Stuart Park

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Stuart Park's population is around 4,424 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 323 people (7.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,101 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,420 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 4 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,681 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Stuart Park's 7.9% growth since the census positions it within 0.3 percentage points of the SA3 area (8.2%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 75.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is applying growth rates by age cohort to each area, as provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Considering the projected demographic shifts, an above-median population growth relative to national areas is projected, with the area expected to grow by 930 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 20.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

Stuart Park has averaged around 4 new dwelling approvals annually, totalling 20 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 0 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 4.4 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand is significantly outpacing supply, which typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $302,000. Additionally, $2.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating the area's residential nature.

Relative to Greater Darwin, Stuart Park shows moderately higher development activity (15.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), balancing buyer choice with support for current property values, though development activity has moderated in recent periods. This activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. Further, new construction has been completely comprised of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (25.0% at Census), demonstrating ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. The location has approximately 1466 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market.

Looking ahead, Stuart Park is expected to grow by 926 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 10 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Stuart Highway Road Safety Improvements - Stuart Park, Darwin Inner Suburbs Area Plan, Charles Darwin University City Campus, and Darwin City Stadium, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Stuart Park performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Stuart Park possesses a highly educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of just 1.5%, and 1.6% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 3,191 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.6% below Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (83.3% compared to Greater Darwin's 76.1%). Based on Census responses, a low 4.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. On the other hand, education & training is under-represented, with only 6.6% of Stuart Park's workforce compared to 8.7% in Greater Darwin. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw employment increasing by 1.6% alongside the labour force increasing by 1.2%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.4 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Darwin recorded employment growth of 1.3%, labour force growth of 1.2%, with unemployment falling marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Stuart Park. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Stuart Park's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Stuart Park SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $69,649 and an average of $84,739 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is extremely high nationally, contrasting with Greater Darwin's median income of $66,956 and average income of $77,199. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $75,527 (median) and $91,891 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Stuart Park, between the 82nd and 92nd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 41.3% of the community (1,827 individuals), consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 36.7% in the same category. The substantial proportion of high earners (32.9% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout this suburb. High housing costs consume 15.7% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 81st percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Stuart Park, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 24.9% houses and 75.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Darwin metro's 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Stuart Park lagged that of Darwin metro, at 14.4%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (27.2%) or rented (58.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Darwin metro average at $1,980, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Darwin metro's $2,100 and $385. Nationally, Stuart Park's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 61.7% of all households, comprising 23.5% couples with children, 29.6% couples without children, and 6.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.3%, with lone person households at 27.6% and group households comprising 10.9% of the total. The median household size of 2.3 people is smaller than the Greater Darwin average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Stuart Park significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 42.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 27.3% in NT and 30.4% in Australia. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 25.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 32.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (20.3%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.4% in tertiary education, 7.5% in primary education, and 6.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 12 active transport stops operating within Stuart Park, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 32 individual routes, collectively providing 1,472 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 173 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 84%, with 3% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 4.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 210 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 122 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Stuart Park, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (2,725 people). This compares 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 and asthma, impacting 5.9% and 5.7% of residents, respectively, while 80.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 77.1% across Greater Darwin. The area has 9.6% of residents aged 65 and over (423 people), which is lower than the 10.8% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

Stuart Park is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Stuart Park scores highly on cultural diversity, with 32.5% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 40.8% born overseas. The main religion in Stuart Park is Christianity, which makes up 37.2% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Hinduism, which comprises 7.6% of the population, compared to 4.2% across Greater Darwin.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Stuart Park are English, comprising 22.1% of the population, Australian, comprising 18.3% of the population, and Other, comprising 15.2% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Filipino is notably overrepresented at 4.6% of Stuart Park (vs 3.8% regionally), Sri Lankan at 1.3% (vs 0.3%) and Greek at 2.7% (vs 2.3%).

Stuart Park hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

At 34 years, Stuart Park's median age is the same as the Greater Darwin average of 34 but is significantly lower than the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Darwin, Stuart Park has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (26.0%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (7.6%). This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. In the period since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.8% to 12.9% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 8.8% to 7.6%. Demographic modeling suggests Stuart Park's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, expanding by 220 people (42%) from 524 to 745. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 cohort grows by a modest 5% (18 people).