Alawa

Alawa 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 Feb 2026, AreaSearch estimates the population of the suburb of Alawa at around 2,208. This reflects a growth of 130 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,078. The current resident population estimate of 2,206 is based on AreaSearch's examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and address validation since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,780 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Alawa's growth rate of 6.3% since census is within 1.1 percentage points of the SA3 area (7.4%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 growth estimation, AreaSearch applies growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Alawa is expected to increase by 213 persons to reach a population of 2,421 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 9.6% over the 17-year period.

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

ABS building approval data shows Alawa had virtually no dwelling approvals in recent years, totalling an estimated 4 homes from FY-21 to FY-25. So far in FY-26, 0 approvals have been recorded. The average population increase per dwelling built over these years was 0.8 people. New construction is meeting or exceeding demand, offering buyers more options and potentially driving population growth.

Average construction value of new properties was $172,000, below the regional average. This financial year saw $24,000 in commercial approvals, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Darwin, Alawa has 80.0% fewer dwelling approvals per person. This scarcity can strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. Alawa's construction levels are also below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. All new constructions were detached dwellings, sustaining Alawa's suburban identity and attracting buyers seeking space. The population-to-dwelling-approval ratio was around 4393 people per approval, reflecting a highly mature market.

Alawa has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 13thth percentile nationally

Four projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly: Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade, Casuarina Square Redevelopment, CDU - Centre for Better Health Futures, Social Housing Accelerator Payment (SHAP) - Greater Darwin / Nightcliff.

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The employment landscape in Alawa shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Alawa has an educated workforce with 4.7% unemployment as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.1%. Residents' unemployment rate is 1.6% higher than Greater Darwin's 3.1%, and participation rate lags at 70.0% compared to Greater Darwin's 76.0%.

Only 4.6% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 impacts. Employment concentration is in health care & social assistance (120% regional level), public administration & safety (14.6%), and accommodation & food services. The area offers limited local employment opportunities. Over the past year, employment increased by 1.1%, labour force by 1.7%, raising unemployment rate by 0.6%.

National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Alawa's mix suggests local employment growth of 6.6% in five years and 13.7% in ten years, assuming constant population projections.

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

The suburb of Alawa had a median taxpayer income of $54,865 and an average income of $63,896 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average, with Greater Darwin having a median income of $66,956 and an average income of $77,199 during the same period. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $59,496 (median) and $69,289 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since financial year 2023. The 2021 Census showed that household, family, and personal incomes in Alawa were around the 70th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicated that 34.8% (768 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. This is similar to the surrounding region, where 36.7% occupied this income range. Housing accounted for 13.8% of income, and residents had strong earnings ranking them in the 74th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Alawa, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 88.0% houses and 12.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Darwin metro had 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. Home ownership level in Alawa was 23.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.4% and rented ones at 36.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,777, lower than Darwin metro's average of $2,100. Median weekly rent in Alawa was $340, compared to Darwin metro's $385. Nationally, Alawa's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Alawa features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 76.0% of all households, including 33.6% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 13.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.0%, with lone person households at 17.4% and group households comprising 7.1%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Darwin average of 2.6.

Educational attainment in Alawa aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates of 35.7%, surpassing the Northern Territory average of 27.3% and the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent with 30.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (20.2%).

Educational participation is high at 35.5%, comprising 12.1% in primary education, 8.2% in tertiary education, and 6.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

Alawa has 14 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 29 different routes, offering a total of 2,162 weekly passenger trips. Residents' access to transport is rated excellent, with an average distance of 150 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards from Alawa, which is predominantly residential. Cars are the primary mode of transport, used by 85% of residents, while cycling accounts for 4%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 4.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 308 trips per day, equating to approximately 154 weekly trips per stop.

Alawa's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data for Alawa residents shows positive outcomes, with AreaSearch's analysis indicating mortality rates and health conditions align with national benchmarks. Prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 52% of the total population (~1,149 people), compared to Greater Darwin's 57.8%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (5.7%) and asthma (5.6%), with 76.5% of residents reporting no medical ailments, similar to Greater Darwin's 77.1%. Under-65 residents have better than average health outcomes. Alawa has 12.2% residents aged 65 and over (269 people), higher than Greater Darwin's 10.8%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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

Alawa has a high cultural diversity, with 38.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 41.5% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Alawa, comprising 38.2% of people. Buddhism, at 5.3%, is overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin's 3.3%.

The top three ancestry groups in Alawa are English (19.6%), Other (17.3%), and Australian (17.2%), the latter being lower than the regional average of 22.6%. Filipino, New Zealand, and Greek ethnicities are notably overrepresented in Alawa compared to regional averages: Filipino at 4.8% versus 3.8%, New Zealand at 1.2% versus 0.6%, and Greek at 4.1% versus 2.3%.

Alawa's population is younger than the national pattern

Alawa's median age is 35 years, comparable to Greater Darwin's average of 34 and marginally lower than Australia's national average of 38. Relative to Greater Darwin, Alawa has a higher concentration of residents aged 5-14 (15.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (14.6%). Post-Census data from 2021 shows the age group 35-44 grew from 15.5% to 17.2%, while the 5-14 cohort increased from 13.8% to 15.1%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 17.3% to 14.6%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 8.6% to 6.7%. Demographic modeling suggests Alawa's age profile will significantly evolve by 2041. The 45-54 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 31%, adding 91 residents to reach 383. Meanwhile, numbers in the 65-74 age range are expected to fall by 16%.