Palmerston

Palmerston has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Palmerston's population is around 5,491 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a decrease from the 2021 Census figure of 5,579 people, marking an 88-person drop (1.6%). The change was inferred using ABS estimated resident population data for June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,815 persons per square kilometer, placing Palmerston in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, using 2022 as the base year. Projected demographic shifts indicate an overall population decline of 13 persons by 2041, but specific age cohorts like the 45 to 54 group are expected to grow, with a projected increase of 90 people in this cohort.

Residential dwelling approval activity has been practically non-existent in Palmerston

Palmerston has seen only 2 residential development approvals in the past five years. This reflects a fully developed suburb with limited opportunities for new construction. The absence of new supply generally supports demand for established properties and can contribute to price stability.

When measured against Australian Capital Territory, Palmerston has significantly less development activity. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings, though development activity has picked up in recent periods. This level is similarly under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Palmerston should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Palmerston has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

No changes can significantly affect a region's performance like modifications to its local infrastructure, major projects, and planning schemes. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially impact this area. Notable projects include the Gungahlin Community Centre, Gold Creek Homestead Precinct, Raya Gungahlin, and Gungahlin Town Centre Improvements. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Palmerston has an educated workforce with key sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 4.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.9%. As of September 2025, 3,083 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, slightly higher than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) 3.6%.

Workforce participation is similar to ACT's at 72.5%. Census data shows 11.6% of residents work from home. Key industries include public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and education & training.

However, public administration & safety is under-represented compared to ACT (27.7% vs 30.4%). The predominantly residential area has limited local employment opportunities. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 0.9%, labour force by 1.1%, raising unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, ACT saw employment growth of 1.4% and a drop in unemployment rate by 0.2 points. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Palmerston's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Palmerston SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $66,616 and an average of $75,483 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. Nationally, these figures are high, contrasting with the Australian Capital Territory's median income of $72,206 and average income of $85,981. As of September 2025, estimated incomes based on a 9.26% Wage Price Index growth would be approximately $72,785 (median) and $82,473 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Palmerston rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 87th percentiles. The distribution of weekly earnings reveals that the largest segment is 34.5% earning $1,500 - $2,999 (1,894 residents), aligning with the region where this cohort also represents 34.3%. The locality exhibits considerable affluence with 35.7% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 13.8% of income, while strong earnings place residents within the 85th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Palmerston, as per the latest Census, comprised 60.3% houses and 39.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Australian Capital Territory's 60.3% houses and 39.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Palmerston was at 28.6%, similar to the Australian Capital Territory figure of 28.5%. Dwellings were either mortgaged (42.5%) or rented (28.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,940, below the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent was $450, matching the Australian Capital Territory figure of $450. Nationally, Palmerston's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 74.7% of all households, consisting of 35.2% couples with children, 25.6% couples without children, and 13.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 25.3%, with lone person households at 21.8% and group households making up 3.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

Palmerston's residents aged 15 and above have a notably higher proportion with university qualifications at 41.5%, compared to the national average of 30.4%. This figure includes 23.8% holding bachelor degrees, 13.1% postgraduate qualifications, and 4.6% graduate diplomas. Vocational credentials are also prevalent among residents aged 15 and above at 27.3%, with advanced diplomas accounting for 10.7% and certificates for 16.6%. Educational participation is high in Palmerston, with 31.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.6% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 6.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Palmerston has 23 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 62 different routes, offering a total of 2,692 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 184 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. In this residential area, most commuting is outward-bound, with cars being the primary mode at 85%. Bus usage stands at 7%, while vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 11.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency across all routes is 384 trips daily, equating to around 117 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Palmerston shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is high at approximately 57% of the total population (around 3,107 people), compared to 62.4% in the Australian Capital Territory. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 9.4% and asthma impacting 8.6%. About 69.6% report being completely free from medical ailments, similar to the 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical. Palmerston has 13.6% of residents aged 65 and over (747 people). Senior health outcomes are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Palmerston 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

Palmerston's population, born overseas, comprised 32.2%. Speaking a language other than English at home was also 32.2%. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 42.9%.

Buddhism, however, was more prevalent in Palmerston at 4.9% compared to the Australian Capital Territory average of 3.0%. Ancestry-wise, Australians made up 22.8%, English 21.5%, and Other 13.3%. Notably, Croatians were overrepresented at 1.4% (vs regional 0.9%), Vietnamese at 2.3% (vs 1.0%), and Koreans at 1.0% (vs 0.6%).

Palmerston's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Palmerston's median age is nearly 36 years, close to the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 but younger than Australia's average of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Palmerston has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (11.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 has grown from 3.0% to 4.2%, while the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has declined from 15.3% to 13.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Palmerston. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 10%, adding 77 residents and reaching a total of 819. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups.