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 ACT's population is approximately 5,732 as of August 2025. This represents an increase of 404 people from the 2021 Census figure of 5,328, a 7.6% rise. The growth is inferred from ABS data: estimated resident population was 5,709 in June 2024 and there were 411 new addresses validated since the Census date. Population density stands at 2,076 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Griffith's 7.6% growth surpassed both state (5.7%) and SA4 region averages, indicating it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration was the primary driver for this population increase.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, ACT Government's SA2 area projections with a 2022 base are adopted. Future demographic trends suggest above median population growth for national areas. Griffith is projected to gain 1,144 persons by 2041, a 19.4% increase over the 17-year period based on latest population numbers.

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

Griffith has seen approximately 101 new homes approved annually. Development approval data, produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totals 508 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with no recorded approvals yet in FY-26. On average, one new resident arrives per new home over these five years, indicating balanced supply and demand creating stable market conditions. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $569,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market.

This financial year has seen $29.7 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Griffith shows 117.0% higher new home approvals per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, construction activity has recently eased. This activity is significantly above the national average, indicating strong developer interest in the area. New development consists of 28.0% detached dwellings and 72.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a trend towards denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With around 291 people per dwelling approval, Griffith demonstrates a developing market.

Looking ahead, Griffith 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 enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project expected to impact this region: Yarra Rossa, Dairy Rd, Fyshwick, Red Hill Integrated Plan, and Ngurra Cultural Precinct are key projects, with the following list providing more detail on those most 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 an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 1.5% and it saw 1.8% employment growth in the year ending June 2025.

As of that date, 3,505 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9%, lower than ACT's 3.4%. Workforce participation stands at 71.6%, close to ACT's 69.6%. Dominant sectors include public administration & safety (1.3 times regional level), professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. Construction has limited presence with 3.6% employment compared to regional 6.8%.

Over the year ending June 2025, Griffith's employment increased by 1.8%, labour force by 1.6%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. ACT recorded similar labour force growth but had higher employment growth at 1.9% and a larger unemployment rate reduction of 0.3 points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows ACT's employment contracted by 0.33%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between sectors. Applying these projections to Griffith's employment mix suggests local growth of 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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Griffith had a median income among taxpayers of $85,350 and an average of $138,707. These figures place Griffith in the top percentile nationally, compared to $68,678 and $83,634 in Australian Capital Territory respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.78% since financial year 2022, current estimates as of March 2025 would be approximately $94,551 (median) and $153,660 (average). Census data reveals household, family, and personal incomes in Griffith rank highly nationally, between the 91st and 98th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 36.8% of residents (2,109 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income bracket, similar to metropolitan regions where 34.3% occupy this range. A substantial proportion, 43.9%, earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the suburb. Housing accounts for 13.8% of income, with residents ranking highly at 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

In Griffith, as per the latest Census, 35.7% of dwellings were houses while 64.3% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's figures of 40.7% houses and 59.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Griffith stood at 25.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.9% and rented ones at 41.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,118, lower than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,275. Median weekly rent in Griffith was $462, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $500. Nationally, Griffith's mortgage repayments were higher at $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 41.4%, composed of 35.8% lone person households and 5.6% group households. 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's educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 64.9% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are the most common (34.7%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (23.6%) and graduate diplomas (6.6%). Vocational pathways account for 15.1%, with advanced diplomas at 7.4% and certificates at 7.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.5% in tertiary, 7.0% in secondary, and 6.8% in primary. Griffith's educational provision includes St Edmund's College Canberra and St Clare's College, serving a total of 1,782 students. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1085) with an educational mix comprising 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 has 21 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 22 different routes that together facilitate 706 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 200 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 100 trips per day across all routes, resulting in 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 positive outcomes for Griffith residents, with a low prevalence of common health conditions among the general population. However, this prevalence is higher than the national average among older and at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover in Griffith is exceptionally high at approximately 83% of the total population (4,769 people), compared to 78.0% across Australian Capital Territory and the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 8.8 and 7.5% of residents respectively. A total of 69.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.8% across Australian Capital Territory. The area has 17.4% of residents aged 65 and over (999 people), which is lower than the 19.9% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, requiring more attention than 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, as of the Australian Census conducted on August 2016, exhibited high cultural diversity with 27.7% born overseas and 20.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Griffith, accounting for 39.1% of its population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Griffith compared to Australian Capital Territory, comprising 0.8% versus 0.6%.

The top three ancestry groups in Griffith were English (25.7%), Australian (20.8%), and Other (11.1%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Polish was slightly overrepresented at 1.1%, French at 0.8%, and Hungarian at 0.4% compared to regional figures.

Griffith's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Griffith's median age is 38 years, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 but equal to the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Griffith has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (21.5%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (9.8%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the percentage of Griffith's population aged 35-44 has increased from 13.3% to 14.6%, while the 25-34 cohort has grown from 20.5% to 21.5%. Conversely, the 15-24 age group has decreased from 11.4% to 9.8%, and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 13.5% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling predicts significant changes in Griffith's age profile. The 65-74 age cohort is projected to grow by 53%, adding 276 residents to reach a total of 802. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group is expected to decrease by 7 residents.