,930 households)
  • Renting - Private (+6,833 households)
  • Fully owned (+6,209 households)
  • Other tenure type (+867 households)

The total number of households in Canberra increased by 24,261 between 2016 and 2021.

DISCLAIMER: While all due care has been taken to ensure that the content of this website is accurate and current, there may be errors or omissions in it and no legal responsibility is accepted for the information and opinions in this website.

Please view our Privacy Policy, Terms of use and Legal notices. Stats NZ Data and the copyright in the Stats NZ Data remains the property of the Statistics New Zealand.

The copyright in the way .id has modified, transformed or reconfigured the Stats NZ Data as published on this website remains the property of .id. Stats NZ Data can be accessed on the Statistics New Zealand website at www.stats.govt.nz. Unless otherwise specified, content that Stats NZ produce is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. For further information see https://www.stats.govt.nz/about-us/copyright/.