Ainslie

Ainslie is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Ainslie is estimated at around 5,487, reflecting an increase of 111 people since the 2021 Census. The population in 2021 was reported as 5,376. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population as 5,357 following examination of ABS data released in June 2024, along with an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is 1,550 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, using 2022 as the base year. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth is anticipated for Australian statistical areas. The suburb of Ainslie is expected to increase by 18 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a decrease of 2.0% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Ainslie, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Ainslie has seen around 17 new homes approved per year. Approximately 89 homes have been approved over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, with an additional seven approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline in the area, new supply appears to be keeping up with demand, offering good choice for buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $402,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This year has seen approximately $2.0 million in commercial approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity compared to residential. When compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Ainslie records notably lower building activity, at 76.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity consists of approximately 75.0% standalone homes and 25.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space.

The location has an estimated population density of about 345 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area. With population expected to remain stable or decline in the future, Ainslie is likely to experience reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Ainslie has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 projects that could affect the region. Notable projects include The Foothills - Campbell (Former CSIRO Site), Lonsdale & Girrahween - Braddon (Section 34), Marcus Clarke Street Office Complex, and Academy Close Redevelopment - Campbell. The following list details those expected to have the 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.

The employment landscape in Ainslie shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Ainslie has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. The unemployment rate was 4.7% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 0.7%. As of September 2025, 2,766 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%.

Workforce participation was lower at 63.9%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.5%. Home workership stood at 16.6% based on Census responses, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Key industries for employment were public administration & safety, professional & technical, and education & training.

Health care & social assistance was under-represented at 7.8%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 11.7%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited, as indicated by the working population vs resident population count. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 0.7% while labour force rose by 1.0%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Australian Capital Territory saw employment grow by 1.4%, labour force expand by 1.2%, and unemployment fall by 0.2 percentage points. 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 nationally. Applying these projections to Ainslie's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.3% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting 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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 28 February 2023 for financial year 2023, Ainslie had a median income among taxpayers of $69,523 and an average level of $85,943. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to ACT levels of $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% from financial year 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $75,961 (median) and $93,901 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Ainslie rank between the 88th and 92nd percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicates that 32.9% of residents earn above $4,000 weekly (1,805 individuals), differing from the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 34.3%. Notably, 43.9% of Ainslie's residents earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting areas of prosperity that contribute to robust local economic activity. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Ainslie, as per the latest Census evaluation, 72.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 27.1% being semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) figures of 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ainslie stood at 33.1%, with mortgaged properties at 32.0% and rented ones at 34.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than the ACT average of $2,080. The median weekly rent in Ainslie was $367, lower than the ACT's $450 but higher than the national average of $375. Nationally, Ainslie's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863.

Ainslie features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 63.3% of all households, including 29.6% couples with children, 23.4% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.7%, with lone person households at 29.9% and group households comprising 6.7%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Australian Capital Territory average.

Ainslie shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Ainslie is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of 2016, 59.1% of residents aged 15 years and above held university qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and the SA4 region's average of 46.8%. This high level of educational attainment is largely driven by bachelor degrees (29.8%), postgraduate qualifications (21.9%), and graduate diplomas (7.4%). Vocational pathways also contribute significantly, with advanced diplomas accounting for 7% and certificates for 8.7% among those aged 15 years and above.

Educational participation is particularly high in Ainslie, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2016. This includes 10.2% pursuing tertiary education, 9.4% primary education, and 6.8% secondary education.

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

Ainslie has 35 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 95 different routes that collectively facilitate 7,517 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 179 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 70%, while cycling accounts for 12% and walking for 8%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 16.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,073 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 214 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Ainslie are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Ainslie's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among the general population is somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 11.1% and 8.3% of residents respectively. Approximately 64.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% across Australian Capital Territory. Private health cover is exceptionally high in Ainslie at approximately 61% of the total population (3,354 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,229 people), higher than the Australian Capital Territory's 14.3%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Ainslie records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ainslie's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 22.7% of its population born overseas and 13.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Ainslie as of 2016, comprising 33.8% of people residing there. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Ainslie compared to the Australian Capital Territory, with 0.8% of the population identifying as Jewish (versus 0.2% regionally).

Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups were English at 27.4%, Australian at 23.6%, and Irish at 11.2%. Some ethnic groups showed notable divergences in representation: Hungarian was overrepresented at 0.5% (versus 0.3% regionally), Welsh at 0.8% (versus 0.6%), and Scottish at 9.5% (versus 7.3%).

Ainslie's median age exceeds the national pattern

Ainslie 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 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, the cohort aged 65-74 is notably over-represented in Ainslie at 11.1%, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 11.3%. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 5.8% to 7.4%, and the 65 to 74 cohort has increased from 9.6% to 11.1%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 11.8% to 11.0%. Demographic modeling suggests that Ainslie's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The population aged 85 and above is projected to expand by 85 people (40%), from 213 to 299. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above are expected to account for 90% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the populations aged 15-24 and 0-4 are expected to experience declines.