Watson

Watson lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Watson's population was around 7,387 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 660 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,727. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,169 in June 2024 and an additional 245 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 2,012 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Watson's growth rate of 9.8% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state's 5.9% and its SA4 region, making it a growth leader in the area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 51.7% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted 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 were used, also based on 2022. Population projections indicated a significant increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas, with Watson expected to expand by 2,400 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 29.5% over the 17-year period.

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

Watson has experienced approximately 88 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25441 homes have been approved, with a further 6 approved in FY26 as of now. On average, around 1.9 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built during these years.

This suggests a balanced supply and demand dynamic, contributing to stable market conditions. The average construction cost value of new homes is $207,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY26, commercial development approvals totaling $1.4 million have been recorded, reflecting a predominantly residential focus in Watson. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Watson's building activity per person is comparable, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. This level of activity is significantly above the national average, indicating strong developer interest in the area. New building activity in Watson comprises 15.0% standalone homes and 85.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

This shift marks a significant change from existing housing patterns, which are currently 58.0% houses. This trend may be attributed to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences, as well as housing affordability needs. With approximately 200 people per dwelling approval, Watson exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Watson is projected to grow by 2,182 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Watson has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects that could affect this region. Notable initiatives include The Establishment Watson, Watson Section 76 North Housing Development, Watson Place Precinct Redevelopment, and Watson Light Rail Extension. The following list details the most relevant projects.

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

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The labour market in Watson shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Watson's workforce comprises highly educated individuals with notable representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.8% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.1%.

As of September 2025, 4390 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.8% below the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.6%. The workforce participation rate was 75.2%, exceeding ACT's 69.6%. Key employment industries among residents included public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and education & training. Education & training showed strong specialization with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level, while construction had limited presence at 4.4% compared to the regional average of 6.8%.

The predominantly residential area offered limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.1%, labour force grew by 1.4%, causing a 0.7 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In comparison, ACT saw employment grow by 1.4%, labour force expand by 1.2%, with unemployment falling by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from November 25 showed ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Watson's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data shows Watson SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $76,160 and an average of $94,148 in financial year 2022. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high, compared to ACT's $68,678 and $83,634 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since FY2022, current estimates for Watson as of September 2025 would be approximately $86,518 (median) and $106,952 (average). Census 2021 data ranks Watson's household, family, and personal incomes highly, between the 88th and 95th percentiles nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 34.9% of residents earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly. Economic strength is evident with 39.3% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000. Housing accounts for 14.7% of income, and residents rank in the 88th percentile for disposable income. Watson's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Watson displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Watson, as per the latest Census, consisted of 58.1% houses and 41.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, the Australian Capital Territory had 39.3% houses and 60.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Watson was 22.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.4% and rented dwellings at 33.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Watson was $2,067, below the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure in Watson was $437, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $476. Nationally, Watson's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Watson features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 66.2% of all households, including 29.6% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 33.8%, with lone person households at 27.5% and group households comprising 6.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.2.

Educational achievement in Watson places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Watson's educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 59.4% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. This gives Watson a strong advantage in knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most common at 30.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (22.5%) and graduate diplomas (6.7%).

Vocational pathways account for 18.3% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 8.2% and certificates at 10.1%. Educational participation is notably high, with 33.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in primary education, 9.8% in tertiary education, and 6.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

Transport analysis in Watson shows 40 active public transport stops operating. These are a mix of bus services. They are served by 18 individual routes which provide a total of 777 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good with residents typically located 205 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 111 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 19 weekly trips per stop.

Watson'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 Watson. Both young and old age cohorts saw low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population (5,037 people), compared to 65.3% across Australian Capital Territory.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma were found to be the most common medical conditions in Watson, impacting 10.8 and 9.0% of residents respectively. A total of 71.1% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.8% across Australian Capital Territory. The area has 10.3% of residents aged 65 and over (760 people), which is lower than the 11.4% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Watson's population, with 27.0% born overseas and 20.4% speaking a language other than English at home, is more culturally diverse than most local markets. Christianity is the predominant religion in Watson, comprising 30.2% of its population. While Judaism makes up only 0.5% of Watson's population, this is similar to the region's average (0.5%).

The top three ancestry groups are English (24.4%), Australian (23.9%), and Other (11.8%). Notably, Polish (0.9%) Croatian (0.8%) and Vietnamese (1.1%) groups are relatively overrepresented in Watson compared to regional averages of 0.9%, 0.7%, and 1.0% respectively.

Watson hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Watson's median age is 34 years, comparable to the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 and significantly lower than the national average of 38 years. Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, Watson has a higher concentration of 35-44 year-olds at 19.9%, but fewer 15-24 year-olds at 10.8%. This 35-44 age group is well above the national average of 14.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35-44 age group has grown from 18.5% to 19.9% of Watson's population, while the 25-34 cohort has declined from 18.9% to 16.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Watson's age profile will evolve significantly. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 43%, adding 429 residents to reach a total of 1,422.