AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY


Territory summary

Population change

Population density

Centre of population


TERRITORY SUMMARY

In the 12 months to June 2013, the estimated resident population of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) increased by 6,300 people to reach 381,500. The ACT grew by 1.7% over this period, a slightly lower rate than Australia as a whole (1.8%).

Almost all of the population growth in the ACT occurred in the north. The combined population of the northern SA3s increased by 6,100 people to reach 207,000. The southern SA3s increased by 230 people to 174,500.

Gungahlin had the largest growth of all SA3s, up 4,300 people, and accounted for 67% of the total growth for the ACT. This was followed by North Canberra (up by 1,100 people) and Belconnen (740). In contrast, the population of the southern SA3 of Tuggeranong decreased by 710 people (0.8%) over the same period.

POPULATION CHANGE

Growth in the ACT

Much of the ACT's growth in the 12 months to 2013 occurred in the newer suburbs in the north. The largest population increases were in Bonner (up by 1,200 people), Casey (830), Harrison (700) and Crace (680), all within the northern SA3 of Gungahlin.

The new suburbs of Wright and Coombs in the ACT - South West SA2 started to show growth, increasing by 160 people.

Of the established SA2s, the highest growth rates were recorded in Belconnen and Civic (both up by 12%), and Macgregor and Braddon (both 8%). Most of this growth was due to an increase in high- and medium-density dwellings in and around the Belconnen and Civic business centres, as well as suburban land development in west Macgregor.

SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH(a), Australian Capital Territory
	ERP at 30 June	Population Change
	2013p	2012r-2013p
SA2	no.	no.	%
LARGEST GROWTH
Bonner	3 800	1 200	43.3
Casey	2 900	830	40.6
Harrison	5 900	700	13.5
Crace	1 800	680	58.1
Belconnen	5 800	610	11.7
FASTEST GROWTH(b)
Crace	1 800	680	58.1
Bonner	3 800	1 200	43.3
Casey	2 900	830	40.6
Forde	3 400	580	20.4
Harrison	5 900	700	13.5
(a) All population figures presented in this table are rounded. Estimates of population change are based on unrounded numbers.
(b) Excludes SA2s with a population of less than 1,000 at June 2012.

Growth in the surrounding region

Many people commute to Canberra daily from areas of New South Wales immediately surrounding the ACT. Population growth in these surrounding areas continued in 2012-13. The Queanbeyan SA3, to Canberra's east, grew by 540 people. North of the ACT, Goulburn - Yass increased by 850 people.


Population decline in the ACT

Relatively small population decreases occurred in over 40% of all SA2s in the ACT in 2012-13, many of which were in the SA3s of Tuggeranong and Belconnen. The largest declines were in the long-established suburbs of Kambah (down by 160 people) in the south, and Ainslie (down by 120) and Latham (down by 80) in the north.

POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2013, the overall population density of the ACT was 162 people per square kilometre (sq km), up slightly from 159 people per sq km in June 2012. However, population density varied widely across the Territory. The SA3s of Weston Creek, North Canberra, Belconnen and Woden each had population densities of over 1,200 people per sq km, while Cotter - Namadgi (which covers more than two-thirds of the geographical area of the ACT) had a population density of 0.4 people per sq km.

The SA2s with the highest population densities were Braddon (3,900 people per sq km) in Canberra's inner-north, Palmerston (3,000) in the Gungahlin SA3, and Turner (2,500) also in the inner-north.

The largest increases in population density in 2012-13 occurred in the new, northern suburbs of Bonner (up by 420 people per sq km), Crace (410), Casey (320) and Forde (300). Almost 50% of all SA2s in the ACT recorded a decrease in population density in this period. The largest decreases were in Higgins (down by 36 people per sq km) and Ainslie (down by 34) in the north, and Banks (down by 32) in the south.

CENTRE OF POPULATION

The centre of population in the ACT at June 2013 was located near the Royal Canberra Golf Course, in the suburb of Yarralumla. In the ten years to 2013, the centre of population moved 1.5 kilometres north. This reflects population growth in the northern suburbs of Canberra, especially within the Gungahlin SA3.