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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Ainslie's population is around 5,487 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 111 people (2.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,376 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,357 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,550 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections, with 2022 as a base, are adopted. Looking at population projections moving forward, lower quartile growth of Australian statistical areas is anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 18 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a decrease of 2.0% in total 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 around 17 new homes approved per year, with 89 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 9 so far in FY-26. As the area has experienced population decline, new supply has likely been keeping up with demand, offering good choice to buyers, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $275,000. Additionally, $2.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting a predominantly residential focus.

Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, Ainslie has significantly less development activity (76.0% below the regional average per person). This scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is likewise lower than the national average, reflecting market maturity and pointing to possible development constraints. New development consists of 71.0% detached houses and 29.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. At around 354 people per approval, Ainslie indicates a mature market.

With the population expected to remain stable or decline, Ainslie should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 35 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include The Foothills - Campbell (Former CSIRO Site), Lonsdale & Girrahween - Braddon (Section 34), Marcus Clarke Street Office Complex, and Academy Close Redevelopment - Campbell, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of 5.1%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 2,760 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 1.3% above the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation lags significantly (64.0% compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.6%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 16.6% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include public administration & safety, professional & technical, and education & training. Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 7.8% of Ainslie's workforce compared to 11.7% in the Australian Capital Territory. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw employment increasing by 0.0% alongside the labour force increasing by 1.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.1 percentage points. By comparison, the Australian Capital Territory recorded employment growth of 0.9%, labour force growth of 1.2%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Ainslie. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Ainslie's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 12.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Ainslie SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $72,977 and an average of $88,215 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with 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 FY-23, 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. Distribution data shows the predominant cohort spans 32.9% of locals (1,805 people) in the $4000+ category, unlike trends in the surrounding region where 34.3% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. The substantial proportion of high earners (43.9% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the area. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power, and 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

Dwelling structure within Ainslie, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 72.9% houses and 27.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to the Australian Capital Territory's 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Ainslie was well beyond that of the Australian Capital Territory, at 33.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (32.0%) or rented (34.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Australian Capital Territory average at $2,600, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $367, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $2,080 and $450. Nationally, Ainslie's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 63.3% of all households, comprising 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% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 59.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 46.8% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 29.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (21.9%) and graduate diplomas (7.4%). Vocational pathways account for 15.7% of qualifications among those aged 15+; advanced diplomas (7.0%) and certificates (8.7%).

Educational participation is notably 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

Public transport analysis reveals 35 active transport stops operating within Ainslie, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 95 individual routes, collectively providing 7,517 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 179 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 70%, with 12% cycling and 8% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling. Some 16.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,073 trips per day across all routes, equating 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, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 65% of the total population (3,577 people). This compares to 62.4% across the Australian Capital Territory. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 11.1% and 8.3% of residents, respectively, while 64.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across the 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 the 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 was found to be above average in terms of cultural diversity, with 22.7% of its population born overseas and 13.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Ainslie is Christianity, which makes up 33.8% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.8% of the population, compared to 0.2% across the Australian Capital Territory.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Ainslie are English, comprising 27.4% of the population, Australian, comprising 23.6% of the population, and Irish, comprising 11.2% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Hungarian is notably overrepresented at 0.5% of Ainslie (vs 0.3% regionally), Scottish at 9.5% (vs 7.3%) and Welsh at 0.8% (vs 0.6%).

Ainslie's median age exceeds the national pattern

With a median age of 42, Ainslie is considerably higher than the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 and similarly significantly higher than Australia's 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, the 65 - 74 cohort is notably over-represented (11.1% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (11.3%). In the period since 2021, 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 to 14 cohort has declined from 11.8% to 11.0%. Demographic modeling suggests Ainslie's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 85+ age cohort is projected to see notable expansion, expanding by 83 people (39%) from 215 to 299. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 91% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.