Macquarie
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Macquarie are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Macquarie's population was around 3,158 as of August 2025. This reflected an increase of 54 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,104. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,154 in June 2024 and an additional 29 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 1,857 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Macquarie demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 84.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 were used, also with a base year of 2022. Based on projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of national areas was expected by 2041, with an increase of 357 persons and 11.2% in total over the 17 years.

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

Macquarie averaged approximately 52 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data from the ABS shows a total of 263 approvals over the past five financial years, from FY-20 to FY-25, with one approval so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built, on average, gained around 3.0 new residents per year during these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are constructed at an average expected cost of $478,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $443,000 in commercial development approvals, predominantly focused on residential development. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Macquarie records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 22nd percentile nationally, offering more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties. New building activity comprises 80.0% standalone homes and 20.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space.

This pattern favours detached housing more than current Census patterns suggest (61.0%), indicating ongoing robust demand for family homes. The location has approximately 708 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established market. Population forecasts indicate Macquarie will gain around 353 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Macquarie has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 27thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. One major project has been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area: Garden City Cycleway, Belconnen Mixed-Use Towers, Bruce Residential Development Zone, and Onderra are key projects, with the following list detailing those likely to have the most relevance.

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

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

Macquarie has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.0%.

As of June 2025, 1,717 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 1.3% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation in Macquarie lagged behind ACT at 63.2% compared to ACT's 69.6%. The key industries of employment among residents were public administration & safety, education & training, and professional & technical services. Notably, education & training had an employment share 1.5 times the regional level, while public administration & safety employed 28.4% of local workers, below ACT's 30.4%.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.0%, and the labour force grew by 1.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, ACT saw employment rise by 1.9% with a labour force growth of 1.6%, decreasing unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. By Sep-25, state-level data showed ACT employment had contracted by 0.33%, losing 1,480 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5% and national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Macquarie's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 1st July 2022 for the financial year ending 30th June 2022, Macquarie had a median income among taxpayers of $60,233 and an average income of $75,588. These figures are high compared to national averages of $68,678 and $83,634 respectively for the Australian Capital Territory. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.78% from financial year ending 30th June 2022 to March 2025, estimated median income is approximately $66,726 and average income is $83,736 as of March 2025. Census data shows that individuals in Macquarie earn $1,078 weekly at the 85th percentile nationally. Income distribution indicates that 33.1% of locals (1,045 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 34.3%. After accounting for housing costs, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile nationally.

Macquarie displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Macquarie, as per the latest Census evaluation, 61.3% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 38.7% being other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's 69.4% houses and 30.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Macquarie stood at 32.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.3% and rented ones at 37.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with the Australian Capital Territory average, while median weekly rent was $400 compared to the ACT's $2,000 and $430 respectively. Nationally, Macquarie's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents exceeding the national figure of $375.

Macquarie features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 61.3% of all households, including 23.9% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 10.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.7%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households making up 5.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Macquarie is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of 2021, 51.7% of residents aged 15 and above have university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA3 area average of 43.8%. The most common qualification is a bachelor degree, held by 27.8% of residents, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.9%). Vocational pathways account for 21.8%, with advanced diplomas at 8.0% and certificates at 13.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.3% in tertiary education, 9.1% in primary education, and 6.2% pursuing secondary education. Macquarie Primary School and Canberra High School serve a total of 1,148 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1091. Educational provision follows conventional lines, with one primary and one secondary institution. As an education hub, Macquarie offers 36.4 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 15.1, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Transport analysis indicates 22 operational stops in Macquarie, offering a mix of bus services. These stops are supported by six distinct routes, facilitating 528 weekly passenger trips collectively. Transport access is rated excellent, with residents typically residing 179 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 75 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Macquarie faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent across younger and older age cohorts.

Approximately 57% of its total population (~1,803 people) has private health cover, a rate higher than the national average. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 10.1% and 8.3% of residents respectively. However, 66.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.1% across Australian Capital Territory. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.3%, with 576 people falling into this category, compared to the 15.3% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Macquarie 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

Macquarie's cultural diversity was evident with 31.9% of its population born overseas, and 26.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Macquarie, comprising 36.9% of the population. Buddhism showed an overrepresentation in Macquarie at 3.6%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 3.0%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (23.2%), Australian (23.1%), and Other (13.1%). Some ethnic groups notably diverged from regional representation: Vietnamese at 1.8% in Macquarie versus 1.2%, French at 0.7% versus 0.4%, and Welsh at 0.7% versus 0.6%.

Macquarie's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Macquarie's median age is 37 years, slightly older than Australian Capital Territory's 35 but aligned with Australia's national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group comprises 7.4% of Macquarie's population, higher than in the Australian Capital Territory, while the 35-44 cohort makes up 13.6%, lower than in the Australian Capital Territory. Between 2021 and present, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 17.3% to 19.4% of Macquarie's population, while the 35-44 cohort has declined from 15.2% to 13.6%. By 2041, forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Macquarie. The 45-54 age group is projected to increase by 83 people (22%), rising from 383 to 467. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 25-34 cohorts.