Malak - Marrara
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Malak - Marrara's population is 4,654 as of Aug 2025. From the 2021 Census, it was 4,341, showing a 7.2% increase of 313 people. This growth is inferred from ABS data: an estimated resident population of 4,656 in June 2024 and one validated new address since the Census date. The population density is 963 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Malak - Marrara's growth rate of 7.2% is close to its SA3 area's 7.6%, indicating strong fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 55.7% of recent population gains.

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 Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future demographic trends project above-median population growth for national statistical areas. Malak - Marrara is expected to grow by 837 persons to 2041, reflecting an 18.0% increase over the 17 years.

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

Malak-Marrara has recorded approximately one residential property approval per year. Development approval data from the ABS shows eight dwellings approved over the past five financial years, from FY20 to FY25, with zero approvals so far in FY26. Population decline in recent years suggests new supply has likely met demand, offering buyers good choice.

Commercial development approvals this financial year total $11.0 million, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Darwin, Malak-Marrara has significantly less development activity, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This level is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

Population forecasts indicate Malak-Marrara will gain 839 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Malak - Marrara has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 1stth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified five key projects that may impact the area: Berrimah North Area Plan, Ludmilla Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade, Northern Suburbs Youth Hub, and Leanyer Primary School. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

The labour market performance in Malak - Marrara lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Malak - Marrara has an unemployment rate of 8.4% as of June 2025, with estimated employment growth of 2.7% over the past year. The area has 2,362 residents in work while its unemployment rate is 5.3%, which is higher than Greater Darwin's rate of 3.0%.

Workforce participation lags at 62.1%, compared to Greater Darwin's 69.7%. Key industries include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Education & training has a strong presence with an employment share of 1.2 times the regional level, while public administration & safety has limited presence at 16.9% compared to 19.5% regionally. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data.

From June 2024 to June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.7%, labour force increased by 2.9%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Darwin saw employment rise by 2.9% with a marginal fall in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NT employment grew by 1.0% year-on-year, adding 1,710 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National projections from May 2025 forecast national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Malak - Marrara's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3%% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022, Malak - Marrara had a median income among taxpayers of $59,769 and an average level of $66,631. This is slightly above the national average and compares with levels of $65,522 and $75,260 across Greater Darwin respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Malak - Marrara would be approximately $66,009 (median) and $73,587 (average) as of March 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, personal income ranks at the 72nd percentile ($938 weekly), while household income sits at the 52nd percentile. The largest segment of income distribution comprises 30.4% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,414 residents). High housing costs consume 16.9% of income, leaving disposable income at the 51st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Malak - Marrara displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in Malak - Marrara with 63.6% houses and 36.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Darwin metro's structure of 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Malak - Marrara stood at 25.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.8% and rented ones at 39.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than Darwin metro's average of $2,028. Median weekly rent in Malak - Marrara was $350, matching Darwin metro's figure but lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Malak - Marrara's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863.

Malak - Marrara features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.9% of all households, including 27.3% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 15.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.1%, with lone person households at 26.0% and group households comprising 5.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, smaller than the Greater Darwin average of 2.7.

Educational outcomes in Malak - Marrara fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The university qualification rate in Malak - Marrara is 24.2%, significantly lower than the SA3 area average of 36.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational credentials are held by 36.8% of residents aged 15 and above, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (26.1%). Educational participation is high at 33.5%, with 12.5% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education.

There are eight schools operating within Malak - Marrara, educating approximately 1,053 students. The educational mix includes one primary school, six secondary schools, and one K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs at 22.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.9, indicating that Malak - Marrara serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Public transport analysis shows 31 active transport stops operating within Malak-Marrara. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 54 individual routes providing 2,901 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good with residents typically located 201 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 414 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 93 weekly trips per stop.

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

Malak-Marrara demonstrates above-average health outcomes with both young and old age cohorts experiencing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~2,438 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but trailing Greater Darwin's 56.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (6.4%) and arthritis (6.3%), with 72.6% of residents reporting no medical ailments compared to 77.0% in Greater Darwin. The area has 15.9% of residents aged 65 and over (739 people), higher than Greater Darwin's 12.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

Malak - Marrara 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

Malak-Marrara was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 28.3% of its population born overseas and 25.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Malak-Marrara is Christianity, making up 51.2% of the population. Notably, Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin, comprising 3.2% versus 4.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (21.2%), English (18.4%), and Other (14.7%). There are significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal is overrepresented at 12.3% compared to the regional average of 7.4%, Filipino is slightly underrepresented at 4.5% versus 4.7%, and Maori is also underrepresented at 0.8% compared to 0.5%.

Malak - Marrara's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Malak - Marrara's median age in 2021 was 38 years, which is older than Greater Darwin's median age of 34 but matches the national average of 38. The population aged 65-74 made up 9.9% of Malak - Marrara's total population, higher than Greater Darwin's figure. Conversely, the 25-34 age group constituted 12.6%, lower than Greater Darwin's percentage. Between 2021 and the present day, the 75-84 age group has increased from 3.5% to 4.9% of the population, while the 35-44 cohort has risen from 14.0% to 15.2%. However, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 14.3% to 12.0%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant changes in Malak - Marrara's population structure. The 45-54 age cohort is expected to grow by 176 people (an increase of 28%), rising from 622 to 799. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is projected to grow modestly by 4% (12 people).