Chapman

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, Chapman's estimated population as of November 2025 is around 2,883. This reflects an increase of 16 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,867. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,873 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and validation of 17 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,550 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Chapman's growth rate of 0.6% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (0.5%), driven primarily by overseas migration. AreaSearch adopts 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 ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted. Population projections indicate a decline by 349 persons by 2041, but specific age cohorts like the 85 and over group are projected to expand by 38 people.

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

Chapman has seen approximately six dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 30 homes were approved, with none so far in FY26.

Each year, an average of 2.7 new residents is gained per dwelling built during these years. In FY26, $747,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Chapman has 12.0% less new development per person and ranks among the 26th percentile of areas assessed nationally. This results in relatively constrained buyer choice, supporting interest in existing dwellings. The area's new building activity consists of 57.0% detached dwellings and 43.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points.

With around 638 people per dwelling approval, Chapman reflects a highly mature market. Population is expected to remain stable or decline, potentially reducing pressure on housing and creating opportunities for buyers.

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

No changes can significantly affect a region's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. A total of zero projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to impact this area. Notable projects include Fetherston Weston, Molonglo Group Centre to Town Centre Transition, Canberra Hospital Master Plan, and Deakin Private Hospital, with the following list providing details on those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Chapman ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Chapman has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 1.6%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.5% over the past year.

As of September 2025, 1,444 residents are employed at a rate that is 1.9% lower than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.6%. Workforce participation in Chapman lags behind ACT, at 61.0% compared to ACT's 69.6%. The leading employment industries among residents include public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. Notably, the area has a high concentration of professional & technical jobs, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Retail trade, however, has limited presence in Chapman, with only 4.1% of residents employed in this sector compared to the regional average of 6.6%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, Chapman saw employment increase by 1.5% and labour force grow by 1.0%, resulting in a 0.5 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In comparison, ACT recorded employment growth of 1.4%, labour force growth of 1.2%, with unemployment falling by 0.2 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from 25-Nov-2025 shows ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 710 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May-25 estimate a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, applying these projections to Chapman's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The suburb of Chapman has one of the highest income levels in Australia, according to AreaSearch data aggregated from the latest Australian Taxation Office figures for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Chapman is $77,996, with an average income of $92,788. These figures compare to those for the Australian Capital Territory, which are $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Based on a 9.26% increase since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $85,218 (median) and $101,380 (average). According to census data, household, family, and personal incomes in Chapman rank highly nationally, between the 96th and 97th percentiles. The $4000+ income bracket dominates Chapman, with 37.7% of residents (1,086 people), while the metropolitan region has a higher proportion in the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket at 34.3%. In Chapman, 51.6% of residents earn over $3,000 per week, indicating significant affluence and supporting premium retail and service offerings. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 90.6% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Chapman's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.2% houses and 10.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Australian Capital Territory's 81.7% houses and 18.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chapman stood at 48.5%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (39.8%) or rented (11.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, above Australian Capital Territory's average of $2,251. Median weekly rent in Chapman was $450, compared to Australian Capital Territory's $420. Nationally, Chapman's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 81.7% of all households, including 38.7% couples with children, 33.3% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.3%, with lone person households at 17.1% and group households comprising 1.2%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.6.

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

Chapman has a notable educational advantage with 52.5% of its residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA3 area's 46.6%. This is driven by high numbers of Bachelor degrees (29.9%), postgraduate qualifications (15.5%), and graduate diplomas (7.1%). Vocational pathways account for 21.5%, with advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 11.9%. Educational participation is high, with 29.9% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.6% in primary education, 9.8% in secondary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Chapman has 19 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totalling 49 individual routes. The combined weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 4,667.

Transport accessibility in Chapman is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 188 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 666 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 245 weekly trips per individual stop.

Chapman's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Chapman's health metrics closely match national benchmarks, with common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts. Approximately 64% of Chapman's total population (1,840 people) have private health cover, compared to 60.7% in Australian Capital Territory and the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis, affecting 10.1% of residents, and asthma, impacting 7.5%.

Notably, 65.9% of residents report having no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 66.3% in Australian Capital Territory. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 25.6% (738 people), compared to 20.6% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors in Chapman are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Chapman's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 22.7% of its population born overseas and 12.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Chapman was Christianity, making up 51.4% of the population, compared to 44.9% across the Australian Capital Territory. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were English (26.9%), Australian (25.5%), and Irish (9.7%).

Notably, certain ethnic groups had higher representation in Chapman than regionally: Welsh at 1.1% versus 0.7%, Hungarian at 0.7% versus 0.6%, and Spanish at 0.6% versus 0.5%.

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

The median age in Chapman is 47 years, which is significantly higher than the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Chapman has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (11.2%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (4.2%). This concentration of residents aged 75-84 is well above the national average of 6.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of Chapman's population aged 15-24 has grown from 10.9% to 13.8%, while the proportion of those aged 75-84 has increased from 9.5% to 11.2%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has declined from 12.2% to 10.9%, and the proportion of those aged 55-64 has dropped from 13.6% to 12.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Chapman's age structure. Notably, the number of residents aged 85 and above is expected to grow by 65%, reaching 100 people from its current figure of 60. The combined total of all age groups aged 65 and above will account for 100% of the population growth in Chapman, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 75-84 age group and the 0-4 age group are projected to see reduced numbers.