Bruce (ACT)

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, as of Nov 2025 the suburb of Bruce (ACT) has an estimated population of around 8,008. This reflects a growth of 488 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,520. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 8,008 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 189 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,211 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bruce's growth rate of 6.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state's growth rate of 5.9% and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 are adopted. Future population dynamics anticipate a significant increase in the top quartile of statistical areas across the nation, with Bruce expected to expand by 2,744 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 34.3% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows around 38 new homes approved annually in Bruce. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, approximately 192 homes were approved, with none so far in FY26. On average, about 0.9 new residents per year have been arriving for each new home over these five years, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand and providing ample buyer choice while creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

This financial year has seen $28.4 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting strong local business investment. All new construction has consisted of townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the existing housing pattern of 21.0% houses. This trend may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. Bruce currently has approximately 15824 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Bruce is expected to grow by 2744 residents by 2041. However, at current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Bruce has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include AIS Podium Project, New Northside Hospital (North Canberra Hospital Redevelopment), Bruce Precinct (Section 15), and Radford College Master Plan Implementation. The following list details those most 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 Bruce shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Bruce has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 2.8% and there was a 1.5% employment growth over the year ending June 2024, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of June 2025, Bruce has 5,319 residents employed with an unemployment rate at 0.6% below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation is 73.8%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 69.6%. Key employment sectors for Bruce residents are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Notably, accommodation & food services have high employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

However, public administration & safety is under-represented with only 24.0% of Bruce's workforce compared to 30.4% in Australian Capital Territory. The area has a worker-to-resident ratio of 1.1, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, labour force grew by 1.6%, and unemployment rose by 0.1 percentage points in Bruce. In comparison, Australian Capital Territory saw employment grow by 1.9%, labour force expand by 1.6%, and unemployment fall by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years in national employment. Applying these projections to Bruce's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Bruce's median income among taxpayers was $57,439 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $69,367 during the same period. This compares to figures for the Australian Capital Territory of $68,678 and $83,634 respectively. As of September 2025, current estimates suggest Bruce's median income would be approximately $65,251 and average income around $78,801, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since financial year 2022. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Bruce all rank highly nationally, between the 81st and 81st percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 38.7% of locals (3,099 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income category. Higher earners make up a substantial presence in Bruce, with 34.6% exceeding $3,000 weekly, reflecting strong purchasing power within the community. Housing accounts for 14.8% of income, and residents rank highly for disposable income at the 82nd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Bruce displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Bruce, as evaluated at the latest Census, dwelling structures consisted of 20.7% houses and 79.3% other dwellings including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Australian Capital Territory had no houses or other dwellings recorded. Home ownership in Bruce was at 20.0%, with mortgaged properties at 28.4% and rented dwellings at 51.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bruce was $1,733, aligning with the Australian Capital Territory average. The median weekly rent in Bruce was $430, whereas no figures were available for Australian Capital Territory. Nationally, Bruce's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

Bruce features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a median household size of 2.3 people

Family households comprise 59.4% of all households, including 19.3% couples with children, 31.8% couples without children, and 6.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 40.6%, with lone person households at 30.2% and group households comprising 10.4%. The median household size is 2.3 people.

Bruce demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Bruce has a higher educational attainment than broader averages, with 55.6% of its residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% nationally and 46.8% in the SA4 region. This high level positions Bruce favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 30.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (20.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational pathways account for 17.5%, with advanced diplomas at 7.9% and certificates at 9.6%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 41.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 26.0% in tertiary education, 4.9% in primary education, and 3.5% pursuing secondary education. Bruce is anchored by Radford College, serving 2,085 students as of a recent count. The area demonstrates exceptional educational performance with an ICSEA score of 1203, placing local schools among the most advantaged nationally. All 1 schools offer integrated K-12 education for academic continuity. With 26.0 school places per 100 residents, the area shows strong educational infrastructure serving both local and surrounding communities.

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

Bruce has 50 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 21 different routes, carrying out 3,197 weekly passenger trips in total. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically living within 249 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 456 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 63 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bruce's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Bruce.

Younger cohorts in particular have a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population, which amounts to about 4,372 people. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.3% and 7.7% of residents respectively. A majority, 72.7%, declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 0% across the Australian Capital Territory. As of 2021, the area has 11.3% of residents aged 65 and over, totaling 904 people. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges that require more attention than those of the broader population.

Bruce is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bruce scores highly on cultural diversity, with 34.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home as of the latest data from 2016. In Bruce, 40.0% were born overseas by the year 2011. Christianity is the main religion in Bruce, comprising 34.8% of people there according to the 2011 Census.

Hinduism stands out with 7.9%, compared to None% across Australian Capital Territory as per the same census data. The top three ancestry groups in Bruce are English at 21.2%, Australian at 20.1%, and Other at 15.4%. Notably, Sri Lankan is overrepresented at 0.6%, Vietnamese at 1.5%, and Korean at 0.7% compared to None% regionally each time.

Bruce hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Bruce's median age is 29 years, which is notably under the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 and substantially under Australia's national average of 38 years. Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, Bruce has a higher concentration of residents aged 15-24 (26.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.3%). This concentration of 15-24 year-olds is well above the national average of 12.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 45 to 54 has grown from 7.6% to 8.5%, while the population aged 55 to 64 has declined from 6.3% to 5.5%. Population forecasts for Bruce indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The leading demographic shift is expected in the 15 to 24 age group, which will grow by 29% (604 people), reaching a total of 2,687 from the current figure of 2,082.