Daly
Statistical Area - sa2

Daly is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Daly's population, according to AreaSearch's analysis, was approximately 2,185 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 295 people, a 15.6% rise from the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 1,890. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,185 in June 2024 and two validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Daly's growth rate exceeded both the national average (8.6%) and the state average during this period, indicating its status as a regional growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 60.5% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate post-2032 growth, AreaSearch applies age cohort-based growth rates provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the median of regional areas nationwide. The area is projected to grow by 272 persons to reach 2041, based on current numbers, resulting in a total gain of 12.4% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Daly according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Development activity data is being compiled for this area.

Daly has much lower development activity compared to the Rest of NT. The development pattern is also well below national averages. Meanwhile, new construction in Daly consists entirely of detached houses, focusing on family homes suited to those seeking a rural lifestyle and space. New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (83.0% at Census), indicating ongoing robust demand for family homes. As of around 0 people per approval, Daly reflects a developing area.

Daly has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 15thth percentile nationally

"Infrastructure changes significantly influence a region's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Desert Springs' Octopus Renewable Energy Program, Adelaide River Off-Stream Water Storage, Katherine Solar Farm (ENI), and Tindal Village. Relevant projects are listed below.".

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

Employment conditions in Daly face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Daly has a balanced workforce with representation from both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented in the area, which currently has an unemployment rate of 10.3%.

As of June 2025, there are 801 residents employed while Daly's unemployment rate is 4.4% higher than Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%. Workforce participation in Daly lags significantly at 37.9%, compared to Rest of NT's 50.7%. Key industries of employment among Daly residents are agriculture, forestry & fishing, education & training, and public administration & safety. The area has a particular specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share four times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented in Daly, with only 8.2% of its workforce compared to 18.8% in Rest of NT. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.8% in Daly, accompanied by a 1.5% decrease in employment, leading to a fall in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NT experienced an employment decline of 1.7% and a labour force decline of 1.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that nationally, employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Daly's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.2% over five years and 11.4% over ten years, though these figures are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

Daly's median income among taxpayers was $39,590 in financial year 2022, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This figure is lower than the national average of $52,836. In comparison, Rest of NT's median and average incomes were $51,655 and $61,577 respectively in the same period. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since financial year 2022, estimates for March 2025 suggest Daly's median income would be approximately $43,723 and average income around $58,352. Census 2021 data indicates that incomes in Daly fall between the 1st and 12th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The earnings profile shows that 655 people, representing 30.0% of locals, predominantly earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to metropolitan regions where 33.6% fall into this bracket. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 93.1% income retention, Daly's total disposable income ranks at just the 22nd percentile nationally.

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

Daly's dwellings, as per the latest Census report, consisted of 82.8% houses and 17.3% other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is similar to Non-Metro NT's dwelling structure, which was 83.6% houses and 16.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Daly stood at 21.4%, with mortgaged properties at 9.5% and rented dwellings at 69.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Daly was $1,181, lower than Non-Metro NT's average of $1,346. The median weekly rent in Daly was recorded at $80, matching the Non-Metro NT figure and significantly below the national average of $375. Nationally, Daly's mortgage repayments were notably lower than the Australian average of $1,863.

Daly features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.1% of all households, including 38.6% couples with children, 15.6% couples without children, and 16.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.9%, with lone person households at 23.3% and group households comprising 4.1% of the total. The median household size is 3.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of NT average of 3.5.

Daly faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 8.8%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 5.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15+, with 31.4% holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (6.0%) and certificates (25.4%).

Educational participation is high, with 34.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 22.9% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 0.8% in tertiary education. Daly has a robust network of 9 schools educating approximately 330 students, consisting of 2 primary and 7 K-12 schools.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Daly's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Daly, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is found to be very low at approximately 47% of the total population (around 1,020 people).

This is lower than the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are diabetes and asthma, affecting 4.8% and 4.3% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 82.4%, declare themselves completely free from medical ailments, compared to 78.5% across the Rest of NT. As of June 2021, 8.4% of residents are aged 65 and over (around 183 people). Health outcomes among seniors in Daly are particularly strong, broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Daly was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Daly's population has above-average cultural diversity, with 5.4% born overseas and 64.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Daly, comprising 65.5% of its population. The most significant overrepresentation is seen in the 'Other' category, with 4.3% of Daly's population compared to 6.9% across the rest of Northern Territory.

The top three represented ancestry groups are Australian Aboriginal (67.6%), Australian (9.7%), and English (8.4%). Notably, French ethnicity is overrepresented in Daly at 0.6%, compared to 0.2% regionally, while Vietnamese is underrepresented at 0.3% versus 0.7%. Chinese ethnicity is also slightly higher than the regional average, with 1.6% of Daly's population compared to 0.7%.

Daly hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Daly's median age is 28 years, which is marginally below the Rest of NT average of 31 and substantially under Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NT, Daly has a higher concentration of residents aged 5-14 at 17.3%, but fewer individuals aged 45-54 at 9.4%. This 5-14 concentration is well above the national average of 12.2%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 11.8% to 14.8%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 1.6% to 2.8%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 19.0% to 17.3%, and the 15 to 24 group dropped from 17.6% to 16.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Daly's age structure. The 35 to 44 age group is expected to grow by 30%, reaching 420 individuals from the current 322. Meanwhile, numbers in the 5 to 14 age range are projected to fall by approximately half (49 people).