O'Connor (ACT)

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, O'Connor's population is around 6,027 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 110 people (1.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,917 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,865 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,222 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 86.3% 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. Anticipating future population dynamics, lower quartile growth of Australian statistical areas is anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 298 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 2.3% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in O'Connor, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

O'Connor has recorded around 24 residential properties granted approval each year, with 122 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 19 so far in FY-26. With population declining over recent years, development activity has been adequate in relative terms, which is a positive for buyers, while new homes are being built at an average value of $394,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. There have also been $2.0 million in commercial approvals this financial year, suggesting a predominantly residential focus.

When measured against the Australian Capital Territory, O'Connor has significantly less development activity (71.0% below regional average per person). This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. Recent construction comprises 67.0% detached dwellings and 33.0% medium and high-density housing, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges, from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. With around 364 people per dwelling approval, O'Connor shows a developed market.

Population forecasts indicate O'Connor will gain 136 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

O'Connor has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 33 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Yowani Grounds Estate Development, Yowani Country Club - New Clubhouse, Northbourne Village - De Burgh, and Public Housing Renewal: 44 David Street, Turner, with the list below 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.

O'Connor has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

O'Connor possesses a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of only 3.9%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 3,539 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is in line with the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is on par with the Australian Capital Territory's 72.6%. Based on Census responses, a moderate 15.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include public administration & safety, professional & technical, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Meanwhile, health care & social assistance has a limited presence with 8.5% employment compared to 11.7% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.3% while the labour force increased by 1.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.8 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 O'Connor. 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 O'Connor's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.4% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the O'Connor SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $74,570 with the average level standing at $90,141. This is extremely 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 $81,475 (median) and $98,488 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in O'Connor, between the 90th and 93rd percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the $4000+ bracket dominates with 31.2% of residents (1,880 people), unlike trends in the metropolitan region where 34.3% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. The substantial proportion of high earners (42.9% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the district. Housing accounts for 13.7% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 91st percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within O'Connor, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 65.9% houses and 34.1% 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 O'Connor was well beyond that of the Australian Capital Territory, at 31.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (29.2%) or rented (39.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Australian Capital Territory average at $2,500, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $451, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $2,080 and $450. Nationally, O'Connor's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

O'Connor features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 62.5% of all households, comprising 27.7% couples with children, 24.9% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 37.5%, with lone person households at 26.2% and group households comprising 11.4% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people matches the Australian Capital Territory average.

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

Educational attainment in O'Connor significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 61.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 46.8% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 31.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (23.2%) and graduate diplomas (6.3%). Technical qualifications represent 14.1% of educational achievements for residents aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (6.3%) and certificates (7.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 36.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.0% in tertiary education, 8.2% in primary education, and 8.0% 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 29 active transport stops operating within O'Connor, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 118 individual routes, collectively providing 9,435 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 187 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 64%, with 15% cycling and 8% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling. Some 15.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,347 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 325 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in O'Connor is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

O'Connor demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts see low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (3,971 people). This compares to 62.4% across the Australian Capital Territory. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.7% and 8.2% of residents, respectively, while 69.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 16.2% of residents aged 65 and over (978 people), which is higher than the 14.3% in the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

O'Connor was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 25.6% of its population born overseas and 17.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in O'Connor is Christianity, which makes up 31.5% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.3% of the population, compared to 0.2% across the Australian Capital Territory.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in O'Connor are English, comprising 24.6% of the population, Australian, comprising 22.9% of the population, and Other, comprising 10.6% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Polish is notably overrepresented at 1.3% of O'Connor (vs 0.8% regionally), Croatian at 1.1% (vs 0.9%) and Hungarian at 0.4% (vs 0.3%).

O'Connor's population is younger than the national pattern

With a median age of 35, O'Connor is equal to the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 but is modestly under Australia's 38 years. Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, O'Connor has a higher concentration of 15 - 24 residents (17.4%) but fewer 35 - 44 year-olds (10.3%). Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 3.3% to 5.3% of the population, while the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 15.7% to 17.3%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 11.7% to 10.0% and the 35 to 44 group dropped from 11.7% to 10.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for O'Connor. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 43%, adding 136 residents to reach 454. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 63% of anticipated growth. On the other hand, the 0 to 4 and 15 to 24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.