Acton
Acton's standout feature is its student-scale profile: 2,848 residents have a median age of 19, which is 21 years below the national figure. Density reaches 475.5 people per sq km across 5.99 sq km, while 42.3% hold a university qualification, 12.2 percentage points higher than the national comparison. Overseas-born residents make up 31.6%, 10.0 points above national, with Mandarin recorded for 84 residents. A 41.3% walking or cycling share is higher than the 26.6% car-driver share because Acton's compact footprint supports short trips. Compared with nearby Turner and Braddon, Acton reads as more institution-led and transient, with 76.3% turnover and only 23.7% staying at the same address.
Local council: Unincorporated ACT
Population
2,848
Median Age
19.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$0/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Homebuyers need to approach Acton differently from a conventional family suburb. Average household size is 1.0, median age is 19 and density is 475.5 people per sq km, pointing to a compact, low-household market. Walking or cycling accounts for 41.3%, above the 26.6% car-driver share, while 19.5% work from home and 10.1% use public transport. That mix favours buyers prioritising low-car living and flexible routines because daily trips can be short. No reliable median house price, bedroom mix or tenure split supports a dollar comparison with Turner or Braddon, so inspect the exact dwelling, body-corporate costs and recent comparable sales. With 2,848 residents and 76.3% turnover, usability may matter more than a large family floorplan.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to approach Acton differently from a conventional family suburb. Average household size is 1.0, median age is 19 and density is 475.5 people per sq km, pointing to a compact, low-household market. Walking or cycling accounts for 41.3%, above the 26.6% car-driver share, while 19.5% work from home and 10.1% use public transport. That mix favours buyers prioritising low-car living and flexible routines because daily trips can be short. No reliable median house price, bedroom mix or tenure split supports a dollar comparison with Turner or Braddon, so inspect the exact dwelling, body-corporate costs and recent comparable sales. With 2,848 residents and 76.3% turnover, usability may matter more than a large family floorplan.
For Investors
Acton has a high-growth signal but limited inputs for a conventional rental-yield case. The annual trend is 2.88%, overseas migration is the primary driver, and the wider area recorded 44.9% population change over ten years. Development count was 0 in the last 12 months, which may limit fresh competing supply, but there is no dependable weekly rent, vacancy rate, median price or renting share to calculate yield, vacancy risk or cash flow. Compared with a standard buy-and-hold assessment in Turner or Braddon, the key risk is missing market benchmarks rather than a lack of growth signals. The median age of 19 and 76.3% turnover suggest tenant demand may be mobile and institution-linked, so investors should stress-test shorter leases, furnishing, maintenance and exit liquidity. Gentrification is scored 15 and staged Not gentrifying, which is lower than a clear renewal signal despite the 2.88% trend.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Acton's demographic signature is unusually young and mobile. Median age is 19, 21 years below the national comparison, while 42.3% have a university qualification, 12.2 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents account for 31.6%, 10.0 points higher than national, with Chinese ancestry recorded at 301 and Mandarin at 84. English ancestry is the largest named ancestry at 798, followed by Irish at 323, while no religion counts 1,487 compared with Christianity at 513. Turnover is 76.3% and only 23.7% stayed at the same address, which helps explain the small 1.0 average household size and the transient feel. Compared with nearby Turner and Braddon, Acton is more shaped by tertiary education and short residential cycles than by long-established family households.
Age Distribution
Dwelling Structure
N/A
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Acton's housing picture is better understood through form and mobility than through a standard price ladder. The suburb covers 5.99 sq km at 475.5 people per sq km, and the average household size is 1.0, well below the national comparison by 1.5 people. Travel patterns reinforce that compact reading: 41.3% walk or cycle, compared with 26.6% driving, while 19.5% work from home and 10.1% use public transport. A median house price, quarterly price, bedroom distribution and tenure percentages are not available, so a precise comparison with Turner or Braddon would be unsound. For a purchaser or landlord, the practical checks are dwelling efficiency, storage, noise, furnishing and recurring ownership costs because high turnover of 76.3% can make day-to-day usability more important than land size. Acton's 2,848 residents add to the small-market character.
Mortgage / mo
$0
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$9
Census 2021
HH Size
1.0
Personal Income / wk
$257
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Economy & Employment
Acton's employment base is concentrated in education, which accounts for 41.5% of industry employment, or 120 people, far higher than hospitality at 15.6% and 45 people. Professional/Tech contributes 9.0% and 26 people, followed by retail at 8.3% and 24, and public administration at 6.9% and 20. The occupation mix is led by Community/Personal work at 502, professionals at 326 and sales at 232, with clerical/admin at 151 and labourers at 65. Labour force participation is 58.1% across 1,653 people, while unemployment is 17.2% or 285 people. Only 4.8% are employed full-time and 1,150 are part-time, a pattern consistent with the median age of 19 because students commonly combine study with flexible work. Education's share is higher than every other named industry, making the local economy more specialised than a broad employment base.
Unemployment
17.2%
Labour Force
1,653
Unemployed
285
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
4.8%
Part-time
84.1%
Participation
58.1%
Employed
1,368
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.3%
Postgraduate
16.1%
Born Overseas
31.6%
Dwellings
0
Transport to Work
Acton's strongest livability advantage is low-car mobility. Walking or cycling is the main recorded travel mode at 41.3%, higher than the 26.6% car-driver share; public transport accounts for 10.1% and working from home for 19.5%. The pattern fits a dense 5.99 sq km suburb with 475.5 people per sq km because compact movement can reduce reliance on a private vehicle. Volunteering is 45.6%, above the 31.6% overseas-born share, while only 0.3% of residents, or 8 people, report needing assistance. Median age is 19, which is 21 years below the national comparison and helps explain why recreation, study access and adaptable services matter more than age-specific infrastructure. Compared with a lower-density Canberra suburb, Acton's walkability is higher relative to driving, but residents should still test evening transport, noise and pedestrian comfort street by street.
Drive
26.6%
Public Transport
10.1%
Walk / Cycle
41.3%
Work from Home
19.5%
Growth Outlook
Acton combines a strong growth rate with a stable social trajectory. The annual trend is 2.88%, higher than a flat-growth path, and overseas migration is the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 44.9% over ten years, while the shift trajectory is Stable and affordability is marked Improving, moving from 203.9 in 2011 to 3.5 in 2021. That combination suggests growth is being carried by population churn and incoming residents rather than a clear gentrification cycle. The gentrification score is 15 and the stage is Not gentrifying, despite a signal accelerating from 2% to 70%. Real income growth is 1.4%, and the young-share change is -0.4 percentage points, so growth should not be read as a rapid change toward an older or more affluent resident base. Compared with a flat established suburb, Acton's 2.88% trend is materially higher, but its Stable trajectory and score 15 point to continuity rather than wholesale change.
Population trend: Unincorporated ACT council area
Acton sits in the Unincorporated ACT council area. These are the council area's residents, not Acton's.
Residents 2025
484,630
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.3%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Acton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Acton a good suburb to live in?
Acton can suit residents who value a young, compact and low-car setting. Its median age is 19, population is 2,848, and 41.3% walk or cycle, a higher share than the 26.6% who drive. The trade-off is 76.3% residential turnover, so it may feel less settled than nearby Turner or Braddon.
What is the median house price in Acton?
Acton's median house price cannot be stated because a reliable suburb-level figure is unavailable. Acton has 2,848 residents, a median age of 19 and a 41.3% walking or cycling share, so buyers should compare current listings and recent sales for the exact dwelling rather than infer value from a suburb-wide median.
What schools are in Acton?
Acton has 0 local schools listed. Families should check nearby ACT schools, enrolment zones and transport for the exact address, since a boundary can change practical access. Education accounts for 41.5% of industry employment, or 120 people, so education-related activity is prominent even though local school options should be verified.
Is Acton safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is unavailable, so Acton cannot be given a numeric safety rating. Check current ACT Police information and the exact street before deciding, especially because 76.3% of residents move address within the measured period and 41.3% walk or cycle. Those figures describe mobility, not crime, but they make street-level context useful.
Is Acton good for property investment?
Acton may suit an investor seeking exposure to education-linked demand, but it needs careful underwriting. Annual growth is 2.88%, overseas migration is the primary driver and development count is 0 over 12 months. However, no dependable rent, vacancy or median price supports a yield calculation, while 76.3% turnover can increase leasing and maintenance risk. Compared with a standard long-term rental suburb, the case is more specialised.
How is Acton's population changing?
Acton has 2,848 residents today. Population change across the wider area is 44.9% over ten years, with an annual trend of 2.88% driven primarily by overseas migration. The forecast trajectory is Stable, while the young-share change is -0.4 percentage points. This indicates ongoing growth without a clear shift toward an older population.
What languages are spoken in Acton?
Mandarin is recorded for 84 residents, Hindi for 22 and Canton for 16; a further 14 are grouped under other languages. Overseas-born residents are 31.6%, which is 10.0 percentage points above the national comparison. This makes clear communication and language access useful considerations for local services and rental management.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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