Red Hill (ACT)

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Red Hill's population is around 3,554 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 408 people (13.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,146 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,543 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 144 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 731 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Red Hill's 13.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state (6.7%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 63.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation is expected, with the area expected to expand by 308 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 8.3% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Red Hill according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Red Hill has experienced around 78 dwellings receiving development approval each year, with 392 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 4 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), supply is meeting or surpassing demand, providing greater buyer choice and supporting potential for population growth above projections. New properties are constructed at an average value of $344,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $22.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating steady commercial investment activity.

Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Red Hill records 174.0% more building activity (per person), which should provide buyers with ample choice, though development activity has moderated in recent periods. This is significantly above the national average, indicating robust developer interest in the area. New development consists of 27.0% standalone homes and 73.0% townhouses or apartments. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 79.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The estimated count of 524 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment.

Future projections show Red Hill adding 295 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Red Hill has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 9 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Griffith-Narrabundah Community Centre & Oval Upgrade, Yarra Rossa, The Parks, Red Hill, and the Canberra Hospital Master Plan, 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 Red Hill ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Red Hill has a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 1.7%, and 1.1% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 1,977 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 2.1% below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (67.8% compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.6%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 16.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise public administration & safety, professional & technical, and health care & social assistance. The area has a particular employment specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. On the other hand, public administration & safety is under-represented, with only 26.6% of Red Hill's workforce compared to 30.4% in the Australian Capital Territory. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of the Census working population relative to the local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.1% and the labour force increased by 1.2%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. 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 Red Hill. 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 Red Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% 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 Red Hill SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $82,060 with the average level standing at $132,424. This is among the top percentile 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 $89,659 (median) and $144,686 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Red Hill, between the 97th and 99th percentiles nationally. Looking at income distribution, the $4000+ earnings band captures 50.2% of the community (1,784 individuals), differing from patterns across the metropolitan region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 34.3%. A significant 60.8% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drive robust local economic activity. After housing costs, residents retain 89.5% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Red Hill is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Red Hill, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 79.3% houses and 20.7% 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 Red Hill was well beyond that of the Australian Capital Territory, at 40.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (36.8%) or rented (22.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Australian Capital Territory average at $3,500, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $500, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $2,080 and $450. Nationally, Red Hill's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Red Hill features high concentrations of group households and family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 77.5% of all households, comprising 43.0% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 22.5%, with lone person households at 19.3% and group households comprising 4.0% of the total. The median household size of 2.8 people is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

Red Hill demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Red Hill significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 59.1% 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 32.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (20.5%) and graduate diplomas (5.8%). Technical qualifications represent 14.0% of educational achievements for residents aged 15+; advanced diplomas (7.1%) and certificates (6.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 36.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.4% in secondary education, 10.7% in primary education, and 7.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 23 active transport stops operating within Red Hill, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 111 individual routes, collectively providing 9,431 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 230 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 86%, with 4% walking and 3% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 16.4% 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 410 weekly trips per individual stop.

Red Hill's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Red Hill, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Younger cohorts in particular see very low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 82% of the total population (2,896 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 arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.2% and 7.0% of residents, respectively, while 72.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. The area has 20.6% of residents aged 65 and over (733 people), which is higher than the 14.3% in the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, though ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Red Hill was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 29.6% of its population born overseas and 24.0% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Red Hill is Christianity, which makes up 48.0% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.4% 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 Red Hill are English, comprising 24.1% of the population, Australian, comprising 20.7% of the population, and Other, comprising 11.5% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: French is notably overrepresented at 0.9% of Red Hill (vs 0.5% regionally), Croatian at 1.1% (vs 0.9%) and Macedonian at 0.6% (vs 0.2%).

Red Hill's median age exceeds the national pattern

At 43 years, Red Hill's median age is significantly above the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 as well as considerably older than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, the 55 - 64 cohort is notably over-represented (14.1% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (8.0%). Following the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.8% to 7.1% of the population, while the 55 to 64 cohort increased from 13.1% to 14.1%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 15.2% to 13.4%. Demographic modeling suggests Red Hill's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45 to 54 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 19%, adding 100 residents to reach 634. On the other hand, both 25 to 34 and 35 to 44 age groups will see reduced numbers.