Darwin City
Statistical Area - sa2

Darwin City lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Darwin City's population is approximately 8,000 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 851 people, or 11.9%, since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,149. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,872 in June 2024 and an additional 56 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,523 persons per square kilometer, placing Darwin City in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The city's growth rate of 11.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (8.6%) and the national average, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 85.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 growth post-2032, AreaSearch applies growth rates by age cohort, provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). According to these projections, an above median population growth is expected for the area, with a projected increase of 1,899 persons to 2041, representing a total increase of 22.1% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Darwin City when compared nationally

Darwin City has received approximately seven dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides development approval data on a financial year basis, with 38 dwellings approved between FY20 and FY25, and none recorded so far in FY26. On average, five new residents have arrived per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years. This supply has lagged demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

The average construction value of new dwellings is $417,000, consistent with regional patterns. In FY26, $76.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Darwin, Darwin City has 64% more development activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers. However, this activity is below the national average, suggesting established nature and potential planning limitations. All new construction has comprised townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living which suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The location has approximately 325 people per dwelling approval, indicating room for growth.

By 2041, Darwin City is expected to grow by 1,771 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Darwin City has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 5thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 21 projects that could impact the area. Notable ones are Civic and State Square Precinct Revitalisation, Darwin Digital Hub, Darwin Waterfront Central Precinct Redevelopment, and Darwin Convention Centre Expansion. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Darwin City demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Darwin City has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.6% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.9% over the past year.

As of this date, 5,919 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.5% lower than Greater Darwin's rate of 3.0%. The workforce participation rate in Darwin City was 75.8%, higher than Greater Darwin's 69.7%. Key industries employing residents include public administration & safety, accommodation & food, and health care & social assistance. Notably, the employment share in accommodation & food is twice the regional level, while construction shows lower representation at 5.3% compared to the regional average of 9.2%.

With a worker-to-resident ratio of 1.9, Darwin City functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.9% while the labour force also grew by 2.9%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In comparison, Greater Darwin recorded similar employment growth but saw a marginal decrease in unemployment during this period. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NT employment grew by 1.0% year-on-year, adding 1,710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, comparing favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and a 13.7% increase over ten years nationally, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Darwin City's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

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

Darwin City has a high national income level based on latest Australian Taxation Office data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers in Darwin City is $62,290, with the average income at $73,761. This compares to figures for Greater Darwin of $65,522 and $75,260 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $68,793 (median) and $81,462 (average) as of March 2025. Census data shows individual earnings in Darwin City stand out at the 93rd percentile nationally, with a weekly income of $1,236. The majority of residents, 42.7%, fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, which includes 3,416 people. This aligns with the broader area where this cohort represents 36.7%. High housing costs consume 19.0% of income in Darwin City. Despite this, strong earnings place disposable income at the 71st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Darwin City features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Darwin City's housing structure, as per the latest Census, had 0.5% houses and 99.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Darwin metro's 23.6% houses and 76.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Darwin City stood at 7.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 15.1% and rented ones at 77.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,781, lower than Darwin metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in the area was $450, higher than Darwin metro's $420. Nationally, Darwin City's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 51.4% of all households, including 13.2% couples with children, 32.3% couples without children, and 4.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for 48.6%, with lone person households at 38.4% and group households comprising 10.2%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Greater Darwin average of 2.3.

Darwin City shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Darwin City is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of 2021, 51.1% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 27.3% in the Northern Territory (NT) and 30.4% nationally. This includes 31.0% with bachelor degrees, 16.6% with postgraduate qualifications, and 3.5% with graduate diplomas. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 28.2% of residents holding such qualifications - this includes 12.5% with advanced diplomas and 15.7% with certificates.

Educational participation is high, with 31.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest data. This includes 13.1% in tertiary education, 5.0% in primary education, and 3.4% pursuing secondary education. St Mary's Catholic Primary School serves local educational needs within Darwin City, with an enrollment of 180 students as of 2021. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. As of the latest data, Darwin City has limited local school capacity, with 2.3 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.1, indicating many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

Darwin City has 12 active public transport stops operating. These are served by a mix of bus routes, totaling 27 individual routes. Together, these routes facilitate 1,368 weekly passenger trips.

The city's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents on average being located 219 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency across all routes averages 195 trips per day, equating to approximately 114 weekly trips per individual stop.

Darwin City'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 Darwin City, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 56% of the total population, which totals around 4,520 people.

This compares to a rate of 61.3% across Greater Darwin. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 5.2 and 5.0% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 82.6%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 79.9% across Greater Darwin. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 9.0% (719 people), compared to the 11.0% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong and align broadly with the general population's health profile.

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

Darwin City has a high level of cultural diversity, with 40.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 51.7% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Darwin City, comprising 31.7% of its population. Hinduism is overrepresented in Darwin City compared to Greater Darwin, making up 11.7% versus 7.4%.

The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents are English (20.9%), Other (20.2%), and Australian (14.6%). Notably, Korean (0.9%) is overrepresented compared to the regional average (0.4%), while Sri Lankan (0.7%) and Filipino (2.6%) have similar representation in Darwin City as they do regionally.

Darwin City's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Darwin City's median age at 33 years is comparable to Greater Darwin's average of 34 and is significantly lower than Australia's median of 38. Relative to Greater Darwin, Darwin City has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (32.4%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the percentage of Darwin City's population in the 65-74 age group has grown from 5.5% to 6.4%, while the percentage of the 55-64 cohort has declined from 9.9% to 8.4%. The 25-34 age group has also decreased, from 33.6% to 32.4%. Demographic modeling suggests that Darwin City's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, increasing by 396 people (42%) from 953 to 1,350. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age cohort is expected to grow by a modest 7% (20 people).