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 approximately 3,173 as of November 2025. This figure reflects a decrease of 37 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,210. The change is inferred from an estimated resident population of 3,150 in June 2024 and an additional 20 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,772 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted. Future trends indicate an overall population decline by 242 persons to 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 65 to 74 age group 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 an additional five approved so far in FY26. Despite a 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 significantly lower building activity, 87.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties, 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 30thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that may affect this region. Key projects include Federal Golf Club Retirement Village, Woden Town Square Precinct Redevelopment, Woden Experiment Stage 2 - Public Realm & Active Travel Upgrades, and 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.

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.

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

Hughes has an educated workforce with key sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.0%.

As of September 2025, 1,579 residents are employed at a rate of 1.2% lower than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.6%. Workforce participation is lower at 61.4%, compared to ACT's 69.6%. Major industries include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Health care & social assistance has a strong presence, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction is under-represented at 4.2%, compared to ACT's 6.8%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. 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, ACT recorded employment growth of 1.4% and a fall in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from November 25 shows ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, slightly higher than the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a growth of 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, assuming population projections remain constant for illustrative purposes.

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 2022 shows Hughes SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $74,575 and an average of $103,767. This places it in the top percentile nationally compared to the Australian Capital Territory's median of $68,678 and average of $83,634. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $84,717 (median) and $117,879 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Hughes rank highly nationally, between the 94th and 95th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 35.5% of locals (1,126 people) fall into the $4000+ category, differing from regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 34.3%. The 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 income, reflecting strong purchasing power and 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' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 73.6% houses and 26.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory's 58.4% houses and 41.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hughes was at 37.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.8% and rented ones at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hughes was $2,700, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in Hughes was $400, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $440. Nationally, Hughes' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,700 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher at $400 against the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for 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 2.4.

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 higher educational attainment than broader averages, with 58.7% of its residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% nationally and 46.8% in the SA4 region. This high level of attainment is driven by Bachelor degrees (31.2%), postgraduate qualifications (20.8%), and graduate diplomas (6.7%). Vocational pathways account for 16.9%, with advanced diplomas at 8.4% and certificates at 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 moderate 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. Two distinct routes operate here, collectively facilitating 341 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents, on average, residing 268 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency stands at 48 daily trips across all routes, translating to approximately 37 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Hughes is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Hughes faces significant health challenges due to common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 73% of Hughes' total population (2,303 people) has private health cover, compared to 68.1% in Australian Capital Territory and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 8.9 and 8.0% of residents respectively.

However, 67.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.1% in Australian Capital Territory. Hughes has 19.4% of its population aged 65 and over (616 people), which is higher than the 18.3% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

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 was found to have more cultural diversity than most local markets, with 16.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 26.4% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Hughes, comprising 43.6%. However, Judaism is overrepresented at 0.5%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (25.5%), English (25.1%), and Irish (10.7%). Notably, Welsh (1.3%) and Hungarian (0.5%) are overrepresented in Hughes compared to regional averages of 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively. Polish is also 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 years. The 85+ cohort is notably over-represented in Hughes at 4.8%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the population of individuals aged 15-24 has grown from 11.0% to 13.8%, and the 35-44 cohort has increased from 13.0% to 14.6%. Conversely, the 85+ cohort has declined from 6.5% to 4.8%, and the 55-64 group has dropped from 12.0% to 10.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that Hughes's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 85+ age cohort is projected to expand 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 0-4 and 75-84 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.