Curtin

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

As of November 2025, Curtin's population is approximately 5,520, reflecting a decrease of 49 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 5,569. This change is inferred from ABS estimates: Curtin's population was 5,489 in June 2024 and there were an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is around 1,147 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.3% of overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses 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 ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, using 2022 as the base year. Projected demographic shifts indicate an overall population decline by 133 persons to 2041, with specific age cohorts expected to grow; notably, the 65 to 74 age group is 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 over the past five financial years, totalling 103 homes. As of FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed have been recorded between FY-21 and FY-25.

The average construction value of new properties is $330,000, which is moderately above regional levels. 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. Curtin has around 255 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density area.

Population forecasts suggest stable or declining trends, which may result in less housing pressure for buyers.

Curtin has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that may affect the area. Notable ones are 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 likely to be 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.

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%. As of this date, 2850 residents were employed. The unemployment rate was in line with Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%, but workforce participation was lower at 65.6% compared to ACT's 69.6%.

Key industries of employment among Curtin residents are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Construction is under-represented in Curtin, with only 4.3% of the workforce compared to ACT's 6.8%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.0% and labour force increased by 0.9%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, ACT experienced employment growth of 1.4% and labour force growth of 1.2%, with a similar drop in unemployment rate. State-level data to November 25 shows ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May-25 indicate national employment will expand by 6.6% 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, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 2022. The Curtin SA2'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 13.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $87,524 (median) and $121,785 (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% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This differs from the Australian Capital Territory's composition of 58.4% houses and 41.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Curtin stood at 41.4%, with mortgaged properties 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. Weekly rent in Curtin was recorded at $450, slightly above the Australian Capital Territory figure of $440. Nationally, Curtin's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly 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 percent of all households, including 36.7 percent couples with children, 27.7 percent couples without children, and 9.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 25.7 percent, with lone person households at 23.3 percent and group households making up 2.5 percent of the total. 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

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

Vocational pathways account for 18.7%, 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 low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis indicates 29 active stops operating within Curtin, offering mixed bus services. These are served by four distinct routes, facilitating 362 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents generally situated around 200 meters from their nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 51 daily trips across all routes, equating to roughly 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. Prevalence of common conditions is low among the general population but higher in older, at-risk cohorts compared to national averages. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 75% (4,123 people), compared to ACT's 68.1% and Australia's average of 55.3%.

The most common conditions are asthma (8.1%) and arthritis (7.8%), with 69.2% of residents reporting no medical ailments, slightly lower than ACT's 70.1%. Curtin has 18.0% of residents aged 65 and over (993 people), requiring more health attention compared to 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. Christianity was the main religion in Curtin, comprising 42.7% of its population. However, Judaism showed an overrepresentation, making up 0.2% of Curtin's population compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (25.2%), English (24.4%), and Irish (10.7%). Notably, French was overrepresented at 0.8%, Scottish at 8.9%, and Dutch at 1.6% compared to regional figures of 0.6%, 7.8%, and 1.2% respectively.

Curtin's population is slightly older than 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 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 12.9%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 55 to 64 age group has grown from 12.3% to 12.9% of Curtin's population, while the 75 to 84 cohort has declined from 6.6% to 5.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Curtin, with the 65 to 74 group expected to grow by 27%, reaching 608 people from 476. Demographic aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 84% of anticipated growth. Conversely, the 75 to 84 and 15 to 24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.