Phillip
Statistical Area - sa2

Phillip lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Phillip's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 7,331 people. This figure reflects an increase of 2,134 individuals, representing a 41.1% rise since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 5,197. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,530 in June 2024 and an additional 2,136 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,852 persons per square kilometer, placing Phillip in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Phillip's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (5.6%) and the state, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 50.9% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, using 2022 as the base year. Based on demographic trends, exceptional growth is predicted for Phillip over the period to 2041, with an expected increase of 3,980 persons, resulting in a total gain of 42.6%.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Phillip among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Phillip has seen approximately 541 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, showing 2,709 homes over the past five years from FY-21 to FY-25, with no approvals so far in FY-26. On average, 0.8 people moved to the area per dwelling built annually over these five years. This suggests supply is meeting or exceeding demand, potentially supporting population growth while offering greater buyer choice.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $423,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating a focus on quality developments. There have been $27.9 million in commercial approvals this financial year, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Phillip has 547.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. This high level of activity reflects strong developer confidence in the location. Recent development has been entirely comprised of medium and high-density housing, providing accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

With around 23 people per approval, Phillip reflects a developing area with population forecasts indicating an increase of 3,127 residents by 2041. Current construction levels suggest adequate housing supply to meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Phillip has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 25 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include The Shard, Trilogy Apartments, Woden Bus Depot and Transport Interchange, Luxury Canberra Residential Tower. Below is a list of projects deemed most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Phillip exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Phillip has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%, lower than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) 3.4%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.5%. As of June 2025, 4,086 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.5% below ACT's rate and a workforce participation rate of 79.5%, compared to ACT's 69.6%. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Phillip has a strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level.

However, education & training employs only 5.4% of local workers, below ACT's 9.6%. The area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, while labour force increased by 1.6%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In contrast, ACT experienced employment growth of 1.9% and a drop in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows ACT employment contracted by 0.33%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, comparing favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. Job and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest Phillip's local growth could be approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Phillip's employment mix.

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

Phillip's median income among taxpayers was $72,422 in financial year 2022. His average income stood at $90,447 during the same period. The median and average incomes for Australian Capital Territory were $68,678 and $83,634 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.78% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest Phillip's median income would be approximately $80,229 as of March 2025, with the average estimated to be around $100,197 during that month. According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings reached the 95th percentile nationally at $1,342 weekly. Income brackets indicate that 47.2% of residents (3,460 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, which is also dominant in the surrounding region with 34.3%. High housing costs consume 17.1% of income. Despite this, strong earnings place disposable income at the 68th percentile, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Phillip features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Phillip's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 0.1% houses and 99.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory's 58.4% houses and 41.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Phillip was at 13.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.4% and rented ones at 50.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Phillip was $1,608, lower than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure in Phillip was $440, matching the Australian Capital Territory's figure but higher than the national average of $375.

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

Family households constitute 49.9% of all households, including 14.7% couples with children, 27.6% couples without children, and 6.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 50.1%, with lone person households at 44.2% and group households making up 5.9%. The median household size is 1.9 people, smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.4.

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

Phillip's educational attainment significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 60.1% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 34.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (19.5%) and graduate diplomas (5.7%). Vocational pathways account for 20.5%, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 11.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in tertiary education, 4.7% in primary education, and 2.7% pursuing secondary education. Phillip's educational landscape is anchored by The Canberra College, serving 1,169 students. It demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1088). Secondary education dominates with one school, while primary students typically attend schools in adjacent catchments.

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

Phillip has 43 active public transport stops serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 28 routes that facilitate 4,697 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 160 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency is 671 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 109 weekly trips per individual stop.

Phillip's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Phillip has exceptional health outcomes, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 67% (4,889 people) have private health cover, which is higher than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (9.5%) and asthma (7.6%). A total of 75.1% declare themselves clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.1% in Australian Capital Territory. Phillip has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 8.7% (635 people), compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 18.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with the general population's health profile.

Phillip is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Phillip's population shows high cultural diversity, with 41.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 45.6% born overseas. The predominant religion is Christianity, accounting for 35.9%. Hinduism stands out at 11.2%, exceeding the Australian Capital Territory average of 6.6%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are English (19.3%), Other (18.8%), and Australian (15.9%). Notably, Filipino representation is high at 4.8% compared to the regional average of 1.5%, Spanish at 0.9% versus 0.5%, and Korean at 1.3% against a regional average of 0.5%.

Phillip hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Phillip has a median age of 32 years, which is younger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 and significantly below the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Phillip has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (35.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.3%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the percentage of Phillip's population aged 35-44 has increased from 17.3% to 18.8%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 15-24 has decreased from 11.1% to 9.4%, and the percentage of those aged 25-34 has dropped from 36.1% to 35.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Phillip's age profile. The 35-44 age cohort is expected to grow steadily, with an increase of 677 people (49%) from 1,378 to 2,056.