Tiwi
Statistical Area - sa2

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

"As of Aug 2025, Tiwi's population is around 2,585. This reflects an increase of 74 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,511. The change is inferred from ABS estimates as of June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 828 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, growth rates by age cohort are applied post-2032, based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. Future trends project an above median population growth, with Tiwi expected to grow by 393 persons to 2041, recording a total gain of 15.2% 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 receives approximately one dwelling approval annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports development approval data on a financial year basis. Between Financial Year 2020 (FY-20) and FY-25, around nine homes received approval each year. As of FY-26, no dwellings have been approved.

The population has declined recently, suggesting new supply has met demand, offering buyers good choice. New homes are built at an average cost of $381,000, below the regional average, indicating affordable housing options. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $17.5 million, suggesting balanced activity in this sector. Compared to Greater Darwin, Tiwi records significantly lower building activity, 61.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties.

However, recent construction activity has increased. Nationally, Tiwi's construction levels are also below average, likely due to its mature status and potential planning constraints. New construction in Tiwi is exclusively detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character and appealing to families seeking space. Developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies, indicating strong demand for family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 648 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. By 2041, Tiwi is projected to grow by 393 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Tiwi has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 2ndth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified six projects likely affecting the region. Key initiatives include Royal Darwin Hospital's Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD upgrades, Edgeview Court Water Main Replacement, CDU - Centre for Better Health Futures, and Casuarina Square Redevelopment. The following list details projects most relevant to the area.

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

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

Tiwi has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 2.9%, and an estimated employment growth of 2.6% over the past year. As of June 2025, there are 1,360 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.1% lower than Greater Darwin's rate of 3.0%.

Workforce participation in Tiwi lags behind Greater Darwin at 58.7%, compared to 69.7%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. Health care & social assistance is particularly strong with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. However, public administration & safety is under-represented at 15.6% compared to Greater Darwin's 19.5%.

There are 2.1 workers for every resident in Tiwi as at the Census, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.6% while labour force grew by 2.9%, resulting in a rise of 0.4 percentage points in the unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Darwin experienced employment growth of 2.9% with a marginal drop in unemployment rate. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NT employment grew by 1.0% year-on-year, adding 1,710 jobs, and the state unemployment rate was at 4.2%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, with NT's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate an expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections suggest Tiwi's employment mix may grow by approximately 7.3% over five years and 15.1% over ten years based on weighted extrapolation.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The median taxpayer income in Tiwi was $56,844, with an average of $66,201 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is slightly above the national average, contrasting with Greater Darwin's median income of $65,522 and average income of $75,260. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since the financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $62,779 (median) and $73,112 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Tiwi cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows that 32.5% of locals (840 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, reflecting patterns seen in metropolitan regions where 36.7% similarly occupy this range. High housing costs consume 15.3% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 68th percentile nationally. 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 in Tiwi, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 74.3% houses and 25.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In comparison, Darwin metro had 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tiwi stood at 26.0%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 36.6% and rented ones accounting for 37.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Tiwi was $2,000 as of the Census date, lower than Darwin metro's average of $2,028. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure was $375 in Tiwi, compared to Darwin metro's $350. Nationally, Tiwi's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863 at the time of the Census, while rents were comparable to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 67.5% of all households, including 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%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Darwin average of 2.7.

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

Educational attainment in Tiwi is notably high with 38.8% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 27.3% in the Northern Territory (NT) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 23.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.3% and graduate diplomas at 4.3%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.6% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (20.4%). Educational participation is high, with 33.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 11.9% in primary, 8.0% in tertiary, and 7.1% in secondary education.

Tiwi has educational provisions including Dripstone Middle School and Henbury School, serving a total of 731 students. The area functions as an education hub with 28.3 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.9.

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

Transport analysis in Tiwi shows 15 operational transit hubs serving a mix of bus routes. These hubs are supported by 37 unique routes that facilitate 2,314 weekly passenger journeys. Residential accessibility to transport is deemed excellent, with residents situated an average of 180 metres from the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency across all routes averages 330 trips, translating to about 154 weekly trips per individual hub.

Health performance in Tiwi is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Tiwi faces significant health challenges. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across all age groups but to a considerably higher degree among older cohorts.

The rate of private health cover in Tiwi is approximately 52%, which is slightly lower than the average SA2 area and Greater Darwin's 56.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis, impacting 8.5% of residents, and mental health issues, affecting 7.6%. Approximately 68.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.0% across Greater Darwin. Tiwi has 19.5% of residents aged 65 and over (503 people), which is higher than the 12.3% in Greater Darwin. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Tiwi has a high level of cultural diversity, with 34.6% of its population born overseas and 30.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Tiwi, making up 51.6% of the population. However, Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin, comprising 3.2% of Tiwi's population versus 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (23.0%), English (19.3%), and Other (12.0%). Notably, Filipino (3.7%) and Greek (3.8%) populations in Tiwi are higher than the regional averages of 4.7% and 3.7%, respectively. Additionally, Australian Aboriginal representation is slightly higher at 7.8%.

Tiwi's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Tiwi's median age is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Darwin's average of 34 and very close to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Darwin, Tiwi has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (9.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (14.3%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 9.0% to 11.2%, while those aged 35-44 increased from 15.4% to 17.1%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 11.8% to 10.2%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 11.2% to 9.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Tiwi's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 68%, adding 105 residents to reach 260. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age group is expected to decrease by 21 residents.