Weston
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Weston's population is around 3,985 as of Aug 2025. This reflects a decrease of 15 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,000 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,985 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 1 validated new address since the Census date. This level equates to a density ratio of 1,035 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Weston has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.1%, outpacing its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 are adopted. Future trends forecast a significant population increase by 2041, with Weston expected to gain 1,058 persons, reflecting a total increase of 26.6%.

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

Weston has received approximately three dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports 19 approvals across the past five financial years from FY2021 to FY2025, with three already recorded in FY2026. Each approved dwelling has historically housed an average of 6.5 new residents annually over these five years. This demand outpaces supply, influencing housing prices and buyer competition.

The average construction cost of new dwellings is $75,000, lower than the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY2026, commercial development approvals totalled $4.3 million, reflecting Weston's residential character. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Weston has 60% less development activity per capita, suggesting established neighbourhoods and potential planning constraints. Recent building activity comprises solely detached houses, preserving Weston's suburban nature while attracting space-seeking buyers. This trend diverges from the current housing mix (74% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes.

With approximately 2488 people per dwelling approval, Weston exhibits a highly mature market. Future projections estimate an increase of 1058 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Weston has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely impacting the area: Molonglo Group Centre to Town Centre Transition, Fetherston Weston, The Hunter, and Wesley Mission Affordable Housing Curtin.

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

Employment conditions in Weston demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Weston's workforce is highly educated with strong professional services representation. Unemployment stands at 2.5%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.0% over the past year as of June 2025.

At this time, 2,063 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.9% lower than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation in Weston is at 60.8%, significantly lagging behind ACT's 69.6%. Key employment industries among residents include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services.

Retail trade has a limited presence with 4.4% employment compared to the regional average of 6.6%. Many Weston residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment in Weston increased by 3.0%, while the labour force grew by 1.6%, leading to a 1.3 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In contrast, ACT saw employment rise by 1.9% with a simultaneous fall in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows ACT employment contracted by 0.33%, losing 1,480 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5% with employment growth at 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Weston's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Weston had a median taxpayer income of $70,298 and an average income of $83,630. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to ACT's median of $68,678 and average of $83,634. As of March 2025, estimated incomes based on a 10.78% growth rate since financial year 2022 would be approximately $77,876 (median) and $92,645 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Weston's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 86th and 93rd percentiles. Income distribution shows that 28.1% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (1,119 people), similar to metropolitan regions where 34.3% fall into this bracket. A substantial presence of higher earners is indicated by the 40.4% exceeding $3,000 weekly, reflecting strong purchasing power in Weston. After housing costs, residents retain 87.5% of their income, demonstrating strong purchasing power and placing the area's SEIFA income ranking in the 9th decile.

Weston is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Weston, as per the latest Census, 74.4% of dwellings were houses while 25.6% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In comparison, Australian Capital Territory had 81.7% houses and 18.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Weston stood at 37.6%, similar to the ACT's rate. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (38.9%) or rented (23.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,200, below the ACT average of $2,251 but higher than the national average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Weston was $420, matching the ACT figure but significantly above the national average of $375.

Weston has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.3% of all households, including 32.8% couples with children, 27.7% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.7%, with lone person households at 25.8% and group households at 3.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Weston is notably higher than national and regional averages. 52% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 46.6% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 27.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.8%) and graduate diplomas (6.4%). Vocational pathways account for 21.2%, with advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 11.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 7.4% pursuing tertiary education. The area has two schools serving 822 students: Islamic School of Canberra and Orana Steiner School. Both offer integrated K-12 education, providing continuity throughout students' academic journey. Weston's school capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 20.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.8, indicating it serves as an educational center for the broader region. Weston demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1106.

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

Weston's public transport system comprises 36 operational stops, all serving bus routes. These stops are supported by 12 unique routes, facilitating a total of 1,773 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 182 meters to the nearest stop.

The service runs approximately 253 trips daily across all routes, translating to about 49 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Weston is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Weston faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions being somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (2,442 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.6 and 8.3% of residents respectively. Meanwhile, 67.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 66.3% across Australian Capital Territory. The area has 22.5% of residents aged 65 and over (895 people), which is higher than the 20.6% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Weston was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Weston's population is more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 26.2% born overseas and 19.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Weston, making up 42.4% of its population. Islam is overrepresented in Weston compared to the Australian Capital Territory, comprising 3.5% versus 1.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (25.0%), Australian (24.1%), and Other (11.1%). Hungarian, French, and Russian ethnicities show notable divergences in representation: Hungarian at 0.5% compared to the regional average of 0.6%, French at 0.8% versus 0.7%, and Russian at 0.5% against a regional average of 0.3%.

Weston hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Weston has a median age of 42, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, Weston has an over-representation of the 75-84 age cohort (10.2% locally), while the 25-34 age group is under-represented (10.2%). Between 2021 and the present, the population aged 15 to 24 increased from 9.9% to 11.3%, while the 35 to 44 cohort grew from 14.2% to 15.2%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group declined from 10.0% to 8.3%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 13.7% to 12.6%. Demographic modeling indicates that Weston's age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the 55 to 64 age cohort projected to expand notably, increasing by 179 people (45%) from 399 to 579.