Parap

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

Parap's population is approximately 2,973 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 154 people, a growth rate of 5.5% since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,819. This change can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,969 in June 2024 and the addition of 10 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 2,702 persons per square kilometer, placing Parap in the upper quartile compared to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, ending in 2026, Parap has shown a compound annual growth rate of 1.2%, outperforming its SA3 area. The primary driver for population growth was overseas migration, contributing approximately 80.8% 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-specific growth rates provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). According to population projections, Parap is expected to grow by approximately 7.7% by 2041, adding around 233 persons to its population.

Residential dwelling approval activity has been practically non-existent in Parap

Parap has recorded just one dwelling approval over the past five years. This indicates a mature, established suburb with limited available land for new construction. For buyers, this scarcity of new housing stock typically supports property values and may result in competition primarily among existing homes.

Compared to Greater Darwin, Parap records markedly lower building activity, 91.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. This activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints.

Parap has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 1stth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. Two projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact this region. Notable projects include Darwin Inner Suburbs Area Plan, Richardson Park Community Space, Elysium Green, and Darwin City Stadium. The following details the projects most relevant:.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Parap significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Parap has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.2%, lower than the national average. Over the past year, employment grew by an estimated 1.9%.

As of September 2025, 1,912 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.9% below Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%. Workforce participation is 78.5%, slightly higher than Greater Darwin's 76.0%. According to Census responses, only 5.4% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Dominant employment sectors include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Parap shows strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. However, construction is under-represented, at 6.7% compared to Greater Darwin's 9.2%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 1.9%, while labour force and unemployment remained broadly flat in Parap. In contrast, Greater Darwin saw employment rise by 1.9% but with a marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Parap's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

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

The median income among taxpayers in Parap SA2 was $72,127 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $87,753 during the same period. These figures are higher than those for Greater Darwin, which were $66,956 and $77,199 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since financial year 2023, estimated median income is approximately $78,215 as of September 2025, with average income projected at around $95,159 during the same period. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Parap rank highly nationally, between the 79th and 94th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution shows that 37.0% of Parap's population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to regional levels at 36.7%. Notably, 33.6% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 17.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 77th percentile nationally. Parap's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Parap features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Parap's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census report, consists of 30.6% houses and 69.4% other dwellings including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This differs from Darwin metro's composition which is 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. In Parap, home ownership stands at 13.2%, with mortgaged properties at 23.7% and rented dwellings at 63.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Parap is $2,232, exceeding Darwin metro's average of $2,100. Weekly rent figures in Parap are recorded at $415 compared to Darwin metro's $385. Nationally, Parap's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863 and rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Parap features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.3% of all households, including 26.2% couples with children, 22.8% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 39.7%, with lone person households at 31.2% and group households comprising 8.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Darwin average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Parap is notably high, with 43.8% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This compares to 27.3% in the Northern Territory (NT) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.6% and graduate diplomas at 4.3%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 31.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications.

This includes advanced diplomas (11.2%) and certificates (20.3%). Educational participation is high, with 31.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 7.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Parap has 12 operational public transport stops. These are served by 31 different routes, offering a total of 1930 weekly passenger trips. Transport access is excellent with residents located an average of 185 meters from the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential with most commuters traveling outward. Cars are the primary mode of transport at 85%, while cycling accounts for 3%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

In 2021 Census data, 5.4% of residents worked from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 275 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 160 weekly trips per individual stop.

Parap's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Parap. AreaSearch's assessment indicates low prevalence of common health conditions across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (1,881 people), compared to 57.8% across Greater Darwin and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues impacting 6.5% of residents and asthma impacting 5.6%, while 76.9% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.1% across Greater Darwin. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 12.3% of residents aged 65 and over (365 people), higher than the 10.8% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Parap 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

Parap was found to have a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 25.7% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 34.2% born overseas. The predominant religion in Parap is Christianity, making up 38.9% of the population. Notably, the category 'Other' comprises 2.0% of Parap's population, compared to 1.3% across Greater Darwin.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English at 23.3%, Australian at 19.0%, and Other at 13.3%. There are also significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Filipino is overrepresented at 2.7% (vs 3.8% regionally), Sri Lankan at 0.6% (vs 0.3%), and German at 4.6% (vs 3.2%).

Parap's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age of Parap is 36 years, which is slightly older than Greater Darwin's figure of 34 but lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Darwin, Parap has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (18.3%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (10.3%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 9.3% to 11.1%, while the 35-44 age group increased from 16.7% to 18.3%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 11.9% to 10.3% and the 45-54 age group decreased from 12.7% to 11.2%. Population forecasts for Parap in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes, with the strongest projected growth in the 45-54 cohort, expected to grow by 25%, adding 82 residents to reach a total of 415. Conversely, the 5-14 age group is projected to decrease by 16 residents.