Economic Dashboard

State Final Demand totalled $34.8bn over the year to June 2026, 1.9% lower than a year earlier and below its 10-year average growth of 0.3%. Annual growth improved from -2.5% in the previous quarter, while quarterly demand rose 1.4% in June after falling 0.6% in March. NT growth was 5.0pp slower than Australia's 3.1%.

Annual State Final Demand per capita was $129,550 in June 2026, down 3.4% over the year and 0.7% below its 10-year average level of $130,527. Quarterly per-capita demand rose 0.9%, but its annual rate remained below the 1.5% population growth recorded to March 2026. Per-capita demand fell 5.0pp slower than Australia's growth of 1.6%.

NT recorded the slowest State Final Demand growth of the eight states and territories, alongside the slowest per-capita growth. Australia's demand grew 3.1%; South Australia led at 3.7%, while Tasmania was next slowest at -0.2%. GDP by state is not published, so this comparison uses State Final Demand.

The NT population reached 268.9 thousand in March 2026, growing 1.5% over the year, compared with Australia's 1.4%. Growth was above the 10-year average of 1.0%, but eased from 1.7% in the previous quarter and 1.9% a year earlier. The NT sat mid-pack among the eight states and territories.

Overseas migration was 3.6 thousand, 70.5% above its 10-year average level of 2.1 thousand, but fell 6.2% over the year; Australia’s migration fell 5.6%. Natural increase was 1.8 thousand, below its 10-year average of 2.5 thousand, and fell 17.0% over the year. Interstate migration was a net loss of 1.6 thousand, close to its 10-year average net loss of 1.7 thousand.

The NT's net interstate migration rate was the lowest of the eight states and territories, at -5.9 per 1,000 residents; the next-lowest was the ACT at -2.9, while Western Australia recorded 3.3. Population growth was mid-pack, with Western Australia leading at 2.1% and Tasmania lowest at 0.6%.

There were 870 dwelling approvals in the year to August 2026, 23.7% above the 10-year average of 704. Approvals per 1,000 people were 3.2, above the 10-year average of 2.8. The rolling-year approvals total reached its five-year high; annual growth was 22.5%, against Australia's 9.5%.

Commencements reached 824 in the year to June 2026, 14.9% above their 10-year average of 717; completions were 718, 1.0% above their average of 711. Completions rose 19.1% in the June quarter, lifting annual growth to 38.1%. Approvals comprised 480 houses and 390 attached dwellings; the data supplies no type-share comparison, so no share is stated.

Approvals per 1,000 people were 3.2, the lowest of the eight states and territories and 4.3pp below Australia's 7.5, despite growing 9.8pp faster year on year. Industrial commercial approvals value was 108.47 in August, up 119.0% over the year, while retail fell 25.7% and office fell 61.9%.

The median capital house price reached $752,500 in June 2026, up 21.4% over the year versus average annual growth of 3.2% over the past decade. The latest quarter brought a 0.3% rise, slowing annual growth from 25.0% in March. Regional houses were $450,000, up 1.3% over the year but unchanged in the June quarter, below their usual 2.8% June-quarter rise.

Capital houses cost 6.92 times annual household income in June 2026, above the 10-year average of 6.74 by 2.7%. This is moderately unaffordable under the supplied scale. Attached homes were 4.10 times income, below their average of 4.35 by 5.8%. Regional houses were 4.14 times income, below their average of 5.44 by 23.9%, and more affordable than capital houses.

Capital house-price growth was the fastest of the eight states and territories, 15.9pp above Australia's 5.5%; Queensland followed at 18.8%. Regional house-price growth was the slowest of the seven reporting jurisdictions, 7.6pp below Australia's 8.9%; Western Australia led at 20.9%. Capital house sales volumes fell 8.7% over the year, despite being 41.5% above their 10-year average level.

Housing finance commitments totalled $576m in June 2026, 12.5% higher than a year earlier and 70.3% above the 10-year average of $338m. The June-quarter rise of 28.9% was stronger than the usual 11.2% seasonal increase, following a 26.5% fall in March. Annual growth was 5.9pp faster than Australia's 6.6%.

Owner-occupier lending was $325m, or 56.5% of total lending, up from 55.4% a year earlier; it grew 14.8% over the year against its 4.1% 10-year average growth. Investor lending was $250m, or 43.5%, down from 44.6% a year earlier; its 9.7% growth was below its 13.9% average. The investor share was 18.9pp above its 10-year average of 24.6%.

New-build lending was $87m, against $488m for existing dwellings. The new-build share was 15.1%, above the average since 2019 of 13.47%, but 3.1pp below Australia's 18.2%; its annual change was 2.3pp against Australia's 2.1pp. New-build lending grew 33.0% over the year versus 9.5% for existing dwellings. NT's approvals growth was 22.5%, while capital house prices rose 21.4%; no interest-rate figure is supplied here.

Job advertisements totalled 8.1k in September 2026, 9.7% above the 10-year average level of 7.4k, but 20.2% below the five-year peak of 10.2k in September 2023. Ads fell 2.6% in the latest quarter and 6.9% over the year; Australia's annual growth was 0.3%.

Professional ads were 2.3k, 8.7% above their average level of 2.2k, yet fell 12.8% over the year and 5.8% in the latest quarter. Industrial ads were 1.9k, 14.8% above their 1.6k average, and grew 2.4% over the year. Sales ads were 334, 4.2% above their average of 320, and fell 5.0% annually. Professional advertising was furthest below its historical growth average, at 17.8pp below.

NT job-ad growth was the slowest of the eight states and territories, 7.2pp below Australia's 0.3%. Western Australia led at 6.8%, while the ACT was next slowest at -1.8%. Industrial ads rose 1.9% in the latest quarter, while professional ads fell 5.8%.

Wages grew 2.8% over the year to June 2026, as measured by the Wage Price Index, above the 10-year average growth of 2.5%. The annual rate was down from 3.3% a year earlier, despite a 0.8% rise in the June quarter, when the usual seasonal increase is about 0.3%.

Average full-time weekly earnings were $2,092 in May 2026, and annual full-time earnings were $107,533. Over the year to June 2026, WPI wages grew 2.8% while inflation was 3.9%, so real wages fell 1.1 percentage points.

NT WPI growth was the slowest of the eight states and territories, 0.4pp below Australia's 3.2%; South Australia led at 3.6%, with Tasmania next slowest at 2.9%. Full-time weekly earnings were $2,092, 3.0% below Australia's $2,156, and grew 1.2pp slower year on year.

Household consumption expenditure totalled $3.8bn in the June quarter of 2026, up 2.6% over the year against a 10-year average growth rate of 1.3%. Per-capita consumption was $14,165, up 1.1%; the series' five-year high was reached in June. Quarterly total consumption rose 0.6%, while the per-capita rate rose 0.2%.

Food grew 1.8% over the year versus its 1.3% average, rent and dwellings 1.6% versus 1.3%, transport 2.8% versus 2.0%, and health 1.2% versus 4.3%. Power and utilities fell 2.0%, against its -2.5% average. Among discretionary categories, recreation grew 3.6% versus 2.2%, cafes and restaurants 3.1% versus 2.0%, while clothing rose 1.5% against 2.5% and alcohol and tobacco fell 1.5% against 2.7%.

Per-capita consumption growth was the second-fastest of the eight states and territories, at 1.1%; Tasmania led at 1.5%, and Victoria was lowest at 0.0%. There is no meaningful national comparator for this National Accounts measure. In the latest quarter, power and utilities fell 7.7%, even as total consumption rose 0.6%.

Household spending in the Northern Territory totalled $2.8bn in the three months to September 2026, up 11.4% compared to a year ago. This is above average growth of 5.5%. Spending rose 3.5% over the latest three months, and annual growth picked up from 9.5%. Spending was $3,522 per person in September 2026, or $41,202 per person annually. Three-month per-person spending of $10,479 sits 30.9% above its 10-year average of $8,007.

Essential spending is mixed. Food grew 8.9% against a 10-year average of 4.4%, and transport grew 9.4% against 6.1%. Health grew just 1.9% on the year against a 10-year average of 7.1%, although it rose 5.7% over the latest three months after two falls. Discretionary spending is led by recreation at 17.5%, against a 5.5% average and well ahead of transport at 9.4%. Hotels and restaurants grew 8.1% against 6.1%, and their latest three-month rise of 4.1% was the largest since March 2023. Clothing grew 7.0% against 3.3%, but fell 0.8% over the latest three months. Alcohol and tobacco fell 1.1% on the year, against average growth of 0.9%. Miscellaneous spending is the standout at 25.6%, against a 6.9% average.

Per-person spending grew 10.7% over the year, first of the eight states and territories, against Australia's 5.9%. Per-person spending of $10,479 in the three months to September 2026 sits 18.5% above Australia's $8,841 for the same period. Western Australia was next at 8.3%, while the Australian Capital Territory was lowest at 4.1%. Total household spending grew 11.4% against Australia's 6.7%, a gap of 4.7pp.

Inflation in the NT was 5.2% in the year to September 2026, above the 10-year average of 2.9% and above the RBA's 2–3% target band. The annual rate rose from 4.5% in August as prices rose 1.1% in September; prices were up 2.9% over three months. The annual rate remained below its five-year peak of 7.1% in December 2022.

Housing inflation was 7.6%, 5.4pp above its 2.2% 10-year average, and transport was 10.6%, 6.5pp above its 4.1% average. Recreation and culture rose 5.8%, above its 1.8% average. Food inflation was 3.0%, close to its 2.9% average; health rose 0.3%, below its 3.1% average, while education rose 3.4% against 4.7%. Clothing prices fell 1.4% in September, though were up 3.4% over the year.

NT inflation was the second-fastest of the eight states and territories, 0.9pp above Australia's 4.3%; Tasmania led at 5.3%, while Victoria was lowest at 4.0%. Housing inflation was the fastest, 2.4pp above Australia's 5.2%. Over the year to June 2026, WPI wages rose 2.8% while inflation was 3.9%, so real wages fell 1.1 percentage points.