Nhulunbuy

An assessment of population growth drivers in Nhulunbuy reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Nhulunbuy's population was around 3,787 as of Nov 2025. This reflected an increase of 520 people (15.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,267 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,787 from the ABS as of June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 495 persons per square kilometer. Nhulunbuy's growth exceeded the national average (8.9%) and the state average, making it a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and overseas migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, growth rates by age cohort were applied to each area, based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. Projecting forward, above median population growth was expected for Australia's regional areas. The area was projected to expand by 548 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 14.5% over the 17 years.

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

Nhulunbuy has seen limited development activity with an average of 2 approvals per year over the past five years (14 approvals). This is typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is constrained by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It's important to note that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth figures.

Compared to the rest of the Northern Territory and national averages, Nhulunbuy has much lower development activity. Recent construction comprises 67% standalone homes and 33% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift towards medium-density options. This is a change from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses (86%). Population forecasts suggest Nhulunbuy will gain 548 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and price increases.

Nhulunbuy has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 14thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects expected to impact this region: Bunggulwuy Close Housing Development and Nhulunbuy Master Plan. Other notable initiatives include Northern Territory Freight Rail And Logistics Capacity Improvements and Network Optimisation Program - Rail.

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

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The labour market strength in Nhulunbuy positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Nhulunbuy has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is just 0.6%.

The employment rate is 5.3% below the Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%, and workforce participation stands at 66.6%, compared to the Rest of NT's 50.7%. Leading industries include mining, health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. Mining is particularly strong, with an employment share 6.9 times the regional level. Conversely, public administration & safety is under-represented at 10.9% compared to the Rest of NT's 17.9%.

Some residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.2%, alongside a 1.2% employment decline, keeping unemployment broadly flat. This contrasts with the Rest of NT where employment contracted by 1.3%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Nhulunbuy's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Nhulunbuy SA2 was $59,134 and average income was $73,770. This is higher than Rest of NT's median income of $51,655 and average income of $61,577. By September 2025, based on a 12.01% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated median income would be approximately $66,236 and average income would be around $82,630. Census data indicates incomes in Nhulunbuy rank highly nationally, between the 95th and 97th percentiles for households, families, and individuals. Income brackets show that 39.6% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (1,499 individuals), similar to surrounding regions at 33.6%. The district's affluence is evident with 45.9% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and services. After housing costs, residents retain 96.0% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. Nhulunbuy's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

In Nhulunbuy, as per the latest Census evaluation, 86.3% of dwellings were houses while 13.7% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In contrast, Non-Metro NT had 89.4% houses and 10.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Nhulunbuy stood at 6.0%, with mortgaged properties at 3.3% and rented ones at 90.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,741, surpassing Non-Metro NT's average of $1,664. Weekly rent in Nhulunbuy was recorded at $110, higher than Non-Metro NT's $80 but lower than the national average of $375 for mortgage repayments ($1,863) and rents ($375).

Nhulunbuy has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.6% of all households, including 46.3% couples with children, 22.2% couples without children, and 6.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 25.4%, with lone person households at 21.4% and group households making up 3.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NT average of 4.0.

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

Educational attainment in Nhulunbuy is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 30.0% hold university qualifications, compared to 14.9% in the SA3 area and 20.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 45.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 9.9% and certificates for 35.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 48.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 21.7% in primary education, 12.8% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Nhulunbuy's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows exceptional results in Nhulunbuy, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 56% of the total population (around 2,139 people), compared to 51.5% in the rest of NT.

Asthma and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions, affecting 5.8 and 5.3% of residents respectively. A majority, 83.3%, report being completely free of medical ailments, similar to the 82.9% reported across the rest of NT. The area has a senior population (65 years and over) comprising 5.1% of residents (around 194 people). Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong and align with those of the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Nhulunbuy records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Nhulunbuy's cultural diversity is above average, with 19.2% of its population born overseas and 14.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Nhulunbuy, comprising 43.0% of the population. The category 'Other' comprises just 0.8%, significantly lower than the Rest of NT average of 15.8%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian is the most represented group at 28.3%, substantially higher than the regional average of 11.5%. English follows with 25.3% (regional average: 10.3%), and Other stands at 8.9%. Notably, Maori representation is overrepresented at 1.8% compared to the regional average of 0.7%, while Australian Aboriginal is underrepresented at 6.6% (regional average: 60.9%) and South African is slightly higher than average at 0.7% (regional average: 0.3%).

Nhulunbuy's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Nhulunbuy's median age is 33 years, which modestly exceeds the Rest of NT average of 31 but is substantially under Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of NT, Nhulunbuy has a higher concentration of residents aged 35-44 (20.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (14.5%). This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 9.9% to 11.6%, while the 25-34 age group has declined from 16.5% to 14.5% and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 19.6% to 18.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Nhulunbuy. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 35%, reaching 714 people from the current 527. Conversely, the 25-34 and 35-44 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.