Isabella Plains
Statistical Area - sa2

Isabella Plains has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Isabella Plains' population was around 4,276 as of Aug 2025, reflecting a decrease of 53 people since the 2021 Census which reported 4,329 people. This decline is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data for June 2024 and additional validated addresses since the Census date. The population density was 1,710 persons per square kilometer, above national averages according to AreaSearch's analysis. While Isabella Plains saw a 1.2% decrease since the Census, its SA3 area experienced a 0.2% growth, indicating divergent trends. Natural growth contributed approximately 65.0% of overall population gains recently. 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 are adopted. Future growth is anticipated to be lower quartile, with the area expected to expand by 57 persons to 2041, representing a 1.3% increase over 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Isabella Plains is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Isabella Plains has granted approximately one residential property approval per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, it approved a total of five homes, with one more approved in FY26 so far.

Despite a decline in population during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. This year, the area has seen $1.1 million in commercial approvals, reflecting its residential nature. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Isabella Plains shows significantly reduced construction activity, which is 90% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new properties typically drives demand and prices for existing properties higher. Nationally, this activity is also below average, indicating the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached dwellings, preserving Isabella Plains' suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers. Developers are constructing more detached housing than previously indicated (76% at Census), suggesting persistent strong demand for family homes. By 2041, Isabella Plains is projected to grow by 57 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Isabella Plains has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 47thth percentile nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These key projects include Tuggeranong Public Housing Development, Canberra Light Rail Stage 4 from Woden to Tuggeranong, Banks Gateway Estate, and Calwell Group Centre improvements. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

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Isabella Plains has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Isabella Plains has an unemployment rate of 4.5% as of June 2025, with estimated employment growth of 2.4% over the past year. The area's workforce participation is similar to the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 69.6%.

Key industries for residents include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction, with a particularly strong specialization in construction at 1.5 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services show lower representation at 7.1% compared to the regional average of 11.1%. Employment opportunities within Isabella Plains may be limited locally, as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.4% while labour force grew by 1.6%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate of 0.7 percentage points.

In contrast, the Australian Capital Territory experienced employment growth of 1.9% with a drop in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Isabella Plains's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch reports that based on postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Isabella Plains had a median income among taxpayers of $64,002 and an average income of $70,933. Both figures are above the national averages of $58,100 and $73,891 respectively. In Australian Capital Territory, these figures stood at $68,678 and $83,634. Adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $72,706 (median) and $80,580 (average). Census 2021 data shows that income levels in Isabella Plains rank highly nationally, between the 74th and 85th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution indicates that 36.0% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually (1,539 individuals), which is similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 34.3%. Economic strength is evident with 31.4% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000. This supports elevated consumer spending, with housing accounting for 14.5% of income. Residents rank within the 76th percentile for disposable income, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Isabella Plains is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Isabella Plains' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 75.5% houses and 24.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's 79.6% houses and 20.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Isabella Plains stood at 29.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 50.4% and rented ones at 20.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,880, lower than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Isabella Plains was $450, higher than the Australian Capital Territory figure of $425. Nationally, Isabella Plains' mortgage repayments were higher at $1,880 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher at $450 against the national figure of $375.

Isabella Plains has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 74.3% of all households, including 35.5% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 13.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 25.7%, with lone person households at 23.3% and group households making up 2.3%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Australian Capital Territory average.

The educational profile of Isabella Plains exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 26.3%, substantially below the SA4 region average of 46.8%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 17.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 36.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.1%) and certificates (24.1%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education. Isabella Plains Early Childhood School and St Mary MacKillop College serve a total of 2,120 students in the area, which demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1048) with balanced educational opportunities. The area functions as an education hub, offering 49.6 school places per 100 residents – significantly above the regional average of 14.9 – and attracts students from surrounding communities.

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

The analysis of public transport in Isabella Plains shows that there are currently 25 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 10 individual routes providing service. Together, these routes facilitate 816 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 226 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 116 trips made per day across all routes, which equates to roughly 32 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Isabella Plains are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Isabella Plains had below-average health outcomes as of 2021. Common health conditions were somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older residents.

Private health cover was very high at approximately 55% (2,351 people), compared to 57.2% in Australian Capital Territory. The most common medical conditions were asthma and mental health issues, affecting 9.3% and 9.2% of residents respectively. 67.1% declared no medical ailments, compared to 66.1% across Australian Capital Territory. As of 2021, 16.5% of residents were aged 65 and over (706 people), lower than the 17.6% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors required more attention than the broader population.

Isabella Plains 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

Isabella Plains had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 23.6% of its population born overseas and 20.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Isabella Plains, comprising 47.8% of its population. Notably, the 'Other' category comprised 2.3%, which was higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 1%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (26.1%), English (25.6%), and Other (9.5%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Spanish was overrepresented at 0.9% compared to the regional average of 0.7%, Serbian at 0.7% versus 0.4%, and Macedonian at 0.5% against a regional average of 0.2%.

Isabella Plains's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Isabella Plains has a median age of 36 years, which is nearly matching the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 but somewhat younger than Australia's 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Isabella Plains has a higher concentration of residents aged 55-64 (11.8%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (10.5%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population aged 65 to 74 has grown from 7.5% to 9.2%, while the population aged 75 to 84 increased from 4.3% to 5.5%. Conversely, the population aged 55 to 64 has declined from 13.0% to 11.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Isabella Plains. The population aged 65 to 74 is projected to grow by 27%, adding 105 residents to reach 500. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 71% of population growth, underscoring trends towards an aging demographic. Conversely, population declines are projected for the cohorts aged 0-4 and 55-64.