Hughes

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

Hughes' population is 3,176 as of November 2025. This shows a decrease of 34 people from the 2021 Census figure of 3,210, reflecting an estimated resident population of 3,150 in June 2024 and 20 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 1,774 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered and years post-2032, ACT Government's SA2 area projections with a 2022 base are adopted. Future trends indicate an overall population decline by 242 persons to 2041, with the 65 to 74 age group projected to grow by 10 people.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Hughes, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Hughes has recorded approximately six residential properties granted approval per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 34 homes were approved, with a further six approved in FY26. Despite recent population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $365,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. This year, there have been $176,000 in commercial approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity compared to the Australian Capital Territory, where Hughes records 87.0% lower building activity per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties, which is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a range of medium-density options across various price brackets. Hughes indicates a mature market with around 423 people per approval.

With population projections showing stability or decline, housing demand pressures in Hughes are expected to remain reduced, benefiting potential buyers.

Hughes has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects expected to affect the area: Federal Golf Club Retirement Village, Woden Town Square Precinct Redevelopment, and Woden Experiment Stage 2 - Public Realm & Active Travel Upgrades, along with Woden Community Services Hub. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places Hughes well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Hughes has an educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 2.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.0%. As of September 2025, 1,579 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 1.2% lower than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%.

Workforce participation was at 63.0%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.5%. According to Census responses, 14.6% of residents worked from home. Key industries for employment were public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Hughes showed strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

However, construction was under-represented at 4.2% compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 6.8%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.0%, and labour force grew by 0.7%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Australian Capital Territory recorded employment growth of 1.4% and a fall in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hughes's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 financial year 2023 shows Hughes SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $78,870 and an average of $111,955. This places it in the top percentile nationally. The Australian Capital Territory's median was $72,206 with an average of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Hughes SA2 would be approximately $86,173 (median) and $122,322 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Hughes rank highly nationally, between the 94th and 95th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income analysis reveals that 35.5% of locals (1,127 people) fall into the $4000+ category, unlike regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 34.3%. A substantial proportion of high earners (48.2% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the locality. After housing costs, residents retain 88.1% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Hughes' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 73.6% houses and 26.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's figures of 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hughes stood at 37.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.8% and rented dwellings at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,700, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure for Hughes was $400, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $375. Nationally, Hughes' mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

Hughes has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.1% of all households, including 36.7% couples with children, 24.8% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.9%, with lone person households at 25.6% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

Hughes has a notably high educational attainment compared to broader benchmarks. Specifically, 58.7% of its residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, surpassing the national average of 30.4% and the SA4 region's average of 46.8%. This significant educational advantage positions Hughes strongly for opportunities in knowledge-based fields. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 31.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 20.8% and graduate diplomas at 6.7%.

Vocational pathways account for 16.9% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas making up 8.4% and certificates comprising 8.5%. Educational participation in Hughes is notably high, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 6.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Hughes has nine operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by twenty-two routes, offering a total of 1580 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 268 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the primary mode at 81%, followed by walking at 7% and cycling at 4%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 225 trips per day, equating to approximately 175 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hughes's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Hughes's health metrics are close to national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions among its residents is somewhat typical but slightly higher than the national average for older cohorts. Approximately 76% of Hughes' total population (2416 people) has private health cover, compared to 62.4% in Australian Capital Territory and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 8.9 and 8.0% of residents respectively. 67.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% in Australian Capital Territory. The under-65 population has better than average health outcomes. Hughes has 19.4% of its residents aged 65 and over (616 people), higher than the 14.1% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Hughes was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Hughes had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 16.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 26.4% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Hughes, comprising 43.6%. Judaism, however, was more prevalent in Hughes at 0.5%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 0.2%.

The top three ancestral groups were Australian (25.5%), English (25.1%), and Irish (10.7%). Notably, Welsh (1.3%) and Hungarian (0.5%) were overrepresented in Hughes compared to regional averages of 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively. Polish was also slightly overrepresented at 1.0%.

Hughes's median age exceeds the national pattern

Hughes has a median age of 42, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35, and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, Hughes has an over-representation of the 85+ cohort (4.8% locally) and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group (9.5%). Between 2021 and the present, the population of those aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.0% to 13.8%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 13.0% to 14.6%. Conversely, the 85+ cohort declined from 6.5% to 4.8%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 12.0% to 10.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Hughes's age profile will change significantly. The 85+ age cohort is projected to increase by 6 people (4%), from 151 to 158. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 100% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 75 to 84 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.