Deakin

Population growth drivers in Deakin are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Deakin's population was approximately 3,180 as of November 2025. This represented an increase of 56 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,124 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,166 in June 2024 and an additional 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 890 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 97.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, age group growth rates from ACT Government's SA2 area projections were used, also based on 2022. Future trends projected an above median population growth for Australian statistical areas, with Deakin expected to grow by 644 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 19.8% over the 17 years.

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

Deakin has averaged approximately 14 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 70 homes. As of FY26, 6 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY21 and FY25, suggesting a balanced supply and demand creating stable market conditions. This figure has recently eased to 0.9 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, reflecting improved supply availability. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $400,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $39.6 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Deakin has roughly half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 65th percentile of areas assessed nationally. New development consists of 70.0% detached houses and 30.0% medium and high-density housing, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments offering options across different price points.

The area has approximately 215 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Population forecasts suggest Deakin will gain 630 residents by 2041 (based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Deakin has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones are Draft Inner South District Strategy, The Embassy Residences, Deakin District Playing Fields Upgrade, and Deakin Private Hospital, as detailed below.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Deakin significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Deakin has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate in Deakin was 1.9% as of September 2025. This is lower than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.1%. As of the Census, 1,644 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.7% below ACT's rate and workforce participation at 63.7%, compared to ACT's 72.5%. Home-based work accounted for 16.7% of jobs based on Census responses. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance sectors.

Deakin has a higher proportion of workers in professional & technical services (1.7 times the regional level) but lower representation in public administration & safety (27.2% vs regional average of 30.4%). There are 2.0 workers per resident, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 1.1%, labour force grew by 1.0%, and unemployment remained essentially unchanged. In contrast, ACT saw employment rise by 1.4% and unemployment fall by 0.2 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Deakin's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not consider localized population projections.

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

The median income among taxpayers in Deakin SA2 was $85,792 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $124,130 during the same period. These figures are higher than those for the Australian Capital Territory, which had a median income of $72,206 and an average income of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest that the median income in Deakin SA2 would be approximately $93,736 as of September 2025, with the average income estimated at around $135,624 during the same period. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Deakin rank highly nationally, between the 97th and 98th percentiles. Income distribution reveals that 40.7% of the population (1,294 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, which differs from patterns across regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 range dominates with 34.3%. A substantial proportion of high earners (52.0% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Deakin. After housing costs, residents retain 88.6% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Deakin displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Deakin, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 68.0% houses and 32.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Australian Capital Territory had 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Deakin was 46.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.2% and rented dwellings at 22.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Deakin was $3,180, compared to the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. Median weekly rent in Deakin was $560, while in Australian Capital Territory it was $450. Nationally, Deakin's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Deakin has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.3% of all households, including 32.0% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.7%, with lone person households at 28.4% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

Deakin shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Deakin's residents aged 15+ have a higher proportion of university qualifications (62.2%) compared to Australia (30.4%) and the SA4 region (46.8%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (22.6%) and graduate diplomas (5.7%). Vocational pathways account for 15.6% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 6.5%. Educational participation is high, with 30.9% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.8% in primary, 9.7% in secondary, and 7.4% in tertiary education.

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

Deakin has 48 active public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 144 individual routes, collectively offering 11,205 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 208 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Deakin's residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode at 85%, with 5% walking and 4% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 16.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,600 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 233 weekly trips per individual stop.

Deakin's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Deakin based on AreaSearch's assessment as of April 2022. Both young and old age cohorts exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population, which amounts to 2,540 people.

This compares to 62.4% across Australian Capital Territory and a national average of 55.7%. As of April 2022, the most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.7 and 6.7% of residents respectively. A total of 68.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% across Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents exhibit notably healthy outcomes with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 25.7% of residents aged 65 and over, which totals 816 people, higher than the 14.1% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population as of April 2022.

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

Deakin's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 27.6% born overseas and 18.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Deakin, comprising 47.6% of its population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Deakin, making up 0.3% compared to 0.2% across Australian Capital Territory.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (27.7%), Australian (21.8%), and Irish (9.4%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Polish was overrepresented at 1.2% in Deakin versus 0.8% regionally, Russian at 0.7% compared to 0.3%, and Croatian at 1.1% versus 0.9%.

Deakin hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Deakin's median age is 46, surpassing both the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 and the national norm of 38. The age group of 75-84 shows strong representation at 10.2%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory figure. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 8.3% to 10.2% of Deakin's population, while the 45 to 54 cohort has risen from 14.3% to 15.3%. However, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 8.2% to 6.5%, and the 65 to 74 group has dropped from 11.6% to 10.4%. Demographic modeling predicts significant changes in Deakin's age profile by 2041, with the 55 to 64 group expected to grow by 34%, reaching 512 people from the current 381. Meanwhile, numbers in the 25 to 34 age range are projected to fall by 12%.