Malak - Marrara

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, as of February 2026, is approximately 4,656 people. This figure represents a growth of 315 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,341. The increase was inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 964 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Malak - Marrara's growth rate of 7.3% since the census is close to the SA3 area's rate of 7.4%, indicating strong population fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 55.7% of recent population gains in the area.

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 estimates, AreaSearch applies age cohort-specific growth rates provided by the ABS in its Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Based on demographic trends, Malak - Marrara is projected to experience above-median population growth. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 837 persons, reflecting an overall increase of approximately 18.0% over the 17-year period.

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 two residential properties granted approval each year. This area has experienced population decline, suggesting that new supply has likely been keeping pace with demand, providing good choice for buyers.

As of this financial year, $11.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Darwin, Malak-Marrara shows substantially reduced construction activity. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. Nationally, this level is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints.

Malak - Marrara has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 3rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Berrimah North Area Plan, Ludmilla Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade, Northern Suburbs Youth Hub, and Leanyer Primary School. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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

Malak - Marrara has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 8.5% in September 2025, showing room for improvement compared to Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%. Workforce participation is lower at 67.7% versus Greater Darwin's 76.0%.

A low 4.2% of residents work from home as per Census responses. Leading employment industries are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specializes in education & training with an employment share of 1.2 times the regional level. However, public administration & safety shows lower representation at 16.9% versus the regional average of 19.5%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by Census data. During the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.0%, and labour force increased by 1.7%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Malak - Marrara's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though this is an illustrative extrapolation not accounting for localized population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Malak - Marrara SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $60,634 and an average level of $69,043. This is slightly above national averages of $51,378 (median) and $76,713 (average). In Greater Darwin, the median income was $66,956 and the average was $77,199. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $65,752 (median) and $74,870 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, personal income ranks at the 72nd percentile ($938 weekly), while household income is at the 51st percentile. Income distribution shows 30.4% of the population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, consistent with broader trends across Greater Darwin showing 36.7% in the same category. High housing costs consume 16.9% of income, but strong earnings place 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

At the latest Census, dwelling structures in Malak - Marrara consisted of 63.6% houses and 36.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Darwin metro's 63.5% houses and 36.5% 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, below Darwin metro's average of $2,100. Median weekly rent in the area was $350, compared to Darwin metro's $385. Nationally, Malak - Marrara's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Malak - Marrara features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

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

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

The area's university qualification rate 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 prevalent, with 36.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (26.1%). Educational participation is high at 33.5%, comprising 12.5% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.5% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Malak - Marrara has 31 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 57 different routes that collectively facilitate 2,918 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 201 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outside Malak - Marrara, predominantly using cars (91%). On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in the area. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 4.2% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 416 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 94 weekly trips per individual stop.

Malak - Marrara's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Malak, located within Marrara, shows health metrics close to national benchmarks according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a standard level of common health conditions across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover is at approximately 53% of the total population (~2,481 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Darwin's 57.8%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (6.4%) and arthritis (6.3%), with 72.6% of residents declaring themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.1% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.3% (759 people), compared to Greater Darwin's 10.8%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Malak - Marrara was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number 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. Christianity is the predominant religion in Malak-Marrara, comprising 51.2% of people. Buddhism, however, is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin, making up 3.2% of Malak-Marrara's population versus 3.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (21.2%), English (18.4%), and Other (14.7%). Notably, Filipino, Australian Aboriginal, and Maori populations are overrepresented in Malak-Marrara compared to regional averages: Filipino at 4.5% versus 3.8%, Australian Aboriginal at 12.3% versus 7.0%, and Maori at 0.8% versus 0.6%.

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

Malak-Marrara's median age of 38 years is significantly older than Greater Darwin's 34 years but aligns with Australia's national average of 38 years. The age group of 65-74 years has strong representation in Malak-Marrara at 10.1%, compared to Greater Darwin, while the 25-34 age cohort is less prevalent at 12.2%. Between 2021 and the present, the population aged 75 to 84 years grew from 3.5% to 5.1%, and the 35 to 44 age group increased from 14.0% to 15.6%. Conversely, the population aged 5 to 14 years declined from 14.3% to 11.9%, and the 25 to 34 age group decreased from 13.4% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic forecasts indicate substantial changes for Malak-Marrara. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to increase significantly by 178 people (29%), growing from 620 to 799 individuals. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age cohort is expected to grow modestly by 5%, adding 16 people.