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

Tiwi's population was around 2,585 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase of 74 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,511 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,585 from the ABS as of June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 828 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 estimates, AreaSearch applied growth rates by age cohort to each area, based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. Future population trends projected an above median growth for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, with the area expected to grow by 393 persons to 2041, recording a 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 has experienced approximately two dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, ten homes were approved, with zero approvals so far in FY26. The population decline during this period suggests that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering buyers good choice.

The average value of new dwellings developed is $381,000, below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options. This financial year, there have been $17.5 million in commercial approvals, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to Greater Darwin. Tiwi shows substantially reduced construction (59.0% below the regional average per person), which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. However, building activity has accelerated in recent years. This is under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining Tiwi'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 population per dwelling approval is 648 people, reflecting Tiwi's quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Tiwi will gain 393 residents through to 2041. 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 2ndth percentile nationally

Six projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance: Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade (scheduled completion 30/6/2021), Edgeview Court Water Main Replacement (commenced 15/7/2020, expected completion 31/8/2021), CDU - Centre for Better Health Futures (commenced 1/9/2020, expected completion 30/6/2022), and Casuarina Square Redevelopment (commenced 1/7/2020, expected completion 30/6/2022).

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

Tiwi has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate is 2.9%.

Over the past year, it experienced an estimated employment growth of 2.6%. In June 2025, 1,360 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.1% below Greater Darwin's rate of 3.0%. Workforce participation in Tiwi is at 58.7%, significantly lower than Greater Darwin's 69.7%. The dominant employment sectors among Tiwi residents are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training.

Notably, health care & social assistance employs 1.9 times the regional level, while public administration & safety employs just 15.6% of local workers, below Greater Darwin's 19.5%. With a ratio of 2.1 workers per resident at the Census, Tiwi functions as an employment hub. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels in Tiwi increased by 2.6%, while the labour force grew by 2.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Darwin recorded employment growth of 2.9% with a marginal decrease in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project an increase of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years for national employment. Applying these projections to Tiwi's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.3% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Tiwi has a median taxpayer income of $56,844 and an average of $66,201 based on 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 in the same period. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $63,671 (median) and $74,152 (average), accounting for a 12.01% growth since financial year 2022. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Tiwi cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The income distribution shows that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 32.5% of residents (840 people), which is similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 36.7%. High housing costs consume 15.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 68th percentile. 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

The dwelling structure in Tiwi, as per the latest Census, consisted of 74.3% houses and 25.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Darwin metro's 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tiwi was at 26.0%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (36.6%) or rented (37.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Tiwi was $2,000, below Darwin metro's average of $2,028. The median weekly rent figure in Tiwi was $375, compared to Darwin metro's $350. Nationally, Tiwi's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were comparable at $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 higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 38.8% hold university qualifications, compared to 27.3% in the Northern Territory (NT) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 23.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.3% and graduate diplomas at 4.3%. Vocational credentials are also common, with 29.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 9.2% while certificates make up 20.4%.

Educational participation is 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. Tiwi has educational provision 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, attracting students from surrounding communities. Secondary education dominates with two schools while primary students typically attend schools in adjacent catchments.

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

Transport analysis shows 15 active stops operating in Tiwi, consisting of buses. These stops are served by 37 routes, offering 2,314 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 180 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 330 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 154 weekly trips per individual stop.

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 with common health conditions prevalent across age cohorts, particularly high among older residents. Private health cover stands at approximately 52% of Tiwi's total population (~1,354 people), compared to Greater Darwin's 56.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (8.5%) and mental health issues (7.6%). Around 68.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 77.0% in Greater Darwin. Tiwi has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 19.5% (503 people), compared to Greater Darwin's 12.3%. Health outcomes among seniors require 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 main religion in Tiwi, comprising 51.6% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented in Tiwi compared to Greater Darwin, making up 3.2% 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%) are overrepresented in Tiwi compared to regional averages of 4.7% and 3.7%, respectively. Australian Aboriginal representation is also slightly higher at 7.8%.

Tiwi's population is slightly older than the national pattern

At 39 years, Tiwi's median age is considerably higher than Greater Darwin's average of 34 years. It is also very close to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Darwin, Tiwi has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74, at 9.9%, but fewer residents aged 25-34, at 14.3%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 9.0% to 11.2%, while the 35-44 age group increased from 15.4% to 17.1%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort 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 evolve significantly. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 68%, adding 105 residents to reach 260. Conversely, the 5-14 age group is projected to contract by 21 residents.