Karama

Karama is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Karama's population is around 5,050 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 247 people (5.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,803 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,050 from the ABS as of June 2025 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,439 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 74.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is applying growth rates by age cohort to each area, as provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Considering the projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected, with the area expected to grow by 602 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 11.9% in total over the 16 years.

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

Karama has not seen any residential development approvals in the past five years. This indicates a suburb that is fully developed with limited opportunities for new construction. The lack of new supply typically supports demand for established properties and can contribute to price stability.

Compared to Greater Darwin, Karama shows significantly reduced construction activity. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes in the area. This is also below the national average, suggesting that the suburb is well-established and potentially subject to planning limitations.

Karama has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 6thth percentile nationally

Two projects identified by AreaSearch are likely to impact the area: Ludmilla Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade and Berrimah North Area Plan. Other key projects include Darwin Corporate Park and Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade.

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Employment drivers in Karama are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Karama has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 6.9% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.5%. There are 2,481 residents in work while the unemployment rate is 3.8% above Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%.

Workforce participation is 67.6%, compared to Greater Darwin's 72.5%. According to Census responses, 3.4% of residents work from home. Key industries of employment among residents are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Retail trade shows strong specialization with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Public administration & safety has limited presence with 14.5% employment compared to 19.5% regionally. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. During the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.5%, and labour force increased by 1.0%, causing a fall in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Karama's employment mix.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released on June 2023, Karama SA2's median income among taxpayers is $54,170. The average income for Karama SA2 was $61,683 in the financial year 2023. This is below the national average. Comparing with Greater Darwin, its median income was $66,956 and average income was $77,199 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.41% since June 2023, current estimates for Karama SA2 would be approximately $59,267 (median) and $67,487 (average) as of March 2026. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family and personal incomes in Karama cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 34.6% earning between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly (1,747 residents), which mirrors the broader area where 36.7% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 17.0% of income in Karama SA2, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 51st percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Karama, as evaluated at the Census conducted on 28 August 2016, comprised 77.2% houses and 22.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Darwin metropolitan area's structure of 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Karama was higher at 19.1%, with the rest being mortgaged (41.8%) or rented (39.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Karama was $1,950, lower than Darwin metro's $2,100. Median weekly rent was recorded at $293, compared to Darwin metro's $385. Nationally, Karama's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

Karama has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.9% of all households, including 35.0% couples with children, 19.0% couples without children, and 18.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.1%, with lone person households at 22.3% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Darwin average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 21.9%, significantly lower than the SA3 average of 36.1%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 14.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 35.3% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 8.8% and certificates at 26.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 34.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.8% in primary education, 10.5% in secondary education, and 4.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates 27 active public transport stops in Karama, offering a mix of bus services. These stops are served by 45 individual routes, collectively facilitating 2,400 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 140 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most residents commute outward; car remains dominant at 89%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 3.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 342 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 88 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Karama is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Karama faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover was relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~2,514 people), compared to 57.8% in Greater Darwin and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were asthma (7.0%) and arthritis (5.8%). 74.7% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.1% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among the working-age population were broadly typical. The area had 12.9% of residents aged 65 and over (651 people), higher than Greater Darwin's 11.0%. Health outcomes among seniors were above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Karama 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

Karama has a high level of cultural diversity, with 33.4% of its population born overseas and 36.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Karama is Christianity, accounting for 53.2% of the population. Notably, Buddhism is overrepresented in Karama compared to Greater Darwin, making up 4.7% of the population versus the regional average of 3.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (18.6%), Other (17.8%), and English (16.0%), with English being lower than the regional average of 21.7%. There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Filipino is overrepresented at 6.7% compared to the regional average of 3.8%, Australian Aboriginal is higher at 13.7% versus 7.0%, and Greek is overrepresented at 4.0% compared to 2.3%.

Karama's population is younger than the national pattern

Karama's median age is 35 years, similar to Greater Darwin's average of 34 years, but slightly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Darwin, Karama has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (15.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.3%). Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 65-74 age group has increased from 7.3% to 9.1%, while the 15-24 cohort has decreased from 14.0% to 13.0%. By 2041, Karama's age profile is projected to change significantly according to demographic modeling. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 20%, adding 134 residents to reach a total of 810. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups.