Question 1

Is Dickson a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Dickson is an inner-north Canberra suburb centred on the Dickson Centre, a compact shopping and dining precinct known for its cafes and a strong Asian dining presence. The suburb mixes low-rise apartments and older detached homes in tree-lined streets and has a village-style retail strip at its heart. Everyday shops and services are within easy reach and the Dickson light rail and bus interchanges, regular bus routes and Northbourne Avenue provide straightforward links to the city and the lakeside parliamentary precinct.

With 3,292 residents, a median age of 30 and a median household income of $2,277 a week, Dickson has a relatively young population. Families are mainly couple families without children, and together couple families represent 84.8% of families. Owner-occupiers are the majority at 53.5% while 46.6% of homes are rented, so the suburb suits a mix of long-term residents, young professionals and families. Ongoing Section 72 renewal work, social and affordable housing projects and civic facilities such as the heritage-listed Dickson Library and the Inner North Walk-In Centre mean the area is experiencing change alongside its compact retail centre.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Dickson?

Accepted Answer

Buying in Dickson sits noticeably above local incomes recorded at the last Census. The median house price of $1,032,500 is about 8.7 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census (weekly household income $2,277 × 52), while the median unit price of $531,500 is about 4.5 times that annual income.

Renting looks less stretched than buying a house. An average house rent of $750 a week would take roughly 32.9% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, a sizeable share, and an average unit rent of $650 a week would take about 28.5%, a moderate share. On these figures, buying a house is the more stretched option against local incomes; whether that feels expensive will depend on 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.

Question 3

Is Dickson a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

Unit rents rose a modest 4.8% over the past 12 months. In Dickson, unit values increased a modest 2.7% while house values only edged up 0.2% over the same period.

For someone focused on rental income, the unit rent figure is the most relevant; for capital growth, the figures show units have outpaced houses this year. Whether that pattern makes Dickson a suitable investment for you depends on your own goals and circumstances.

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.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	$1.03M	$532K
Change in value Past 12 months	0.2%	2.7%
Sold Past 3 months	18	31
Median days on market Past 12 months	39	70
Average rent Past 12 months	$750	$650
Change in rent Past 12 months	N/A	4.8%

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

Dickson suburb profile

Dickson property market performance

5 year median price trend for houses and units

Dickson demographics

Suburbs near Dickson

How does Dickson compare to nearby suburbs?

Choose the right real estate agents in Dickson

Get a head start and compare top local agents in Dickson

Not quite ready to sell?

Suburb and property report

Digital estimate for your property

Navigate the market