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The ACT in Australia

The ACT is made up of Unincorporated ACT and Unknown.

Living in The ACT in May 2025

The ACT Overall Liveability Index
Australia
59.5
Adelaide
62.9
Central NSW
59.0
Central QLD
57.2
Central VIC
60.8
Darwin
52.6
Eastern VIC
58.0
Far North Queensland
52.9
Hobart
58.1
Melbourne
60.6
Northern NSW
55.7
Perth
62.9
Regional NT
50.6
Regional SA
59.4
Regional Tas
58.8
Regional WA
61.0
Rest of QLD
66.5
South East Queensland
59.2
Southern NSW
59.1
Sydney
64.1
Western VIC
60.9
Collected May 2025

Use the values and experiences matrix to understand the relationship between what your residents believe makes somewhere a good place to live and how they experience their local area in that regard. The matrix highlights the attributes that your community believe needs to maintained and improved to advance overall liveability.

Greater Importance & Worse Experiences    Greater Importance & Better Experiences    Less important attributes

The ACT Overall Liveability Index

The ACT Overall Liveability Index 64.2

Australia Overall Liveability Index

Australia Overall Liveability Index 59.5

The ACT
Australia
Importance
Experience
Feeling safe
Importance
Experience
61%
6.6
65%
6.2
Health services
Importance
Experience
57%
5.9
48%
6.1
Natural environment
Importance
Experience
53%
7.8
50%
7.6
Affordable decent housing
Importance
Experience
49%
4.5
56%
4.5
Good job prospects
Importance
Experience
33%
6.6
29%
5.4
Education
Importance
Experience
30%
7.2
20%
6.3
Social cohesion
Importance
Experience
27%
6.7
26%
6.3
Sense of community
Importance
Experience
27%
6.0
29%
6.2
Shopping, leisure & dining
Importance
Experience
27%
6.6
26%
6.1
Public transport
Importance
Experience
25%
5.5
40%
5.2
A prosperous economy
Importance
Experience
23%
6.2
16%
5.6
Making your way
Importance
Experience
22%
6.5
30%
6.0
Cultural facilities
Importance
Experience
19%
7.7
15%
5.8
A lack of road congestion
Importance
Experience
18%
6.4
21%
5.3
Opportunity for all
Importance
Experience
15%
6.0
19%
5.9
Sports and recreation
Importance
Experience
14%
7.1
9%
6.9
The arrows indicate whether a difference is statistically significant. Significance testing helps determine if a difference between two groups is likely real (shown by an arrow) or due to random chance (no arrow).
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Health and Wellbeing in The ACT in May 2025

Physical Health
How would you rate your physical health?
Do you think your physical health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
6.7
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
21%
54%
25%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
15%
56%
30%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Mental Health
How would you rate your mental health?
Do you think your mental health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
7.2
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
11%
65%
24%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
12%
64%
24%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Social wellbeing
How would you rate your social wellbeing?
Do you think your social wellbeing will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
6.6
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.5
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
12%
68%
20%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
11%
67%
22%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Financial circumstances in The ACT in May 2025

How would you rate your personal financial circumstances?
Do you think your personal financial circumstance will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
6.0
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
5.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
30%
46%
24%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
27%
47%
26%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
How often, if ever, are you late meeting your financial commitments?
Do you think the economic situation in your local area will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
The ACT 2025 (n = 182)
Australia (n = 4683)
Always late
1%
2%
Often late
8%
6%
Sometimes late
22%
30%
Never late
69%
63%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
46%
43%
12%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
42%
48%
11%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change in The ACT in May 2025

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
Australia (n = 4907)
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by human activities
49%
43%
It's happening - caused equally by human activities and natural causes
29%
32%
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
7%
9%
It's happening - not sure what is causing it
8%
6%
I do not believe climate change is happening
8%
11%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among those that believe in climate change, 53% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 30% expected their local area to feel the effects within their lifetime. Of those, 2% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 42% somewhat confident. 54% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact your local area in your lifetime?
How confident are you that your local area will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
The ACT 2025 (n = 175)
Australia (n = 4304)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
53%
49%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
30%
36%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect it will in my lifetime
18%
15%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
The ACT 2025 (n = 145)
Australia (n = 3585)
Very confident
2%
5%
Somewhat confident
42%
35%
Not very confident
39%
39%
Not at all confident
15%
15%
Don't know
1%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt their local area is currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top local area climate-related events were: Extreme heat (83%), Bushfires (70%) and Storms (66%). The top actions residents felt should be taken to address the effects of climate change in their local area were: Protect and enhance local biodiversity (64%), Educate residents on how to live more sustainably (61%) and Provide options for recycling waste (59%).

How is your local area currently, or how do you expect it will, feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
What do you feel are the best ways to address the effects of climate change in your local area?
The ACT 2025 (n = 140)
Australia (n = 3490)
Extreme heat
83%
74%
Bushfires
70%
50%
Storms
66%
53%
Droughts
55%
42%
Severe wind
40%
44%
Extremely cold temperatures
31%
16%
Flooding
27%
48%
Sea level rise
8%
24%
Cyclones
5%
24%
Earthquakes
4%
5%
Landslide
1%
7%
Other
6%
5%
None of these
0%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
The ACT 2025 (n = 145)
Australia (n = 3585)
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
64%
60%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
61%
53%
Provide options for recycling waste
59%
47%
Adopt renewable energy sources
56%
48%
Conserve natural resources
51%
48%
Reduce pollution of the environment
46%
51%
More sustainable building and development practices
46%
44%
More sustainable transport options
44%
41%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
43%
36%
Create renewable energy sources
43%
38%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
38%
35%
Encourage residents to buy locally
29%
30%
Other
4%
6%
None of these
2%
2%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 47% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 34% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 7% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 52% somewhat confident. 41% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact you personally in your lifetime?
How confident are you that you personally will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
The ACT 2025 (n = 175)
Australia (n = 4304)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
47%
47%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
34%
37%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
19%
16%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
The ACT 2025 (n = 140)
Australia (n = 3506)
Very confident
7%
8%
Somewhat confident
52%
52%
Not very confident
31%
30%
Not at all confident
10%
6%
Don't know
1%
4%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt they are currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top personal impacts were: Increased household running costs (79%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (61%) and Reduction in air quality (48%). 49% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 26% feel it will reduce their quality of life a lot.

How are you currently, or how do you expect to, personally feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Which of the following best represents how you believe the effects of climate change will affect your quality of life?
The ACT 2025 (n = 140)
Australia (n = 3506)
Increased household running costs
79%
77%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
61%
61%
Reduction in air quality
48%
36%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
46%
46%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
39%
40%
My ability to access nature due to weather
38%
32%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
33%
26%
Challenges accessing essential services
30%
28%
Loss or damage to your home/property
24%
29%
Challenges getting around
22%
36%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
15%
29%
Reduced value to your home/property
10%
15%
None of these
1%
2%
Other
3%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
The ACT 2025 (n = 140)
Australia (n = 3506)
It will improve a lot
2%
2%
It will improve somewhat
8%
7%
It will not change
8%
14%
It will reduce somewhat
49%
49%
It will reduce a lot
26%
22%
Don't know
6%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Concerns in The ACT in May 2025

What are the top three issues facing your local area?
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
Australia (n = 4907)
Inflation/Cost of Living
59%
54%
Housing/Price of Housing
46%
50%
Law & order
40%
36%
Healthcare/Hospitals
36%
20%
The Economy
13%
12%
Household Debt/Personal Debt
13%
13%
Transport
12%
20%
Petrol Prices/Fuel
12%
12%
Immigration
12%
7%
Poverty/Inequality
9%
11%
Race Relations/Racism
9%
5%
Population/Overpopulation
8%
13%
Environmental Concerns
7%
10%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
6%
15%
Taxation
4%
6%
Education
4%
3%
Unemployment
4%
9%
Issues Facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
4%
4%
Defence
2%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Residential Development and Local Area Decision-Making in The ACT in May 2025

What concerns do you have with residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
Australia (n = 4907)
Strain on infrastructure and public services
45%
42%
Loss of green space or natural areas
45%
28%
Increased traffic and congestion
41%
46%
Lack of affordable housing
30%
38%
Rising housing costs
30%
35%
Changes to neighbourhood character
28%
21%
Overcrowding
20%
18%
Environmental impact
16%
20%
Noise or disruption during construction
7%
10%
Other
7%
5%
None/not applicable to my area
3%
5%
Don't know
0%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What other concerns do you have with residential development in your local area?

What do you see as the potential benefits of residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
The ACT 2025 (n = 187)
Australia (n = 4906)
Increased housing availability
52%
49%
Support for local businesses and services
40%
42%
More affordable housing options
36%
37%
Opportunity for more sustainable, energy-efficient housing
24%
15%
Attraction of new residents and economic growth
20%
23%
Enhanced public transport options
17%
13%
Improved infrastructure and amenities (e.g. roads, parks)
16%
18%
Revitalisation of underused or vacant areas
15%
20%
Greater diversity in housing types
10%
10%
Other
4%
4%
None/not applicable to my area
13%
13%
Don’t know
2%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What do you see as the other potential benefits of residential development in your local area?

To what extent do you feel your community’s views are considered in local area decision-making?
The ACT 2025 (n = 188)
Australia (n = 4907)
Very well considered
2%
4%
Somewhat well considered
29%
27%
Not well considered
32%
34%
Not considered at all
30%
27%
Don't know
7%
9%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower