Capital City · Area profile
Australian Capital Territory
2,358 km²
Steady population growth has seen the Australian Capital Territory add about 57,000 people since 2016. This is a highly educated, affluent community where the typical resident is noticeably younger than the national figure. Its character is shaped by a large professional workforce and a high proportion of university-qualified adults. The region stands out for its high typical incomes and a strong connection to public service and government work.
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The typical resident is 35, making the area noticeably younger than the national figure. It is a growing community of 453,890 people, with 18.3% of the population being children under 15.
Overseas birthrates are much higher than most areas at 28.8%, and this figure has risen since 2016. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, while India is the most frequent overseas birth country.
Language diversity is high, with 24.6% of people using a language other than English at home, a figure that rose 2.8 points since 2016. This is a little above the national figure.
The area is well above the national figure for people with no religion, at 44.2%. This trend is growing, having risen 7.3 points since 2016.
This is one of the most qualified areas in the country, with 43% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national figure of 26.3%. Year 12 completion is also far above the national average at 77.1%.
Typical incomes are well above the national figure, with a typical family earning $2,872 a week. The number of households earning $3,000 or more per week has risen 10 points since 2016 to 36.4%.
Mental health conditions are a little more common here than nationally at 10%. However, the proportion of people needing help with daily activities is lower than in most areas.
Volunteering is much higher than most areas at 18.4%, though this fell since 2016. There is also a very strong connection to the Defence Force, with 6% of people having served, well above the national figure.
First Nations residents have a Year 12 completion rate of 58.8%, which is far above the national figure. Unemployment among this group is also much lower than in most areas at 7.2%.
The area has a similar household size to the rest of the country, with 2.5 people per home. About 60% of families are couples with children, and one-parent families are much less common than in most areas.
Renting is more common than in most areas, and typical weekly rents of $450 are a little above the national figure. Detached houses are also much less common here than across Australia.
Most people drive to work, but public transport use is a little above the national figure. Working from home has risen since 2016 to 10.9%, though this remains far below the national figure.
The area is quite mobile, with 46.1% of people moving in the last five years, which is well above the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals make up 16.7% of the population.
Employment is very strong, with 69.6% of adults working or looking for work—well above the national figure. Public administration and safety is the dominant industry, employing 29.8% of the workforce.
The population has continued to grow, with an estimated 7.1% increase since 2021, which is higher than most similar areas.
The area has an average maximum temperature of 19.7 degrees, which is lower than most areas. Minimum temperatures are also much lower than elsewhere.
The region is very walkable, with 99.4% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. Almost all homes—97.6%—are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.