Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in City

City (commonly called Civic) is Canberra’s compact commercial and cultural centre, anchored by the Canberra Centre and a pedestrian retail spine. It mixes office towers, mixed-use apartment buildings and pockets of early civic architecture, with daytime energy from government workers, shoppers and students and evenings that bring restaurants, bars and theatre performances. A major bus interchange and the light rail terminus make it the city’s transport hub, while small green spaces such as Glebe Park and City Hill sit close to the Lake Burley Griffin foreshore, so day-to-day life is very walkable with easy access to services and culture.

About 4,835 people live in City and the median age is 27, and homes are mostly rented, which helps explain the suburb’s younger, apartment-focused profile. Several public projects are planned or under way around Civic and Commonwealth Park, including a light rail extension, an aquatic centre, a convention and entertainment precinct and precinct masterplanning around City Hill. That mix tends to suit students, government workers and other young adults or renters who want an inner-city, well connected lifestyle; whether it fits you depends on the sort of urban living you prefer.

Renting a unit in City 2601 at $650 a week would take about 29% of a typical local household's weekly income as recorded at the most recent Census, which is a moderate share of income. That rent figure is the most relevant number if you plan to rent rather than buy.

The median unit price of $495,000 works out to about 4.3 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census, which sits somewhat above what people locally earned then. If you are weighing buying, that price multiple is the key measure to consider alongside your own circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Unit values in City rose 10.6% over the past year, a strong increase in what a unit is worth. If capital growth is your priority, that unit-value rise is the figure that matters when weighing City as an investment. There isn't enough recent data for the other measures to describe how house values or rents moved over the same period.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.