Macgregor (ACT)
Statistical Area - sa2

Macgregor has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Macgregor ACT's population was around 6,940 as of August 2025, a decrease of 109 people from the 7,049 reported in the 2021 Census. This decrease is inferred from ABS estimates of 6,942 in June 2024 and validation of 32 new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 1,625 persons per square kilometer, above national averages. Natural growth contributed approximately 60.3% of overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For unsupported areas and years post-2032, ACT Government's SA2 area projections are used with the same base year. By 2041, the population is projected to decline by 317 persons, but specific age cohorts like those aged 45 to 54 are expected to grow by 133 people.

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

Macgregor has seen approximately 12 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 62 homes approved over the past five years from FY20 to FY25 and none recorded so far in FY26. Despite population decline during this period, new supply appears to have met demand, offering varied housing choices for buyers at an average construction cost of $333,000 per dwelling. This financial year has seen $1.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating the area's residential focus.

Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Macgregor has significantly less development activity, being 71.0% below the regional average per person. The limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. This activity is also below national averages, suggesting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 55.0% detached dwellings and 45.0% attached dwellings, demonstrating an expanding range of medium-density options across various price brackets, marking a departure from existing housing patterns that are currently 91.0% houses. Macgregor's population density is around 584 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area with stable or declining population projections, which should reduce housing demand pressures and benefit potential buyers.

With population projections showing stability or decline, Macgregor should see reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

Macgregor has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 22ndth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 0 projects that could potentially impact this region. Notable projects are Wallaroo Solar Farm, Parkwood Urban Release, New Northside Hospital, and Deakin Private Hospital. The following details the projects likely to have the most relevance.

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

The employment landscape in Macgregor shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Macgregor ACT has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services. Its unemployment rate was 4.6% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 1.8%.

As of June 2025, there were 3,899 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.8%, slightly higher than ACT's rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation was 73.4%, comparable to ACT's 69.6%. Key employment sectors were public administration & safety (27.5%), health care & social assistance, and education & training.

However, public administration & safety had lower representation compared to the regional average of 30.4%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census data comparing working population with resident population. In the year to June 2025, employment increased by 1.8% while labour force grew by 1.6%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. ACT saw employment rise by 1.9% and unemployment fall by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 showed ACT employment contracted by 0.33% (losing 1,480 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Macgregor's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Macgregor's median taxpayer income was $68,780 and average income was $77,746 in financial year 2022. This is exceptionally high compared to the Australian Capital Territory's median income of $68,678 and average income of $83,634 during the same period. Based on a 10.78% increase in wages from financial year 2022 to March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $76,194 (median) and $86,127 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Macgregor's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 90th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 41.9% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, mirroring the metropolitan region where 34.3% fall into this bracket. The area demonstrates significant affluence with 33.2% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 85th percentile nationally. Macgregor's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

In Macgregor, as per the latest Census evaluation, 90.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 9.2% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is in contrast to the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) dwelling structure, which was 69.4% houses and 30.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Macgregor stood at 20.9%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 58.3% and rented ones making up 20.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, aligning with ACT's average, while the median weekly rent figure was $464 compared to ACT's $430. Nationally, Macgregor's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Macgregor features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 77.0% of all households, consisting of 39.1% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 23.0%, with lone person households at 20.2% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

Macgregor shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 35.3%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 46.8%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 21.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 12.6% and certificates make up 20.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.7% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 5.0% pursuing tertiary education. Macgregor Primary School serves the local area, enrolling 548 students. The school operates under typical Australian conditions (ICSEA: 1049) with balanced educational opportunities, focusing exclusively on primary education. School places per 100 residents stand at 7.9, below the regional average of 15.1, indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Transport analysis shows 29 active stops operating within Macgregor, consisting of buses only. These stops are served by 12 individual routes, offering a total of 1,436 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents usually located 235 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 205 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 49 weekly trips per stop.

Macgregor's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data for Macgregor shows relatively positive health outcomes with a low prevalence of common conditions among its general population, although this is higher than the national average amongst older and at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 59% (4080 people) have private health cover, which is exceptionally high. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 10.1% of residents and asthma impacting 9.7%. Around 69.0% declare they are completely clear of medical ailments compared to 68.1% across the Australian Capital Territory. Macgregor has 10.4% (722 people) of its population aged 65 and over, which is lower than the 15.3% in the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

Macgregor 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

Macgregor's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 27.1% born overseas and 25.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the main religion in Macgregor, comprising 41.0%. The category 'Other' showed significant overrepresentation in Macgregor at 3.1%, compared to 1.3% across Australian Capital Territory.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (25.6%), English (23.0%), and Other (13.4%). Notably, Filipino was overrepresented at 2.2% in Macgregor versus 1.2% regionally, Sri Lankan at 0.5% versus 0.3%, and Indian at 3.9% versus 2.5%.

Macgregor hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Macgregor's median age is 35, matching the Australian Capital Territory figure but slightly below Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Australian Capital Territory, Macgregor has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (19.0%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (14.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 45-54 age group increased from 11.8% to 13.5%, while the 15-24 cohort rose from 9.9% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 16.4% to 14.9%, and the 25-34 group decreased from 16.0% to 14.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Macgregor. The 55-64 age group is projected to grow by 19%, adding 108 residents to reach 684. Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.