Macquarie

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Macquarie's population is around 3,172 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 68 people (2.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,104 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,154 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 28 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,865 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Macquarie has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a 1.4% compound annual growth rate, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 84.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections, with 2022 as a base, are adopted. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected, with the area expected to grow by 357 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 10.7% 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 has averaged around 12 new dwelling approvals annually, totalling 64 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 4 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 3 new residents per year gained for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), indicating healthy demand that should support property values, new homes are being built at an average construction cost of $145,000 — under regional levels — indicating more accessible housing choices for buyers. Additionally, $443,000 in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating minimal commercial development activity.

When measured against the Australian Capital Territory, Macquarie shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person and places within the 22nd percentile of areas assessed nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. New development consists of 80.0% detached dwellings and 20.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (61.0% at Census), demonstrating ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. At around 708 people per approval, Macquarie shows a mature, established area.

Looking ahead, Macquarie is expected to grow by 339 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Present construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Macquarie has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 21stth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects and planning initiatives. In total, 1 single project has been identified by AreaSearch that is likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Bruce Precinct (Section 15), Belconnen Town Centre Master Plan & District Strategy, Bruce Residential Development Zone, and Wayfarer Belconnen by Geocon (Stage 2), with the below list detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment drivers in Macquarie are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Macquarie features a highly educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of 5.7%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 1,678 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 1.9% above the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation lags significantly (66.8% compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.6%). Based on Census responses, a low 11.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are public administration & safety, education & training, and professional & technical. The area has a particular employment specialization in education & training, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. In contrast, public administration & safety employs just 28.4% of local workers, below the Australian Capital Territory's 30.4%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.1% and the labour force increased by 1.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory, where employment rose by 0.9%, the labour force grew by 1.2%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Macquarie. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Macquarie's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Macquarie SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $63,822 with the average level standing at $78,510. This is very high nationally and compares to levels of $72,206 and $85,981 across the Australian Capital Territory respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $69,732 (median) and $85,780 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals individual earnings stand out at the 84th percentile nationally ($1,078 weekly). Distribution data shows the predominant cohort spans 33.1% of locals (1,049 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with the broader area where this cohort likewise represents 34.3%. After housing, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Macquarie, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 61.3% houses and 38.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to the Australian Capital Territory's 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Macquarie was well beyond that of the Australian Capital Territory, at 32.9%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (29.3%) or rented (37.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Australian Capital Territory average at $2,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $2,080 and $450. Nationally, Macquarie's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed 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 dominate at 61.3% of all households, comprising 23.9% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 10.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.7%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households comprising 5.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.3 people 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 51.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 43.8% in the SA3 area. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 27.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.9%). Vocational pathways account for 21.8% of qualifications among those aged 15+; advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (13.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.3% in tertiary education, 9.1% in primary education, and 6.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 22 active transport stops operating within Macquarie comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 54 individual routes, collectively providing 3,490 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 179 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward - the car remains the dominant mode at 81%, with 9% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average. A relatively low 11.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 498 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 158 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Macquarie is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

Macquarie faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is found to be very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~1,839 people). This compares to 62.4% across the Australian Capital Territory.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.1 and 8.3% of residents, respectively, while 66.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents show an above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 18.3% of residents aged 65 and over (580 people), which is higher than the 14.3% in the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

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 is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 31.9% of its population born overseas and 26.2% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Macquarie is Christianity, which makes up 36.9% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 3.6% of the population, compared to 3.0% across the Australian Capital Territory.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Macquarie are English, comprising 23.2% of the population, Australian, comprising 23.1% of the population, and Other, comprising 13.1% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Vietnamese is notably overrepresented at 1.8% of Macquarie (vs 1.0% regionally), French at 0.7% (vs 0.5%), and Welsh at 0.7% (vs 0.6%).

Macquarie's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Macquarie's median age of 37 years is slightly older than the Australian Capital Territory's 35, though essentially aligned with the 38-year national average. The 75 - 84 age group shows strong representation at 7.9% compared to the Australian Capital Territory, whereas the 15 - 24 cohort is less prevalent at 11.8%. Since 2021, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 17.3% to 18.9% of the population. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 15.2% to 13.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Macquarie. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to increase solidly, expanding by 79 people (20%) from 387 to 467. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 25 to 34 cohorts.