Durack - Marlow Lagoon
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Durack - Marlow Lagoon are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Durack - Marlow Lagoon's population was 4,501 as of Aug 2021. By Aug 2025, it had increased to around 4,888, a rise of 387 people (8.6%). This increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,883 in June 2024 and one validated new address since the Census date. The population density is 417 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, ending Aug 2025, Durack - Marlow Lagoon had a compound annual growth rate of 1.3%, outpacing its SA4 region. Natural growth contributed approximately 64.2% 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 by this data and post-2032 estimates, AreaSearch applies growth rates by age cohort from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends project an above median growth for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. By 2041, Durack - Marlow Lagoon is expected to increase by 896 persons, recording a gain of 18.2% over the 17 years from Aug 2025.

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

Durack - Marlow Lagoon averaged approximately nine new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 49 dwellings were approved. In FY26, four new dwelling approvals have been recorded so far.

On average, 2.3 people moved to the area per new home constructed over these five financial years, reflecting strong demand which supports property values. The average construction cost of new homes was $369,000, below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options for buyers. This financial year has seen $1.1 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting a predominantly residential focus compared to Greater Darwin. Durack - Marlow Lagoon has significantly less development activity than the regional average, with 50.0% fewer approvals per person. Recent construction comprises 38.0% detached dwellings and 62.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 96.0% houses. This change may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 347 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment.

Looking ahead, Durack - Marlow Lagoon is projected to grow by 891 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Durack - Marlow Lagoon has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely impacting this area: Hudson Creek Power Station, Marine Industry Park, Darwin Corporate Park, Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD upgrades are key projects, with the following list detailing those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Durack - Marlow Lagoon performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Durack-Marlow Lagoon has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 1.3% as of June 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.8%.

There are 3,049 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 1.7%, which is below Greater Darwin's rate of 3.0%. Workforce participation is high at 79.0% compared to Greater Darwin's 69.7%. Key employment sectors include public administration & safety, construction, and health care & social assistance. The area specializes in construction with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance has a limited presence at 10.4% compared to the regional average of 14.2%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data analysis. Over the past year, employment increased by 2.8%, labour force grew by 2.9%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Darwin saw employment and labour force grow by 2.9% each, with a marginal decrease in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NT employment grew by 1.0% year-on-year, adding 1,710 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, outperforming the national average of 4.5%. National employment forecasts project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Durack-Marlow Lagoon's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.0% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Durack-Marlow Lagoon's median income among taxpayers was $64,464 and average income stood at $71,174 in the financial year 2022. This compares to Greater Darwin's figures of $65,522 and $75,260 respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggest median income would be approximately $71,194 and average income around $78,605, based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.44%. Census 2021 data shows Durack-Marlow Lagoon's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 92nd and 95th percentiles nationally. Income distribution indicates 41.2% of residents fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, compared to 36.7% regionally. Notably, 39.6% earn above $3,000 per week. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 91st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Durack - Marlow Lagoon, as evaluated at the latest Census held in 2016, comprised 95.9% houses and 4.1% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Darwin metropolitan area's structure of 75.9% houses and 24.0% other dwellings. In terms of home ownership within Durack - Marlow Lagoon at the time of the Census, it was well beyond that of Darwin metro, with a rate of 13.6%. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (45.1%) or rented (41.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area during this period was $2,167, which is above the Darwin metro average of $2,037. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure for Durack - Marlow Lagoon was recorded at $500, compared to Darwin metro's $400. Nationally, Durack - Marlow Lagoon's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 as per the 2016 Census data.

Durack - Marlow Lagoon features high concentrations of family households and group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 80.9% of all households, including 42.0% couples with children, 28.3% couples without children, and 10.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 19.1%, with lone person households at 15.0% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Darwin average of 2.8.

The educational profile of Durack - Marlow Lagoon exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

In Durack - Marlow Lagoon trail region, 25.6% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees compared to the SA4 regional average of 31.3%. Among educational qualifications, bachelor degrees are most common at 16.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are prominent with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.3%) and certificates (30.0%). Educational participation is high at 33.1%, comprising primary education (12.5%), secondary education (7.8%), and tertiary education (5.3%).

The region's three schools have a combined enrollment of 794 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions with an ICSEA score of 1005. These schools include one primary, one secondary, and one K-12 institution.

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

The analysis shows 19 active transport stops operating within Durack-Marlow Lagoon. These are served by buses along 34 individual routes, collectively providing 1,958 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good accessibility to transport, with an average distance of 288 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 279 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 103 weekly trips per stop.

Durack - Marlow Lagoon'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 in Durack - Marlow Lagoon with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (around 2,688 people). Asthma and mental health issues are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 6.8 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A total of 77.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 76.6% across Greater Darwin. The area has 9.3% of residents aged 65 and over (454 people), higher than the 7.5% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

Durack - Marlow Lagoon 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

Durack-Marlow Lagoon exhibited significant cultural diversity, with 24.9% of its population born overseas and 17.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Durack-Marlow Lagoon, accounting for 45.2% of the population. Notably, Hinduism was slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin, comprising 2.5% versus 2.6%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian (26.7%), English (23.3%), and Other (9.4%) were the top represented groups in Durack-Marlow Lagoon. Some ethnic groups showed notable variations: Filipino was overrepresented at 3.9%, Maori at 1.0%, and Australian Aboriginal at 4.5%.

Durack - Marlow Lagoon hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Durack - Marlow Lagoon has a median age of 32, which is slightly younger than Greater Darwin's figure of 34 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Darwin, Durack - Marlow Lagoon has a higher concentration of residents aged 5-14 (15.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (16.9%). Between 2021 and present, the population aged 65-74 grew from 5.0% to 6.3%, while the 55-64 cohort increased from 9.6% to 10.9%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 13.1% to 11.2%, and the 25-34 group dropped from 18.1% to 16.9%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Durack - Marlow Lagoon's age structure. The 65-74 age cohort is projected to rise substantially, increasing by 198 people (64%) from 310 to 509. Meanwhile, numbers in the 0-4 age range are expected to fall by an unspecified amount.