Growth is expected across all Canberra districts.
02 September 2025
In brief:
- Canberra’s population will be nearly 700,000 people by 2050.
- Growth is expected across all Canberra districts.
- Population projections help with planning for Canberra’s future.
The ACT’s latest population projections show that Canberra will be home to nearly 700,000 people by 2050. The population is expected to hit 800,000 in 2065.
Growth is expected across all Canberra districts.
The ACT Population Projections 2025–2065 show that the Territory’s population is expected to increase by 319,000 over the next 40 years.
In December 2024, the ACT’s population was 482,000. This is expected to grow by around 8,000 people each year.
The last population projections were released in 2022. The new projections include updated city planning data, as well as updated information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The new projections show that the population growth is now expected to be spread more broadly across the capital.
New suburbs in the Molonglo Valley, Canberra’s north-western edge will be large growth areas for the city. More homes in existing suburbs will also need to be built for the growing population.
New Canberrans arriving from interstate or overseas is expected to be the main contributor of population growth over the next 40 years, while the birth rate is expected to decline.
The projections show a moderate ageing of the ACT population compared to other states and territories.
Understanding how the population will change helps us plan for Canberra’s future. They show us where we’re likely to need more schools, more health facilities and improved roads or public transport.
The ACT Population Projections 2025–2065 are published on the Treasury website.
Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:
