State Economic Profile • Capital: Canberra • 1.8% of Australian Population
Australian Capital Territory - Economic Statistics
The ACT economy is anchored by public administration, defence, higher education, and professional scientific services, giving Canberra high household incomes and low unemployment.
Headline Australian Capital Territory Indicators
2026 Q1 National series →
Australian Capital Territory Population
489,668 Persons
Australian Capital Territory Unemployment Rate
0.0% %
2026 Q2 National series →
Australian Capital Territory State Final Demand Growth
1.1% % p.a.
2026 Q2 National series →
Australian Capital Territory Mean Dwelling Price
$981.7k A$'000
2026 Q2 National series →
Australian Capital Territory Wage Growth (WPI)
3.3% % p.a.
May 2026 National series →
Australian Capital Territory Average Weekly Earnings (AWOTE)
$2,290 A$ / week
Aug 2026 National series →
Australian Capital Territory Dwelling Approvals
2,111 Dwellings / yr
Jun 2025 National series →
Australian Capital Territory Annual Retail Turnover
$4,127m A$ million / yr
Australian Capital Territory Historical Trajectories
Australian Capital Territory Population
PersonsAustralian Capital Territory Unemployment Rate
%Australian Capital Territory State Final Demand Growth
% p.a.Australian Capital Territory Mean Dwelling Price
A$'000Australian Capital Territory Wage Growth (WPI)
% p.a.Australian Capital Territory Average Weekly Earnings (AWOTE)
A$ / weekAustralian Capital Territory Annual Economic Data Table (1980–2026)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ERP_Q, LF, ANA_SFD, RES_DWELL_ST, WPI, AWE)
| Year | Population | Unemployment (%) | State Final Demand (%) | Mean Dwelling ($'000) | Wage Growth (%) | Weekly Earnings ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 489,668 | - | 1.2% | $981.7 | 3.5% | $2,290 |
| 2025 | 487,259 | - | 3.4% | $1,008.3 | 3.8% | $2,240 |
| 2024 | 481,258 | - | 3.9% | $945.5 | 3.7% | $2,152 |
| 2023 | 474,862 | - | 1.9% | $946.6 | 4.0% | $2,055 |
| 2022 | 465,873 | - | 4.2% | $962.8 | 2.7% | $2,001 |
| 2021 | 456,005 | - | 4.9% | $999.5 | 1.9% | $1,945 |
| 2020 | 447,650 | - | 4.5% | $764.0 | 1.8% | $1,876 |
| 2019 | 440,267 | - | 3.6% | $707.0 | 2.3% | $1,820 |
| 2018 | 430,758 | - | 4.2% | $678.3 | 2.0% | $1,812 |
| 2017 | 420,226 | - | 4.2% | $670.1 | 1.9% | $1,789 |
| 2016 | 408,878 | - | 3.2% | $641.9 | 1.9% | $1,736 |
| 2015 | 398,874 | - | 4.0% | $611.8 | 1.7% | $1,711 |
| 2014 | 391,981 | - | -2.0% | $582.6 | 2.0% | $1,683 |
| 2013 | 386,318 | - | 2.6% | $573.0 | 2.8% | $1,687 |
| 2012 | 379,812 | - | 1.2% | $564.1 | 4.0% | $1,620 |
| 2011 | 372,070 | - | 8.3% | $561.5 | 3.2% | $1,522 |
| 2010 | 364,833 | - | 6.7% | - | 3.5% | $1,464 |
| 2009 | 357,859 | - | 1.0% | - | 3.9% | $1,378 |
| 2008 | 351,101 | - | 3.0% | - | 3.9% | $1,317 |
| 2007 | 344,176 | - | 1.9% | - | 4.3% | $1,264 |
| 2006 | 338,381 | - | 6.2% | - | 4.0% | $1,207 |
| 2005 | 333,505 | - | 2.9% | - | 4.5% | $1,151 |
| 2004 | 329,498 | - | 5.3% | - | 4.1% | $1,071 |
| 2003 | 327,596 | - | 6.3% | - | 4.0% | $1,046 |
| 2002 | 325,950 | - | 7.3% | - | 3.0% | $972 |
| 2001 | 322,874 | - | 2.3% | - | 3.6% | $929 |
| 2000 | 318,941 | - | 4.7% | - | 2.8% | $922 |
| 1999 | 315,431 | - | 7.5% | - | 2.8% | $866 |
| 1998 | 312,300 | - | 2.8% | - | 3.0% | $843 |
| 1997 | 310,281 | - | 5.5% | - | - | $803 |
| 1996 | 310,655 | - | 6.6% | - | - | $783 |
| 1995 | 307,022 | - | -4.3% | - | - | $755 |
| 1994 | 303,289 | - | 10.2% | - | - | $710 |
| 1993 | 300,490 | - | 3.5% | - | - | - |
| 1992 | 296,519 | - | 3.6% | - | - | - |
| 1991 | 291,523 | - | 6.6% | - | - | - |
| 1990 | 285,012 | - | 0.8% | - | - | - |
| 1989 | 279,219 | - | 9.4% | - | - | - |
| 1988 | 274,105 | - | -3.4% | - | - | - |
| 1987 | 268,787 | - | 8.6% | - | - | - |
| 1986 | 262,188 | - | -0.3% | - | - | - |
| 1985 | 255,908 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1984 | 247,084 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1983 | 241,960 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1982 | 234,996 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1981 | 229,484 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1980 | 226,617 | - | - | - | - | - |