Ludmilla - The Narrows

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

Ludmilla - The Narrows' population was approximately 2,708 as of February 2026, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 145 people from the 2021 Census total of 2,563, reflecting a growth rate of 5.7%. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,695 in June 2024 and the addition of 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 506 persons per square kilometer. Ludmilla - The Narrows' growth rate since the census is within 2.5 percentage points of its SA3 area's (8.2%), indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 59.2% of overall population gains during 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 to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch applies age cohort growth rates provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Nationally, statistical areas are projected to have above median population growth trends. Ludmilla - The Narrows is expected to expand by 472 persons to reach a total of approximately 3,180 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 16.9% over the 17-year period based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Ludmilla-The Narrows has seen one residential development approval in the past five years. Despite its established nature, there has been virtually no new residential development in the area during this period. This limited supply of new housing typically supports values for existing properties.

Factors such as planning constraints or limited market activity may contribute to this trend. Compared to Greater Darwin, Ludmilla-The Narrows records significantly lower building activity, 91.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties in the area. Nationally, building activity is also lower than expected, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints.

Ludmilla - The Narrows has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 4thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely to impact this area. Key projects include Darwin Desalination Plant, Darwin Mid Suburbs Area Plan, Intersection Upgrade - Dick Ward Drive and Fitzer Drive, Richardson Park Community Space. Below is a list detailing those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Ludmilla - The Narrows has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Ludmilla - The Narrows has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 5.7%, with an estimated employment growth of 0.6% over the past year as of September 2025. There are 1,457 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.5% higher than Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%.

Workforce participation is lower at 71.7%, compared to Greater Darwin's 76.0%. According to Census responses, only 4.6% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food services.

Health care & social assistance has a limited presence with 11.5% employment compared to the regional average of 14.2%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the past year, employment increased by 0.6%, while the labour force grew by 1.4%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.7 percentage points. Greater Darwin experienced higher employment growth at 1.9% and a marginal unemployment rate increase. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ludmilla - The Narrows' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

The median taxpayer income in Ludmilla - The Narrows SA2 is $54,391 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This figure is slightly lower than the national average. In comparison, Greater Darwin has a median income of $66,956 and an average income of $77,199 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $58,982 (median) and $71,759 (average). Census data from 2021 shows that income in Ludmilla - The Narrows clusters around the 69th percentile nationally. Income distribution indicates that 32.7% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually. After housing costs, 85.8% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

In Ludmilla - The Narrows, as assessed in the latest Census, 70.7% of dwellings were houses while 29.3% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This contrasted with Darwin's metropolitan area which had 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ludmilla - The Narrows stood at 18.2%, similar to Darwin metro, with mortgaged properties at 28.9% and rented ones at 52.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than the Darwin metro average of $2,100. Weekly rent median was $260, lower than Darwin's $385. Nationally, Ludmilla - The Narrows' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially lower at $260 versus the national figure of $375.

Ludmilla - The Narrows features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 70.7% of all households, including 29.6% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 14.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.3%, with lone person households at 21.9% and group households making up 6.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Darwin average.

Educational outcomes in Ludmilla - The Narrows fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has university qualification rates at 30.8%, significantly lower than the SA3 area average of 45.3%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 32.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.9%) and certificates (23.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.9% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 6.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 16 active stops operating within Ludmilla - The Narrows area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 40 individual routes. They collectively facilitate 2,070 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 268 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode at 86%, while cycling accounts for 4%.

Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 4.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 295 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 129 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Ludmilla - The Narrows shows superior health outcomes according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and elderly cohorts exhibit low incidence of common health issues.

Private health coverage stands at approximately 52% of the total population (around 1,410 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area's 57.8%. Mental health issues affect 6.6% of residents, while asthma impacts 5.0%. About 75.9% report no medical ailments, compared to Greater Darwin's 77.1%. Working-age residents display low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 11.7% seniors (317 people), with health outcomes among them ranking higher than the general population nationally.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Ludmilla - The Narrows was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ludmilla-The Narrows has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 24.1% of its population born overseas and 24.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ludmilla-The Narrows, comprising 37.2% of people. However, Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin, making up 2.7% versus 3.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (22.0%), English (21.4%), and Australian Aboriginal (13.2%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 7.0%. Notably, Filipino (3.7%) and Sri Lankan (0.5%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages, while Welsh is slightly overrepresented at 0.7% versus 0.4%.

Ludmilla - The Narrows hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Ludmilla-The Narrows's median age is 34 years, matching Greater Darwin's average but lower than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Darwin, Ludmilla-The Narrows has more residents aged 75-84 (5.0%) and fewer aged 25-34 (16.2%). From 2021 onwards, the population aged 35-44 grew from 14.5% to 16.1%, while those aged 75-84 increased from 3.6% to 5.0%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group declined from 19.3% to 16.2%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 7.0% to 6.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Ludmilla-The Narrows's age profile, with the 45-54 cohort growing by 149 people (39%) from 381 to 531, and the 5-14 cohort increasing modestly by 2 people.