Coconut Grove

An assessment of population growth drivers in Coconut Grove reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Coconut Grove's population is around 3,007 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 115 people (4.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,892 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,007 from the ABS as of June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,117 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 70.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is applying growth rates by age cohort to each area, as provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). As we examine future population trends, an above-median population growth of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is projected, with the area expected to increase by 608 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 20.2% in total over the 17 years.

Residential dwelling approval activity has been practically non-existent in Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove has seen only 1 residential development approval in the past five years. This suggests the area is largely built out, with minimal vacant land for development. Such established areas often see steady demand for existing properties, as buyers have few new-build alternatives.

When measured against Greater Darwin, Coconut Grove records markedly lower building activity. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties, though building activity has accelerated in recent years. This activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints.

Coconut Grove has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 0thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 2 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Social Housing Accelerator Payment (SHAP) - Greater Darwin / Nightcliff, John Stokes Square Redevelopment, Darwin Mid Suburbs Area Plan, and the Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Coconut Grove shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Coconut Grove possesses a highly educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of 5.9%, and 1.6% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 1,687 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.8% above Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%, and workforce participation lags significantly (70.6% compared to Greater Darwin's 76.1%). Based on Census responses, a low 3.8% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and accommodation & food. The area has a particular employment specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Meanwhile, public administration & safety has a limited presence with 12.9% employment compared to 19.5% regionally. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.6% while the labour force increased by 1.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Darwin experienced employment growth of 1.3% and labour force growth of 1.2%, with a marginal drop. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Coconut Grove. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Coconut Grove's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

The Coconut Grove SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $55,647 and an average of $65,421 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is slightly lower than average on a national basis, contrasting with Greater Darwin's median income of $66,956 and average income of $77,199. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $60,344 (median) and $70,943 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows personal income ranks at the 69th percentile ($913 weekly), while household income sits at the 38th percentile. Distribution data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 31.9% of the community (959 individuals), mirroring the broader area where 36.7% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 37th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Coconut Grove displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Coconut Grove, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 23.7% houses and 76.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Darwin metro's 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Coconut Grove lagged that of Darwin metro, at 14.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (22.7%) or rented (62.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Darwin metro average at $1,600, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300, compared to Darwin metro's $2,100 and $385. Nationally, Coconut Grove's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Coconut Grove features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 56.2% of all households, comprising 21.5% couples with children, 23.6% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 43.8%, with lone person households at 37.7% and group households comprising 6.2% of the total. The median household size of 2.2 people is smaller than the Greater Darwin average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Coconut Grove exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Coconut Grove significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 40.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 27.3% in NT and 30.4% in Australia. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 28.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (17.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in tertiary education, 6.7% in primary education, and 5.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 13 active transport stops operating within Coconut Grove, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 36 individual routes, collectively providing 2,131 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 170 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 81%, with 9% by bus and 3% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 3.8% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 304 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 163 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Coconut Grove is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Coconut Grove, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover slightly lags that of the average SA2 area at approximately 52% of the total population (~1,560 people), compared to 57.8% across Greater Darwin.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 6.2% and 5.6% of residents, respectively, while 75.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 77.1% across Greater Darwin. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 15.2% of residents aged 65 and over (457 people), which is higher than the 10.8% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Coconut Grove is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Coconut Grove scores highly on cultural diversity, with 44.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 46.5% born overseas. The main religion in Coconut Grove is Christianity, which makes up 36.9% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Hinduism, which comprises 12.9% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Darwin average of 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Coconut Grove are Other, comprising 23.3% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 13.1%, English, comprising 16.9% of the population, and Australian, comprising 13.1% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 22.6%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Filipino is notably overrepresented at 5.2% of Coconut Grove (vs 3.8% regionally), Australian Aboriginal at 8.6% (vs 7.0%) and Spanish at 0.8% (vs 0.4%).

Coconut Grove's population is younger than the national pattern

At 35 years, Coconut Grove's median age is comparable to the Greater Darwin average of 34 and marginally lower than the 38-year national average. Relative to Greater Darwin, Coconut Grove has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (22.2%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (7.8%). This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.2% to 5.3% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 24.0% to 22.2% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 11.0% to 9.7%. Demographic modeling suggests Coconut Grove's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45 to 54 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 41%, adding 127 residents to reach 440. The 0 to 4 group displays more modest growth at 6%, adding only 14 residents.