Strathnairn

Strathnairn lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, Strathnairn's population is estimated at around 1,857. This reflects an increase of 1,143 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 714. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 1,763 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 165 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 447 persons per square kilometer. Strathnairn's growth since the 2021 census, at 160.1%, exceeded that of the SA3 area (2.4%) and the state. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 91.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as 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, with 2022 as a base, are adopted. Moving forward, exceptional growth is predicted over the period to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections. The suburb of Strathnairn is expected to expand by 3,591 persons, reflecting an increase of 181.4% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Strathnairn was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Strathnairn recorded approximately 151 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 757 homes. As of FY26, nine approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 new residents per year per dwelling were constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, this figure has increased to 8.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $326,000. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Strathnairn records significantly more new home approvals per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. The area shows a mix of 63.0% standalone homes and 37.0% medium and high-density housing, with an increasing number of townhouses and apartments providing diverse living options. This shift indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more affordable housing choices. With around 35 people per dwelling approval, Strathnairn exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

Future projections estimate that Strathnairn will add approximately 3,368 residents by 2041, suggesting current construction levels should meet demand and create favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth exceeding forecasts.

Strathnairn has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a single project expected to influence this region: Territory Battery, Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre Upgrades, Parkwood Urban Release, and Ginninderry Estate - Stages 4-7 (Strathnairn & future Macnamara). The following details projects likely most relevant.

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Strathnairn significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Strathnairn has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 3.1%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.5%. This is lower than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) unemployment rate of 3.4% but higher than its employment growth rate of 1.9%. Workforce participation in Strathnairn is high at 83.2%, compared to the ACT's 69.6%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and professional & technical services.

Health care & social assistance shows strong specialization with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level. However, public administration & safety has lower representation at 20.1% compared to the regional average of 30.4%. Local employment opportunities appear limited, as indicated by the working population count versus resident population. Employment levels increased by 3.5% and labour force grew by 2.2% in Strathnairn during the year to June 2025, reducing unemployment by 1.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (Sep-22) project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Strathnairn's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though this is a simple 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 2022 shows Strathnairn's median income among taxpayers is $72,536. The average income is $81,992. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to the Australian Capital Territory's median of $68,678 and average of $83,634. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Strathnairn would be approximately $82,401 (median) and $93,143 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data ranks household, family and personal incomes in Strathnairn between the 92nd and 93rd percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 50.2% of residents earn between $1,500 - $2,999 (932 people), reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 34.3% occupy this range. Economic strength is evident with 41.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 17.7% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 91st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Strathnairn is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Strathnairn, as per the latest Census, 83.6% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 16.4% being semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory's figures of 69.4% houses and 30.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Strathnairn stood at 8.1%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 86.4% and rented ones making up 5.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,191, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,000. Weekly rent in Strathnairn was $515, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $430. Nationally, Strathnairn's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 78.2% of all households, including 43.1% couples with children, 27.6% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 21.8%, with lone person households at 18.4% and group households comprising 3.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

In Strathnairn, 52% of residents aged 15 and above have university qualifications, exceeding national (30.4%) and SA3 area averages (43.8%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 27.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (21.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.6% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (14.1%) and certificates (14.5%). Educational participation is high, with 34.2% currently enrolled in formal education: 11.1% in tertiary, 10.0% in primary, and 4.8% in secondary education.

Strathnairn School, the sole educational institution within Strathnairn, has no students enrolled as of the given date. It caters exclusively to primary education, with secondary options available in neighboring areas.

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

Strathnairn has five operational public transport stops, all of which offer bus services. These stops are served by a single route in total, facilitating 209 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of transport in the area is considered good, with residents residing an average of 287 meters from their nearest stop.

On average, buses run 29 times daily across all routes, equating to around 41 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Strathnairn shows excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The area has approximately 60% private health cover (1,106 people), higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 57.1%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 7.7% and 5.4% of residents respectively. A total of 81.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 68.1% across the Australian Capital Territory. Strathnairn has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (3.3%, or 61 people) than the Australian Capital Territory average of 15.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Strathnairn align with those of the general population.

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

Strathnairn has a high level of cultural diversity, with 55.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 51.5% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Strathnairn, comprising 38.3% of people. However, the most notable overrepresentation is in the 'Other' category, which makes up 9.6% of the population, significantly higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 1.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are 'Other', comprising 31.3%, Australian at 16.2%, and English at 14.1%. Notably, Sri Lankan, Filipino, and Polish ethnicities are overrepresented in Strathnairn compared to regional averages, with Sri Lankan at 2.3% (vs 0.3%), Filipino at 4.8% (vs 1.2%), and Polish at 1.4% (vs 0.8%).

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

Strathnairn has a median age of 31, which is younger than the Australian Capital Territory's figure of 35 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Strathnairn has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (27.2%), but fewer residents aged 55-64 (4.1%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and the present, the median age has increased by 1.0 years from 30 to 31, reflecting an aging population. Key changes include the growth of the 5-14 age group from 13.0% to 16.9%, and the increase of the 45-54 cohort from 7.9% to 9.5%. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort has declined from 21.8% to 19.3%, and the 0-4 group has dropped from 11.6% to 9.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Strathnairn, with the 25-34 cohort projected to grow by 154%, adding 778 residents to reach a total of 1,284.