Fadden

Fadden has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Fadden's population is around 2,969 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a decrease of 37 people (1.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,006 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,967 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 3 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 954 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. While Fadden experienced a 1.2% decline since the census, the SA3 area achieved 0.1% growth, highlighting divergent population trends. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth, which contributed approximately 52.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections, with 2022 as a base, are adopted. Considering the projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth of national areas is anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 17 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 0.5% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Fadden is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Fadden has seen virtually no dwelling approvals in recent years, with 4 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 0 so far in FY-26. Given the population has fallen over this period, development activity has been adequate in relative terms, which is a positive for buyers, while new dwellings are developed at an average construction cost of $330,000—slightly above the regional average—suggesting a focus on quality developments.

Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, Fadden has significantly less development activity (89.0% below the regional average per person). This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. This level is likewise lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and pointing to possible development constraints. Furthermore, recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

Fadden has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 3 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Wanniassa Hills Primary School Modernisation, Erindale Group Centre Master Plan Implementation - Stage 1, The Valley Ponds - Wanniassa, and Canberra Light Rail Stage 4 - Woden to Tuggeranong, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Employment conditions in Fadden rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Fadden features a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 1.0%, and 1.2% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 1,634 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.8% below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (70.0% compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.6%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 14.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical. Meanwhile, accommodation & food has a limited presence with 4.8% employment compared to 6.5% regionally. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.2% and the labour force increased by 1.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.1 percentage points. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory, where employment rose by 0.9%, the labour force grew by 1.2%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Fadden. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Fadden's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.5% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Fadden SA2 is among the top percentile nationally, with the median assessed at $83,100 while the average income stands at $96,725. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory's figures of a median income of $72,206 and an average income of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $90,795 (median) and $105,682 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Fadden, between the 96th and 98th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows 38.1% of the population (1,131 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 34.3%. The substantial proportion of high earners (55.8% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Fadden. After housing costs, residents retain 90.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Fadden, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 96.8% houses and 3.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to the Australian Capital Territory's 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Fadden was well beyond that of the Australian Capital Territory, at 45.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (48.4%) or rented (6.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Australian Capital Territory average at $2,383, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $620, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $2,080 and $450. Nationally, Fadden's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Fadden features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 86.0% of all households, comprising 44.0% couples with children, 33.1% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 14.0%, with lone person households at 12.7% and group households comprising 1.2% of the total. The median household size of 2.9 people is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Fadden significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 47.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 31.1% in the SA3 area. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 26.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.5%) and graduate diplomas (6.6%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 25.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (14.0%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 23 active transport stops operating within Fadden comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 39 individual routes, collectively providing 3,530 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 184 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 92%, with 5% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 14.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 504 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 153 weekly trips per individual stop.

Fadden's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Fadden, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 70% of the total population (2,069 people). This compares to 62.4% across the Australian Capital Territory. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.7% and 8.0% of residents, respectively, while 69.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 20.3% of residents aged 65 and over (603 people), which is higher than the 14.3% in the 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 Fadden was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Fadden is above average in terms of cultural diversity, with 23.8% of its population born overseas and 15.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Fadden is Christianity, which makes up 52.0% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Islam, which comprises 2.0% of the population, compared to 3.4% across the Australian Capital Territory.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Fadden are English, comprising 26.4% of the population, Australian, comprising 24.0% of the population, and Irish, comprising 9.4% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Croatian is notably overrepresented at 1.1% of Fadden (vs 0.9% regionally), Welsh at 0.8% (vs 0.6%) and Serbian at 0.7% (vs 0.4%).

Fadden's median age exceeds the national pattern

With a median age of 42, Fadden is considerably higher than the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 and significantly higher than Australia's 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, the 65 - 74 cohort is notably over-represented (12.8% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (5.8%). Since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.9% to 13.3% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 4.1% to 6.2%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 15.5% to 12.9% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 7.8% to 5.8%. Demographic modeling suggests Fadden's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to see notable expansion, increasing by 66 people (17%) from 400 to 467. Conversely, both the 25 to 34 and 5 to 14 age groups will see reduced numbers.