Macgregor (ACT)

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

Macgregor's population was around 6,975 as of May 2026, reflecting a decrease of 74 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 7,049. This change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 6,975 in June 2025 and an additional 32 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 1,633 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed approximately 59.7% 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 with a base year of 2022 are adopted. By 2041, the population is projected to decrease by 332 persons, but specific age cohorts like 55 to 64 are expected to grow by 105 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 over recent years. Between FY-21 and FY-25, a total of 61 homes were approved, with an additional 6 approved in FY-26 so far. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $230,000. In FY-26, there have been $1.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating minimal commercial development activity compared to the Australian Capital Territory, where Macgregor has significantly less development activity, at 69.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity shows a mix of standalone homes (55.0%) and attached dwellings (45.0%), expanding medium-density options from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns which are currently 91.0% houses. This suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 584 people per approval, Macgregor is a mature, established area with stable or declining population forecasts, potentially experiencing less housing pressure and creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Macgregor may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Macgregor has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 14thth percentile nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly: The Valley Ponds Stage 3 and future stages; Macgregor Primary School expansion and modernisation; Ginninderry Estate Strathnairn and Macnamara (Stages 1-7+); Kippax Fair expansion and redevelopment.

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

Macgregor has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.7% as of the past year, with estimated employment growth of 1.3%. As of December 2025, 3829 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 0.9% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Macgregor was 73.9%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 70.5%. According to Census responses, 10.4% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors.

Public administration & safety had 27.5% employment share locally compared to the regional average of 30.4%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison between working population and resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 1.3%, labour force grew by 1.0%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Australian Capital Territory saw employment growth of 0.9%, labour force growth of 1.2%, and an increase in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Macgregor's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.5% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on simple weighted 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 aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Macgregor SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $72,465 and an average level of $79,969. This is among the highest in Australia, compared to levels of $72,206 and $85,981 across Australian Capital Territory respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $80,030 (median) and $88,318 (average) as of March 2026. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Macgregor rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 89th percentiles. The earnings profile shows 41.9% of the population (2,922 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, mirroring the broader area where 34.3% occupy this bracket. A significant 33.2% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 84th percentile and the area'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

Macgregor's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.7% houses and 9.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Australian Capital Territory's figures of 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Macgregor was at 20.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 58.3% and rented ones at 20.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, below the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $464, compared to Australian Capital Territory's $450. Nationally, Macgregor's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 77.0% of all households, including 39.1% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 23.0%, with lone person households at 20.2% and group households making up 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 has university qualification rates of 35.3%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 21.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 33.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (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.

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

Macgregor has 28 active public transport stops, all served by buses. These stops are covered by 59 different routes that collectively facilitate 4,011 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 235 meters, indicating good accessibility. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the primary mode of transportation, used by 92% of residents, while only 5% opt for buses. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 10.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 573 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 143 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Macgregor 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

Macgregor's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among the general population is somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high, with approximately 60% of the total population (4150 people) having it, compared to 62.4% across Australian Capital Territory. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 10.1 and 9.7% of residents respectively. 69.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% across Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents show above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 10.8% of residents aged 65 and over (756 people), which is lower than the 14.3% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though they rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

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

Macgregor's population showed high diversity, with 27.1% born overseas and 25.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 41.0%. Notably, the 'Other' religious category represented 3.1%, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 1.4%.

In terms of ancestry, Australians made up 25.6%, followed by English at 23.0% and Other at 13.4%. Some ethnic groups were notably overrepresented: Filipino (2.2% vs regional 1.2%), Sri Lankan (0.5% vs 0.4%), and Indian (3.9% vs 3.3%).

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 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Macgregor has a higher percentage of residents aged 35-44 (18.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (14.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 9.9% to 11.8%, while the 45-54 cohort increased from 11.8% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 16.4% to 14.5% and the 25-34 group dropped from 16.0% to 14.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Macgregor. The 55-64 age group is projected to grow by 16%, adding 90 residents to reach 668. However, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.