Curtin
Statistical Area - sa2

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 was approximately 5,520 as of August 2025. This represented a decrease of 49 people from the 2021 Census figure of 5,569, reflecting an estimated resident population of 5,489 in June 2024 and an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was around 1,147 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 96.3% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as 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 with a base year of 2022 were adopted. According to these projections, the population is expected to decline by 133 persons by 2041, while specific age cohorts like the 65 to 74 group are projected to increase by 153 people.

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. Development approval data from the ABS shows a total of 103 approvals across the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with seven already recorded in FY-26. The average number of people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these years is 0.4 per year.

This indicates that supply has met or exceeded demand, providing more buyer choice and supporting potential population growth above projections. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $413,000, which is moderately higher than regional levels, suggesting a focus on quality construction. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Curtin shows significantly reduced construction activity, with 77.0% fewer approvals per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes in the area.

Recent construction comprises 75.0% detached dwellings and 25.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the suburb's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With around 255 people per dwelling approval, Curtin is characterized as a low-density area. Population projections indicating stability or decline suggest that Curtin may experience reduced housing demand pressures in the future, potentially benefiting potential buyers.

Curtin has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

AreaSearch has identified 14 projects that could impact the area significantly due to changes in local infrastructure. Notable projects include Wesley Mission Affordable Housing Curtin, Woden Bus Depot and Transport Interchange, Molonglo Group Centre to Town Centre Transition, and Woden Community Services Hub. The following list provides details on those most relevant.

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

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 3.4% as of June 2025.

Employment grew by an estimated 1.5% over the past year. As of June 2025, 2914 residents were employed. The unemployment rate matched the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.4%, but workforce participation was lower at 65.6%.

Key industries for employment among Curtin residents were public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Construction was under-represented with only 4.3% of the workforce compared to ACT's 6.8%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.5%, labour force grew by 1.6%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, ACT experienced employment growth of 1.9% with a 0.3 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. As of Sep-25, ACT's employment contracted by 0.33% (losing 1480 jobs), with state unemployment rate at 4.2%, favourable compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 projected a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Curtin's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7%% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Curtin's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Curtin's median income among taxpayers is $77,046 and the average income stands at $107,205. This compares to figures for Australian Capital Territory's of $68,678 and $83,634 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.78% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $85,352 (median) and $118,762 (average) as of March 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Curtin, between the 95th and 96th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows the largest segment comprises 35.0% earning $4000+ weekly (1,931 residents). This contrasts 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, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. 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

Curtin's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 83.8% houses and 16.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's figures of 58.4% houses and 41.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Curtin stood at 41.4%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 33.9% and rented dwellings making up 24.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure in Curtin was recorded at $450, slightly higher than the Australian Capital Territory's $440. Nationally, Curtin's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 comprise the remaining 25.7%, with lone person households at 23.3% and group households making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.4.

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

Educational attainment in Curtin is notably high, with 57.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and the SA4 region average of 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 31.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 20.1% and graduate diplomas at 6.0%. Vocational pathways account for 18.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 8.7% and certificates at 10.0%. Educational participation is also 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. Holy Trinity Primary School and Curtin Primary School serve a total of 802 students, with both schools focusing exclusively on primary education. Curtin has a significant socio-educational advantage and academic achievement, as indicated by its ICSEA score of 1141. The area has 14.5 school places per 100 residents, which is lower than the regional average of 18.4, suggesting some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Curtin has 29 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are serviced by four different bus routes, which collectively provide 362 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of public transport is rated as good, with residents typically located 200 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, service frequency across all routes is 51 trips per day, equating to approximately 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

Curtin's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data shows Curtin residents have relatively positive health outcomes. Common health conditions are quite low among the general population but higher in older, at-risk cohorts compared to national averages. Private health cover is exceptionally high, with approximately 75% of Curtin's total population (4,123 people) having it, compared to 68.1% in Australian Capital Territory and a national average of 55.3%.

Asthma and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 8.1% and 7.8% of residents respectively. 69.2% of residents declare they have no medical ailments, compared to 70.1% in Australian Capital Territory. As of 2021, 18.0% of Curtin's population is aged 65 and over (993 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Curtin was found to be 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 dominant religion in Curtin is Christianity, making up 42.7% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to the Australian Capital Territory, comprising 0.2% of Curtin's population against the regional average of 0.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups in Curtin are Australian at 25.2%, English at 24.4%, and Irish at 10.7%. Notably, French ethnicity is overrepresented in Curtin at 0.8% compared to the regional average of 0.6%, Scottish at 8.9% versus 7.8%, and Dutch at 1.6% against the regional figure of 1.2%.

Curtin's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Curtin is 41 years, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years and slightly exceeds the national average of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, the age group 55-64 is notably over-represented in Curtin at 12.9%, while the age group 25-34 is under-represented at 10.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 55-64 age group has increased from 12.3% to 12.9% of Curtin's population, while the 75-84 age group has declined from 6.6% to 5.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Curtin. The 65-74 age group is expected to grow by 27%, reaching 608 people from 476, with residents aged 65 and older representing 84% of the anticipated growth. Conversely, the 75-84 and 15-24 age groups are projected to experience population declines.