Residential rates will rise again next financial year, but the scrapping of the health levy means tens of thousands of households are expected to pay less.
Despite the removal of the levy, which was dramatically decreased less than a week after it was announced at last year's budget, the ACT government will still collect about $607 million in residential rates from home owners next year, according to the latest budget papers.
That is up from the $565.7 million the government estimated it earned in the 2025-26 financial year.
The ACT government attributed the rise in revenue to an increase in annual general rates and a growing number of new residential properties entering the market.
In the ACT, your total rates bill includes both general rates and the Police, Fire and Emergency Services and Safer Families levies.
General rates are calculated by combining a fixed charge, which is based on the type of property you own, and a valuation charge, which is based on the value of your property.
In the next financial year, a fixed charge of $884 will be imposed for residential non-unit titled properties, a reduction from the $926 in 2025-26. For unit properties, the fixed charge will now be $943, a drop from $985.
To determine the valuation charge, the ACT government uses sale data of similarly sized blocks in the same neighbourhoods to estimate the average unimproved values of your property.
Home owners in suburbs with higher property values therefore pay more rates, which the ACT government says helps deliver fairer outcomes across households.
Use the interactive map below to search for your suburb, or view it on a table further down this article.
The inner south will be the hardest hit for rate rises in the coming year, with home owners in Forrest and Griffith expected to pay an additional 13 per cent on their general rates next financial year.
In Forrest, which also took out the top spot last year, that increase translates to an additional $2101 on average. In Griffith, the increase is expected to be an average of $1105 more than last year.
Closely following its inner-city neighbours is Kingston, where a 12 per cent rise will take the average general rate to $7011 for 2026-27.
Barton and Deakin are next on the list with an 11 per cent increase representing a jump to $10,042 and $8369 respectively.
At the other end of the scale, Jacka and Belconnen can expect the lowest increase in general rates for houses, with both predicted to rise just 4 per cent, or $115 and $132 respectively.
Meanwhile, home owners in Macnamara have cause for celebration as the only suburb where rates are expected to be cheaper than last year. The general rate is expected to fall $23 this year, bringing the average general rate in the suburb down to $2767.
Compared to the previous two financial years, unit owners will experience a massive rise in annual rates.
Unit owners in Yarralumla will continue to pay the highest rate in the ACT, paying $6746 after an increase of 17 per cent. The rise also represents the highest dollar amount increase of $968.
Ainslie unit owners will experience the largest percentage increase of any Canberra suburb with the general rate rising 19 per cent to $5208.
The rate for units in Red Hill will rise by an average of 16 per cent to $4537, while the rate for units in Fadden and Hackett will climb by $414 and $417 respectively.
There is some good news for unit owners in Wright, Gungahlin and Belconnen as their rates will rise by 2 per cent, translating to minor increases between $21 and $34.
Similarly, owners in Phillip and Denman Prospect will experience a modest rise in rate of 3 per cent, an increase of $42 and $52 respectively.
