Coconut Grove

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

According to ABS demographic updates for the surrounding region and recent residential addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of Coconut Grove has an estimated population of approximately 3,100 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 208 residents (7.2%) compared to the 2021 Census, which counted 2,892 residents. This population estimate of 3,100 was determined by AreaSearch using the most recent ABS ERP release from June 2025 alongside subsequent address verifications after the Census. The current population translates to a density of 2,183 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the typical density across national locations analyzed by AreaSearch. The post-census growth of 7.2% in the suburb of Coconut Grove is within 2.1 percentage points of the national average of 9.3%, reflecting competitive local growth dynamics. Population increases in this area were mostly driven by overseas migration, which accounted for approximately 70.0% of the overall population growth in recent times.

AreaSearch utilizes projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia for individual SA2 regions, which were published in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 regions lacking this dataset, as well as to model growth across all locations beyond 2032, AreaSearch applies age-cohort growth rates sourced from the latest ABS Greater Capital Region projections published in 2023 using 2022 data. Future demographic forecasts indicate that the suburb of Coconut Grove is on track for above-median growth relative to national benchmarks, with projections showing an increase of 554 residents by 2041, representing a total expansion of 17.9% over the 16 years.

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

Only a single building approval for a dwelling has been registered in Coconut Grove over the last five years. This indicates the locality is almost entirely developed, with a scarcity of vacant land suitable for new construction. Established communities of this nature typically experience constant demand for pre-existing homes, as purchasers face a lack of newly built options.

Building activity in Coconut Grove is significantly lower than in Greater Darwin. This constrained flow of new homes generally reinforces demand and prices for existing properties, even though construction activity has risen recently. Nevertheless, local construction rates remain below the national average, highlighting the established profile of the suburb and suggesting potential regulatory planning constraints.

Coconut Grove has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

Infrastructure upgrades, major construction works, and planning updates can significantly influence a suburb's performance. A total of two projects have been identified by AreaSearch as having a potential impact on the local area. The key initiatives include the Social Housing Accelerator Payment (SHAP) - Greater Darwin / Nightcliff, the John Stokes Square Redevelopment, the Darwin Mid Suburbs Area Plan, and the Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade, with the most relevant details provided in the list below.

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.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Coconut Grove recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Coconut Grove features a highly qualified labor force, strong representation in essential service sectors, an unemployment rate of 6.4%, and relatively steady job numbers over the prior year, according to statistical data aggregated by AreaSearch. As of March 2026, there are 1,682 employed residents, while the local unemployment rate is 2.9% higher than the Greater Darwin rate of 3.5%. Additionally, labor force participation is lower than the regional baseline, sitting at 68.2% compared to 72.7% in Greater Darwin. Census data reveals that a minimal 3.8% of residents worked from home, though this figure may have been influenced by COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

The primary employment sectors for local residents are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and accommodation & food. The area has a particularly high concentration of workers in health care & social assistance, employing residents at 1.5 times the regional average. Conversely, public administration & safety accounts for only 12.9% of the local workforce, compared to 19.5% across Greater Darwin. Although there are local employment opportunities within the suburb, the ratio of Census workers to the local population indicates that a significant portion of residents travel to other areas for work.

Based on AreaSearch's evaluation of SALM and ABS statistics aggregated from broader regions, the 12-month period recorded a 0.4% rise in employment and a 0.7% expansion of the labor force, which led to a 0.3 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate. Over the same timeframe, Greater Darwin experienced employment growth of 0.4% and labor force growth of 0.8%, resulting in a 0.3 percentage point rise. National employment projections from Jobs and Skills Australia released in May-25 offer additional perspective on prospective labor demand in Coconut Grove. These five and ten-year forecasts have been aligned with the local industry profile to estimate future growth. While national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, actual rates of change vary widely across different industries. Applying these sector-specific forecasts to the local employment distribution suggests that employment in Coconut Grove should grow by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Taxpayer data from the ATO compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 shows that income levels in the suburb of Coconut Grove are lower than the national average. Taxpayers in this suburb recorded a median income of $54,745 and an average income of $63,757, compared to Greater Darwin averages of $66,956 and $77,199. Adjusting for a Wage Price Index increase of 9.41% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be roughly $59,897 for the median and $69,757 for the average. In the 2021 Census, individual incomes ranked at the 69th percentile with a weekly figure of $913, while household incomes ranked at the 38th percentile. The dominant income bracket consists of 31.9% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (988 people), which is similar to the wider region where 36.7% fall into this category. Housing affordability is a significant issue, with residents retaining only 82.5% of their income, placing the area in the 37th percentile, while the SEIFA index ranks the local income level in the 5th decile.

Coconut Grove displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

According to the latest Census, the local housing mix consisted of 23.7% separate houses and 76.2% alternative housing types such as semi-detached homes, units, and other dwellings, compared to 63.5% separate houses and 36.5% alternative dwellings across metropolitan Darwin. The home ownership rate was 14.8%, trailing the Darwin metropolitan average, with the remaining homes occupied by residents with a mortgage (22.7%) or tenants (62.5%). The median monthly mortgage payment was $1,600, which is lower than the Darwin metropolitan average of $2,100, while the median weekly rent was $300, compared to $385 across metropolitan Darwin. On a national level, housing costs are comparatively low, with local mortgage payments below the Australian median of $1,863 and rents below the national median of $375.

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

Families represent 56.2% of local households, consisting of couples with children at 21.5%, couples without children at 23.6%, and single-parent households at 9.3%. The remaining 43.8% are non-family households, which are made up of single-person households at 37.7% and group households at 6.2%. The median household size stands at 2.2 residents, which is smaller than the Greater Darwin average of 2.6.

Coconut Grove demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

The proportion of residents with tertiary qualifications is high, with 40.7% of people aged 15 and over holding a university degree, compared to 27.3% across the Northern Territory and 30.4% nationally. This educational profile positions the local workforce well for opportunities in knowledge-intensive sectors. Bachelor degrees represent the most common tertiary qualification at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.4%. Vocational and technical training is also highly represented, with 28.5% of residents aged 15 and over holding qualifications such as advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (17.4%).

There is strong participation in education locally, with 29.7% of the population enrolled in a course of study. This cohort includes 9.9% studying at a tertiary level, 6.7% attending primary school, and 5.1% enrolled in secondary school.

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

Public transport services in the suburb are provided by 13 active transit stops serviced by buses. These stops accommodate 36 distinct routes, which support a total of 2,131 passenger journeys per week. Transport access is convenient, with residents living an average of 170 meters from their nearest transit stop. Given the residential nature of the suburb, most working residents travel out of the area for employment, with private vehicles remaining the primary mode of travel at 81%, followed by buses at 9% and cycling at 3%. The average number of motor vehicles per household is 0.9, which is lower than the regional average. A small portion of residents, representing 3.8% of the total, worked from home according to 2021 Census data, which may reflect pandemic-related conditions.

Services run at an average frequency of 304 trips per day across all routes, which corresponds to approximately 163 weekly departures from each transit stop.

Coconut Grove's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Local health indicators are generally aligned with national averages, according to an assessment by AreaSearch of mortality rates and the prevalence of chronic illnesses. The frequency of common health issues in the general population is standard, although it is higher than the national baseline among older age groups. Furthermore, the rate of private health insurance coverage is slightly lower than the typical SA2 average, covering approximately 52% of the population, or about 1,612 individuals, compared to 57.8% throughout Greater Darwin.

Mental health conditions and arthritis are the most common medical issues among residents, affecting 6.2% and 5.6% of the population respectively. Meanwhile, 75.6% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 77.1% in Greater Darwin. The working-age population exhibits good health outcomes with a low incidence of chronic illness. Residents aged 65 and over make up 15.3% of the community (474 people), which is higher than the 11.0% share in Greater Darwin. While health outcomes for local seniors present some challenges, they rank lower nationally than the broader local population.

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

The local community displays a high level of cultural diversity, with 44.3% of residents using a language other than English at home and 46.5% born in another country. Christianity is the primary religion, followed by 36.9% of the population. There is a notable concentration of residents identifying with Hinduism, who make up 12.9% of the population, which is considerably higher than the Greater Darwin average of 4.2%.

Regarding parent birthplaces, the largest ancestry group is classified as Other at 23.3% of the population, which is higher than the regional average of 13.1%. This is followed by English ancestry at 16.9% and Australian ancestry at 13.1%, which is lower than the regional average of 22.6%. There are also differences in the representation of other ancestries: Filipino ancestry accounts for 5.2% of the local population compared to 3.8% across the region, Australian Aboriginal ancestry accounts for 8.6% compared to 7.0% regionally, and Spanish ancestry accounts for 0.8% compared to 0.4% regionally.

Coconut Grove's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age of residents is 35 years, which is close to the Greater Darwin average of 34 years and slightly below the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Darwin, there is a higher concentration of young adults aged 25 to 34 (23.5%) and fewer children aged 5 to 14 (7.6%). The proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 is also higher than the national average of 14.6%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 75 to 84 age group increased from 4.2% to 5.3% of the population, while the 55 to 64 age group fell from 11.0% to 9.4%. Future demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, the age profile will change, with the 45 to 54 cohort projected to show the strongest growth at 38%, adding 118 residents to reach 425, while the 0 to 4 group is projected to grow by 5%, adding 10 children.