Acton

Acton lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Acton's population was recorded as 2,848 people during the 2021 Census. As of June 2024, the estimated resident population had increased to 3,279, indicating a growth of 431 people (15.1%) since the census date. This growth rate exceeded the state's average of 6.4%. The population density in Acton as of Nov 2025 is approximately 1,196 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver for this population increase. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, using 2022 as the base year. By 2041, Acton is projected to experience a significant population increase, with an expected rise of 1,094 persons, reflecting a total gain of 33.4% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Acton is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Acton has not seen any residential development approvals in the past five years. This suggests that the area is largely built out with minimal vacant land available for new developments. Such established areas typically experience steady demand for existing properties due to the lack of new-build alternatives.

Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Acton records significantly lower building activity. This constrained new construction often reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties in the area. When measured against national averages, this activity is also lower, indicating market maturity and possible development constraints.

Acton has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 14thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely to affect the area. Notable ones include ACT Light Rail Stage 2A (City to Commonwealth Park), Parkes Way Upgrade, ANU Kambri Precinct, and Zarah. The following details those most relevant:.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Acton performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Acton's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 0.7% as of September 2025. This represents a 2.1% employment growth over the previous year.

As of that date, 2,239 residents were employed. Acton's unemployment rate was 2.9% lower than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%. Workforce participation in Acton was similar to the ACT at 72.5%. According to Census responses, 18.4% of residents worked from home.

Employment is concentrated in accommodation & food, education & training, and retail trade sectors. Acton has a particularly high specialization in accommodation & food services with an employment share 4.4 times the regional level. Conversely, public administration & safety has limited presence at 4.5%, compared to the regional average of 30.4%. There are 2.6 workers for every resident, indicating that Acton functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.1% while labour force grew by 1.8%, leading to a 0.2 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. In contrast, the Australian Capital Territory experienced employment growth of 1.4% and labour force growth of 1.2%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Acton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.3% over ten years.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The median taxpayer income in Acton SA2 was $17,337 and the average was $24,391 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is lower than national averages, with Australian Capital Territory's median income being $72,206 and average income of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% from financial year 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $18,942 (median) and $26,650 (average). Census income data was not available for detailed analysis. The earnings profile showed that the predominant cohort in Acton SA2 spanned 0% of locals in the $0 - $399 category, contrasting with metropolitan regions where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket led at 34.3%.

Acton displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Acton's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted entirely of houses (0.0%) with no other dwellings recorded such as semi-detached homes, apartments, or 'other' dwellings. This is unlike the Australian Capital Territory which had 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Acton was at 0.0%, indicating that all dwellings were either mortgaged (0.0%) or rented (0.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Acton was $0, significantly lower than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080 and the national average of $1,863. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure in Acton was recorded at $9, substantially below both the Australian Capital Territory's $450 and the national figure of $375.

Acton has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 0.0% of all households, including 0.0% couples with children, 0.0% couples without children, and 0.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 100.0%, with lone person households at 0.0% and group households comprising 0.0%. The median household size is 1.0 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

Acton faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 30.7%, significantly lower than the SA3 average of 59.7%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.4%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Technical qualifications account for 7.1% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 2.1% and certificates at 5.0%. Educational participation is high, with 97.6% currently enrolled in formal education, including 97.2% in tertiary education.

Primary and secondary education enrollment rates are 0.0% each.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Acton has ten active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 67 different routes that together facilitate 5,207 weekly passenger trips. The area is predominantly residential, with most residents commuting outward from their homes. Walking is the primary mode of transport for 34% of residents, while 15% use buses. Vehicle ownership averages zero per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 18.4% of Acton's residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 743 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 520 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Acton is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Acton faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A range of health conditions affects both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is extremely low, at approximately 45% of Acton's total population (~1,472 people), compared to 62.4% in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, impacting 15.6 and 9.9% of residents respectively. However, 74.9% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% in ACT. Health outcomes among working-age populations are generally typical. Acton has 0.3% of residents aged 65 and over (8 people), lower than the 14.1% in ACT. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly inline with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Acton was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Acton was found to have a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 31.6% of its population born overseas and 24.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Acton, making up 23.1% of the population. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented, comprising 1.8% of the population compared to 0.2% across Australian Capital Territory.

The top three represented ancestry groups are Australian (25.2%), English (21.7%), and Other (10.6%). There are also notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Hungarian is overrepresented at 0.5%, South African at 0.8%, and Russian at 0.5%.

Acton hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Acton is 21 years, which is significantly younger than the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The percentage of individuals aged 15-24 in Acton is notably higher at 86.1% compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, while those aged 35-44 are under-represented at 2.2%. This concentration of young adults aged 15-24 is well above the national average of 12.5%. Between 2021 and the present, the median age has increased by 1.9 years from 19 to 21 years, indicating an aging population. During this period, the percentage of individuals aged 5-14 grew from 0.0% to 1.4%, while those aged 0-4 increased from 0.2% to 1.5%. Conversely, the percentage of individuals aged 15-24 decreased from 88.1% to 86.1%, and those aged 25-34 dropped from 9.4% to 7.5%. By 2041, Acton's age composition is expected to change significantly. The number of individuals aged 15-24 is projected to increase by 847 people (30%) from 2,823 to 3,671. Meanwhile, the 85+ cohort is not expected to grow at all (0% increase).