Howard Springs

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 February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 840 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,100. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 5,929 in June 2024 and two additional validated addresses post-Census. This results in a population density of 50 persons per square kilometer. Howard Springs' 16.5% growth since the 2021 Census exceeded both its SA4 region (9.6%) and Greater Darwin, indicating it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 59.2% to recent population gains in the area.

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 age cohort growth rates provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Based on projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is expected for the area. By 2041, the population is projected to increase by 1,298 persons, reflecting a total gain of 21.7% over the 17 years.

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 annually over the past five financial years, totalling 53 homes. In FY26 so far, 8 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to population change, benefiting buyers with an average dwelling construction cost of $319,000. This year, $84.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

Compared to Greater Darwin, Howard Springs records roughly half the building activity per person and ranks among the 31st percentile nationally for building activity, offering limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties. Recent development has consisted entirely of detached houses, maintaining the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers, with an estimated 569 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts indicate Howard Springs will gain 1,287 residents by 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.

Population forecasts indicate Howard Springs will gain 1,287 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely impacting the area. Major projects include Darwin Light Rail Stage 1, Hudson Creek Power Station, Darwin Corporate Park, and Marine Industry Park. The following details these projects in order of 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.

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

Howard Springs has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs well represented. The unemployment rate was 2.0% as of September 2025, which is lower than Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.0%.

There were 2,843 residents in work with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Greater Darwin's rate. Workforce participation was significantly lower at 56.8%, compared to Greater Darwin's 76.0%. According to Census responses, only 5.5% of residents worked from home. The dominant employment sectors among Howard Springs residents are public administration & safety, construction, and education & training.

The area has a notable concentration in public administration & safety, with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 6.1% of Howard Springs's workforce compared to Greater Darwin's 14.2%. The ratio of workers to residents was 1.0 as at the Census, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 2.0%, while labour force increased by 2.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Darwin recorded employment growth of 1.9% and labour force growth of 1.9%, with a marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will 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 Howard Springs's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 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

The Howard Springs SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $71,642 and an average income of $78,378 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is notably high compared to national figures, with Greater Darwin's median income at $66,956 and average income at $77,199. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $77,689 (median) and $84,993 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Howard Springs ranks highly nationally for household, family, and personal incomes, between the 89th and 90th percentiles. Income analysis shows that 30.5% of the community (1,811 individuals) falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band, similar to broader regional trends at 36.7%. A substantial proportion, 39.8%, earns above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the suburb. After housing costs, residents retain 87.0% of their income, reflecting robust purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

As evaluated in the latest Census, dwelling structures within Howard Springs consisted of 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Darwin metro had 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Howard Springs was at 35.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.9% and rented ones at 18.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,383, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $350. Nationally, Howard Springs's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents being less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 79.3 percent of all households, including 37.3 percent couples with children, 33.1 percent couples without children, and 8.5 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.7 percent, with lone person households at 17.5 percent and group households comprising 2.7 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Darwin average of 2.6 people.

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%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 35.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.9%) and certificates (27.4%). Educational participation is high at 42.2%, with 14.5% in secondary education, 13.0% in primary education, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably 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.

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

Howard Springs has 21 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by a total of 50 routes that together facilitate 2963 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is limited, with residents typically located 1725 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. The dominant mode of transport is car at 83%, followed by walking at 8% and cycling at 3%. Vehicle ownership averages 2.1 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 5.5% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 423 trips per day, equating to approximately 141 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Howard Springs is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Howard Springs shows superior health outcomes according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Both younger and older age groups exhibit low incidence of common health issues. Approximately 58% (~3,445 people) have private health cover, a figure significantly higher than the national average. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.1%) and asthma (6.4%). A substantial majority, 75.5%, report no medical ailments, compared to 77.1% in Greater Darwin. Working-age residents display commendable health, with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors, at 12.4% (738 people), than Greater Darwin's 10.8%. Health outcomes for seniors are above average, mirroring national rankings closely.

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, when assessed for cultural diversity in the year 2016, exhibited a lower than average level of diversity. Its population composition showed that 69.4% were Australian citizens, 87.7% were born in Australia, and 92.0% predominantly spoke English at home. Christianity emerged as the primary religion in Howard Springs, with 41.4% of its residents identifying as such.

However, a notable overrepresentation was observed in Judaism, which constituted 0.1% of the population, compared to the same proportion across Greater Darwin. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian at 31.8%, English at 28.8%, and Irish at 7.5%. These figures were significantly higher than the regional averages of 22.6%, 21.7%, and 4.0% respectively for these groups. Additionally, there were significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal was slightly overrepresented at 6.4% (regional average: 7.0%), Welsh at 0.6% (regional average: 0.4%), and German at 3.5% (regional average: 3.2%).

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 (16.2%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.6%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the 5-14 age group grew from 7.9% to 9.6%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 7.2% to 8.2%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group decreased from 18.6% to 15.5%, and the 15-24 group dropped from 17.5% to 16.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Howard Springs, with the 55-64 age cohort projected to grow by 34%, adding 244 residents to reach a total of 961.