Reid

An assessment of population growth drivers in Reid reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Reid's population is 2,063 as of May 2026. Since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,544 people, there has been an increase of 519 people (33.6%). This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,013 in June 2025 and address validation since the Census date. Reid's population density is 2,194 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Reid's growth of 33.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the state's 8.3%, making it a growth leader in its region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 60.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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. Population projections forecast a significant increase in Reid's population to 2041, with an expected expansion of 641 persons, reflecting a total increase of 28.6% over the 16 years.

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

Reid has seen approximately one new home approved per year over the past five financial years, with nine homes approved between FY21 and FY25, and none so far in FY26. On average, 41.4 new residents have arrived per dwelling constructed annually over these five years.

This significant demand outpaces supply, typically putting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers. The average construction value of new homes is $524,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Reid records markedly lower building activity, 92.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes, though development activity has picked up in recent periods. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (36.0% at Census), demonstrating ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. The location has approximately 1212 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Population forecasts estimate Reid will gain 591 residents through to 2041. Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Reid has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 24thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely affecting the region. Notable projects include Light Rail Stage 2A: City to Commonwealth Park, Australian War Memorial Redevelopment, Crystalbrook Aurora, and UNSW Canberra City Campus - Stage 1. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Reid remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Reid's workforce is highly educated with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.3% in the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 1.7%. As of December 2025, 1,194 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.8%, slightly above the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation was 67.8%, below the ACT's 70.5%. Home-based work accounted for 15.3% of jobs based on Census responses. Key industries included public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and education & training. Reid had a high specialization in professional & technical services (1.4 times the regional level) but was under-represented in health care & social assistance (6.9% vs ACT's 11.7%).

Employment increased by 1.7% while labour force grew by 1.2% over December 2024 to December 2025, decreasing unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Reid's industry mix indicates local employment growth of 6.4% in five years and 13.1% in ten years.

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

The Reid SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $71,978 and an average income of $87,314 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. Nationally, these figures are extremely high, contrasting with the Australian Capital Territory's median income of $72,206 and average income of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since the financial year 2023, estimates for March 2026 would be approximately $79,493 (median) and $96,430 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, household, family, and personal incomes in Reid all rank highly nationally, between the 81st and 95th percentiles. Income analysis shows that the predominant cohort spans 31.9% of locals (658 people) with incomes in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 34.3% similarly occupy this range. A substantial proportion of high earners (38.0% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 83rd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Reid features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Reid, as per the latest Census, consisted of 36.4% houses and 63.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Australian Capital Territory had 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Reid stood at 31.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.1% and rented dwellings at 46.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, exceeding the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent in Reid was $430, slightly higher than the Australian Capital Territory figure of $450. Nationally, Reid's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,300 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 47.9% of all households, including 15.2% couples with children, 27.4% couples without children, and 4.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 52.1%, with lone person households at 40.9% and group households comprising 10.8%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

Reid performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Reid's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 61.5% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. This high level of educational attainment positions Reid strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 31.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (23.1%) and graduate diplomas (6.9%).

Vocational pathways account for 16.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 8.5% and certificates at 7.5%. Educational participation in Reid is notably high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.0% in tertiary education, 4.2% in primary education, and 4.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Reid has 15 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 40 different routes, offering a total of 3,175 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically living 168 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 48%, followed by walking at 26% and bus at 13%. On average, there are 0.9 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 15.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 453 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 211 weekly trips per stop.

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

Reid demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts show low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (1,305 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues impacting 11.6% of residents and arthritis affecting 8.1%. A total of 65.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 16.8% of residents aged 65 and over (347 people), higher than the 14.3% in the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Reid's population showed higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 20.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 31.7% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Reid, accounting for 36.7%. However, Judaism stood out with 0.6%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 0.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (25.4%), Australian (20.6%), and Other (11.5%). Notably, Polish (1.3% vs regional 0.8%), French (1.0% vs regional 0.5%), and Hungarian (0.5% vs regional 0.3%) were overrepresented in Reid.

Reid's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Reid has a median age of 39, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 and comparable to Australia's median age of 38. The age group of 25-34 years old is strongly represented at 23.1%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory figure, while the 5-14 age group is less prevalent at 5.0%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between 2021 and the present day, Reid's median age has decreased by 1.4 years, from 40 to 39, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. During this period, the 25-34 age group has grown from 19.8% to 23.1%, while the 35-44 cohort has increased from 11.3% to 13.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has declined from 14.9% to 13.1%, and the 65-74 age group has dropped from 11.5% to 9.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that Reid's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 65-74 age group projected to grow by 51%, reaching 307 people from a starting point of 203 in this year.