Acton (ACT), ACT
By Lauren McCaleb · Reviewed by Dylan Duncan ·
Acton occupies a leafy peninsula and hillside just west of Canberra's centre, wrapped by Lake Burley Griffin to the south and Black Mountain to the west. Aboriginal people lived in this country for thousands of years; the Ngunnawal name Ngamarawai, said to mean cave place, is recorded for limestone caves now lying beneath the lake. The suburb takes its name from an early homestead that stood near where the National Museum sits today. Most of its land is given over to the sprawling campus of the Australian National University, the country's national research university, while the striking National Museum of Australia occupies the tip of Acton Peninsula. Lakeside paths and the climb up Black Mountain frame the suburb.
Acton (ACT) at a glance
- Population (2021)
- 2,848
- Median age
- 19
- Coordinates
- -35.2886, 149.1107
Acton (ACT) demographics (2021 Census)
The figures below profile Acton (ACT) using the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census; every percentage is a share of a clearly stated Census count, so each one traces back to the source. At a glance, the largest age group is youth (15–24) at 88% and 32% of residents were born overseas.
Age profile
| Age group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Children (0–14) | 5 | 0% |
| Youth (15–24) | 2,510 | 88% |
| Young adults (25–44) | 318 | 11% |
| Mid-life (45–64) | 7 | 0% |
| Seniors (65+) | 0 | 0% |
Share of the 2,840 people counted by age.
Housing and households
- Median weekly rent
- $9
- Average household size
- 1 people
- Median weekly personal income
- $257
Community and culture
- Born overseas
- 746 (32%)
- Speaks a language other than English at home
- 572 (24%)
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- 22 (1%)
Work and education
- Completed Year 12
- 2,332 (82%)
- Labour-force participation
- 57.9%
- Unemployment rate
- 17.3%
- Employed full-time
- 66
- Employed part-time
- 1,150
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2021 (General Community Profile, by Suburb and Locality). © Australian Bureau of Statistics, released under CC BY 4.0. How we group bands and derive each share is set out on our methodology page.
Weather and climate in Acton (ACT)
Based on 2014–2023 records, the warmest month in Acton (ACT) is January (average daytime high around 27.8°C) and the coolest is July (around 10.6°C). The area receives roughly 800 mm of rain across the year.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27.8°C | 14.5°C | 76 mm |
| Feb | 26.1°C | 13.5°C | 59 mm |
| Mar | 23.2°C | 11.8°C | 73 mm |
| Apr | 19.1°C | 7.9°C | 54 mm |
| May | 14.4°C | 3.3°C | 46 mm |
| Jun | 11.2°C | 1.5°C | 62 mm |
| Jul | 10.6°C | 0.7°C | 43 mm |
| Aug | 11.9°C | 0.9°C | 67 mm |
| Sep | 15.6°C | 3.2°C | 63 mm |
| Oct | 19.4°C | 6.7°C | 76 mm |
| Nov | 22.2°C | 9.5°C | 94 mm |
| Dec | 25.4°C | 12.2°C | 87 mm |
Climate normals, 2014–2023 (Open-Meteo, ERA5 reanalysis).
Common questions about Acton (ACT)
Where is Acton (ACT)?
Acton (ACT) is a suburb of Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
What is the population of Acton (ACT)?
At the 2021 Census, Acton (ACT) had a population of about 2,848.
What is the weather like in Acton (ACT)?
Acton (ACT) has average daytime highs of about 18.9°C and overnight lows of about 7.1°C, with roughly 800 mm of rain across the year (based on 2014–2023 climate normals).
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