Latham
Statistical Area - sa2

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

As of Aug 2025, Latham's population is approximately 3,751, showing a decrease of 16 people since the 2021 Census. The population in 2021 was recorded at 3,767. This change is inferred from ABS estimates of 3,741 as of Jun 2024 and an additional 18 validated new addresses since the Census date. Latham's population density stands at 1,374 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. While Latham saw a 0.4% decline from census to Aug 2025, its SA3 area grew by 2.4%. Natural growth contributed roughly 58.8% 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. By 2041, Latham's population is projected to decrease by 494 persons. However, the 85 and over age group is expected to grow by 57 people during this period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Latham according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Latham has seen approximately six new homes approved annually. Development approval data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows 30 homes were approved over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with two approvals recorded so far in FY26. On average, 3.4 people have moved to the area each year for every dwelling built during these years.

This high demand outpaces new supply, leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Latham has significantly reduced construction levels, at 72.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. Nationally, Latham's construction level is also below average, suggesting possible planning constraints due to the area's maturity. New building activity in Latham consists of 60.0% detached houses and 40.0% medium and high-density housing, with an increasing mix of townhouses and apartments offering options across different price points.

This marks a notable shift from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses at 88.0%. Population projections indicating stability or decline suggest reduced housing demand pressures in Latham, potentially benefiting potential buyers.

Latham has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

No changes can significantly affect a region's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Zero projects have been pinpointed by AreaSearch that are projected to impact this area. Key projects comprise New Northside Hospital, Parkwood Urban Release, Deakin Private Hospital, and Ngurra Cultural Precinct, with the following list outlining those most pertinent.

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

AreaSearch analysis reveals Latham recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Latham has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate as of June 2025 was 5.1%.

There was an estimated employment growth of 2.1% over the past year. As of that date, 1,971 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.7% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation in Latham was somewhat lower at 66.1%, compared to the ACT's 69.6%. Key industries of employment among residents were public administration & safety, construction, and education & training.

Notably, construction had an employment concentration of 1.7 times the regional average. Public administration & safety, however, had a limited presence with 28.0% employment compared to the regional average of 30.4%. The predominantly residential area seemed to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.1% while labour force increased by 1.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, the ACT recorded employment growth of 1.9%, labour force growth of 1.6%, and a decrease in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 showed ACT employment had contracted by 0.33% (losing 1,480 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lagged behind the national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 provided further insight into potential future demand within Latham. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, estimated national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Latham's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Latham was $63,909 and average income was $72,240. This is higher than national averages of $58,919 (median) and $72,030 (average). In Australian Capital Territory, median income was $68,678 and average income was $83,634. By March 2025, with a 10.78% increase since financial year 2022, estimated incomes would be approximately $70,798 (median) and $80,027 (average). Census data ranks Latham's household, family, and personal incomes between the 74th and 85th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 34.9% of locals earn between $1,500 - 2,999 per week, similar to the broader area at 34.3%. Latham's affluence is evident with 31.1% earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting premium services. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, and residents rank in the 77th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

In Latham, as per the latest Census, 87.9% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 12.1% being other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This differs from the Australian Capital Territory's composition of 69.4% houses and 30.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Latham stood at 32.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.7% and rented ones at 21.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with the Australian Capital Territory average, while median weekly rent was $400 compared to the territory's $2,000 and $430 respectively. Nationally, Latham's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 72.5% of all households, including 33.1% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.5%, with lone person households at 24.1% and group households accounting for 3.3%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 32.9%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational credentials, held by 33.3% of residents aged 15+, include advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (21.5%). Educational participation is high at 30.3%, with 10.6% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 5.5% in tertiary education.

Latham Primary School serves the area, enrolling 339 students. It offers balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 1028) but has fewer school places per 100 residents (9.0) compared to the regional average (15.1).

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

Analysis of public transport in Latham shows 25 operational transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four distinct routes, together facilitating 782 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is deemed good, with residents on average situated 241 meters from the closest transport stop.

On average, there are 111 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Latham are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Latham shows below-average health outcomes, with common conditions slightly more prevalent among both younger and older residents compared to averages.

Private health cover stands at approximately 55%, affecting about 2,074 people. Mental health issues and asthma are most prevalent, impacting 10.7% and 9.3% of residents respectively. About 64.6% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the ACT average of 68.1%. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 16.5%, or 618 people, higher than the ACT's 15.3%. Overall health profiles align with general population trends.

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

Latham has a higher than average cultural diversity, with 20.5% of its population born overseas and 16.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Latham, comprising 46.1% of its people. Notably, the 'Other' religious category is slightly overrepresented in Latham compared to the Australian Capital Territory, with 1.2% versus 1.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (27.0%), English (25.3%), and Irish (10.1%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Hungarian is overrepresented at 0.4%, Polish at 0.9%, and Dutch at 1.6%, compared to regional averages of 0.3%, 0.8%, and 1.2% respectively.

Latham's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Latham's median age is 38 years, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 but equivalent to the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Latham has a higher percentage of residents aged 0-4 (7.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.2%). Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the population aged 75-84 grew from 4.6% to 6.8%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 15.3% to 16.6%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 13.9% to 12.2%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 10.2% to 8.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Latham's age profile. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 159%, adding 63 residents to reach 104. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive all population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the 55-64 and 75-84 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.