Palmerston - North

Palmerston - North has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Palmerston - North's population, as of February 2026, is approximately 4,749. This figure represents a rise of 293 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,456. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,747 in June 2024 and an additional 10 validated new addresses post-Census date. This results in a population density of 995 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Palmerston - North has shown steady growth with a compound annual growth rate of 0.6%, surpassing state averages. Natural growth contributed approximately 58.3% 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 post-2032 estimations, AreaSearch applies growth rates by age cohort from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below median statistical area averages, with Palmerston - North expected to expand by 583 persons to reach approximately 5,332 by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 12.2% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Palmerston - North, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Palmerston - North has recorded approximately two residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling 13 homes. As of FY-26, five approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.4 new residents per year have been associated with every home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating significant demand exceeding supply, which typically drives price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction value for new homes has been $246,000, lower than regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options.

This financial year, commercial approvals have totalled $49.0 million, reflecting strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Darwin, Palmerston - North exhibits substantially reduced construction activity, with 87.0% below the regional average per person, which often reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. This is also lower than national levels, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints. All new construction in the area has consisted of detached dwellings, preserving Palmerston - North's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. The location currently has approximately 3168 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Palmerston - North is projected to add 581 residents by 2041. If current development rates persist, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Palmerston - North has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 12thth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure performance is significantly influenced by changes to local projects and planning initiatives. A total of zero projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable projects include Darwin Light Rail Stage 1, Hudson Creek Power Station, Marine Industry Park, and Darwin Corporate Park. The following list details those likely to be most relevant:.

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Employment conditions in Palmerston - North demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Palmerston - North has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% as of September 2025, lower than Greater Darwin's 3.1%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.4%.

As of September 2025, 2,851 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 1.0% below Greater Darwin's and workforce participation at 81.1%, higher than Greater Darwin's 76.0%. According to Census responses, only 3.4% of residents worked from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction sectors. The area has strong specialization in mining with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level, while professional & technical services show lower representation at 4.0% compared to the regional average of 5.8%.

The worker-to-resident ratio is 1.0, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.4% while labour force grew by 1.9%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Darwin had employment growth of 1.9% with a marginal rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May-25, project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Palmerston - North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.7% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 indicates that Palmerston - North SA2 has incomes well above national averages. The median income is $69,884 and the average is $76,246. In comparison, Greater Darwin has a median income of $66,956 and an average of $77,199. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Palmerston - North SA2 are approximately $75,782 (median) and $82,681 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data ranks Palmerston - North's household, family, and personal incomes highly nationally, between the 89th and 90th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 40.4% of locals (1,918 people) earn $1,500 - 2,999 annually, similar to the surrounding region at 36.7%. Economic strength is evident with 35.6% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 87th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Palmerston - North is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Palmerston - North, as evaluated at the latest Census held in 2016, dwelling structures comprised 86.3% houses and 13.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Darwin metropolitan area's structure of 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Palmerston - North was at 11.7%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 43.7% and rented dwellings making up 44.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of 2020 data, was $2,000, lower than Darwin metro's average of $2,100. The median weekly rent figure for Palmerston - North stood at $460, higher than Darwin metro's $385. Nationally, Palmerston - North's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, as per 2021 data, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Palmerston - North features high concentrations of family households and group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 79.5% of all households, including 40.6% couples with children, 24.5% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 20.5%, with lone person households at 16.5% and group households comprising 3.9%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Darwin average of 2.6 people.

Palmerston - North shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 20.3%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 31.3%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.3%) and certificates (31.9%). Educational participation is high, with 34.9% currently enrolled in formal education: 12.3% in primary, 9.2% in secondary, and 5.7% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.3% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Palmerston - North has 11 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 27 distinct routes, offering a total of 1,751 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is considered good, with residents generally situated 284 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 92%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 3.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 250 trips daily, translating to roughly 159 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Palmerston - North is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Palmerston - North faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high among both younger and older residents. Approximately 57% (~2,706 people) have private health cover. The most prevalent conditions are asthma (7.8%) and mental health issues (6.7%). Conversely, 75.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 77.1% in Greater Darwin. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Only 7.1% (336 people) are aged 65 and over, lower than the 10.8% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges, aligning with national rankings.

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

Palmerston-North, according to data from the 2016 Census, has a higher than average cultural diversity with 22.6% of its population born overseas and 15.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Palmerston-North, accounting for 41.6% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented, comprising 0.2% compared to 0.1% across Greater Darwin.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (27.0%), English (23.7%), and Other (10.8%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Filipino representation is higher at 3.4% in Palmerston-North compared to 3.8% regionally, Australian Aboriginal is slightly higher at 7.4% versus 7.0%, and Samoan is also higher at 0.3% compared to 0.1%.

Palmerston - North hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Palmerston - North has a median age of 32, which is slightly lower than Greater Darwin's figure of 34 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Darwin, Palmerston - North has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (16.2%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (15.9%). Between 2021 and present, the population aged 35-44 grew from 16.5% to 18.1%, while the 5-14 cohort increased from 15.1% to 16.2%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group declined from 17.1% to 15.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Palmerston - North's age structure. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to increase by 176 people (30%), growing from 591 to 768 residents. The 0-4 age group is expected to grow modestly at 2%, adding only 8 residents.