East Arnhem

East Arnhem has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

East Arnhem's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was around 8,005 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,022 people, marking a 14.6% rise since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,983. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,010 in June 2024 and an additional 31 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 0.30 persons per square kilometer. East Arnhem's growth rate exceeded both national (8.9%) and state averages, positioning it as a regional growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 90.0% 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 estimations, 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). Future population trends indicate a median increase for non-metropolitan areas, with East Arnhem expected to gain 920 persons by 2041, reflecting an 11.6% total increase over the 17-year period, based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

The level of residential development activity in East Arnhem is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

East Arnhem has experienced approximately 25 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 125 homes. This year, FY-26, has seen 0 approvals so far. The population decline during this period suggests that development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, which is positive for buyers. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $137,000, below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing choices.

In FY-26, $1.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the Rest of NT, East Arnhem records 52.0% more building activity per person, providing buyers with ample choice despite recent slowdowns. This activity is below the national average, suggesting an established area and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 80.0% detached houses and 20.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature while responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. This marks a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which are currently 96.0% houses, potentially indicating diminishing developable land availability.

Future projections estimate East Arnhem will add 925 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

East Arnhem has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 10thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified three projects that could significantly impact the area due to changes in local infrastructure. These key projects are Gunyangara (Gove Port) Tourism Precinct, Bunggulwuy Close Housing Development, Nhulunbuy Master Plan, and Australia-Asia PowerLink. The following list provides details on those expected to have the 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.

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

East Arnhem has a mixed workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, with key services well-represented. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 20.4%.

In comparison to the rest of Northern Territory (NT), East Arnhem's unemployment rate is 14.5% higher, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in East Arnhem lags significantly at 30.1%, compared to the Rest of NT's 50.7%. Leading employment sectors among residents include education & training, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Notably, education & training has an employment level that is 2.2 times the regional average.

Conversely, public administration & safety is under-represented, with only 12.9% of East Arnhem's workforce compared to 17.9% in the Rest of NT. An analysis of Survey of Adult and Longitudinal Males (SALM) and Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data for the year ending September 2025 shows a decrease in labour force by 1.3% and employment declining by 2.2%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.7 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to East Arnhem's current employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

East Arnhem SA2's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $45,477. The average income stood at $59,151 during the same period. These figures are below those of Rest of NT's which were $51,655 and $61,577 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.01% since financial year 2022, current estimates for median income would be approximately $50,939 as of September 2025, with average income estimated at around $66,255 during the same period. Census data shows individual incomes lagging at the 0th percentile ($298 weekly), while household income performs better at the 38th percentile. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 38.8% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (3,105 residents). Housing costs are manageable with 94.4% retained, but disposable income sits below average at the 50th percentile.

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

East Arnhem's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, were 96.2% houses and 3.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NT's 89.4% houses and 10.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Arnhem was 5.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 0.8% and rented ones at 94.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $997, below Non-Metro NT's average of $1,664, while median weekly rent was $90 compared to Non-Metro NT's $80. Nationally, East Arnhem's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

East Arnhem features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 88.2% of all households, including 42.2% couples with children, 12.6% couples without children, and 27.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for 11.8%, with lone person households at 11.4% and group households comprising 1.0%. The median household size is 5.1 people, larger than the Rest of NT average of 4.0.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 8.2%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 5.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational pathways account for 17.4% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 2.9% and certificates at 14.5%. Educational participation is high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 14.6% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 1.0% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Health outcomes data shows exceptional results across East Arnhem, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (around 3,930 people), compared to 51.5% across the rest of the Northern Territory and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are heart disease and diabetes, affecting 6.1 and 4.1% of residents respectively, while 82.3% reported being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 82.9% across the rest of the NT.

As of 2021, 5.4% of residents are aged 65 and over (around 431 people). Health outcomes among seniors in East Arnhem are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

East Arnhem's cultural diversity was above average, with 1.9% of its population born overseas and 94.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in East Arnhem was Christianity, comprising 59.9% of the population. Notably, the 'Other' category comprised 24.1%, substantially higher than the Rest of NT average of 15.8%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian Aboriginal topped at 89.1%, significantly higher than the regional average of 60.9%. English followed at 3.0%, notably lower than the regional average of 10.3%, and Australian was at 2.5%, also lower than the regional average of 11.5%. Notably, Samoan representation was overrepresented at 0.1% in East Arnhem compared to 0.0% regionally.

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

East Arnhem's median age is 28 years, which is slightly below the Rest of NT average of 31 years and significantly under Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NT, East Arnhem has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (18.1%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (8.3%). The concentration of residents aged 15-24 in East Arnhem is well above the national average of 12.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 14.7% to 16.4%, while the 25 to 34 age group increased from 17.4% to 18.4%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has decreased from 20.4% to 18.1%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 16.8% to 15.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in East Arnhem's age structure. Notably, the 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 37%, reaching 1,153 people from 842. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age groups.