Child Care Darwin City

Needs Analysis

Demand and supply analysis of Child Care Centres and demographic drivers for Darwin City 801. Key stats for childcare operators, investors and developers.

Updated May 24, 2026 4 Centres Pop: 7,932
Id Name Type Places Approval Distance (Km) Day Rate Availability

* Click centres on the map for more detail and custom analysis options.

Key Metrics

Darwin City / Greater Darwin

LDC Providers
LDC Providers
2
71
LDC Places
Total LDC Places
118
5,433
Population
Total Population
7,932
153,284
Per Place
Persons Per Place
67.2
-
Avg Age
Avg Centre Age
14.4 yrs
12 yrs
0-4 Pop
Population 0-4
293
10,257
Kids Per Place
0-4 Per LDC Place
2.48
1.9
Workforce
Workforce Impact
Exceptional
Standard
School Att
School Attendance
180
-
School Per LDC
School Per LDC Place
1.53
4.5
Avg Fee
Avg LDC Fee ($/day)
$140
$144
Other
Other Places (PSK/OOSH)
75
-

SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:

Approvals Pipeline Childcare development approvals near Darwin City

Development applications around Darwin City

Development approvals is a new addition to AreaSearch. We’re actively expanding council coverage and refining the dataset — details and statuses for some councils may be partial. Check back regularly for the latest pipeline.
CC Approvals
In the local catchment
Proposed Places
Where disclosed
Under Assessment
Awaiting determination
Determined
Approved or decided
Approvals pipeline Status, location, timing and project scale

Loading childcare approvals…

Lodged Address Description Places Distance Status

SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.

Darwin City Child Care FAQ
What is the Child Care supply composition of Darwin City?
As of our last update on May 24, 2026, there are 4 child care centres in Darwin City. Of these, 2 centres provide Long Day Care with 118 places, there is one Out of Hours School Care centre that has 75 places, and a single centre providing other child care services. The suburb also contains a single school with 180 enrolments.
What population do these centres in Darwin City service?
AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Darwin City as at February 2026 stands at a total of 7,932 people, of this 293 are estimated to be children under five years of age.
Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Darwin City?
Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Darwin City was assessed as having 7,149 people with 258 of these (3.6%) being children under 5 years old. Given changes in localised population estimates by the ABS we estimate that Darwin City has experienced population growth of approximately 783 people from the 2021 Census.
How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Darwin City compare to those in Greater Darwin?
In Darwin City, our latest analysis shows there are 2.5 resident children under 5yo per LDC place. This figure is considerably higher than the 1.9 children per place across Greater Darwin.
How do childcare fees in Darwin City relate to those in Greater Darwin?
Childcare fees in Darwin City average $140, which is comparable to the regional average of $144 in Greater Darwin.
How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Darwin City and Greater Darwin?
In Darwin City, there are 1.5 students per LDC place. This figure is significantly lower than the 4.5 students per LDC place in Greater Darwin.
What is the average age of Long Daycare Centres in Darwin City?
The average LDC in Darwin City was approved 14.4 years ago, while across Greater Darwin the typical centre approval is 12 years old.
Is the local workforce a significant driver of additional child care demand for Darwin City?
Yes, workforce activity is exceptional in this area and is a major driver of child care demand.
Who would typically use analysis such as this?
Childcare operators, developers, investors and financiers would typically conduct a thorough child care supply and demand analysis (SDA) on Darwin City before allocating the significant amount of capital required. Boundary-based analysis such as this is often used as an initial guide however, and analysis would be undertaken on the specific site adopting a radial, travel time, or custom catchment to take into account nearby competition and demand drivers that would influence a centre's performance.

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