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 was around 4,990 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 393 people (8.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,597 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,988 from the ABS as of June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,996 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Leanyer's growth of 8.5% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth of 7.6%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 55.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch applies 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). Future population dynamics anticipate an above median growth for statistical areas across the nation. By 2041, the area is projected to increase by 854 persons, recording a gain of 17.1% in total 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 minimal dwelling approvals in recent years, with a total of 4 homes approved over the past five financial years, FY21 to FY25. In the current financial year, FY26, no dwelling approvals have been recorded as of yet. This low supply contrasts with demand, which averages 35 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past five financial years. Consequently, new dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $452,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

Commercial approvals this financial year total $4.0 million, reflecting Leanyer's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Darwin, Leanyer records significantly lower building activity, 91.0% below the regional average per person, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. This is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining Leanyer's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Notably, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests, indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified four projects likely affecting the region: Northern Suburbs Youth Hub, Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade, Leanyer Primary School, and Casuarina Square Redevelopment. The following details those most relevant.

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

Leanyer has a well-educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.5% as of June 2025, which is below Greater Darwin's rate of 3.0%.

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

Accommodation & food services employ just 6.4% of local workers, compared to Greater Darwin's 8.0%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.9% while labour force increased by 2.9%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Leanyer's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.6% over ten years.

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 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $78,210 during the same period. These figures are higher than Greater Darwin's median and average incomes of $65,522 and $75,260 respectively. By September 2025, based on a 12.01% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated median income would be approximately $78,581 and average income would be around $87,603. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Leanyer rank highly nationally, between the 79th and 86th percentiles. The predominant income bracket spans 37.5% of locals (1,871 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 36.7%. A substantial presence of higher earners is seen with 32.0% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. Housing accounts for 14.5% of income, and residents rank in 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

Leanyer's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 71.1% houses and 29.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Darwin metro's 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Leanyer was higher at 25.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.0% and rented ones at 33.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, lower than Darwin metro's average of $2,028. The median weekly rent figure in Leanyer was $400, compared to Darwin metro's $350. Nationally, Leanyer's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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, which aligns 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 edge above the NT average of 27.3%, with 32.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such credentials. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational skills are prominent, with 34.1% of residents aged 15+ having trade or technical qualifications - advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (23.4%).

Educational participation is high, at 31.5%. This includes primary education (12.0%), secondary education (7.4%), and tertiary education (6.3%). Good Shepherd Lutheran College - St Andrews Campus and Leanyer Primary School serve 512 students collectively, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1009) and balanced educational opportunities. Both schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available nearby. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average at 10.3, suggesting some students may attend adjacent areas' schools. Note that 'n/a' school enrolment figures refer to their 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 all bus stops. They are served by 48 different routes which together provide 2679 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in Leanyer is rated as good. On average, residents live 259 meters from the nearest stop. Across all routes, there are an average of 382 trips per day. This means each stop gets about 157 weekly trips.

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

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Leanyer. Both young and old age cohorts saw low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (2,934 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Darwin. The most common medical conditions in the area were asthma and arthritis, impacting 6.5 and 6.1% of residents respectively. Seventy-four point four percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.0% across Greater Darwin. Leanyer has 15.6% of residents aged 65 and over (775 people), which is higher than the 12.3% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line 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 a high level of cultural diversity, with 33.8% of its population born overseas and 32.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Leanyer, accounting for 46.6% of the population. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin, comprising 4.1% of Leanyer's population versus 4.1%.

The top three ancestral groups based on country of birth of parents are Australian (20.6%), English (17.9%), and Other (14.0%). Notably, Filipino (4.7%) and Greek (5.0%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Leanyer compared to regional averages of 4.7% and 3.7%, respectively. Additionally, Australian Aboriginal representation is lower at 5.9% compared to the regional average of 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 similar to Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Greater Darwin, Leanyer has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (9.5%) and fewer residents aged 25-34 (15.2%). Between the 2021 Census and present day, the population aged 35-44 increased from 14.9% to 16.7%, while those aged 55-64 decreased from 12.8% to 11.0%. The 45-54 age group also saw a decline, from 12.6% to 11.3%. By the year 2041, Leanyer's population is projected to change significantly demographically. The 45-54 age cohort is expected to grow by 39%, adding 220 residents to reach a total of 785. Conversely, the number of residents aged 55-64 is forecasted to decrease.