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

Coconut Grove's population, as of February 2026, is approximately 3,007 people. This figure indicates a growth of 115 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,892. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,007 in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,117 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 70.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and post-2032 estimations, growth rates by age cohort are applied from the ABS's Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends project an above median growth for the area, with an expected increase of 608 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 20.2% over the 17 years.

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

Coconut Grove has seen one residential development approval in the past five years. This indicates that the area is largely built out with minimal vacant land for new developments. Established areas like Coconut Grove typically experience steady demand for existing properties due to limited new-build alternatives.

Compared to Greater Darwin, Coconut Grove records significantly lower building activity. The constrained new construction often reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. However, building activity has increased in recent years, although it remains below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and potential planning constraints.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. Two projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to affect the region: Social Housing Accelerator Payment (SHAP) - Greater Darwin / Nightcliff, John Stokes Square Redevelopment, Darwin Mid Suburbs Area Plan, and Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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The labour market performance in Coconut Grove lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Coconut Grove has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 6.1% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 1.4%.

As of September 2025, 1,680 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.0% higher than Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%. Workforce participation in Coconut Grove is lower at 70.5%, compared to Greater Darwin's 76.0%. Census responses indicate that only 3.8% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and accommodation & food sectors.

The area has a notable employment specialization in health care & social assistance with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. However, public administration & safety has limited presence at 12.9% compared to the regional level of 19.5%. While local employment opportunities exist, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 1.4%, while labour force also increased by 1.4%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Greater Darwin experienced employment growth of 1.9% and labour force growth of 1.9%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Coconut Grove's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The Coconut Grove SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $55,647 and an average of $65,421 in financial year 2023, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than national averages, contrasting with Greater Darwin's median income of $66,956 and average income of $77,199. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% would be approximately $60,344 (median) and $70,943 (average). In Census 2021, personal income ranked at the 69th percentile ($913 weekly), while household income was at the 38th percentile. Income distribution showed that 31.9% of individuals earned between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, mirroring the broader area where 36.7% occupied this bracket. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 82.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 37th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed 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

Coconut Grove's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census report, consisted of 23.7% houses and 76.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Darwin metro had 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coconut Grove was at 14.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.7% and rented ones at 62.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,600, lower than Darwin metro's average of $2,100. Median weekly rent in Coconut Grove was $300, compared to Darwin metro's $385. Nationally, Coconut Grove's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 comprise 56.2% of all households, including 21.5% couples with children, 23.6% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 43.8%, with lone person households at 37.7% and group households comprising 6.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which 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 is higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 40.7% have university qualifications, compared to 27.3% in the Northern Territory (NT) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.4%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.5% of residents holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 17.4%.

Educational participation is 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

Coconut Grove has 13 active public transport stops serving mixed bus routes. These stops facilitate 36 different routes, resulting in 2,131 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 170 meters to the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode at 81%, while buses account for 9% and cycling 3%. Average vehicle ownership is 0.9 per dwelling, below regional averages.

In 2021 Census data, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions, only 3.8% of residents work from home. Service frequency across all routes averages 304 trips daily, equating to about 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

Coconut Grove faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Notably, both younger and older age cohorts exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is held by approximately 52% of Coconut Grove's total population (~1,560 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area's 57.8%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 6.2 and 5.6% of residents respectively. However, 75.6% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 77.1% across Greater Darwin. Working-age residents show low chronic condition prevalence. Coconut Grove has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.2%, with 457 people, compared to Greater Darwin's 10.8%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with national rankings.

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 has a high level of cultural diversity, with 44.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 46.5% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Coconut Grove, accounting for 36.9% of people. Hinduism is notably overrepresented, comprising 12.9% of the population compared to the Greater Darwin average of 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (23.3%), English (16.9%), and Australian (13.1%). Notably, Filipino (5.2%) and Australian Aboriginal (8.6%) groups are overrepresented in Coconut Grove compared to regional averages of 3.8% and 7.0%, respectively. Spanish is also slightly overrepresented at 0.8%.

Coconut Grove's population is younger than the national pattern

Coconut Grove's median age is 35 years, comparable to Greater Darwin's average of 34 and marginally lower than the national average of 38. Relative to Greater Darwin, Coconut Grove has a higher concentration of 25-34 year-olds at 22.2%, but fewer 5-14 year-olds at 7.8%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national figure of 14.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group grew from 4.2% to 5.3% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort 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, with the 45 to 54 cohort projected to grow by 41%, adding 127 residents to reach 440. The 0 to 4 group is expected to grow more modestly at 6%, adding only 14 residents.