Curtin

An assessment of population growth drivers in Curtin reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Curtin's population as of February 2026 is approximately 5,520, reflecting a decrease of 49 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5,569. This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,489 in June 2024 and an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is around 1,147 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.3% of overall population gains 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, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are used, also based on 2022. According to these projections, Curtin's population is expected to decline by 133 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts like those aged 65 to 74 are projected to increase by 153 people during this period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Curtin according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Curtin has seen approximately 20 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 103 homes. As of FY-26, 13 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were added between FY-21 and FY-25.

The average construction value of new properties was $330,000. Curtin has significantly less development activity compared to the Australian Capital Territory, with 77.0% below the regional average per person. Recent construction comprises 75.0% detached dwellings and 25.0% attached dwellings. With around 255 people per dwelling approval, Curtin is considered a low density area.

Stable or declining population forecasts may indicate less housing pressure in the future.

Curtin has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified fifteen projects that may affect this region. Notable ones include Wesley Mission Affordable Housing Curtin, Woden Experiment Stage 2 - Public Realm & Active Travel Upgrades, Molonglo Group Centre to Town Centre Transition, and Woden Town Square Precinct Redevelopment. 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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The labour market in Curtin demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Curtin has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1%.

In September 2025, 2850 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.6%, slightly higher than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate. Workforce participation was lower at 67.4% compared to ACT's 72.5%. Only 13.2% of residents worked from home as per Census responses.

Key industries include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Construction employment is under-represented at 4.3%, compared to ACT's 6.8%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1% and labour force by 0.9%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Curtin's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

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

The Curtin SA2's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The Curtin SA2's median income among taxpayers is $81,483 and the average income stands at $115,663. This compares to figures for Australian Capital Territory's of $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $89,028 (median) and $126,373 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Curtin, between the 95th and 95th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows the largest segment comprises 35.0% earning $4000+ weekly (1,931 residents), contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 34.3%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 48.3% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 89.1% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Curtin, as per the latest Census evaluation, 83.8% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 16.2% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. In comparison, Australian Capital Territory had 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Curtin stood at 41.4%, with mortgaged properties at 33.9% and rented ones at 24.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Curtin was $2,600, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure in Curtin was $450, matching the Australian Capital Territory figure. Nationally, Curtin's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,600 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher at $450 than the national figure of $375.

Curtin has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 74.3% of all households, including 36.7% couples with children, 27.7% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 25.7%, with lone person households at 23.3% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5 people.

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

Curtin's educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 57.3% hold university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. This advantage positions Curtin strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 31.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (20.1%) and graduate diplomas (6.0%).

Vocational pathways account for 18.7% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 8.7% and certificates at 10.0%. Educational participation is notably high, with 31.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 7.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Curtin has 29 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 80 different routes, offering a total of 5790 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically living 200 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to Curtin's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 84%, while buses account for 8%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 13.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 827 trips daily, equating to approximately 199 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Curtin is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Curtin demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 78% of the total population (4,305 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 asthma and arthritis, impacting 8.1% and 7.8% of residents respectively, while 69.2% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 18.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,009 people), which is higher than the 14.3% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

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

Curtin's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 24.6% of its population born overseas and 16.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Curtin was Christianity, comprising 42.7% of the population. While Judaism made up only 0.2% of Curtin's population, this was an overrepresentation compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 0.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (25.2%), English (24.4%), and Irish (10.7%). Notably, French ethnicity was overrepresented in Curtin at 0.8%, compared to the regional average of 0.5%. Similarly, Scottish ethnicity was overrepresented at 8.9% (regional average: 7.3%) and Dutch ethnicity at 1.6% (regional average: 1.3%).

Curtin's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Curtin is 41 years, which is considerably higher than the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years. It also modestly exceeds the national average of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, the 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented in Curtin at 13.2%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.7%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 55 to 64 age group has grown from 12.3% to 13.2% of Curtin's population, while the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 10.7% to 9.7%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Curtin. Leading this shift, the 65 to 74 age group is expected to grow by 24%, reaching 608 people from 490. This growth will result in residents aged 65 and older representing 87% of the anticipated population increase. Conversely, the 55 to 64 and 75 to 84 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.