Reid

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Reid's population was around 1,957 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 413 people, representing a growth of 26.7% since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,544 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 1,957 from the ABS as of June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 2,081 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Reid's growth of 26.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the state's growth rate of 5.9%, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 62.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections were used, with 2022 as a base. Future population trends indicated a significant increase, with the area expected to grow by 668 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall gain of 34.1% over the 17 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 approval per year, with nine homes approved between financial years 2021 (FY-21) and 2025 (FY-25), and none yet in FY-26. On average, each home built over the past five financial years accommodates 41.4 new residents annually, indicating a significant demand exceeding supply, which typically drives price growth and increased buyer competition.

Developers focus on the premium market, with an average expected construction cost of $524,000 per dwelling. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Reid has significantly lower building activity, 92.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new construction often reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, although recent years have seen some acceleration in building activity. However, this activity remains below national averages, suggesting possible planning constraints. All recent development in Reid consists of detached dwellings, maintaining its suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers.

Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the current pattern implies (36.0% at Census), reflecting strong demand for family homes despite densification trends. With around 1212 people per approval, Reid demonstrates a mature, established area. Future projections estimate an addition of 668 residents by 2041, suggesting that housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Reid has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include Academy Close Redevelopment - Campbell, Australian War Memorial Redevelopment, UNSW Canberra City Campus - Stage 1, and Marcus Clarke Street Office Complex. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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.

Reid has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Reid has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.4% as of the past year.

Employment growth was estimated at 2.3%. As of September 2025, 1,191 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.8% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%. Workforce participation was lower at 64.6%, compared to ACT's 69.6%. Dominant employment sectors include public administration & safety, professional & technical, and education & training.

Reid specializes in professional & technical jobs with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance had lower representation at 6.9% versus the regional average of 11.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the past year, employment increased by 2.3% alongside labour force growth of 1.6%, reducing unemployment by 0.6 percentage points. ACT experienced employment growth of 1.4% and labour force growth of 1.2%. As of 25-Nov, ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. National forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Reid's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though this is a simple 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

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. Reid SA2 had a median income of $67,610 and an average income of $86,994 among taxpayers. These figures were among the highest in Australia. The Australian Capital Territory's median income was $68,678 with an average of $83,634. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since financial year 2022, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $76,805 (median) and $98,825 (average). Census 2021 income data showed household, family, and personal incomes in Reid ranked highly nationally, between the 81st and 95th percentiles. Income analysis revealed that 31.9% of residents earned between $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. This aligned with regional levels where this cohort also represented 34.3%. Economic strength was evident through 38.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000. Housing accounted for 14.0% of income. Strong earnings ranked residents within the 83rd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 9th decile.

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

In Reid, as per the latest Census evaluation, 36.4% of dwellings were houses while 63.7% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In comparison, the Australian Capital Territory had 39.3% houses and 60.7% other dwellings. Reid's home ownership rate was higher at 31.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.1% and rented ones at 46.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Reid was $2,300, exceeding the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure in Reid was recorded at $430 compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $476. Nationally, Reid's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 constitute 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 make up the remaining 52.1%, comprising 40.9% lone person households and 10.8% group households. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.2.

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

Reid's educational attainment exceeds broader standards significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 61.5% possess university qualifications, surpassing Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. This high level of educational attainment positions Reid favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are 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 is notably high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 15.0% in tertiary, 4.2% in primary, 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 operating within its boundaries. These stops offer a variety of bus services. There are 12 individual routes serving these stops, collectively providing 1,573 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to public transport is rated excellent, with residents typically located 168 meters from the nearest stop. The service frequency averages 224 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 104 weekly trips per individual stop.

Reid's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Reid residents show relatively positive health outcomes with common conditions found across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover stands at approximately 64% of Reid's total population (1,248 people), exceeding the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 11.6 and 8.1% of residents respectively. A total of 65.7% report no medical ailments, compared to 70.8% in Australian Capital Territory. Reid has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.5% (322 people), compared to Australian Capital Territory's 11.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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 has a higher proportion speaking languages other than English at home, with 20.2%, compared to most local markets. Born overseas, 31.7% of Reid's residents were born outside Australia. Christianity is the predominant religion in Reid, comprising 36.7%.

However, Judaism's representation in Reid is notably higher at 0.6%, compared to 0.5% across Australian Capital Territory. The top three ancestry groups in Reid are English (25.4%), Australian (20.6%), and Other (11.5%). Some ethnic groups have significant differences: Polish residents make up 1.3% of Reid's population, higher than the regional average of 0.9%. French residents comprise 1.0%, compared to the region's 0.7%, and Hungarian residents are at 0.5%, higher than the regional average of 0.3%.

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's figure of 35 and comparable to Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 23.0% of Reid's population, higher than the Australian Capital Territory's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.5%. The 5-14 age group is less prevalent in Reid at 4.9%. Between 2021 and the present day, Reid's median age has decreased by 1.3 years from 40 to 39, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. During this period, the 25-34 age group grew from 19.8% to 23.0%, while the 55-64 cohort declined from 14.9% to 13.2% and the 65-74 group dropped from 11.5% to 10.1%. Demographic modeling suggests that Reid's age profile will change significantly by the year 2041, with the 65-74 age group projected to grow by 56%, reaching 307 people from its current figure of 196.