Charles
Statistical Area - sa2

Charles has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Charles's population was around 4,706 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 491 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,215 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,696 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 2 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 282 persons per square kilometer. Charles's growth of 11.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.9%, along with the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 53.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch applied growth rates by age cohort to each area, provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with an expected expansion of 522 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, resulting in a total increase of 10.9% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Charles, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Charles recorded approximately nine residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 45 homes. As of FY26, zero approvals have been recorded. The average new resident per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 was 0.7. This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing buyers with more options and facilitating population growth.

The average value of new homes being built is $599,000, indicating a focus on the premium market. In FY26, there have been $46.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting strong local business investment. Compared to the Rest of NT, Charles shows moderately higher construction activity, 14.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. However, development activity has recently moderated.

This activity is also below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. New development consists of 88.0% standalone homes and 12.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density nature. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 2608 people, reflecting a quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate Charles will gain 512 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Charles has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 3rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 18 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include the Alice Springs Hospital Emergency Department Redevelopment, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia, Alice Springs Flood Mitigation Project, and Madigan Street (Braitling) Infill Subdivision. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The labour market in Charles demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Charles has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 3.0% as of June 2025.

There were 3,188 residents in work at this time, with an unemployment rate 2.9% below the Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%. Workforce participation was high at 65.6%, compared to the Rest of NT's 50.7%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and construction. The area has particular employment specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level.

Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 1.1% employment compared to the regional average of 5.0%. There were 1.9 workers for every resident as at the Census, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.8% while employment declined by 1.4%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.4 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of NT recorded an employment decline of 1.7%, a labour force decline of 1.8%, with unemployment falling marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Charles's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9%% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. Charles's median income among taxpayers was $61,072, with an average of $68,365. This is higher than the national average and compares to Rest of NT's median of $51,655 and average of $61,577. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.01% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $68,407 (median) and $76,576 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows individual earnings stand out at the 85th percentile nationally ($1,073 weekly). Income brackets indicate that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 33.8% of the community (1,590 individuals), reflecting patterns seen in the region where 33.6% similarly occupy this range. After housing costs, residents retain 92.4% of income, with the area's SEIFA income ranking placing it in the 5th decile.

Charles is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in Charles, with 73.5% houses and 26.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro NT had 67.8% houses and 32.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Charles was 17.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.6% and rented ones at 44.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $0, below Non-Metro NT's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was $350, compared to Non-Metro NT's $280. Nationally, Charles's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Charles features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.3% of all households, including 27.9% couples with children, 24.9% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.7%, with lone person households at 27.1% and group households comprising 4.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, smaller than the Rest of NT average of 2.8.

Educational outcomes in Charles fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 27.0% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 20.1% and that of Rest of NT (20.1%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 16.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 35.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (9.3%) and certificates (26.0%).

Educational participation is high at 30.7%, including 11.6% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education. Charles's schools have a combined enrollment of 822 students. The educational mix includes two primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The analysis of public transport in Charles indicates that there are currently 29 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 8 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes facilitate 470 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 224 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 67 trips per day across all routes, which equates to around 16 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Charles is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Charles demonstrates superior health outcomes with both younger and older age cohorts experiencing low prevalence rates of common health conditions.

Approximately 54% of the total population (~2,527 people) has private health cover. Mental health issues and asthma were found to be the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, impacting 6.8 and 6.7% of residents respectively. A total of 73.8% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 76.9% across Rest of NT. The area has 10.1% of residents aged 65 and over (473 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Charles was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Charles was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 21.1% of its population born overseas and 22.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Charles is Christianity, which makes up 44.7% of people in Charles. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Other, comprising 1.9% of the population compared to 2.1% across Rest of NT.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Charles are English at 20.6%, Australian at 20.3%, and Australian Aboriginal at 20.2%, which is notably lower than the regional average of 28.9%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Maori is notably overrepresented at 1.0% of Charles (vs 1.1% regionally), Filipino at 1.9% (vs 1.7%), and Samoan at 0.3% (vs 0.4%).

Charles's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age of Charles is 35, which is older than the Rest of NT figure of 31 but younger than the Australian median of 38. Compared to Rest of NT, Charles has a higher percentage of residents aged 55-64 (12.3%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (11.5%). Between 2021 and present, the 0-4 age group has increased from 6.6% to 8.0% of the population while the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 13.3% to 12.3%. By 2041, demographic projections show that the 45-54 age cohort is expected to increase by 105 people (a 19% rise) from 566 to 672. Conversely, the number of residents aged 35-44 is projected to decrease by 19.