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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Harrison has an estimated 8,023 residents, down from 8,244 at the 2021 Census — a change of 221 people, or 2.7%. The population has thinned by an average 1.2% a year over five years, slower than 98% of areas nationally. That puts 2,748 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to the analysis conducted by AreaSearch, the population of Harrison is approximately 8,023 as of May 2026. This represents a reduction of 221 individuals (2.7%) from the 2021 Census, which counted 8,244 residents. This shift is calculated from the ABS estimated resident population of 8,023 in June 2025 combined with address confirmations recorded since the Census. The local population density stands at 2,747 persons per square kilometer, placing the suburb in the top quartile of all locations evaluated nationwide. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth, accounting for roughly 70.4% of total population increases in recent times.
AreaSearch utilizes the projections published in 2024 by the ABS and Geoscience Australia, which use 2022 as their base year. For any SA2 regions missing from this dataset, as well as for all years after 2032, age cohort growth trends are sourced from the ACT Government SA2 projections, which also use a 2022 base. Looking at future population trends, these models project a net decrease of 1,019 residents by 2041. Despite this overall reduction, certain age segments are expected to expand, particularly the 55 to 64 bracket, which is forecast to increase by 81 individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Only 2 residential building approvals have been registered in Harrison over the last five years. This indicates a fully established neighborhood with scarce undeveloped land for building projects. For prospective purchasers, this limited availability of brand-new housing generally helps sustain residential values, meaning buyers must compete for pre-existing properties. Harrison displays a much lower volume of construction activity than the broader Australian Capital Territory. This limited flow of new properties tends to bolster demand and support pricing for the suburb's established housing stock. This level is also below the national average, showcasing a mature real estate market and indicating potential regulatory or geographic building limits.
Given that demographic projections forecast either static or shrinking resident numbers, Harrison is likely to experience less pressure on housing demand, which represents a positive factor for prospective buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Harrison
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 14 current infrastructure and development projects inside Harrison, worth an estimated $527 million. A further 66 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $4.73 billion. 13 are already under construction and 30 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, sports & recreation and communities, precincts & urban renewal. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Changes to local infrastructure, planning policies, and development projects play a major role in regional performance. AreaSearch has identified 27 projects with potential impacts on the suburb. Key developments include the Throsby District Playing Fields, Harrison Group Centre (Town Centre), Harrison Local Centre Expansion (Harrison 5 Precinct), and Moncrieff East Residential Estate, with details provided on those most relevant to the area.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Harrison Group Centre (Town Centre)
Proposed mixed-use Group Centre development at Harrison, part of the broader Gungahlin district expansion plan. The town centre will feature retail, commercial, and residential components including neighbourhood shops, cafes, service businesses, and community amenities to serve Harrison residents and the broader Gungahlin region.
Harrison Local Centre Expansion (Harrison 5 Precinct)
Proposed mixed-use local centre expansion within the Harrison 5 Precinct as identified in the Gungahlin District Strategy. The precinct envisions ground-floor retail and commercial uses, up to approximately 150 apartments, and a new community facility adjacent to the existing Harrison local shops on Katherine Avenue and Moonlight Avenue. The project is subject to ACT Suburban Land Agency land release before a private developer can be engaged and a development application lodged.
Throsby District Playing Fields
ACT Government project to deliver multi-sport district playing fields on the former Home of Football site in Throsby, serving the wider Gungahlin region. Following Capital Football's withdrawal from the original Home of Football partnership in 2024, the project was redesigned as a shared multi-code facility accommodating rugby league, rugby union, football, and cricket, plus at least one pavilion and floodlit fields covering a minimum of eight hectares. A revised detailed design costing $1.5 million is underway with a contractor to be engaged once design is finalised.Construction is scheduled to commence in 2026 as a staged project, with part of the site reserved for future sporting infrastructure.
Franklin Residential Development
New residential development in Franklin offering mixed housing typologies including apartments, townhouses and detached homes. Planned community with parks, walking trails and local retail amenities.
Moncrieff East Residential Estate
Large greenfield residential release delivering over 850 dwellings, new local parks, and community facilities. The Moncrieff East Estate development plan aims for approximately 1250 dwellings, public open space, and includes master planning and detailed design for a subdivision in the eastern part of Moncrieff. Civil works contracts have been awarded to Group 1 and Canberra Contractors.
Franklin Aged Care Facility
New 120-bed aged care facility with specialized dementia care units, rehabilitation services and community health programs.
Olea Gungahlin Townhouses
Approved medium-density project branded Olea by Dish Developments. Original DA 202038102 approved on 5 Jul 2021 for 99 dwellings (70 townhouses, 29 units), later amended in Dec 2021 to a total of 109 dwellings with a single level basement (approx. 189 car spaces). Site fronts Camilleri Way and Kate Crace Street near Gungahlin Marketplace and the light rail, with outlook to Mulanggari Grasslands Nature Reserve.
Franklin Community Centre
Multi-purpose community centre with meeting rooms, library branch, childcare facilities and programs for seniors and youth.
5,139 residents of Harrison are employed, from a labour force of 5,266. Unemployment sits at 2.4%, with participation at 83.1%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 5,763, about 72% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Harrison features a workforce with high levels of education and strong representation in essential services, alongside an unemployment rate of only 2.4% and an estimated job growth rate of 0.7% over the prior year. In March 2026, employed residents numbered 5,139, which keeps the local unemployment rate 1.6% lower than the 4.1% rate seen across the Australian Capital Territory. Furthermore, labor force participation is exceptionally high at 83.1%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory average of 70.8%. Census records show that a modest 11.8% of employed locals worked from home, though this figure may have been influenced by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
The primary employment fields for local workers are public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. The community exhibits a strong employment concentration in the accommodation & food sector, where its share of jobs is 1.4 times the regional average. Conversely, health care & social assistance is underrepresented locally, employing 9.5% of the workforce compared to 11.7% across the Australian Capital Territory. As a mostly residential suburb, local employment opportunities appear limited, as seen in the disparity between the count of working residents and jobs located within the area. Based on AreaSearch assessments of SALM and ABS statistics, employment rose by 0.7% over the 12-month period, while the overall labor force expanded by 1.1%, resulting in a 0.3 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate. In comparison, the broader Australian Capital Territory recorded a 0.3% rise in employment, a 1.1% increase in the labor force, and a 0.7 percentage point rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts released by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 provide additional context on potential employment trends for Harrison. These five-year and ten-year projections have been applied to the local workforce structure to model future growth. While total employment across the country is projected to rise by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates vary widely by industry. Weighting these national sector projections against the local job profile suggests Harrison's employment could grow by 6.3% over five years and 12.9% over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Harrison is $2,636 a week (about $137,000 a year), with median personal income at $1,207 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $70,461 a year against an average of $79,908. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
According to the latest postcode-level ATO data compiled by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023, Harrison SA2 recorded a median taxpayer income of $70,461 and an average of $79,908. This ranks the area among the top earning locations in the country, contrasting with the Australian Capital Territory median of $72,206 and average of $85,981. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would stand at roughly $77,817 for the median and $88,250 for the average. Census data confirms that household, family, and individual incomes are all highly positioned, falling between the 91st and 93rd percentiles nationwide.
The largest income bracket comprises 35.8% of the local population (2,872 people) who earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, which is similar to the regional average of 34.3% in this bracket. A substantial 42.9% of residents earn more than $3,000 per week, indicating local wealth that supports retail and economic activity. Although local households spend 15.4% of their income on housing costs, strong earnings keep disposable income at the 92nd percentile, and the SEIFA index ranks the area in the 9th decile for income.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Harrison had 2,768 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 55% detached houses and 30% apartments. 43% are owned with a mortgage, 46% rented and 11% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $450 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,000 a month, a total housing cost higher than 92% of areas nationally. Rent absorbs 17.1% of household income here and mortgage repayments 17.5%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The mix of housing types in Harrison at the time of the latest Census consisted of 55.4% separate houses and 44.7% alternative housing styles, such as townhouses and apartments, compared to 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings across the Australian Capital Territory. Home ownership rates in the suburb lagged behind the territory average at 10.7%, with remaining properties held under mortgages (42.8%) or occupied by tenants (46.4%). The median monthly mortgage payment was below the territory average at $2,000, while the median weekly rent was equal at $450, compared to Australian Capital Territory figures of $2,080 and $450 respectively.
On a national level, Harrison's mortgage repayments exceed the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents are considerably higher than the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Harrison counted 2,768 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.9 people each. 42% are couples with children, more than in 82% of areas nationally, against 23% couples without children. 19% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.2 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up the majority of households at 74.7%, consisting of couples with children at 41.7%, couples without children at 23.0%, and single-parent homes at 9.0%. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 25.3%, with single-person households representing 18.8% and group housing making up 6.2%. The average household size is 2.9 individuals, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
51.7% of adults in Harrison hold a university qualification, including 27.3% with a bachelor degree and 20.9% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 92% of areas nationally. A further 11.9% hold a vocational qualification. 2 schools serve the area, with 2,114 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,080 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment in Harrison is exceptionally high compared to broader averages, with 51.7% of residents aged 15+ holding a university degree, compared to 30.4% nationally and 46.3% in the SA3 area. This high level of education positions the local workforce well for opportunities in knowledge-based industries. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 27.3%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 20.9% and graduate diplomas at 3.5%. Vocational education represents 22.7% of qualifications among residents aged 15 and over, divided between advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificate-level courses at 11.9%. A significant proportion of the population participates in education, with 37.2% of residents enrolled in study.
This group includes 12.5% in primary schools, 8.6% in tertiary study, and 7.9% attending high schools.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Harrison reaches 21 stops on 25 routes, timetabled for about 2,100 services a week. The typical home sits about 240 m from its nearest stop. Trams carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.4 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Analysis of public transport options shows 21 active stops operating within Harrison, consisting of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 25 separate routes, providing a combined 2,074 weekly passenger trips. Transport access is rated as good, with residents living an average of 236 meters from the nearest stop. The suburb is primarily residential, and most workers commute to other areas, with private vehicles remaining the primary transport mode at 79% and buses used by 7%. Average vehicle ownership is 1.4 cars per household. A relatively low proportion of residents (11.8%) worked from home, according to the 2021 Census, which may have been influenced by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Service frequency averages 296 trips per day across all active routes, which represents approximately 98 weekly trips for each transport stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
80.5% of residents in Harrison report no long-term health condition, a healthier profile than 89% of areas nationally. 2.3% need daily assistance with core activities, and 59.5% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.6 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health metrics show excellent outcomes across Harrison, with AreaSearch evaluations indicating low mortality rates and a low prevalence of chronic conditions across all age cohorts. Private health insurance coverage is high, with approximately 60% of the population (4,773 people) holding cover, compared to 62.4% across the Australian Capital Territory. Mental health conditions and asthma are the most common medical diagnoses in the suburb, affecting 7.2% and 6.6% of residents respectively. However, 80.5% of the population reported no long-term health conditions, compared to 70.2% in the Australian Capital Territory. Residents aged 65 and over make up 5.3% of the community (428 people), which is lower than the territory average of 14.3%.
Older residents show strong health profiles, with rankings that align well with the broader population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
42.6% of Harrison residents were born overseas and 44.1% speak a language other than English at home, more culturally diverse than 85% of areas nationally. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (20.0%) and English (18.4%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Harrison exhibits high levels of cultural diversity, with 42.6% of residents born outside Australia and 44.1% speaking a non-English language at home. Christianity is the most common religious affiliation, representing 34.2% of the population. Hinduism shows a distinct local concentration at 11.3% of residents, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 4.8%. Looking at ancestral backgrounds, the top three ancestries reported are Australian at 20.0%, English at 18.4%, and Other at 17.6%, which is higher than the territory average of 12.2%. There are notable differences in specific ethnic backgrounds compared to territory averages, with Korean ancestry representing 2.0% of the suburb (compared to 0.6% territory-wide), Indian ancestry at 6.5% (compared to 3.3%), and Croatian ancestry at 1.1% (compared to 0.9%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Harrison is 32, younger than 95% of areas nationally. That is 1 year older than at the 2021 Census. 32.9% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The median age of 32 years in Harrison is slightly lower than the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 and below the national median of 38. The suburb has a higher concentration of people aged 35 - 44 (19.3%) compared to the territory, but fewer residents aged 65 - 74 (3.2%). This 35 - 44 cohort is also larger than the national average of 14.3%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 55 to 64 age bracket increased from 5.8% to 7.1% of the population, and the 45 to 54 cohort rose from 13.0% to 14.3%.
Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort decreased from 21.1% to 19.4%, and the 5 to 14 cohort fell from 16.1% to 15.1%. Projections suggest that the local age profile will shift by 2041, with the 65 to 74 age group forecast to grow by 56 people (22%) from 260 to 317. The combined cohorts aged 65 and over are expected to account for 71% of total population growth, reflecting an aging trend, while the 45 to 54 and 0 to 4 groups are projected to decrease in size.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Harrison
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jun 2026 2 months ago all 14 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jun 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (8,244 at the 2021 Census → 8,023 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (801041044). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.