Phillip

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Phillip's population is around 6,779 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,582 people (30.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,197 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,483 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 2,136 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,637 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Phillip's 30.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.5%) and the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which 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 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. Regarding demographic trends, exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, is predicted over the period, with the area expected to grow by 3,980 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 54.3% in total over the 17 years.

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

Phillip has seen around 541 new homes approved each year, with 2,709 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 0 so far in FY-26. With an average of only 0.8 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $317,000—moderately above regional levels—indicating an emphasis on quality construction. Additionally, $27.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity.

When measured against the Australian Capital Territory, Phillip has 547.0% more building activity (per person), offering buyers greater choice, though building activity has slowed in recent years. This activity is substantially higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. Meanwhile, recent development has been entirely comprised of medium and high-density housing. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. At around 23 people per approval, Phillip reflects a developing area.

Population forecasts indicate Phillip will gain 3,679 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Phillip has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 29 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Woden Town Square Precinct Redevelopment, Woden Experiment Stage 2 - Public Realm & Active Travel Upgrades, Ivy by Morris (Section 54 Phillip), and Skye by Trilogy (Section 117 Phillip), 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.

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

Phillip features a highly educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of only 3.1%, and 1.4% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 4,641 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 0.7% below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (82.8% compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.6%). Based on Census responses, a low 9.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. The area shows particularly strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level. In contrast, education & training employs just 5.4% of local workers, below the Australian Capital Territory's 9.6%. With 2.8 workers for every resident, as at the Census, the area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.4% while the labour force increased by 2.0%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, the Australian Capital Territory experienced employment growth of 0.9% and labour force growth of 1.2%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Phillip. 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 Phillip's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.8% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Phillip SA2's income level is extremely high nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Phillip SA2's median income among taxpayers is $76,824 and the average income stands at $93,225, which compares to figures for the Australian Capital Territory's of $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $83,938 (median) and $101,858 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, individual earnings stand out at the 95th percentile nationally ($1,342 weekly). Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 47.2% of residents (3,199 people), mirroring the surrounding region where 34.3% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 17.1% of income, though strong earnings still 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

Dwelling structure within Phillip, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 0.1% houses and 99.9% 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 Phillip was lagging that of the Australian Capital Territory, at 13.9%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (35.4%) or rented (50.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Australian Capital Territory average at $1,608, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $440, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $2,080 and $450. Nationally, Phillip's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 49.9% of all households, comprising 14.7% couples with children, 27.6% couples without children, and 6.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 50.1%, with lone person households at 44.2% and group households comprising 5.9% of the total. The median household size of 1.9 people is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Phillip significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 60.1% 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 34.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (19.5%) and graduate diplomas (5.7%). Vocational pathways account for 20.5% of qualifications among those aged 15+; specifically, advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (11.0%).

Educational participation is notably 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.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 43 active transport stops operating within Phillip, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 96 individual routes, collectively providing 7,858 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 160 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 65%, with 16% by bus and 15% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 0.6 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 9.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,122 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 182 weekly trips per individual stop.

Phillip's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Phillip, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts see a low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population (4,575 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 were found to be mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.5% and 7.6% of residents, respectively, while 75.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 9.1% of residents aged 65 and over (618 people), which is lower than the 14.3% in the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 41.7% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 45.6% born overseas. The main religion in Phillip is Christianity, which makes up 35.9% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Hinduism, which comprises 11.2% of the population, substantially higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 4.8%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Phillip are English, comprising 19.3% of the population, Other, comprising 18.8% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 12.2%, and Australian, comprising 15.9% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 23.0%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Filipino is notably overrepresented at 4.8% of Phillip (vs 1.2% regionally), Spanish at 0.9% (vs 0.5%) and Korean at 1.3% (vs 0.6%).

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

At 33 years, Phillip's median age is modestly under the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 and is significantly lower than the Australian median of 38. Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, Phillip has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (33.8%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (5.3%). This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. In the period since 2021, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 17.3% to 19.2% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 36.1% to 33.8% and the 15 to 24 group dropped from 11.1% to 9.3%. Demographic modeling suggests Phillip's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 35 to 44 age cohort is projected to expand considerably, increasing by 755 people (58%) from 1,300 to 2,056.