O'Connor (ACT)

O'Connor has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

According to ABS demographic updates and recently confirmed addresses from AreaSearch, the suburb of O'Connor (ACT) has a residency of approximately 5,923 people as of May 2026. This represents an addition of 6 people (0.1%) compared to the 2021 Census, which counted 5,917 residents. The revision is based on a resident estimate of 5,921 calculated by AreaSearch using the ABS June 2025 ERP data release combined with 25 validated new addresses added after the census date. The resulting population density stands at 1,437 persons per square kilometer, outperforming the typical ratio found across nationwide locations monitored by AreaSearch. The primary driver of growth in the suburb of O'Connor (ACT) has been arrivals from overseas, which accounted for roughly 86.0% of the overall population increases lately.

Projections developed by the ABS and Geoscience Australia, published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline, are utilized by AreaSearch for SA2 divisions. For regions where this data is missing, or for periods beyond 2032, age bracket growth rates are sourced from the ACT Government's SA2 projections starting from a 2022 baseline. Looking at upcoming demographic shifts in the suburb of O'Connor (ACT), expansion is anticipated to track in the lowest quartile of nationwide statistical areas, with a projected rise of 258 residents by 2041 under aggregated SA2-level estimates, representing a 16-year growth rate of 4.3%.

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

Analysis of ABS building approvals compiled by AreaSearch indicates O'Connor has recorded a yearly average of approximately 24 residential approvals, amounting to an estimated 122 dwellings over the last 5 financial years. Thus far during FY-26, there have been 21 approvals logged. Because the population has contracted, the volume of housing remains sufficient to satisfy demand, yielding a balanced market environment with plenty of options for buyers, while new residences carry an average building cost of $543,000, signaling that builders are targeting the higher-end luxury market. Furthermore, commercial approvals worth $2.0 million have been registered this fiscal year, highlighting the primarily residential profile of the neighborhood.

Compared to the broader Australian Capital Territory, O'Connor displays low construction volumes, registering 70.0% below the territory average on a per-capita basis. This limited supply of new properties generally bolsters demand and valuations for the existing housing stock. Recent building activity is split between standalone houses at 69.0% and medium to high-density dwellings at 31.0%, showing an increasing diversity of semi-detached and multi-unit options to suit different budgets, from larger family layouts to smaller, more affordable spaces. The ratio of residents to dwelling approvals sits at roughly 357 people per approval, indicating a mature, built-out locality.

Projecting forward, O'Connor is anticipated to add 256 residents by 2041 based on the most recent quarterly projections from AreaSearch. At the current pace of building, the supply of homes should be sufficient to meet demand, which supports favorable buying conditions and could potentially pave the way for expansion that outpaces current predictions.

O'Connor has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Local performance is strongly tied to public works, development projects, and town planning decisions. AreaSearch has tracked 33 initiatives expected to influence this locality. Some of the most notable developments include the Yowani Grounds Estate Development (Newlyne Precinct), the new clubhouse for the Yowani Country Club, the Yowani Country Club Redevelopment Office Building, and Botanical Turner, with key details for relevant projects listed below.

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

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O'Connor has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Aggregated statistical area data from AreaSearch shows that O'Connor possesses a highly qualified workforce with a strong concentration of professionals, a jobless rate of 4.5%, and relatively steady employment conditions over the preceding year. As of March 2026, there are 3,532 employed local citizens, with the unemployment rate tracking 0.4% higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 4.1%, and the participation rate aligning closely with the territory mark of 70.8%. Census data indicates that a moderate 15.9% of the working population performed their duties from home, though this figure may have been influenced by pandemic-related restrictions.

The local workforce is heavily represented in the public administration & safety, professional & technical, and education & training sectors. There is a particularly high concentration of workers in professional & technical services, matching 1.4 times the territory average. In contrast, health care & social assistance is underrepresented, accounting for 8.5% of workers compared to the territory-wide average of 11.7%. The area's heavily residential character means local jobs are limited, as shown by comparing the number of working residents to local job positions from the Census.

Based on SALM and ABS statistics aggregated by AreaSearch from wider regional data, the 12 months leading up to March 2026 saw a 1.2% expansion in the labor force alongside a 0.5% drop in total employment, which led to a 1.6 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate. Over the same period in the Australian Capital Territory, employment expanded by 0.3%, the labor force grew by 1.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.7 percentage points. National employment projections released by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 offer additional context on future demand patterns. These five and ten-year forecasts have been aligned with the local employment structure to project trends. While national employment is expected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, the rates of change vary significantly across different sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections directly to the local workforce mix suggests employment for residents would rise by 6.6% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, representing a basic weighted calculation for illustration that does not account for specific local population projections.

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

Based on the aggregation of postcode-level ATO statistics released for the financial year 2023, taxpayers in the suburb of O'Connor (ACT) registered a median income of $71,027 and an average income of $87,803. These figures are among the highest nationwide, compared to $72,206 (median) and $85,981 (average) across the Australian Capital Territory. Adjusting for a Wage Price Index rise of 10.44% since financial year 2023, current estimates correspond to roughly $78,442 for the median and $96,970 for the average as of March 2026. Data from the 2021 Census places household, family, and individual incomes for the suburb of O'Connor (ACT) in the 90th to 93rd national percentiles. Analysis shows the top bracket of $4000+ weekly income contains 31.2% of the local population (1,847 individuals), whereas the wider territory is led by the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket at 34.3%. High relative wealth is evident, with 42.9% of residents earning weekly incomes above $3,000, which helps sustain premium local businesses. Housing costs consume 13.7% of total earnings, strong salaries place residents in the 91st percentile for disposable income, and the SEIFA index ranks the area in the 9th decile for income.

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

The mix of housing in O'Connor at the time of the latest Census consisted of 65.9% standalone houses and 34.1% other options like semi-detached properties and apartments, compared to 63.3% houses and 36.7% alternative dwelling types across the Australian Capital Territory. The rate of outright home ownership in O'Connor reached 31.8%, which was higher than the territory average, while mortgaged properties accounted for 29.2% and rental properties made up 39.0%. Mortgaged households faced a median monthly payment of $2,500, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent stood at $451, compared to a territory average of $450. On a national level, mortgage commitments in O'Connor are higher than the Australian median of $1,863, and rent levels sit above the countrywide benchmark of $375.

O'Connor features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Families make up the majority of households at 62.5%, consisting of couples with children at 27.7%, couples without children at 24.9%, and single-parent homes at 8.6%. The remaining 37.5% is composed of non-family households, with single-person living arrangements representing 26.2% and group houses accounting for 11.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, aligning with the average across the Australian Capital Territory.

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

Levels of education in O'Connor are high, with 61.0% of the population aged 15 and older holding a tertiary degree, compared to national and regional SA4 rates of 30.4% and 46.8% respectively. This strong educational profile positions the community well for professional services and knowledge sector roles. Bachelor degrees are the most common credential at 31.5%, with post-graduate qualifications representing 23.2% and graduate diplomas making up 6.3%. Vocational and technical qualifications account for 14.1% of credentials held by residents aged 15 and over, split between advanced diplomas at 6.3% and certificate courses at 7.8%.

Enrolment in education is strong, with 36.0% of the local population participating in formal study. This comprises 15.0% studying at a tertiary level, 8.2% attending primary school, and 8.0% enrolled in secondary education.

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

Public transit options in O'Connor include 29 active bus stops. These stops connect with 118 separate bus routes, which combined provide 9,435 weekly passenger journeys. Accessibility is high, with residents living an average of 187 meters from the nearest stop. The neighborhood is mostly residential, meaning most residents travel out of the area to work. Private cars remain the primary transit mode at 64%, while 15% of residents ride bicycles and 8% utilize bus services. Household car ownership averages 1.2 vehicles per dwelling. Work from home arrangements accounted for 15.9% of residents during the 2021 Census, which may have been impacted by pandemic restrictions.

Transit routes average 1,347 services daily, which translates to approximately 325 weekly journeys departing from each individual stop.

The level of general health in O'Connor is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

O'Connor residents display strong wellness profiles based on AreaSearch assessments of mortality and chronic illnesses, with both younger and older demographics showing low rates of common health conditions. Additionally, private health insurance uptake is high, covering approximately 62% of the population (3,664 people) compared to a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health concerns and asthma represent the most frequent diagnoses in the locality, affecting 10.7% and 8.2% of the community respectively. Meanwhile, 69.2% of residents reported having no long-term health conditions, compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. Health trends among working-age individuals are average. Residents aged 65 and older represent 16.0% of the population (947 people), which exceeds the territory-wide average of 14.3%. The health status of seniors is positive, with national comparative rankings in line with the broader population.

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

O'Connor shows higher levels of cultural diversity than most typical local areas, with 25.6% of residents born outside Australia and 17.7% communicating in a language other than English at home. Christianity is the most common religious affiliation, encompassing 31.5% of the local population. Judaism displays a minor relative overrepresentation, accounting for 0.3% of the community compared to 0.2% across the Australian Capital Territory.

Looking at ancestral backgrounds, the three most common heritages reported in O'Connor are English at 24.6%, Australian at 22.9%, and Other at 10.6%. There are also differences in the concentration of other backgrounds compared to regional figures, with Polish heritage accounting for 1.3% of O'Connor (compared to 0.8% across the region), Hungarian heritage at 0.4% (compared to 0.3%), and Croatian heritage at 1.1% (compared to 0.9%).

O'Connor's population is younger than the national pattern

The suburb of O'Connor (ACT) has a median age of 35, matching the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 but sitting slightly below the Australian median of 38 years. Relative to the territory, the suburb of O'Connor (ACT) has a higher proportion of youth aged 15 - 24 (17.8%) and a lower percentage of adults aged 35 - 44 (10.2%). The youth demographic is larger than the national average of 12.7%. Since the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age bracket has risen from 15.7% to 18.4% of the population, and the 75 to 84 bracket grew from 3.3% to 5.1%. Conversely, children aged 5 to 14 dropped from 11.7% to 9.8%, and the 35 to 44 cohort declined from 11.7% to 10.2%. Long-term forecasts for 2041 point to demographic shifts in the suburb of O'Connor (ACT). The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow the fastest at 47%, adding 142 individuals to total 445. Demographic aging is expected to continue, with residents aged 65 and over accounting for 62% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 brackets are projected to contract.