Bonner
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Bonner are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bonner's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was around 7,358 by Aug 2025. This figure reflects a rise of 19 people from the 2021 Census count of 7,339. The increase is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 7,358 in June 2024 and one additional validated new address since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,665 persons per square kilometer, placing Bonner in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. Over the past decade, Bonner showed resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 2.5%, outperforming its SA4 region. Natural growth drove population gains, contributing approximately 52.1% during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, ACT Government's SA2 area projections using 2022 as the base are adopted. Future trends suggest a population decline by 239 persons to 2041, but specific age cohorts like the 55-64 group are projected to grow by 159 people.

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

Bonner has recorded approximately 8 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis. Over the past 5 financial years, from FY20 to FY25, around 43 homes have been approved. As of FY26, no residential approvals have been recorded yet.

On average, over these 5 years, approximately 4.1 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed annually. This indicates significant demand exceeding supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction cost value for new homes is around $453,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26, there have been approximately $1.4 million in commercial approvals, indicating a predominantly residential focus compared to other areas like the Australian Capital Territory where construction is substantially higher. Bonner's limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties, reflecting its mature market and possible development constraints.

Recent developments have consisted entirely of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With approximately 5521 people per approval, Bonner is a mature, established area. Given that population is expected to remain stable or decline, pressure on housing in Bonner should be reduced, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Bonner has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects potentially impacting this region: Gungahlin Tennis Facility (Amaroo Tennis Centre), Gungahlin Tennis Facility, Gold Creek Homestead Precinct, and Jacka Social Housing Apartments. The following details the most relevant projects.

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

The labour market in Bonner shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Bonner's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.1% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.8%. As of June 2025, 4,294 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.3% below the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation in Bonner was 78.6%, exceeding the ACT's 69.6%. Leading employment industries among residents included public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services.

The area had a particularly strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. However, public administration & safety was under-represented, with only 28.8% of Bonner's workforce compared to 30.4% in ACT. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.8%, labour force increased by 1.6%, and unemployment fell by 1.1 percentage points. In comparison, ACT saw employment grow by 1.9%, labour force expand by 1.6%, and unemployment fall by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 showed ACT employment contracted by 0.33% (losing 1,480 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bonner's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

Bonner has a median taxpayer income of $65,891 and an average of $75,396 according to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for the financial year 2022. This is higher than the national averages of $68,678 (median) and $83,634 (average). Based on a 10.78% increase from Wage Price Index growth since FY2022, estimates as of March 2025 would be approximately $72,994 (median) and $83,524 (average). In Bonner, incomes rank highly nationally: households, families, and individuals are between the 90th and 95th percentiles. The predominant income cohort is 37.1% of locals (2,729 people), earning $1,500 to $2,999 weekly. This pattern mirrors the region's trend where 34.3% fall within this range. Bonner shows affluence with 45.7% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium services and retail. Housing costs consume 16.4% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 94th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Bonner is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Bonner's dwelling structure, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory's figures of 66.3% houses and 33.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bonner stood at 9.2%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 57.5% and rented dwellings making up 33.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bonner was $2,167, surpassing the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,123. The median weekly rent figure in Bonner was recorded at $520, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $462. Nationally, Bonner's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Bonner features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 86.5% of all households, including 55.7% couples with children, 17.9% couples without children, and 11.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 13.5%, with lone person households at 11.2% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 3.4 people, larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.9.

Educational achievement in Bonner places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Bonner is notably higher than national averages. As of 2021, 44.5% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.4% of residents holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 12.2% and certificates at 14.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 40.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 16.1% in primary, 8.7% in secondary, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education. Neville Bonner Primary School serves the local community, with an enrollment of 651 students as of 2022. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with ICSEA score of 1058, indicating above-average socio-educational conditions. School places per 100 residents stand at 8.8, lower than the regional average of 14.9, suggesting some students may attend schools in nearby areas for secondary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 12 active transport stops operating within Bonner. These comprise a mix of buses served by 4 routes, offering 354 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 252 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 50 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 29 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bonner's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Bonner's health outcomes show excellent results across all age groups.

Both younger and older cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 57% (~4201 people) of Bonner's total population has private health cover, which is higher than the average rate. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.2% and 7.2% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 79.1%, report having no medical ailments, compared to 76.4% across the Australian Capital Territory. Bonner has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 5.3% (389 people), compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 8.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Bonner are above average and require more attention than those of the broader population.

Bonner is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bonner's population shows high cultural diversity, with 41.7% born overseas and 46.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 36.8% of Bonner residents. Hinduism is notably overrepresented at 13.3%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory average of 9.5%.

In terms of ancestry, 'Other' is the most prevalent group in Bonner at 23.6%, higher than the regional average of 17.2%. Australian and English ancestries follow with 19.1% and 16.0% respectively. Some ethnic groups show notable variations: Indian at 9.2% (vs regional 6.4%), Sri Lankan at 0.9% (vs 0.6%), and Croatian at 1.2% (vs 1.3%).

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

Bonner's median age is 31, which is notably lower than the Australian Capital Territory's figure of 35 and significantly below Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Bonner has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (19.3%), but fewer residents aged 65-74 (3.2%). This concentration of 5-14 year-olds is substantially above the national average of 12.2%. Between 2021 and present, Bonner's median age has risen by 1 year from 30 to 31, indicating an aging population. Key demographic shifts include the growth of the 45 to 54 age group from 12.1% to 14.1%, and the increase of the 15 to 24 cohort from 12.1% to 13.1%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 15.7% to 13.9%, and the 5 to 14 group has fallen from 20.7% to 19.3%. Population projections for 2041 suggest significant demographic changes in Bonner, with the 55 to 64 cohort expected to grow by 34%, adding 139 residents to reach a total of 553. Conversely, population declines are forecast for the 0 to 4 and 25 to 34 age groups.