Tiwi

Tiwi is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Tiwi's population is around 2,585 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 74 people (2.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,511 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,585 from the ABS as of June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 828 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of 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). As we examine future population trends, an above-median population growth of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is projected, with the area expected to grow by 393 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 15.2% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Tiwi is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Tiwi has experienced around 2 dwellings receiving development approval each year, with 10 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 0 so far in FY-26. Given population has fallen over the past period, new supply has likely been keeping up with demand, offering good choice to buyers, while new dwellings are developed at an average value of $441,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. There have also been $17.5 million in commercial approvals this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity.

Compared to Greater Darwin, Tiwi shows substantially reduced construction (59.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes, though building activity has accelerated in recent years. This is similarly under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Further, recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (74.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. The estimated count of 648 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment.

Population forecasts indicate Tiwi will gain 393 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.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 6 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade, Edgeview Court Water Main Replacement, CDU - Centre for Better Health Futures, and Casuarina Square Redevelopment, 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.

The labour market in Tiwi demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Tiwi possesses a well-educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of just 2.9%, and 1.0% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 1,353 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.2% below Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%, and workforce participation lags significantly (65.4% compared to Greater Darwin's 76.1%). Based on Census responses, a low 4.6% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. The area has a particular employment specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. In contrast, public administration & safety employs just 15.6% of local workers, below Greater Darwin's 19.5%. With 2.1 workers for every resident, as at the Census, the area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.0% and the labour force increased by 1.1%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. 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 Tiwi. 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 Tiwi's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 15.1% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Tiwi SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $57,780 and an average of $67,928 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is approximately average 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 $62,657 (median) and $73,661 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Tiwi cluster around the 69th percentile nationally. Looking at income distribution, the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 32.5% of residents (840 people), aligning with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 36.7%. High housing costs consume 15.3% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 68th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Tiwi, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 74.3% houses and 25.7% 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 Tiwi was well beyond that of Darwin metro, at 26.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (36.6%) or rented (37.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Darwin metro average at $2,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $375, compared to Darwin metro's $2,100 and $385. Nationally, Tiwi's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are comparable to the national figure of $375.

Tiwi features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 67.5% of all households, comprising 28.7% couples with children, 23.0% couples without children, and 14.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.5%, with lone person households at 27.5% and group households comprising 5.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.6 people matches the Greater Darwin average.

Educational outcomes in Tiwi fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Educational attainment in Tiwi significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 38.8% 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 23.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 29.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (20.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.9% in primary education, 8.0% in tertiary education, and 7.1% 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 15 active transport stops operating within Tiwi, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 39 individual routes, collectively providing 2,531 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 180 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 85%, with 7% walking and 3% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. A relatively low 4.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 361 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 168 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Tiwi is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Tiwi faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover just leads that of the average SA2 area at approximately 53% of the total population (~1,359 people). This compares to 57.8% across Greater Darwin.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.5 and 7.6% of residents, respectively, while 68.8% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 77.1% across Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 19.8% of residents aged 65 and over (512 people), which is higher than the 10.8% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Tiwi 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

Tiwi scores highly on cultural diversity, with 34.6% of its population born overseas and 30.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Tiwi is Christianity, which makes up 51.6% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Buddhism, which comprises 3.2% of the population, compared to 3.3% across Greater Darwin.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Tiwi are Australian, comprising 23.0% of the population, English, comprising 19.3% of the population, and Other, comprising 12.0% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Filipino is notably overrepresented at 3.7% of Tiwi (vs 3.8% regionally), Australian Aboriginal at 7.8% (vs 7.0%) and Greek at 3.8% (vs 2.3%).

Tiwi's population is slightly older than the national pattern

At 39 years, Tiwi's median age is considerably higher than the Greater Darwin average of 34 and similarly very close to the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Darwin, Tiwi has a higher concentration of 65 - 74 residents (10.5%) but fewer 25 - 34 year-olds (13.8%). Since the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 9.0% to 11.7% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 15.4% to 17.4%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 11.2% to 9.4% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 15.5% to 13.8%. Demographic modeling suggests Tiwi's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 64%, adding 101 residents to reach 260. In contrast, both the 35 to 44 and 5 to 14 age groups will see reduced numbers.