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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Coconut Grove is around 3,007, reflecting an increase of 115 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,892. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release (June 2024) and address validation since the Census date. The current population density is 2,117 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Recent growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 70% of overall population gains. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered, growth rates by age cohort are applied based on ABS's Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Projected demographic shifts indicate an above median population growth is expected for the suburb, with a projected increase of 608 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 20.2% over the 17 years.

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

Coconut Grove has recorded just one dwelling approval between 2016 and 2021. This indicates a mature, established suburb with limited land available for new construction. For buyers, this scarcity of new housing stock typically supports property values and may result in competition primarily among existing homes.

Compared to Greater Darwin, Coconut Grove records markedly lower building activity. This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, though building activity has accelerated in recent years. However, it remains under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations.

Coconut Grove has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 15thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified two projects likely affecting the region: Social Housing Accelerator Payment (SHAP) in Greater Darwin/Nightcliff and John Stokes Square Redevelopment. Other notable projects include Darwin Mid Suburbs Area Plan and Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Coconut Grove shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Coconut Grove has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 6.1% as of September 2025, with estimated employment growth of 1.4% over the previous year (AreaSearch data). As of that date, 1,680 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 3.0% higher than Greater Darwin's rate of 3.1%.

Workforce participation in Coconut Grove was lower at 70.5%, compared to Greater Darwin's 76.0%. Census responses indicated that only 3.8% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and accommodation & food sectors. The area has a high specialization in health care & social assistance (1.5 times the regional level), but public administration & safety is under-represented at 12.9% compared to Greater Darwin's 19.5%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.4%, while the labour force also grew by 1.4%, keeping unemployment broadly stable. In contrast, Greater Darwin saw employment growth of 1.9% and labour force growth of 1.9%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Coconut Grove's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The suburb of Coconut Grove had an average income level lower than the national average according to data from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Coconut Grove was $54,745 and the average income stood at $63,757, compared to figures for Greater Darwin of $66,956 and $77,199 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $59,365 (median) and $69,138 (average). Census data indicated that personal income ranked at the 69th percentile with a weekly income of $913, while household income sat at the 38th percentile. In terms of income distribution, 31.9% of locals (959 people) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the surrounding region where 36.7% occupied this bracket. Housing affordability pressures were severe with only 82.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 37th percentile. The area's Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

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

The latest Census evaluation found that dwelling structures in Coconut Grove comprised 23.7% houses and 76.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Darwin metro had 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coconut Grove was at 14.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (22.7%) or rented (62.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300. Nationally, Coconut Grove's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 56.2% of all households, including 21.5% couples with children, 23.6% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 43.8%, with lone person households at 37.7% and group households comprising 6.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, 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

Educational attainment in Coconut Grove is notable with 40.7% of residents aged 15+ having university qualifications compared to 27.3% in Northern Territory (NT) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most common at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.4%. Vocational credentials are held by 28.5% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 17.4%. Educational participation is high, with 29.7% currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.9% in tertiary education, 6.7% in primary education, and 5.1% pursuing secondary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in tertiary education, 6.7% in primary education, and 5.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Coconut Grove has 13 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops facilitate 2,131 weekly passenger trips via 36 individual routes. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 170 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the dominant mode of transportation at 81%, with bus at 9% and cycling at 3%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 3.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 304 trips per day, equating to approximately 163 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Coconut Grove are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Coconut Grove's health indicators show below-average outcomes, according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among residents is somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Approximately 52% of the total population (~1,564 people) has private health cover, compared to Greater Darwin's 57.8%. Mental health issues affect 6.2% and arthritis impacts 5.6% of residents. About 75.6% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.1% across Greater Darwin. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 15.1% of residents aged 65 and over (454 people), higher than Greater Darwin's 10.8%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader 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

Coconut Grove has a high level of cultural diversity, with 44.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 46.5% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Coconut Grove, comprising 36.9% of people. Hinduism is notably overrepresented in Coconut Grove compared to the Greater Darwin average, with 12.9% versus 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other at 23.3%, English at 16.9%, and Australian at 13.1%. Notably, Filipino (5.2%), Australian Aboriginal (8.6%), and Spanish (0.8%) groups are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 3.8%, 7.0%, and 0.4% respectively.

Coconut Grove's population is younger than the national pattern

Coconut Grove's median age is 35 years, comparable to Greater Darwin's average of 34 and marginally lower than the national average of 38. Relative to Greater Darwin, Coconut Grove has a higher concentration of 25-34 year-olds at 22.2%, but fewer 5-14 year-olds at 7.8%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national figure of 14.4%. Post-census data from 2021 shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.2% to 5.2% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 24.0% to 22.2%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 11.0% to 9.7%. Demographic modeling indicates that Coconut Grove's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45 to 54 cohort is projected to grow strongly at 41%, adding 127 residents to reach 440. The 0 to 4 group shows more modest growth at 6%, adding only 14 residents.