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 around 3,279 as of Nov 2025. This reflected an increase of 431 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 2,848 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,279 in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 1,196 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Acton's growth of 15.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the state's growth rate of 5.9%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 were used, also with a base year of 2022. Future population trends forecasted a significant increase in Acton's top quartile of national statistical areas, with an expected rise to 4,373 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 33.4% over the 17 years.

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

Acton has not had any residential development approvals in the past five years. This indicates that the area is largely built out with minimal vacant land available for new developments. Established areas like Acton often see steady demand for existing properties due to a lack of new-build alternatives.

Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Acton records significantly lower building activity. The constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties in such areas. This trend is also reflected nationally, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints.

Acton has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 8thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects likely affecting this region. Notable initiatives include ACT Light Rail Stage 2A (City to Commonwealth Park), Parkes Way Upgrade, Ikon Place - Section 19 Braddon, and ANU Kambri Precinct. The following list 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 has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 0.7%, lower than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.1%. As of September 2025, 2,239 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 2.9%, below ACT's rate. Workforce participation in Acton is 57.9%, compared to ACT's 69.6%. Employment is concentrated in accommodation & food, education & training, and retail trade.

Acton specializes in accommodation & food employment, which is 4.4 times the regional level. Public administration & safety has limited presence with 4.5% employment compared to 30.4% regionally. There are 2.6 workers per resident, indicating Acton functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.1%, labour force by 1.8%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, ACT experienced employment growth of 1.4% and labour force growth of 1.2%, with a 0.2 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. As of 25-Nov-25, ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 710 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May-25 indicate 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, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

The median taxpayer income in Acton SA2 was $17,264 and the average was $24,701 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is lower than national averages. In contrast, the Australian Capital Territory had a median income of $68,678 and an average income of $83,634. By September 2025, estimated incomes based on Wage Price Index growth are approximately $19,612 (median) and $28,060 (average). Census income data for detailed analysis is not available. The earnings profile shows that the predominant cohort spans 0% of locals in the $0 - 399 category, contrasting with metropolitan regions where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 34.3%.

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

Acton's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted entirely of houses (0.0%) with no other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, or 'other' dwellings recorded. This is unlike the Australian Capital Territory where 39.3% were houses and 60.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Acton was not reported at the time of the Census, with all dwellings 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. The median weekly rent figure for Acton was $9, substantially below both the Australian Capital Territory figure of $476 and the national average of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute 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 2.2.

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 area average of 59.7%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 18.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.4%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Technical qualifications make up 7.1% of educational achievements among residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas accounting for 2.1% and certificates for 5.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 97.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 97.2% in tertiary education, with no residents enrolled in primary or secondary education at the time of this data collection (2021).

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

Analysis of public transport in Acton shows 11 active stops currently operating. These are served by a mix of buses along 16 different routes.

Together, these routes facilitate 3,973 weekly passenger trips. On average, there are 567 trips per day across all routes, which translates to around 361 weekly trips per stop.

Acton's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Acton's health outcomes show significant results across various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. The private health cover rate is notably low at approximately 44% (~1,436 people), compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 65.3% and Australia's average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 15.6% and 9.9% of residents respectively.

About 74.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 70.8% across Australian Capital Territory. Acton has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 0.3% (8 people), compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 11.4%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader 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 significantly overrepresented, comprising 1.8% of the population compared to the Australian Capital Territory's average of 0.5%.

The top three ancestry groups in Acton are Australian at 25.2%, English at 21.7%, and Other at 10.6%. Notably, Hungarian, South African, and Russian ethnicities have higher representations than the regional averages: Hungarian is at 0.5% compared to 0.3%, South African is at 0.8% compared to 0.3%, and Russian is at 0.5% compared to 0.4%.

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

The median age in Acton is 21 years, which is notably younger than both the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 15-24 age cohort is significantly over-represented in Acton at 86.1%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 2.2%. This concentration of young people aged 15-24 is well above the national average of 12.5%. Between 2021 and present, the median age in Acton has increased by 1.9 years from 19 to 21 years, reflecting an aging population. During this period, notable shifts include the 5-14 age group growing from 0.0% to 1.4% of the population, while the 0-4 cohort increased from 0.2% to 1.5%. Conversely, the 15-24 age cohort has declined from 88.1% to 86.1%, and the 25-34 age group dropped from 9.4% to 7.5%. By 2041, Acton's age composition is expected to see notable shifts. The 15-24 age cohort is projected to expand by 847 people (30%), growing from 2,823 to 3,671 people. Meanwhile, the 85+ age cohort is projected to grow by a modest 0% (0 people).