Howard Springs
Statistical Area - sa2

Howard Springs has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Howard Springs' population was approximately 5,940 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 840 people, a 16.5% rise from the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5,100. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 5,929 in June 2024 and three additional validated addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 50 persons per square kilometer. Howard Springs' growth rate exceeded the national average of 8.9% and its SA4 region during this period, with overseas migration contributing approximately 59.2% of overall population gains. 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 growth estimation, 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). Based on these projections, Howard Springs is expected to have an above median population growth, increasing by 1,298 persons to reach a total of 7,238 by 2041, marking a 21.7% increase over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Howard Springs, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Howard Springs has seen approximately 10 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years, totalling 53 homes. In Financial Year 26, which started on July 1st, 2025 and will end on June 30th, 2026, 7 approvals have been recorded so far. The average expected construction cost value of new homes in Howard Springs is $319,000. This financial year has seen $84.9 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating strong commercial development momentum in the area.

Compared to Greater Darwin, Howard Springs records roughly half the building activity per person. Nationally, it places among the 31st percentile of areas assessed for residential dwellings, suggesting limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties. Recent development in Howard Springs has been entirely comprised of detached houses, preserving its low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population to dwelling approval ratio is 569 people per dwelling.

Population forecasts indicate Howard Springs will gain 1,287 residents by the year 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth in the area.

Howard Springs has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 2ndth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence performance. Four projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area: Darwin Light Rail Stage 1, Hudson Creek Power Station, Darwin Corporate Park, and Marine Industry Park.

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

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The labour market in Howard Springs shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Howard Springs has a diverse workforce with representation across white and blue collar jobs, particularly in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.0% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Darwin's 3.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.5%. As of June 2025, 2,787 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Greater Darwin's rate and workforce participation at 53.4%, significantly lower than Greater Darwin's 69.7%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include public administration & safety, construction, and education & training, with public administration & safety being particularly notable at 1.9 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance was under-represented, with only 6.1% of Howard Springs's workforce compared to Greater Darwin's 14.2%.

The ratio of 1.0 workers for each resident indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.5% while labour force increased by 2.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Darwin recorded employment growth of 2.9%, labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment falling marginally. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Howard Springs's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.5% over five years and 11.5% over ten years.

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

Howard Springs had a median taxpayer income of $68,995 and an average income of $75,554 based on postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is notably high compared to Greater Darwin's median income of $65,522 and average income of $75,260. By September 2025, estimates suggest a median income of approximately $77,281 and an average income of around $84,628, factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 12.01% since the financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Howard Springs rank highly nationally, between the 89th and 90th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income analysis shows that 30.5% of the community (1,811 individuals) falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 earnings band, which is consistent with broader regional trends showing 36.7% in the same category. A substantial proportion of residents (39.8%) have incomes above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 87.0% of their income, reflecting robust purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Howard Springs' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.9% houses and 10.1% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). In comparison, Darwin metro had 92.6% houses and 7.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Howard Springs stood at 35.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.9% and rented ones at 18.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,383, higher than Darwin metro's $2,250. Median weekly rent was $350 in Howard Springs, compared to Darwin metro's $380. Nationally, Howard Springs' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, while rents were lower at $375.

Howard Springs features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 79.3% of all households, including 37.3% couples with children, 33.1% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 20.7%, with lone person households at 17.5% and group households making up 2.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, aligning with the Greater Darwin average.

Educational outcomes in Howard Springs fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 13.6%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 31.3%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 35.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 7.9% and certificates at 27.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 42.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.5% in secondary education, 13.0% in primary education, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education. The area has two schools serving 1,329 students: Howard Springs Primary School and Good Shepherd Lutheran College. These schools offer balanced educational opportunities, typical of Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 991). The area demonstrates a higher school capacity than typical residential needs (22.4 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 17.1), indicating it serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Howard Springs shows that there are currently 21 operational transport stops, all of which serve buses. These stops are covered by a total of 50 different routes, collectively facilitating 3,028 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is deemed limited, with residents generally residing 1725 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 432 daily trips across all routes, which amounts to roughly 144 weekly trips per individual stop.

Howard Springs's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Howard Springs shows excellent health outcomes, with younger age groups having low prevalence rates for common conditions.

Private health coverage stands at approximately 57%, covering around 3,391 individuals. The most prevalent medical issues are arthritis (affecting 7.1% of residents) and asthma (6.4%). A significant majority, 75.5%, report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Darwin's 74.8%. The senior population (aged 65+) comprises 11.9%, or 705 people, lower than Greater Darwin's 13.9%. Despite this, seniors require more health attention due to above-average outcomes.

Howard Springs ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Howard Springs was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 69.4% of its population being citizens, 87.7% born in Australia, and 92.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Howard Springs, comprising 41.4% of the population. Judaism, however, is overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to 0.0% across Greater Darwin.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (31.8%), English (28.8%), and Irish (7.5%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal is overrepresented at 6.4% in Howard Springs compared to the regional average of 5.8%, Welsh at 0.6% versus 0.4%, and German at 3.5% compared to 4.0%.

Howard Springs's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Howard Springs has a median age of 36, which is slightly higher than Greater Darwin's figure of 34 but lower than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Greater Darwin, Howard Springs has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 at 16.5%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 9.2%. Between the 2021 Census and present day, the 5-14 age group has increased from 7.9% to 9.2% of the population. Conversely, the 25-34 age cohort has decreased from 18.6% to 15.9%, and the 15-24 age group has dropped from 17.5% to 16.5%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Howard Springs. The 55-64 age cohort is projected to grow by 33%, adding 238 residents to reach a total of 961. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age cohort is expected to grow by a modest 5% (an increase of 47 people).