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 around 3,251 as of May 2026. This reflected an increase of 127 people from the 2021 Census figure of 3,124. The growth was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 3,247 in June 2025 and 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. Population density was approximately 910 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed around 82.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, also based on 2022. Future population trends project an above median growth for Australian statistical areas, with Deakin expected to grow by 642 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 19.6% over 16 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, 8 approvals have been recorded. The average new residents per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 was 1.6, indicating balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions. This average 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 of $400,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $39.6 million, showing high 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 nationally. New development comprises 70% detached houses and 30% medium and high-density housing, with an increasing mix of townhouses and apartments offering options across various price points.

The area has approximately 215 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Deakin is projected to gain 638 residents by 2041. If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Deakin has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Light Rail Stage 2B: Commonwealth Park to Woden, Draft Inner South District Strategy, The Embassy Residences, and Deakin District Playing Fields Upgrade.

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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. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% as of December 2025, below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.2%.

In December 2025, 1,647 residents were in work, with a workforce participation rate of 61.5%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 70.5%. A moderate 16.7% of residents worked from home according to Census responses. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. The area has a specialisation in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level, but lower representation in public administration & safety at 27.2% compared to the regional average of 30.4%.

There are 2.0 workers for every resident, indicating that Deakin functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 1.2%, labour force grew by 1.1%, and unemployment remained essentially unchanged. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory where employment rose by 0.9%, the labour force grew by 1.2%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Deakin's employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

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 is $85,792 and the average income stands at $124,130 according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. These figures compare to those of Australian Capital Territory which are $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. As of March 2026, current estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% would be approximately $94,749 for median income and $137,089 for average income. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Deakin rank highly nationally, between the 97th and 98th percentiles. In terms of income distribution, 40.7% of the population (1,323 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 34.3%. A substantial proportion of high earners (52.0%) in Deakin have incomes above $3,000/week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the area. 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

In Deakin, as per the latest Census evaluation, 68.0% of dwellings were houses while 32.0% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's figures of 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Deakin stood at 46.1%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 31.2% and rented ones making up 22.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,180, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure in Deakin was recorded at $560, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $450. Nationally, Deakin's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 comprise the remaining 31.7%, with lone person households at 28.4% and group households making up 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 educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 62.2% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. This advantage positions Deakin well for knowledge-based opportunities. 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 among those aged 15+, 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 education, 9.7% 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

Deakin has 48 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 144 individual routes, providing 11,205 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 208 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 85%, while walking and cycling account for 5% and 4% respectively. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling in Deakin.

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. AreaSearch's assessment indicates low prevalence of common health conditions across both young and old age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (2,597 people), compared to 62.4% in Australian Capital Territory and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.7 and 6.7% of residents respectively. 68.7% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% in Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. As of the assessment date, 25.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (829 people), higher than the 14.3% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 shows high cultural diversity, with 27.6% born overseas and 18.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Deakin, accounting for 47.6%. Notably, Judaism is slightly overrepresented compared to the Australian Capital Territory (0.3% vs 0.2%).

The top three ancestry groups are English (27.7%), Australian (21.8%), and Irish (9.4%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Polish at 1.2% in Deakin versus 0.8% regionally, Russian at 0.7% versus 0.3%, and Croatian at 1.1% versus 0.9%.

Deakin hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Deakin is 45 years, which is considerably higher than the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 are particularly prominent, comprising 10.6% of the population, while the 25-34 age group is comparatively smaller at 7.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 8.3% to 10.6%, while the 65-74 cohort has declined from 11.6% to 9.9%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Deakin's age structure. The 55-64 age cohort is projected to increase solidly by 117 people (28%) from 412 to 530, while the 25-34 cohort grows by a modest 1% (3 people).