Tennant Creek
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Tennant Creek's population is 3,522 as of August 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 442 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,080. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,520 in June 2024 and one validated new address since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 83 persons per square kilometer. Tennant Creek's growth rate of 14.4% since the 2021 census exceeds both the national average (8.6%) and the state average, making it a regional growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 57.5% of overall population gains recently.

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 estimates, AreaSearch applies growth rates by age cohort from the latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median of Australia's regional areas. By 2041, Tennant Creek is expected to expand by 392 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 11.1%.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Tennant Creek recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Tennant Creek has received approximately 14 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides this data on a financial year basis, totalling 74 approvals from FY20 to FY25, with 3 recorded in FY26 so far. On average, over the past five financial years (FY20-FY25), 2.0 new residents per dwelling were constructed annually. However, this figure has moderated to 0.4 people per dwelling over the past two financial years. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $552,000.

This year, there have been $23.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate commercial development levels. Compared to the Rest of NT, Tennant Creek has recorded elevated construction activity, 23.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. Recent construction comprises 58.0% standalone homes and 42.0% medium to high-density housing, including a growing mix of townhouses and apartments. This shift marks a significant departure from the current housing pattern of 81.0% houses, potentially indicating diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

Tennant Creek has approximately 175 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. Population forecasts indicate that Tennant Creek will gain 390 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Tennant Creek has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 0thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects that may impact this region: Venture Housing - Social and Affordable Homes, Tennant Creek Aviation and Accommodation Hub, Territory Energy Link, and Urban Public Housing - Peko Road. These are the key projects with potential relevance.

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

AreaSearch assessment indicates Tennant Creek faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Tennant Creek has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 5.3%.

As of June 2025, there are 1842 residents employed while the unemployment rate stands at 5.3%, which is 0.6 percentage points lower than Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NT's figure of 50.7%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. Health care & social assistance has particularly notable concentration in Tennant Creek with employment levels at 140% of the regional average compared to a national average of 12%.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, comprising only 0.8% of Tennant Creek's workforce compared to Rest of NT's figure of 5%. Labour force analysis shows that between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.8% while employment declined by 1.1%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Tennant Creek's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, considering the weighted average of projected industry-specific growth rates.

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

Tennant Creek median taxpayer income is $62,548 with an average of $66,374 based on latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is above Rest of NT's median income of $51,655 and average income of $61,577. As of March 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $69,078 and average income $73,303, considering Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since financial year 2022. Census data shows household income at the 46th percentile ($1,677 weekly) and personal income at the 23rd percentile. Income distribution reveals largest segment is 36.6% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,289 residents), similar to surrounding region's 33.6%. After housing costs, residents retain 90.1% of income.

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

The dwelling structure in Tennant Creek, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.6% houses and 19.3% other dwellings such as semi-detached houses, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro NT's 85.0% houses and 15.0% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Tennant Creek was 13.6%, similar to Non-Metro NT, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (14.3%) or rented (72.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,114, higher than Non-Metro NT's average of $1,087. The median weekly rent figure for Tennant Creek was recorded at $180, compared to Non-Metro NT's $135. Nationally, Tennant Creek's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 60.6% of all households, including 23.8% couples with children, 19.6% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 39.4%, with lone person households at 35.1% and group households comprising 4.7%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NT average of 3.0.

Tennant Creek faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

Tennant Creek's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 20.7% hold university degrees compared to Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 29.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificates (20.4%).

Educational participation is high, with 32.0% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (14.5%), secondary (7.6%), tertiary (3.7%). Tennant Creek Primary School and Tennant Creek High School collectively serve 488 students. Educational provision follows conventional lines, split between one primary and one secondary institution.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

The level of general health in Tennant Creek is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Tennant Creek shows superior health outcomes with lower prevalence rates for common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. The area has private health cover at approximately 52%, slightly higher than the average SA2 area (49.1%).

This compares to a rate of 50.1% in the rest of the Northern Territory. Diabetes and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 8% and 5.1% of residents respectively. A total of 74.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 77.5% in the rest of NT. Tennant Creek has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 10.2%, compared to 8.3% in the rest of NT. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning with the general population's health profile.

Tennant Creek 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

Tennant Creek had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 16.5% of its population born overseas and 39.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Tennant Creek, accounting for 49.9% of the population. The 'Other' religious category had a higher representation in Tennant Creek at 1.9%, compared to 1.4% across the rest of the Northern Territory.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian Aboriginal (45.9%), Australian (13.4%), and English (13.0%). Notably, Filipino (2.5%) and Maori (0.6%) groups were overrepresented in Tennant Creek compared to regional averages of 1.6% and 0.4% respectively. Additionally, the Indian group had a higher representation at 1.8%, compared to the regional average of 1.0%.

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

Tennant Creek's median age at 33 years slightly exceeds the Rest of NT average of 31 but is significantly lower than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of NT, Tennant Creek has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (12.5%) but fewer individuals aged 15-24 (11.2%). Post the 2021 Census, the 65-74 age group increased from 6.6% to 7.4%, while the 45-54 cohort decreased from 13.5% to 12.2% and the 25-34 group fell from 18.5% to 17.3%. By 2041, population forecasts suggest significant demographic shifts in Tennant Creek. Notably, the 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 27 people (reaching 546 from 430), while the 35-44 cohort is expected to decline by 14 individuals.