Ainslie
The suburb scores decile 10 on the IEO education-and-occupation index and decile 9 on IRSAD, yet houses cost a fraction of comparably advantaged Sydney addresses, because Canberra's land-supply model keeps prices closer to incomes. University qualifications reach 62.9%, which is 32.8 points above the national figure, driven by a workforce where 39.4% sit in Public Administration. The population of 5,376 is aging, with a median age of 42, two years above national, and growing slowly at 0.35% a year.
Population
5,376
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,434/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
23
The stock suits families: 72.9% are separate houses against just 10.2% apartments, and 43.0% have three bedrooms with another 31.5% offering four or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, lower than most premium suburbs because Canberra land prices track incomes more closely than Sydney or Melbourne. Tenure is balanced, with 32.9% owning outright and 32.0% carrying a mortgage, a sign of a settled owner base rather than rapid buyer churn. The trade-off is scarce diversity in dwelling type for anyone wanting low-maintenance apartment living.
For Buyers
The stock suits families: 72.9% are separate houses against just 10.2% apartments, and 43.0% have three bedrooms with another 31.5% offering four or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, lower than most premium suburbs because Canberra land prices track incomes more closely than Sydney or Melbourne. Tenure is balanced, with 32.9% owning outright and 32.0% carrying a mortgage, a sign of a settled owner base rather than rapid buyer churn. The trade-off is scarce diversity in dwelling type for anyone wanting low-maintenance apartment living.
For Investors
The 7.2% vacancy rate is moderate rather than tight, so rent setting carries some competition. Demand support leans on overseas migration, which adds about 69 residents a year while internal migration removes 19, leaving thin natural growth of 0.35% annually. Development is limited at 25 applications in 12 months, mostly demolitions and dual-occupancy rebuilds rather than large new supply, which protects existing values from oversupply. Rent grew 14.7% over the period, so the case rests on steady yield and a constrained detached-house market more than rapid capital gains.
Development Activity
Total DAs
93
Last 12 Months
23
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+64.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ainslie iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
North Ainslie Primary School
K-6 · 527 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 3.7 points while the working-age share fell 3.9 points over the decade. University qualifications at 62.9% run 32.8 points above national, among the highest in the country, reflecting a public-sector professional base. Overseas-born residents reach 22.7%, only 1.1 points above national, so the population is less migrant-driven than most capital-city suburbs. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,190), Irish (892) and Scottish (761), and the largest non-English languages are Mandarin (27) and Italian (26), both small. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure, consistent with a family profile where couples with children (1,652 families) outnumber couples without children (988).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.9%
Houses
16.9%
Townhouse
10.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits almost evenly: 32.9% own outright, 32.0% carry a mortgage and 35.0% rent, a more balanced spread than the owner-heavy profile of older established suburbs. The stock is strongly detached at 72.9% separate houses, with semi-detached at 16.9% and apartments only 10.2%, which keeps the market oriented to families rather than downsizers. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 43.0% and four-plus bedrooms 31.5%, so larger homes dominate. Mortgage-to-income at 24.7% and rent-to-income at 15.1% both sit below stress thresholds, which is unusual and reflects how Canberra's planned land release moderates housing costs against strong public-sector earnings.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$367
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,236
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.2%
Unoccupied
156
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.3%
Couples, no children
3,756
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is overwhelmingly tied to government: Public Administration leads at 39.4% (845 workers), far above any private sector, with Professional/Tech at 14.3% (307), Education at 12.8% (275) and Healthcare at 8.0% (171). By occupation, Professionals (1,063) and Managers (610) make up the bulk, which aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.3% and the full-time employment rate is 64.1%. Participation reads 58.7%, below what the income would suggest, because the aging profile leaves 1,539 residents not in the labour force. One anomaly stands out: the IER economic-resources index sits at decile 6 against decile 10 on IEO, because the 35.0% renter base depresses aggregate household-wealth measures even where earnings are high.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
2,908
Unemployed
148
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.1%
Part-time
31.6%
Participation
58.7%
Employed
2,520
Occupations
Top Industries
University
62.9%
Postgraduate
26.7%
Born Overseas
22.7%
Dwellings
2,007
Transport to Work
Active transport is well used: 21.3% of residents walk or cycle while 67.4% drive and only 4.4% take public transport, reflecting Ainslie's proximity to the city centre and limited rail access in Canberra. The suburb earns decile 9 on IRSAD, near the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 8 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 27.1%, well above typical urban rates, and 8.1% (418 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 42. No schools sit inside the 3.54 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off offset by the strongly family-oriented detached housing where three-bedroom homes make up 43.0% of dwellings.
Drive
67.4%
Public Transport
4.4%
Walk / Cycle
21.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.35%/yr
(+19 people/yr)
EstablishedAinslie is an established, slow-growth suburb: annual population growth registers 0.35% and the 10-year change is just 5.3%, so little expansion is expected. The population rose from 5,395 in 2023 to 5,469 in 2025, and medium forecasts hold it near 5,572 by 2031, an increase of only about 100 residents. Overseas migration of 69 a year is the primary driver, partly offset by net internal outflow of 19. The gentrification stage reads early signs with a score of 27, modest rather than transformative, which fits a suburb already at decile 9 IRSAD advantage with limited room to climb. Affordability improved from 34.9% in 2011 to 29.7% in 2021, a better trend than most capital-city markets, and real incomes grew 9.6% over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+69
Net Internal / yr
-19
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ainslie compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ainslie a good suburb to live in?
Ainslie scores decile 10 on the IEO education-and-occupation index and decile 9 on IRSAD, near the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 91.3rd percentile.
What is the median house price in Ainslie?
Weekly rent averages $367 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.7%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Ainslie?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.54 km2 Ainslie boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 62.9%, which is 32.8 points above the national figure.
Is Ainslie safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Ainslie in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 9 on IRSAD, both high tiers, and only 8.1% of its 5,376 residents need daily assistance, consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Ainslie good for property investment?
The 7.2% vacancy rate is moderate, and overseas migration of 69 a year supports demand, though 0.35% annual population growth keeps capital gains gradual.
How is Ainslie's population changing?
Population growth is 0.35% annually with a 5.3% rise over 10 years, from 5,395 in 2023 to 5,469 in 2025. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.7 points and the working-age share down 3.9 points over the decade, and forecasts hold it near 5,572 by 2031.
How much development is happening in Ainslie?
There were 25 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, modest for a 3.54 km2 suburb. Most are demolitions or dual-occupancy rebuilds of existing dwellings rather than new estates, consistent with an established, slow-growth area at 0.35% annual population growth.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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