Region (SA4) · Area profile
Australian Capital Territory
2,358 km²
A far higher proportion of people hold university degrees here than in the rest of the country, marking the Australian Capital Territory as a highly educated hub. The community is noticeably younger than the national average, with a typical resident aged 35. This professional character is reflected in the high number of people working in public administration and the strong growth in household incomes. It is a rapidly growing region, adding over 97,000 people since 2011.
An affluent area whose schools serve an equally well-off community.
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The population is younger than most of Australia, with only 13.7% of people aged 65 or over. About 18.3% are children under 15, a figure that has barely changed since 2011.
Overseas birth is more common here than nationally, with 28.8% of people born abroad. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Irish and Scottish.
Language diversity is high, and 24.6% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure that rose 6.5 points since 2011.
A high number of residents identify as having no religion—44.2%, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. This trend rose 15 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is far above the national average, with 43.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 77.1% having completed Year 12.
Incomes are among the highest in the country, with 36.4% of households earning $3,000 or more a week. The typical family income is $2,872, which is well above the national figure.
Only 4.6% of people need help with daily activities, which is much lower than most areas. However, 10.0% of the population report a mental health condition.
Volunteerism is much higher than the national average at 18.4%. The area also has a strong connection to the Defence Force, with 6.0% of people having served.
First Nations residents have a much lower unemployment rate (7.2%) and a far higher Year 12 completion rate (58.8%) than the national average.
Families with children make up 59.8% of households. About 25.7% of people live alone, which is around the middle for its level.
Renting is more common here than in most areas, and the typical weekly rent of $450 is a little above the national figure. Detached houses are also less common than across Australia.
Public transport use is a little above the national average, and the area has a very high number of transport stops. However, only 10.9% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure.
The population is very mobile, with 46.1% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 16.7% of the community.
Employment is strong and concentrated in public administration and safety, which employs 29.8% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, which is lower than most areas.
The region continues to expand, with a population growth rate of 7.1% since 2021, which is higher than most similar areas.
The area is much cooler than most other regions, with an average maximum temperature of 19.7 degrees and very low average minimums of 6.0 degrees.
The area is very walkable, with 99.4% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park and 97.6% within 10 minutes of public transport.