Harrison

Population growth drivers in Harrison are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the estimated population of Harrison as of February 2026 is around 8,073. This reflects a decrease of 171 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,244. The change was inferred from the resident population estimate of 8,073 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,764 persons per square kilometer, placing Harrison in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Harrison has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 2.2%, outpacing the SA4 region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 66.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, using 2022 as a base. Over this period, projections indicate an overall population decline in Harrison, with the population expected to reduce by 1,083 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 55 to 64 age group, which is projected to grow by 107 people.

Residential dwelling approval activity has been practically non-existent in Harrison

Harrison has seen only 2 residential development approvals in the past five years. This suggests that the area is largely built out with minimal vacant land for development. Established areas often see steady demand for existing properties due to limited new-build alternatives.

Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Harrison has significantly less development activity. The scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties in such areas. This level of development activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and potentially indicating planning constraints.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Harrison may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Throsby District Playing Fields, Harrison Town Centre Development, Harrison Local Centre Expansion (Harrison 5 Precinct), and Moncrieff East Residential Estate. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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The exceptional employment performance in Harrison places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Harrison has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.0%, with an estimated employment growth of 0.8% over the past year (AreaSearch data aggregation). As of September 2025, there are 5,129 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.5% lower than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%.

Workforce participation in Harrison is high at 82.6%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.5%. According to Census responses, 11.8% of residents work from home, but Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries for employment among residents are public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. Harrison shows strong specialization in accommodation & food services with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 9.5% compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 11.7%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population count versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.8%, and labour force grew by 0.7% in Harrison (AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data). In comparison, Australian Capital Territory's employment grew by 1.4%, labour force expanded by 1.2%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points during the same period. 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 in national employment. Applying these projections to Harrison's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.3% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation 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 latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 30, 2023 shows median income in Harrison suburb is $67,228, with average income at $76,926. This contrasts with Australian Capital Territory's median income of $72,206 and average income of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since financial year ending June 30, 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $73,453 (median) and $84,049 (average) as of September 2025. Harrison's household, family and personal incomes ranked highly in the 2021 Census, between 91st to 93rd percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows that 35.8% of residents earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (2,890 people), similar to broader area at 34.3%. Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 42.9% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 15.4% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 92nd percentile. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Harrison displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Harrison's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 55.4% houses and 44.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Australian Capital Territory's 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Harrison was at 10.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.8% and rented ones at 46.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Harrison was $2,000, lower than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure in Harrison was $450, matching the Australian Capital Territory figure but higher than the national average of $375. Nationally, Harrison's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 74.7% of all households, including 41.7% couples with children, 23.0% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 25.3%, with lone person households at 18.8% and group households making up 6.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

Harrison has a notably high educational attainment compared to broader benchmarks. As of 2016 Census data, 51.7% of residents aged 15 years and above in Harrison held university qualifications, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA3 area average of 46.3%. This significant educational advantage positions Harrison favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. University qualifications are prevalent among Harrison's residents: - Bachelor degrees: 27.3% - Postgraduate qualifications: 20.9% - Graduate diplomas: 3.5% Vocational pathways also contribute significantly to educational attainment in Harrison: - Advanced diplomas: 10.8% - Certificates: 11.9% Educational participation is notably high, with 37.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the 2016 Census: - Primary education: 12.5% - Tertiary education: 8.6% - Secondary education: 7.9%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 37.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.5% in primary education, 8.6% in tertiary education, and 7.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Harrison has 21 active public transport stops offering a mix of lightrail and bus services. These stops are served by 25 routes that collectively facilitate 2074 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility with an average distance of 236 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, with car being the dominant mode at 79%, while only 7% use buses. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 11.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 296 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 98 weekly trips per stop.

Harrison's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Harrison's health outcomes data shows excellent results according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

Approximately 58% (~4648 people) of Harrison's total population has private health cover, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 62.4%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in Harrison, affecting 7.2 and 6.6% of residents respectively. Notably, 80.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 70.2%. As of 4th March 2021, Harrison has 5.4% (435 people) of its residents aged 65 and over, which is lower than the Australian Capital Territory's figure of 14.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Harrison are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

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

Harrison's cultural diversity is notable, with 42.6% of its population born overseas and 44.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Harrison, comprising 34.2% of the population. Hinduism stands out as overrepresented, making up 11.3%, which is significantly higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 4.8%.

The top three ancestral groups are Australian (20.0%), English (18.4%), and Other (17.6%), with 'Other' being substantially higher than the regional average of 12.2%. There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Korean at 2.0% (vs 0.6% regionally), Indian at 6.5% (vs 3.3%), and Croatian at 1.1% (vs 0.9%).

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

Harrison has a median age of 32 years, which is slightly younger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 years and substantially under the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Harrison has a higher concentration of residents aged 35-44 (19.3%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (3.3%). This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.3%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 55 to 64 age group has grown from 5.8% to 7.0% of the population, while the 45 to 54 cohort increased from 13.0% to 14.2%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 21.1% to 19.2%. Demographic modeling suggests that Harrison's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 65 to 74 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, expanding by 56 people (21%) from 266 to 323. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 76% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both 45 to 54 and 0 to 4 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.