Ainslie

Ainslie is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Ainslie's population is 5,487 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 111 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,376 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,357 in June 2024 and an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,550 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted. Population projections anticipate lower quartile growth, with the area expected to increase by 18 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a decrease of 2.0% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Ainslie, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Ainslie has seen approximately 17 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years. Between FY21 and FY25, 89 homes were approved, with a further 7 approved in FY26 to date. The average construction cost value of these properties is $275,000.

In FY26, $2.0 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory's average, Ainslie has significantly less development activity, 76.0% below regional average per person. This scarcity may strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, development activity is also lower, indicating a mature market with possible development constraints. New developments consist of 71.0% detached houses and 29.0% medium to high-density housing, preserving Ainslie's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

With around 354 people per approval, Ainslie suggests a mature market. Given expected population stability or decline, pressure on housing is likely to remain reduced, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Ainslie has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include The Foothills - Campbell (Former CSIRO Site), Lonsdale & Girrahween - Braddon (Section 34), Marcus Clarke Street Office Complex, and Academy Close Redevelopment - Campbell. Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Ainslie shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Ainslie has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 4.7% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 0.7%. As of September 2025, 2,766 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 1.1% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%.

Workforce participation lagged at 63.9%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.5%. According to Census responses, 16.6% of residents worked from home. The dominant employment sectors were public administration & safety, professional & technical, and education & training, while health care & social assistance was under-represented at 7.8%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 11.7%.

Employment opportunities locally appeared limited, as indicated by the working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 0.7% and labour force by 1.0%, raising unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Australian Capital Territory recorded employment growth of 1.4%, labour force growth of 1.2%, and a decrease in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Ainslie's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 12.9% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The median taxpayer income in Ainslie SA2 is $72,977, with an average of $88,215 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is among the highest in Australia, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's median income of $72,206 and average income of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $79,735 (median) and $96,384 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Ainslie, between the 88th and 92nd percentiles nationally. The distribution data shows that 32.9% of locals (1,805 people) fall into the $4000+ category, unlike trends in the surrounding region where 34.3% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A substantial proportion of high earners, 43.9%, are above $3,000/week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the area. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Ainslie is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Ainslie, as per the latest Census evaluation, 72.9% of dwellings were houses while 27.1% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory's figures of 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ainslie stood at 33.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.0% and rented ones at 34.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, surpassing the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent in Ainslie was recorded as $367, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $450. Nationally, Ainslie's mortgage repayments are notably higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

Ainslie features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 63.3% of all households, including 29.6% couples with children, 23.4% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 36.7%, with lone person households at 29.9% and group households comprising 6.7%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which matches the Australian Capital Territory average.

Ainslie shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Ainslie is notable, with 59.1% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications. This compares to national figures of 30.4% and regional (SA4) figures of 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 29.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 21.9% and graduate diplomas at 7.4%. Vocational pathways account for 15.7% of qualifications, including advanced diplomas (7.0%) and certificates (8.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in tertiary education, 9.4% in primary education, and 6.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

Ainslie has 35 active public transport stops, all providing bus services. These stops are connected by 95 routes that facilitate a total of 7,517 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents living an average of 179 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the primary mode of transportation at 70%, while cycling and walking account for 12% and 8% respectively. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling in Ainslie.

According to the 2021 Census, 16.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 1,073 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 214 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Ainslie is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Ainslie faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 65% of the total population (3,577 people), compared to 62.4% across Australian Capital Territory and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues impacting 11.1% of residents and asthma impacting 8.3%. While 64.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, this is lower than the 70.2% across Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents show an above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,230 people), which is higher than the 14.3% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Ainslie records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ainslie's cultural diversity was above average, with 22.7% of its population born overseas and 13.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Ainslie, comprising 33.8% of people. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Ainslie at 0.8%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory average of 0.2%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (27.4%), Australian (23.6%), and Irish (11.2%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Hungarian was higher at 0.5% in Ainslie versus 0.3% regionally, Scottish at 9.5% compared to 7.3%, and Welsh at 0.8% versus 0.6%.

Ainslie's median age exceeds the national pattern

Ainslie has a median age of 42, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented in Ainslie at 11.1%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 11.3%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.8% to 7.4% of the population, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 9.6% to 11.1%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 11.8% to 11.0%. Demographic modeling suggests that Ainslie's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 85+ age cohort is projected to expand by 83 people (39%) from 215 to 299. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 91% of total population growth, reflecting Ainslie's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 0-4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.