Reid (ACT)

An assessment of population growth drivers in Reid reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population of the Reid (ACT) statistical area (Lv2) is around 1,957. This reflects an increase of 413 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,544 people in the area. The latest resident population estimate was made by AreaSearch following examination of the ABS's ERP data release from June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,081 persons per square kilometer for Reid (ACT), which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The Reid (ACT) (SA2)'s population growth rate of 26.7% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the state's growth rate of 6.4% and the SA4 region's growth during this period, marking it as a growth leader in the area. Interstate migration contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains for Reid (ACT) 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, also based on 2022, are adopted. Based on these projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecast for Reid (ACT). By 2041, the area is expected to increase by 668 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 34.1% over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval data, Reid has recorded approximately one residential property granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated nine homes. So far in FY26, zero approvals have been recorded. On average, 41.4 people move to the area each year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating significant demand outpacing supply.

New homes are being constructed at an average value of $1,200,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Reid has markedly lower building activity, 92.0% below the regional average per person. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With around 766 people per dwelling approval, Reid reflects a highly mature market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Reid is expected to grow by 668 residents through to 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 19 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Academy Close Redevelopment - Campbell, Australian War Memorial Redevelopment, UNSW Canberra City Campus - Stage 1, and Marcus Clarke Street Office Complex. 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.

Reid has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Reid has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 4.4% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 2.3%.

As of September 2025, 1,191 residents are employed at an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is 0.8% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%. Workforce participation in Reid is 64.6%, compared to the ACT's 69.6%. Key industries include public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and education & training. Professional & technical services have a notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, health care & social assistance has lower representation at 6.9% compared to the regional average of 11.7%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.3%, while labour force increased by 1.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, ACT recorded employment growth of 1.4%, labour force growth of 1.2%, with unemployment falling by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Reid's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The suburb of Reid has an extremely high national income level according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Reid is $67,610 and the average income stands at $86,994. These figures compare to those for Australian Capital Territory which are $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $73,871 (median) and $95,050 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Reid rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 95th percentiles. Distribution data shows that the income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 31.9% of residents (624 people), mirroring regional levels where 34.3% occupy this bracket. Reid demonstrates considerable affluence with 38.0% earning over $3,000 per week. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 83rd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Reid features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Reid, as per the latest Census evaluation, 36.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 63.7% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) figures of 39.3% houses and 60.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Reid stood at 31.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.1% and rented ones at 46.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, exceeding the ACT average of $2,080. The median weekly rent was recorded at $430, compared to the ACT's $476. Nationally, Reid's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Reid features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 47.9% of all households, including 15.2% couples with children, 27.4% couples without children, and 4.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 52.1%, with lone person households at 40.9% and group households comprising 10.8%. The median household size is 2.0 people, smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.2.

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

Reid's educational attainment is notably high, with 61.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 46.8% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 31.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (23.1%) and graduate diplomas (6.9%). Vocational pathways account for 16.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 8.5% and certificates at 7.5%. Educational participation is high, with 30.6% currently enrolled in formal education, including 15.0% in tertiary, 4.2% in primary, and 4.0% in secondary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.0% in tertiary education, 4.2% in primary education, and 4.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Reid has 15 active public transport stops. These are served by 40 different bus routes. Together, these routes provide 3,175 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 168 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 453 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 211 weekly trips per individual stop.

Reid's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Reid residents show positive health outcomes with common conditions seen across age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 62%, compared to 65.9% in ACT and a national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues (11.6%) and arthritis (8.1%) are most prevalent, while 65.7% report no medical ailments, compared to 70.8% in ACT.

Residents aged 65+ comprise 16.3%, higher than ACT's 11.4%. Seniors' health outcomes excel beyond the general population.

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

Reid's population was found to be more linguistically diverse than most local markets, with 20.2% speaking a language other than English at home as of the 2016 Census. Additionally, 31.7% of Reid's residents were born overseas during this period. Christianity was the dominant religion in Reid, making up 36.7% of its population.

However, Judaism was notably overrepresented in Reid compared to the Australian Capital Territory, comprising 0.6% versus 0.5%. In terms of ancestry, the most prevalent groups in Reid were English at 25.4%, Australian at 20.6%, and Other at 11.5%. Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Polish was overrepresented at 1.3% compared to the regional average of 0.9%, French at 1.0% versus 0.7%, and Hungarian at 0.5% versus 0.3%.

Reid's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Reid has a median age of 39, which is higher than the Australian Capital Territory's figure of 35 and comparable to Australia's 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 23.0% of Reid's population, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's figure, while the 5-14 cohort represents 4.9%, which is less prevalent than in the territory. This concentration of individuals aged 25-34 is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, Reid's median age has decreased by 1.3 years from 40 to 39, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. During this period, the percentage of individuals aged 25-34 in Reid's population has grown from 19.8% to 23.0%. Conversely, the proportion of individuals aged 55-64 has declined from 14.9% to 13.2%, and those aged 65-74 have decreased from 11.5% to 10.0%. Demographic modeling suggests that Reid's age profile will undergo significant changes by the year 2041. Leading this demographic shift, the number of individuals aged 65-74 is projected to grow by 56%, increasing from 195 to 306 people.