Hackett

An assessment of population growth drivers in Hackett reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Hackett's population is 3,308 as of November 2025, an increase of 81 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,227. This change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 3,295 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since then. The population density is 1,696 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 83.5% of recent population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For uncovered areas and years post-2032, ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted. By 2041, the population is projected to grow by 0 persons overall, but specific age cohorts will experience growth led by the 65 to 74 age group with an increase of 76 people.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Hackett recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Hackett has seen approximately 12 new home approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 61 homes. As of FY-26, three approvals have been recorded. On average, around 2.4 people move to the area annually for each new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, suggesting strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $375,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $144,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Hackett has significantly less development activity, 73.0% below the regional average per person. New development consists of 58.0% standalone homes and 42.0% medium and high-density housing, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments offering diverse price points from family homes to more affordable compact living. This shift represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, currently 76.0% houses. The location has approximately 311 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Hackett may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Hackett has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally

Five projects may significantly influence the area's performance: The Establishment Watson, Watson Gasworks Arts Precinct, Watson Place Precinct Redevelopment, and Majura Primary School Modernisation (Watson). AreaSearch identified these as potentially impactful.

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

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Hackett has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Hackett's workforce is highly educated with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 3.9% in the past year.

Employment growth was estimated at 1.6%. As of September 2025, 1,766 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.3% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%. Workforce participation was lower at 66.1% compared to ACT's 69.6%.

Dominant employment sectors included public administration & safety, education & training, and professional & technical services. Health care & social assistance had lower representation at 8.6% versus the regional average of 11.7%. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 1.6% while labour force grew by 1.4%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, ACT experienced similar growth rates but a slightly higher unemployment rate drop. State-level data to 25-Nov showed ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hackett's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.0% 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 Hackett SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $76,554 and an average level of $94,635. These figures place Hackett in the top percentile nationally, compared to levels of $68,678 and $83,634 across Australian Capital Territory respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates as of September 2025 would be approximately $86,965 (median) and $107,505 (average). From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Hackett, between the 92nd and 96th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 31.9% of residents (1,055 people) fall into the $4000+ bracket, unlike trends in the broader area where 34.3% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. The substantial proportion of high earners (46.8% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the locality. After housing costs, residents retain 88.2% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Hackett, as per the latest Census, consisted of 76.3% houses and 23.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Australian Capital Territory's figures of 39.3% houses and 60.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hackett stood at 38.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.0% and rented ones at 22.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. Median weekly rent in Hackett was recorded at $374, compared to the Australian Capital Territory figure of $476. Nationally, Hackett's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,500 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rents were lower at $374 compared to the national figure of $375.

Hackett features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 70.5% of all households, including 37.1% couples with children, 22.8% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.5%, with lone person households at 25.7% and group households comprising 3.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.2.

Hackett demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Hackett is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 59.7% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. This educational advantage positions Hackett favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 29.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (22.4%) and graduate diplomas (7.5%).

Vocational pathways account for 15.7% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas making up 6.6% and certificates 9.1%. Educational participation is high in Hackett, with 34.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 10.3% in secondary education, and 7.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Hackett has 14 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by seven different routes that together facilitate 215 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as good, with residents typically located within 200 meters of their nearest stop.

On average, there are 30 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hackett's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows positive outcomes for Hackett residents, with common health conditions seen across both young and old age groups. Private health cover is high at approximately 69% of the total population (2,292 people), compared to 65.3% in Australian Capital Territory and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common conditions, impacting 10.0% and 7.6% of residents respectively.

67.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.8% across Australian Capital Territory. The area has 15.8% of residents aged 65 and over (521 people), higher than the 11.4% in Australian Capital Territory. This is broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Hackett records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Hackett's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 21.2% of its population born overseas and 13.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the main religion in Hackett, comprising 31.2% of people. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented compared to the Australian Capital Territory, making up 0.9% of Hackett's population versus the regional average of 0.5%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were English (27.1%), Australian (23.9%), and Irish (11.6%). Other ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Scottish was overrepresented at 9.3% compared to the regional average of 8.1%, Welsh remained at 0.7%, and Croatian was slightly higher at 0.8% versus the region's 0.7%.

Hackett's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Hackett is notably higher than the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years, at 40 years. It also modestly exceeds the Australian median age of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Hackett has a higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (15.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the latest data, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has grown from 11.1% to 13.8%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 5-14 has declined from 15.3% to 13.4%, and the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has dropped from 14.7% to 13.6%. By 2041, Hackett is expected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the number of residents aged 65-74 is projected to grow by 26%, reaching 336 from 266. This growth will be predominantly driven by the aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 73% of the projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the age groups 45-54 and 0-4 years.