Griffith (ACT)
Statistical Area - sa2

Griffith lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Griffith's population was around 5,732 as of Aug 2025. This reflected a growth of 404 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,328. The increase was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 5,709 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses post-Census date. Population density was approximately 2,076 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Griffith's growth rate of 7.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both state (5.7%) and SA4 region averages, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth 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 by this data and years post-2032, age group growth rates from ACT Government's SA2 area projections were used, also with 2022 as a base. Based on demographic trends, Griffith is projected to have an above median population growth nationally, expecting to grow by 1,144 persons to reach 7,876 by 2041 based on the latest numbers, reflecting a total gain of 19.4% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Griffith among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Griffith has received approximately 155 new home approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports that from Financial Year 2020 (FY-20) to FY-2025, there were a total of 778 approvals, with none recorded yet in FY-2026. Over the past five financial years, an average of one new resident has arrived per new home each year, indicating balanced supply and demand and stable market conditions. The average expected construction cost for new dwellings is $569,000, suggesting developers focus on premium developments.

This financial year has seen $29.7 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Griffith shows 114% higher new home approvals per capita, offering buyers more choice. However, construction activity has recently eased. Despite this, developer interest remains significantly above the national average. New development consists of 28% detached dwellings and 72% townhouses or apartments, promoting accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. With around 291 people per dwelling approval, Griffith's developing market is expected to grow by 1,110 residents by 2041.

Current construction levels should meet housing demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially facilitating growth beyond current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. A single project has been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting this area. Key projects include Yarra Rossa, Dairy Rd, Fyshwick, Red Hill Integrated Plan, and Ngurra Cultural Precinct, with the following list detailing those most likely to be relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Griffith performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Griffith ACT has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate is 1.5%, lower than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) 3.4%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.8%. As of June 2025, 3,505 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9% below ACT's rate. Workforce participation is 71.6%, slightly higher than ACT's 69.6%. Dominant employment sectors include public administration & safety, professional & technical, and health care & social assistance.

Public administration & safety shows strong specialization with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Construction has limited presence at 3.6% compared to the regional 6.8%. Many residents may commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to June 2025, Griffith's employment increased by 1.8%, labour force by 1.6%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. ACT recorded employment growth of 1.9% and unemployment fell by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows ACT employment contracted by 0.33%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National forecasts project employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but sector-specific projections suggest Griffith's growth could be approximately 6.5%% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

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

Griffith had a median income among taxpayers of $85,350 and an average level of $138,707 in financial year 2022. These figures place Griffith among the top percentile nationally, compared to levels of $68,678 and $83,634 across Australian Capital Territory respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggest a median income of approximately $94,551 and an average of $153,660 based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.78% since financial year 2022. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Griffith rank highly nationally, between the 91st and 98th percentiles. The earnings profile indicates that 36.8% of residents (2,109 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket, reflecting patterns seen in metropolitan regions where 34.3% occupy this range. A substantial proportion of high earners, at 43.9%, indicates strong economic capacity throughout Griffith. Housing accounts for 13.8% of income, while residents rank within the 92nd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Griffith features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Griffith's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 35.7% houses and 64.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Australian Capital Territory's 40.7% houses and 59.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Griffith was at 25.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.9% and rented ones at 41.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,118, below the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,275, while the median weekly rent was $462, compared to Australian Capital Territory's $500. Nationally, Griffith's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Griffith features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 58.6% of all households, including 22.3% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 41.4%, with lone person households at 35.8% and group households comprising 5.6%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.2.

The educational profile of Griffith exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Griffith has an educational attainment rate of 64.9% among residents aged 15 and above, which is higher than the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA4 region average of 46.8%. This high level of educational attainment positions Griffith favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. The most common qualifications held are bachelor degrees (34.7%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (23.6%) and graduate diplomas (6.6%). Vocational pathways account for 15.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 7.4% and certificates 7.7%.

Educational participation is notably high in Griffith, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% in tertiary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 6.8% pursuing primary education. Educational provision includes St Edmund's College Canberra and St Clare's College, which collectively serve 1,782 students. Griffith demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1085. The educational mix in Griffith includes one secondary school and one K-12 school.

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

Griffith's public transport system operates 21 active stops, served by a mix of buses along 22 routes. These routes facilitate 706 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy good accessibility to transport, with an average distance of 200 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency is 100 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 33 weekly trips per individual stop.

Griffith'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 that Griffith residents have relatively positive health outcomes. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low among the general population, but higher than the national average for older and at-risk cohorts. Approximately 83% of the total population (4,769 people) has private health cover, which is high compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 78.0% and the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues (affecting 8.8% of residents) and asthma (7.5%), while 69.7% of residents report having no medical ailments, similar to the Australian Capital Territory's 69.8%. The area has 17.4% of residents aged 65 and over (999 people), which is lower than the Australian Capital Territory's 19.9%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention compared to the broader population.

Griffith was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Griffith's population comprises 27.7% born overseas, with 20.4% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Griffith, accounting for 39.1%. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Australian Capital Territory, making up 0.8% vs 0.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (25.7%), Australian (20.8%), and Other (11.1%). Notably, Polish (1.1%) is slightly overrepresented compared to the regional figure of 1.0%, while French (0.8%) shows a minor underrepresentation from its regional average of 0.9%. Hungarian representation in Griffith is also slightly higher at 0.4% vs the region's 0.3%.

Griffith's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

At 38 years, Griffith's median age is higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 and equivalent to the Australian median of 38. Relative to Australian Capital Territory, Griffith has a higher concentration of 25-34 residents at 21.5% but fewer 15-24 year-olds at 9.8%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 13.3% to 14.6%, while the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 20.5% to 21.5%. Conversely, the 15 to 24 cohort has declined from 11.4% to 9.8% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 13.5% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Griffith's age profile will evolve significantly. The 65 to 74 cohort is projected to grow by 53%, adding 276 residents to reach 802. In contrast, the 25 to 34 group is expected to contract by 7 residents.