Charnwood vs MacgregorTwo Canberra suburbs compared for a home loan
Charnwood (ACT 2615) is approximately 13 km north-west of the Canberra city centre, in western Belconnen. Macgregor (ACT 2615) is approximately 14 km north-west of the Canberra city centre, in western Belconnen. At the 2021 Census, Charnwood had 3,055 residents with a median age of 35, and Macgregor had 7,049 residents with a median age of 34.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was separate houses. Flats and apartments made up 0% of occupied dwellings in Charnwood and 0% in Macgregor, while 32% of Charnwood households rented compared with 20% in Macgregor. These differences matter for finance, because lenders assess apartments, strata buildings and houses on land differently.
Both suburbs are in the same state, so transfer duty is calculated on the same scale and the difference in upfront cost comes from the purchase price. The panel below applies that scale, and an estimate of lenders mortgage insurance, to the prices you enter.
ACT 2615 · Belconnen
Charnwood
Charnwood is a Radburn-designed Belconnen suburb gazetted in 1971, where loose-fill asbestos was concentrated and incomes are the lowest in these Canberra guides.
Australian Capital Territory. Approximately 13 km north-west of the Canberra city centre, in western Belconnen.
Read the full Charnwood guideACT 2615 · Belconnen
Macgregor
Macgregor is a western Belconnen suburb gazetted in 1971 and later extended, where 57.9 per cent of households hold a mortgage and houses dominate.
Australian Capital Territory. Approximately 14 km north-west of the Canberra city centre, in western Belconnen.
Read the full Macgregor guide
What buying in Charnwood and Macgregor would mean for the loan
The difference between two suburbs is usually a difference in price, and price drives the deposit, the transfer duty, any lenders mortgage insurance and the repayment. Enter the prices you are seeing and the panel works out each of those for Charnwood and Macgregor.
Your prices and deposit
Enter the price you are seeing in each suburb. BorrowWise does not quote prices, so the comparison uses yours.
Enter a price for Charnwood to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Macgregor to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Warning: The interest rate used here is an example only. It is not a comparison rate and is not a rate offered by any lender, and it does not include fees and charges. Different rates, terms, fees or loan amounts will give a different result.
Estimates only. Repayments assume a principal and interest loan at a constant rate, which is an assumption and not a current market rate. Transfer duty is indicative for established homes, first home buyer relief depends on eligibility, and upfront cash includes an allowance of $3,000 for conveyancing and inspections. Lenders mortgage insurance is an estimate and is added to the loan. A lender makes its own assessment.
Charnwood and Macgregor: Census profile compared
Figures are from the 2021 Census, so rents, repayments and incomes have moved since. They are most useful for comparing one suburb with another and with Australia as a whole.
| Measure | Charnwood | Macgregor |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 3,055 | 7,049 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 35 | 34 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $1,818 | $2,344 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $380 | $464 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $1,755 | $2,000 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 32% | 20% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 46% | 58% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 23% | 21% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 87% | 91% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 13% | 9% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 0% | 0% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 11% | 7% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 20% | 32% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 6% | 4% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0). Tenure shares exclude households that did not state their tenure. Dwelling shares are of occupied private dwellings.
Home loan considerations in Charnwood and Macgregor
Lenders treat houses on land, townhouses and apartments differently, and some apply extra conditions to small apartments, high-density buildings or particular postcodes. These are the points each guide raises.
Charnwood
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Upgraders
- Loose-fill asbestos was concentrated in Charnwood, so the register must be checked for any address.
- A cleared or recently built block may have been part of the buyback and demolition scheme.
- The Radburn layout means houses face parkland with rear vehicle access, unlike a conventional lot.
- At 1,167 occupied dwellings, comparable sales evidence is limited for valuation.
- Title is a Crown lease with a purpose clause, not freehold.
Macgregor
- First home buyers
- Upgraders
- Investors
- Mortgaged ownership of 57.9 per cent means most households are active borrowers.
- The mix of original and later housing means comparisons should come from the same area.
- Original 1970s housing falls within the loose-fill asbestos installation period.
- Estate design guidelines may apply to newer areas but not to the older ones.
- Only 20.5 per cent of households rented, so the tenant pool is limited.
Housing stock in Charnwood and Macgregor compared
Charnwood
- Radburn-design detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 1,021 at the 2021 Census, 87.5 per cent of occupied homes, facing common parkland.
- Three bedroom homes
- At 793 dwellings, the dominant size recorded at the 2021 Census, against 200 four-bedroom.
- Townhouses
- The 148 semi-detached or townhouse dwellings counted at the 2021 Census, with only 3 flats.
Macgregor
- Detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 2,266 at the 2021 Census, 90.6 per cent of occupied homes.
- Three bedroom homes
- At 1,504 dwellings, the dominant size recorded at the 2021 Census, against 694 four-bedroom.
- Limited attached stock
- Only 226 townhouse dwellings and 6 flats were counted at the 2021 Census.
Official sale price and rent figures for Charnwood and Macgregor
Only figures published free of charge by a government agency are shown. Where none is published the space is left empty rather than filled with an estimate. Each guide charts the full series.
Charnwood
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Charnwood, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Macgregor
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Macgregor, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Transport, schools and amenities in Charnwood and Macgregor
Charnwood
Transport
- Transport Canberra buses (bus)
- Ginninderra Drive (road)
- Southern Cross Drive (road)
Amenities
- Charnwood group centre
- Belconnen Town Centre
- Charnwood common parkland
Macgregor
Transport
- Transport Canberra buses (bus)
- Ginninderra Drive (road)
Amenities
- Kippax group centre
- Belconnen Town Centre
- Macgregor local shops
School listings show name, level and sector only. Enrolment areas change, so confirm eligibility for a specific address with the school or the ACT education department.
Compare Charnwood or Macgregor with another suburb
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Request a free assessment: Charnwood or Macgregor
An accredited mortgage broker can check your borrowing power against prices in Charnwood and Macgregor, and explain how lenders treat the homes you are considering. The assessment is free of charge and carries no obligation.