Moving to Hughes ACT 2605
What the official numbers say about living in Hughes — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $400 a week, against a median household income of $2,797 a week.
About 73% of homes are owner-occupied and 24% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Hughes grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (2,956 → 3,210 people).
Around 72% of households are families, averaging 2.6 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, India, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Nepali, French, Mandarin.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Hughes sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (72% of workers), while 15% work from home.
Nearest train station: Canberra, 5.2 km east.
Nearest bus interchange: Canberra Civic Coach Stop, 6.7 km north-east.
Nearest airport: Canberra Airport, 9.6 km east.
The Canberra CBD is roughly 7 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 34 schools · 73 cafes & restaurants · 11 supermarkets · 8 parks — see them all on the Hughes profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Hughes Primary School 250 m · Malkara School 500 m · Sts Peter & Paul Primary School 650 m · The Woden School 850 m · The Canberra College 900 m · Alfred Deakin High School 1.1 km · Deakin School for Early Learning 1.3 km · Holy Trinity Primary School 1.4 km
Groceries: IGA 100 m · Sun Gift House 1.3 km · Coles 1.5 km · Garran Friendly Grocers 1.6 km · Woolworths 1.7 km · Coles 1.7 km · IGA 1.8 km · Spice World 2.2 km
Parks and reserves: Clarrie Hermes Park 650 m · Eddison Park 900 m · Arabanoo Park 1.3 km · Woden Town Park 1.3 km · Rosemary Dobson Park 1.7 km · Tyagarah Park 2.3 km · Latrobe Park 2.3 km · ACT Equestrian Park 2.9 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Hughes, most often seen first: Australian Magpie · Magpie-lark · Pied Currawong · Sulphur-crested Cockatoo · Galah · Red Wattlebird.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Hughes, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hughes here | 3,210 | — | 10/10 | 10% |
| Phillip | 5,197 | — | 10/10 | 7% |
| Garran | 3,706 | — | 10/10 | 15% |
| Deakin | 3,124 | — | 10/10 | 14% |
| Curtin | 5,569 | — | 10/10 | 10% |
| Lyons | 3,271 | — | 9/10 | 12% |
| O'malley | 928 | — | 10/10 | 24% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Unincorporated ACT — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Canberra — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2605 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Hughes profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $400 a week, and about 24% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 2,956 people to 3,210. It sits about 7 km from the Canberra CBD in a straight line, and Canberra station is roughly 5.2 km away. Local government is Unincorporated ACT council, and the federal seat is Canberra.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Hughes vs Garran · Hughes vs Deakin.
Nearby guides: Phillip · Garran · Deakin · Curtin · Lyons · O'malley.
Keep an eye on Hughes
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