A nationwide survey which asked residents to rate their suburbs earned north Canberra a liveability ranking of 73 out of 100, while the south scored 68.

The north scored higher for connectivity between neighbourhoods and access to employment centres and shops than the south.

The northern suburbs also had better accessibility to the natural environment, said residents surveyed for the 2021 Australian Liveability Census by Place Score.

Worryingly, Canberrans as a whole were reportedly the least happy with their surrounds than residents of any capital city, giving it a 68, the equal lowest score with Darwin.

Adelaide residents reported the highest levels of satisfaction with their city in the study of more than 30,000 Australians.

Place Score chief executive Kylie Legge said whether people lived in the north or the south their priorities for what made the ACT liveable remained the same.

Respondents ranked closeness to nature, well-maintained open spaces and access to exercise paths as the top things they desired for Canberra, she said.

Overall, Canberra performed 10 per cent higher than the average capital when it came to ease of driving and parking.

It performed 5 per cent higher for noise, smells and temperature and 4 per cent better for access to the natural environment.

Canberra's nightlife, history, culture and artistic community scored well below the national average.

Preethie Arvind moved to Moncrieff from Belconnen with her family four years ago.

She said access to shops, new public schools and great infrastructure was part of what she loved about Gungahlin.

"We have Casey shops 2km away and Amaroo shops within 1.5km. Both are a five-minute drive from our house," she said.

"The Moncrieff shops are getting built in a few years, so that's something we are looking forward to."

Ms Arvind said public transport could be improved to better connect suburban streets, but main roads were well-connected with a frequent service.

"I find our suburb extremely close knit and most of the people know each other," she said.

"Gungahlin has a huge multicultural population where all the cultures are celebrated."

Tuggeranong Community Council president Jeffrey Bollard said residents in the far south were happy with their big blocks and views of the Brindabellas.

Mr Bollard said ageing infrastructure, including broken footpaths and unkempt playgrounds, tended to leave a sour taste.

He said Tuggeranong's design made it inherently difficult to access by public transport and cuts to bus services in 2019 had left residents feeling forgotten.

"There is a lot of concern about a loss of direct connections and extended travel times," he said.

Mr Bollard said residents were concerned about the impact the light rail would have on traffic congestion when it made it all the way to Woden.

He said people in Tuggeranong tended to drive rather than take public transport because accessing employment hubs was not straightforward.

"I think overall Tuggeranong is considered kind of on the backburner as far as initiatives and general maintenance and upkeep of public spaces," he said.

"There doesn't seem to be that level of investment that you're seeing in the newer suburbs."

Mr Bollard said despite the common complaints he'd been a happy southsider since 1983.

"From my point of view, I'm very happy living down here," he said.

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Shadow Transport Minister and member for Brindabella Mark Parton said while Tuggeranong and the south had no doubt been left behind, all outer suburbs were suffering.

"Over the past several years we have seen most of Canberra's public transport system be eroded and have seen significant reductions to the number of bus services available across the whole city," he said.

"I live in Theodore and I can cycle to the Legislative Assembly faster than catching public transport."

North Canberrans placed a higher value on safety of walking and cycling than people in the south.

Southsiders prioritised proximity to health and wellness services more.

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