Aranda

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

The population of the suburb of Aranda is estimated at around 2,584 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a decrease since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,605 people. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and inference from resident population data released by the ABS in June 2024. This level of population results in a density ratio of 1,656 persons per square kilometer, which is higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

Population projections for Aranda are adopted from ABS/Geoscience Australia data 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 with a base year of 2022 are used. According to these projections, Aranda's population is expected to contract by 319 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts like the 45 to 54 group are projected to increase during this period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Aranda has received around 9 dwelling approvals per year on average over the past five financial years, totalling approximately 49 homes. As of FY26, there is 1 recorded approval. The average new resident growth rate per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 is 0.8. This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction value of new properties in Aranda is $399,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment. There have been $1.2 million in commercial approvals this financial year, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Aranda shows approximately 66% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 61st percentile nationally. New development consists of 60.0% detached dwellings and 40.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points.

This represents a shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 87.0% houses. Aranda reflects a low density area with around 246 people per approval. Population projections indicate stability or decline, suggesting reduced housing demand pressures and benefiting potential buyers.

Aranda has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

No changes can significantly affect a region's performance like modifications to nearby infrastructure, substantial projects, and planning efforts. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that are expected to impact this area. Key initiatives include Bruce Precinct (Section 15), Bruce Residential Development Zone, Bruce Commercial Centre Expansion, and New Northside Hospital (North Canberra Hospital Redevelopment). The following list outlines 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.

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

Aranda has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.8% as of September 2025, which is below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.8%.

Workforce participation in Aranda is lower than the Australian Capital Territory's rate, at 66.4% compared to 72.5%. Based on Census responses, 16.7% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, education & training, and professional & technical services. The area has a notable concentration in education & training, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 9.5% of Aranda's workforce compared to 11.7% in the Australian Capital Territory. Employment opportunities locally appear limited, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 2.8% while labour force increased by 0.8%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 1.9 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Aranda's employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Aranda is among the top percentile nationally. The median assessed income is $76,660 while the average income stands at $96,204. This contrasts with Australian Capital Territory's figures of a median income of $72,206 and an average income of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $83,759 (median) and $105,112 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Aranda, between the 96th and 98th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 37.1% of locals (958 people) fall into the $4000+ category, differing from the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 34.3%. A significant 52.6% earn above $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 90.2% of income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

In Aranda, as per the latest Census, 87.3% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 12.7% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory's composition of 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Aranda stood at 44.7%, with mortgaged properties at 38.8% and rented ones at 16.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, exceeding the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. Weekly rent in Aranda was $530 compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $450. Nationally, Aranda's median monthly mortgage repayment was higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 78.7% of all households, including 39.6% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 21.3%, with lone person households at 16.3% and group households comprising 4.9% of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

Aranda has a notably higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. 62.5% of its residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 43.8% in the SA3 area. This high level of educational attainment positions Aranda strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 30.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (24.5%) and graduate diplomas (7.3%).

Vocational pathways account for 16.2% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 8.1% and certificates also 8.1%. Educational participation is notably high in Aranda, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 7.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Aranda has 13 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These include a mix of lightrail and bus services. There are 52 individual routes servicing these stops, providing a total of 2,735 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Aranda is rated as good, with residents typically located 232 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transportation at 79%, while bus accounts for 10% and cycling for 7%.

Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, some 16.7% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 390 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 210 weekly trips per individual stop.

Aranda's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Aranda, based on AreaSearch's assessment as of April 2022. Mortality rates were found to be low among the general population, with prevalence of common health conditions also low but higher than the national average among older and at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 65% of the total population (1,684 people), compared to 62.4% across Australian Capital Territory and a national average of 55.7%.

As of April 2022, the most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.7 and 7.9% of residents respectively, while 70.1% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents were notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. As of April 2022, the area had 19.7% of residents aged 65 and over (509 people), which was higher than the 14.3% in Australian Capital Territory but ranked lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Aranda's cultural diversity was notable, with 15.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 26.5% born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion in Aranda, comprising 31.0%. However, Judaism was overrepresented compared to regional figures, making up 0.4% of Aranda's population.

The top three ancestry groups were English (26.3%), Australian (25.0%), and Irish (10.0%). Some ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Polish at 1.1%, Welsh at 0.8%, and Hungarian at 0.4%.

Aranda's median age exceeds the national pattern

Aranda 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, Aranda has an over-representation of the 5-14 cohort at 15.0%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 9.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group grew from 11.7% to 13.1% of the population, while the 45 to 54 cohort increased from 13.0% to 14.1%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 13.0% to 11.0%. Demographic modeling suggests that Aranda's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to expand by 3 people (1%) from 364 to 368, while both the 85+ and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.