Leanyer
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Leanyer's population is 4,990 as of Aug 2025. This shows an increase of 393 people from the 2021 Census figure of 4,597. The change is inferred from ABS data indicating an estimated resident population of 4,988 in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,996 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Leanyer's 8.5% growth since the 2021 census is greater than that of the SA3 area (7.6%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 55.3% of overall population gains in 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 growth estimation, AreaSearch applies age cohort growth rates provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population dynamics project an above median growth for statistical areas nationally. By 2041, Leanyer is expected to increase by 854 persons, a total gain of 17.1% over the 17 years.

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

Leanyer has seen few dwelling approvals in recent years. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, there were 4 approvals in total, with none recorded so far in FY-26. On average, each new home built over these past five financial years accommodated 35 new residents.

This has resulted in demand significantly exceeding supply, leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings was $200,000 during this period, reflecting more affordable housing options for purchasers compared to regional norms. In FY-26, $4.0 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Darwin, Leanyer records significantly lower building activity, with 91.0% fewer approvals per person on average. This scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties in the area. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining Leanyer's traditional suburban character focused on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests at Census, indicating continued strong demand for family homes in the area.

Leanyer has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 1stth percentile nationally

Four projects are identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area: Northern Suburbs Youth Hub, Royal Darwin Hospital's Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD upgrades, Leanyer Primary School, Casuarina Square Redevelopment.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Leanyer performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Leanyer has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.5% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Darwin's 3.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.9%. There are 2,880 residents employed while workforce participation is 67.6%, compared to Greater Darwin's 69.7%. Dominant employment sectors include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

However, accommodation & food employs only 6.4% of local workers, lower than Greater Darwin's 8.0%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.9%, while labour force increased by the same percentage with unemployment remaining stable. In comparison, Greater Darwin recorded similar growth rates but a marginal decrease in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NT employment grew by 1.0% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, outperforming the national average of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Leanyer's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simplified 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

Leanyer's median income among taxpayers was $70,155 and average income stood at $78,210 in financial year 2022. These figures are higher than Greater Darwin's median of $65,522 and average of $75,260 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $77,479 (median) and $86,375 (average). Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Leanyer rank highly nationally, between the 79th and 86th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 37.5% of locals (1,871 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 36.7%. A substantial presence of higher earners is noted, with 32.0% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. Housing accounts for 14.5% of income, and residents rank within the 80th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

As of the latest Census evaluation in Leanyer, 71.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 29.0% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of dwellings. This compares to Darwin metropolitan area's breakdown of 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Leanyer stood at 25.7%, with mortgaged properties making up 41.0% and rented dwellings comprising 33.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Leanyer was $2,000, lower than the Darwin metro average of $2,028. The median weekly rent in Leanyer was recorded at $400, higher than the national average of $375 but lower than the Darwin metro's figure of $350. Nationally, Leanyer's mortgage repayments were above the Australian average of $1,863.

Leanyer features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 74.5% of all households, including 37.1% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 25.5%, with lone person households at 21.0% and group households comprising 4.4%. The median household size is 2.7 people, aligning with the Greater Darwin average.

Leanyer performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

University qualifications in Leanyer are held by 32.1% of residents aged 15+, which is higher than the Northern Territory average of 27.3%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 21.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.7% and certificates at 23.4%.

Educational participation is high in Leanyer, with 31.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education. There are two schools serving students in Leanyer: Good Shepherd Lutheran College - St Andrews Campus and Leanyer Primary School, collectively educating 512 students. The ICSEA score for Leanyer's educational opportunities is 1009, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational prospects. Both schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. There are 10.3 school places per 100 residents in Leanyer, which is lower than the regional average of 16.9, suggesting some students may attend schools in nearby locations. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Leanyer has 17 active public transport stops. These are mixed bus services operating 48 routes that facilitate 2,679 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy good accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 259 meters from their nearest stop.

The service frequency is high, with 382 daily trips across all routes and approximately 157 weekly trips per individual stop.

Leanyer's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis shows Leanyer had low prevalence of common health conditions across age groups. Young and elderly residents were both affected at lower rates compared to regional averages.

Private health cover was found to be high, with approximately 59% of Leanyer's total population having it, compared to 56.7% in Greater Darwin. Asthma and arthritis were the most common conditions, affecting 6.5% and 6.1% respectively. A majority, 74.4%, reported no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Darwin's 77%. Leanyer had a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.6%, compared to Greater Darwin's 12.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Leanyer were strong and largely aligned with the general population's health profile.

Leanyer is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Leanyer has high cultural diversity, with 33.8% of its population born overseas and 32.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Leanyer, comprising 46.6% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin, with 4.1% versus 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (20.6%), English (17.9%), and Other (14.0%). Filipino, Greek, and Australian Aboriginal groups are notably divergent in their representation: Filipino at 4.7% (vs regional 4.7%), Greek at 5.0% (vs regional 3.7%), and Australian Aboriginal at 5.9% (vs regional 7.4%).

Leanyer's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Leanyer's median age is 37 years, which is higher than Greater Darwin's average of 34 but aligns with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Darwin, Leanyer has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (9.5%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (15.2%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population aged 35-44 has grown from 14.9% to 16.7%, while the 55-64 age group has declined from 12.8% to 11.0%. The 45-54 age group has also decreased from 12.6% to 11.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic shifts in Leanyer, with the 45-54 cohort projected to grow by 39%, adding 220 residents to reach a total of 785. Meanwhile, the number of residents aged 55-64 is expected to decrease by 19%.