Watson
ACT 2602 · Unincorporated ACT
6,727 (2021) → 7,399 est. (2025) · High Growth
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Watson is a high growth suburb in Unincorporated ACT, ACT 2602, about 6km from Canberra CBD. Recent property sales in Watson are too limited to report a reliable median price. The suburb has 2 schools, a transport score of 53/100, and is about 106km inland. Watson has an overall score of 67/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 56/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Housing tenure
- Owned
- Mortgage
- Rented
Commute to work
- Car
- Public transport
- Walk/cycle
- Work from home
Top countries of birth: England (2.84%), India (1.96%), China (1.65%), New Zealand (1.4%), USA (1.1%)
Top languages: Mandarin (2.19%), Vietnamese (1.26%), Spanish (1.09%), Nepali (1.06%), German (0.86%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Residential Safety
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: ACT Policing (suburb-level) · Updated 2024
Schools
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1123 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- Majura Primary SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1126
- Rosary Primary SchoolPrimary · CatholicICSEA 1123
Nearby (within 10km)
- Dickson CollegeSecondary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 1106
- Blue Gum Community SchoolCombined · Independent · 1.8kmICSEA 1109
- North Ainslie Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.6kmICSEA 1140
- Emmaus Christian SchoolCombined · Independent · 2.6kmICSEA 1138
- Daramalan CollegeSecondary · Independent · 2.8kmICSEA 1118
- Lyneham High SchoolSecondary · Government · 3.3kmICSEA 1141
- Brindabella Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · 3.3kmICSEA 1146
- Lyneham Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.6kmICSEA 1134
- Merici CollegeSecondary · Catholic · 4.1kmICSEA 1124
- St Joseph's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 4.1kmICSEA 1130
- Harrison SchoolCombined · Government · 4.2kmICSEA 1065
- Kaleen Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 4.3kmICSEA 1101
Source: ACARA 2023
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap
Population & Growth
High GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Unincorporated ACT
Compare Watson with another suburb
Compare two suburbs
Frequently asked questions about Watson
Is Watson safe?
Watson has a residential safety score of 56/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 4,148 per 100,000 across all categories.
How far is Watson from Canberra CBD?
Watson is about 5.8 km from Canberra CBD, an estimated 29 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Watson?
Watson has 2 schools, with an average ICSEA of 1125 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Watson?
Watson has a transport score of 53/100 and 33 bus stops.