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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Macgregor (ACT) has an estimated 6,980 residents, down from 7,049 at the 2021 Census — a change of 69 people, or 1.0%. That puts 1,635 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
In the suburb of Macgregor (ACT), recent calculations combining broader regional ABS releases and AreaSearch validated address counts indicate an estimated population of approximately 6,980 as of Aug 2026. Compared to the 2021 Census tally of 7,049 people, this represents a contraction of 69 people (1.0%). These figures draw upon an estimated resident population base of 6,975 derived from the ABS ERP release from June 2025 alongside 31 validated new addresses registered following the Census. Density currently sits at 1,634 persons per square kilometer, tracking higher than the AreaSearch nationwide benchmark.
In recent times, natural increase served as the primary demographic driver, accounting for roughly 60.0% of all population additions. Demographic forecasting for the suburb of Macgregor (ACT) incorporates ABS/Geoscience Australia 2024 releases using 2022 as a starting baseline for SA2 divisions, supplemented by ACT Government SA2 models (also baseline 2022) for subsequent years after 2032 or missing areas. Under this framework, overall headcounts are projected to experience a net reduction of 325 persons by 2041. In contrast to this broader contraction, distinct age brackets are projected to rise, most noticeably the 55 to 64 age group with an expected expansion of 102 people.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
61 new dwellings have been approved in Macgregor (ACT) over the past five years, an average of 12 a year. That is 1.7 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 9, broadly in line with that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Planning activity assessed through ABS building approval records shows Macgregor averaging approximately 12 approved dwellings per annum, with 61 residential units permitted across the 5 financial years spanning FY-21 to FY-25, including 9 approvals recorded to date in FY-25. Amid demographic contraction, residential supply has aligned comfortably with market demand to maintain stable conditions and favorable buyer availability, while typical construction costs for new builds average $351,000. Furthermore, commercial approvals totaling $1.5 million have been registered during the current financial year, underscoring the area predominantly residential footprint. Residential building volumes in Macgregor sit 72.0% below regional average per person compared to Australian Capital Territory figures, a low rate that reflects the suburb established setting and zoning constraints while generally underpinning values for established properties.
Current pipeline approvals comprise 58.0% standalone homes and 42.0% attached dwellings, signaling a shift toward diversified medium-density stock across varying price points relative to the historical base of 91.0% houses. This trend highlights limited remaining greenfield parcels along with evolving lifestyle needs for accessible housing options, with an overall ratio of roughly 633 people per approval reflecting an established urban landscape. Given demographic projections pointing toward steady or shrinking resident numbers, Macgregor is anticipated to encounter fewer demand-side housing constraints, creating favorable market conditions for prospective purchasers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Macgregor (ACT)
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 3 current infrastructure and development projects inside Macgregor (ACT), worth an estimated $5.2 billion. A further 3 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $11 billion. 5 are already under construction and 2 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans communities, precincts & urban renewal and education & training. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local growth and development prospects are heavily shaped by civil works, major urban initiatives, and planning schemes. AreaSearch has pinpointed 5 projects positioned to influence the area, highlighted by The Valley Ponds - Stage 3 & Future Stages, Macgregor Primary School Expansion & Modernisation, Ginninderry Estate - Strathnairn & Macnamara (Stages 1-7+), and Kippax Fair Expansion and Redevelopment.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Macgregor Primary School Expansion & Modernisation
Major upgrade and expansion of Macgregor Primary School at Hirschfeld Crescent, Macgregor ACT, delivering new learning hubs, additional classrooms, and improved playground facilities. The project is driven by growing enrolments from adjacent new residential developments including The Valley Ponds and the broader Ginninderry estate. The ACT Education Directorate and Infrastructure Canberra are delivering the works, with completion targeted for 2026.
The Valley Ponds - Stage 3 & Future Stages
Final residential stages of the established Macgregor suburb in Belconnen, delivering over 400 new homes in The Valley Ponds precinct. The estate is adjacent to Ginninderra Creek and the future Ginninderry conservation corridor and pond network, offering a mix of block sizes with connections to open space and green corridors.
Ginninderry Estate - Strathnairn & Macnamara (Stages 1-7+)
Canberra's largest master-planned community spanning the ACT-NSW border in West Belconnen, delivering approximately 11,500 dwellings across four suburbs over 30-40 years on a 1,600-hectare site. Over 37% of land is set aside as a conservation corridor along the Murrumbidgee River and Ginninderra Creek. Two suburbs are underway: Strathnairn (909 occupied dwellings as of early 2025) and Macnamara (13 occupied, 11 under construction). A primary school opens 2026, and the first local shopping centre is targeted for 2027.Certified as a 6-Star Green Star Community.
Kippax Fair Expansion and Redevelopment
Major redevelopment and expansion of Kippax Fair shopping centre in West Belconnen, delivering a completely new mixed-use precinct across two stages. The project will triple retail floor space, adding a new full-line Coles and expanded Woolworths alongside the existing Aldi. Plans include approximately 180 new dwellings (including 24 affordable and public housing units) built as shop-top housing, 450 underground car parks, a 6,000sqm park, a community hub, skate park, and indoor and outdoor dining. The ACT Government finalised a direct land sale agreement with owners the Christodoulou family in August 2024, with a $12 million community infrastructure commitment.A development application was expected to be publicly notified by mid-2025.
Macnamara Residential Estate
Macnamara is the second residential suburb in the Ginninderry Joint Venture, a 6 Star Green Star community on the western edge of Belconnen. Delivered by Suburban Land Agency and Riverview Developments, the suburb will deliver approximately 1,800 homes on land bordering the Ginninderry Conservation Corridor, with views to the Brindabella Mountains. Multiple land stages are actively selling as of 2025-2026, with blocks from 540sqm priced from $615,000. A local retail centre is planned for 2027 (subject to approval) and Strathnairn Early Childhood and Education Centre is partially opening in 2026.
Ginninderry Masterplanned Community - Strathnairn & Macnamara
Ginninderry is a cross-border masterplanned community in West Belconnen delivered by the ACT Government and Riverview Group joint venture. Planned to accommodate 30,000 residents across approximately 11,500 dwellings over a 37-year period, the project spans the ACT and NSW border. The first suburb, Strathnairn, is substantially developed with over 2,700 residents as of early 2025. The second suburb, Macnamara, is actively under development with approximately 300-400 lots released annually. Key recent milestones include the opening of Strathnairn School (programmed for the 2026 school year), multi-unit site releases in Strathnairn Village adjacent to the future retail centre, and ongoing single residential lot releases.The community is forecast to reach approximately 5,000 residents by 2028. The project incorporates a 6 Star Green Star sustainability rating, conservation corridor management along the Murrumbidgee River and Ginninderra Creek, and the SPARK employment program.
3,844 residents of Macgregor (ACT) are employed, from a labour force of 4,034. Unemployment sits at 4.7%, with participation at 73.7%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.5% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 5,164, about 74% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Macgregor maintains an educated local labor pool with strong participation in critical service sectors, recording an unemployment rate of 4.7% alongside a 1.2% annual increase in employment based on localized aggregated data. As of March 2026, employed residents total 3,844, with the local jobless rate tracking 0.7% above Australian Capital Territory's 4.1% and participation remaining robust at 73.7% compared to 70.6% across Australian Capital Territory. Remote work uptake stood at 10.4% according to Census findings, which occurred during a period shaped by Covid-19 restrictions. The primary employment fields for the local workforce consist of public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training.
Public administration & safety accounts for 27.5% of working residents, which tracks lower than the Australian Capital Territory regional share of 30.4%. Discrepancies between resident worker counts and local job positions illustrate that the suburb operates primarily as a residential district with modest internal commercial employment. Statistical analysis of ABS and SALM records indicates that over the 12 months to March 2026, local employment expanded by 1.2% while the labor pool grew by 1.1%, preserving an even unemployment rate. This diverged from broader trends in Australian Capital Territory, where jobs rose 0.3%, the labor supply grew 1.1%, and joblessness climbed by 0.7 percentage points. Integrating Jobs and Skills Australia nationwide occupational projections from Mar-26 across the local industry profile provides additional outlook; against nationwide projections of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, Macgregor weighted local job growth is estimated at 6.5% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Macgregor (ACT) is $2,344 a week (about $122,000 a year), with median personal income at $1,172 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $68,780 a year against an average of $77,746. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO taxpayer records from financial year 2023 place Macgregor median income at $68,780 and the average at $77,746, ranking strongly across the country against Australian Capital Territory benchmarks of $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Adjusting for 10.44% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023 brings estimated figures to roughly $75,961 (median) and $85,863 (average) as of March 2026. The 2021 Census places local personal, family, and household earnings between the 85th and 89th percentiles nationally, with 41.9% of residents (2,924 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly bracket compared to 34.3% across the wider region.
In addition, 33.2% of households take in over $3,000 weekly, and despite shelter payments claiming 15.6% of income, disposable earnings sit in the 84th percentile with an overall SEIFA income score in the 7th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Macgregor (ACT) had 2,502 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 91% detached houses and 0% apartments. 58% are owned with a mortgage, 21% rented and 21% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $464 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,000 a month, a total housing cost higher than 86% of areas nationally. Rent absorbs 19.8% of household income here and mortgage repayments 19.7%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Census records indicate Macgregor residential landscape is dominated by separate houses at 90.7%, alongside 9.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with the wider Australian Capital Territory profile of 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Outright ownership stands at 20.9%, trailing the broader territory, while mortgaged properties represent 58.3% and private rentals make up 20.8%. Median monthly mortgage costs are $2,000 against Australian Capital Territory's $2,080 and Australia's $1,863, whereas median weekly rent reaches $464 compared to $450 in Australian Capital Territory and $375 nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Macgregor (ACT) counted 2,502 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.7 people each. 39% are couples with children, more than in 77% of areas nationally, against 24% couples without children. 20% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.5 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute 77.0% of local living arrangements, comprised of 39.1% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family residences make up the remaining 23.0%, consisting of 20.2% single-person occupants and 2.7% group living arrangements. Overall household size averages 2.7 people, exceeding the Australian Capital Territory figure of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
35.3% of adults in Macgregor (ACT) hold a university qualification, including 21.6% with a bachelor degree and 9.7% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 84% of areas nationally. A further 20.7% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 548 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,049 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Tertiary attainment in the locality sits at 35.3%, below the wider SA4 regional benchmark of 46.8%. Among degree holders, bachelor qualifications represent 21.6%, postgraduate credentials account for 9.7%, and graduate diplomas comprise 4.0%. Vocational training remains prominent, with 33.3% of individuals aged 15+ holding trade credentials, divided between certificates at 20.7% and advanced diplomas at 12.6%. Student participation is substantial throughout the population, with 32.7% of community members enrolled in study programs, encompassing 12.7% attending primary schools, 6.9% in secondary institutions, and 5.0% engaged in tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Macgregor (ACT) reaches 28 stops on 58 routes, timetabled for about 4,000 services a week. The typical home sits about 240 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.5 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Commuter services within Macgregor operate across 28 active transport stops dedicated to bus transit, supported by 58 separate routes generating 4,013 weekly passenger trips. Typical walking distance to the closest stop measures 235 meters, supporting strong physical connectivity. Outbound private vehicle travel dominates travel habits at 92%, compared to 5% utilizing buses, alongside an average fleet of 1.5 motor vehicles per household, while 10.4% of residents worked remotely according to 2021 Census data collected under pandemic conditions. Transit schedules provide an average frequency of 573 daily trips across local routes, representing roughly 143 weekly trips per transit stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
69.0% of residents in Macgregor (ACT) report no long-term health condition. 4.8% need daily assistance with core activities, and 57.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.1 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health evaluations highlight widespread chronic ailments across both younger and older cohorts, with private medical coverage standing at approximately 58% of the total population (~4,041 people) in comparison to 62.4% across Australian Capital Territory. Leading reported medical diagnoses locally include mental health conditions at 10.1% and asthma at 9.7%, while 69.0% of residents reported having no long-term illnesses versus 70.2% across Australian Capital Territory. Chronic issues track higher among working-age demographics, while older residents aged 65 and over make up 11.1% of the community (774 people), below the 14.2% territory share.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
27.1% of Macgregor (ACT) residents were born overseas and 25.2% speak a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (25.6%) and English (23.0%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Macgregor demonstrates high multicultural representation relative to broader markets, with 27.1% of residents born abroad and 25.2% using a language other than English in their households. Christianity is the most widespread faith, followed by 41.0% of locals, while the Other category represents 3.1% of the community compared to 1.4% across Australian Capital Territory. Top ancestral backgrounds among local residents include Australian at 25.6%, English at 23.0%, and Other at 13.4%. Distinct cultural communities also show elevated local presence compared to regional benchmarks, including Filipino residents at 2.2% (vs 1.2%), Sri Lankan at 0.5% (vs 0.4%), and Russian at 0.4% (vs 0.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Macgregor (ACT) is 35, younger than 82% of areas nationally. That is 1 year older than at the 2021 Census. 26.8% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Macgregor median age reached an estimated 35, matching the Australian Capital Territory figure and rising from 34 recorded at the 2021 Census, with broad cohort spreads tracking within 3.1 percentage points of territory averages. The 25 - 44 age bracket reduced from 35.8% to an estimated 33.0% post-Census, while projections to 2041 anticipate the 45 - 64 bracket expanding by 160 residents (10%) to reach 1,703 alongside declines among younger adult, child, and early-career cohorts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Macgregor (ACT)
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jun 2026 4 months ago all 3 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jun 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 31 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (7,049 at the 2021 Census → 6,980 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL80089). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.