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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
An assessment of population growth drivers in Desert Springs reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends
The Desert Springs statistical area (Lv2) had an estimated population of 1,819 as of Nov 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated by them. This figure represents a growth of 283 people from the 2021 Census total of 1,536, marking an increase of 18.4%. The latest resident population estimate of 1,818 was derived by AreaSearch following examination of the ABS's ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of two additional new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 733 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. The Desert Springs (SA2) experienced an 18.4% growth rate between the 2021 Census and Nov 2025, surpassing both national (9.7%) and state averages, indicating it as a region of significant population growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 77.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch's projections for Desert Springs are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, along with growth rates by age cohort from the ABS's Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for areas not covered by the SA2-level projections. Considering these projections, Desert Springs is forecast to increase its population by 466 persons to reach a total of 2,285 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 26.4% over the 17-year period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is lower than average in Desert Springs according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data indicates Desert Springs has seen approximately 4 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, around 21 homes were approved, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of about 10.8 people moving to the area per year for each dwelling built over these five years.
This substantial lag between supply and demand typically leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. In FY-26, there have been approximately $15.0 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the Rest of NT, Desert Springs has seen 51.0% more new home approvals per person, offering buyers greater choice despite a slowdown in building activity in recent years. This activity is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists entirely of townhouses or apartments, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 68.0% houses). This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.
It also suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Desert Springs is expected to grow by 481 residents through to 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth in the area.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
Desert Springs has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 21stth percentile nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified five projects expected to affect the region. Major initiatives include Melanka Accelerated Accommodation Development, Lasseters Hotel Casino Extension And Redevelopment, St Mary's Hostel Social and Affordable Housing Project, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia. The following list details those most relevant.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia (ATSIAGA) project was a proposed world-class national gallery in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) intended to celebrate First Nations artistic traditions. Despite reaching a 50% design milestone in mid-2025, the Northern Territory Government formally abandoned the project in October 2025 citing a lack of secured federal funding and the risk of significant financial penalties and project blowouts. The project had evolved from the National Aboriginal Art Gallery concept into a scaled-back three-storey, 4,000 square meter facility with 1,300 square meters of exhibition space before being axed.
Alice Springs Hospital Emergency Department Redevelopment
Major redevelopment and expansion of the Alice Springs Hospital Emergency Department to deliver a larger facility with increased treatment spaces, a dedicated paediatric area, fast-track zone, and improved resuscitation capabilities. The project includes a state-of-the-art hybrid operating theatre, teaching and training facilities, and a new Intensive Care Unit. Works are staged to allow the hospital to remain fully operational while delivering critical acute care upgrades for Central Australia.
Central Alice Springs Area Plan
The Central Alice Springs Area Plan was finalised in 2021 and is now an active planning policy document under the Northern Territory Planning Scheme. It provides detailed land-use guidance and zoning for the central business district and surrounding precincts, supporting commercial, medical, tourism, cultural and residential development in Alice Springs.
Alice Springs Future Grid - Roadmap to 2030
Three year whole of system initiative led by the Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy (a Desert Knowledge Australia project) to identify and remove barriers to achieving 50% renewable generation in Alice Springs by 2030. Concluded in 2024 with the Roadmap to 2030 and a suite of final reports after trials including a virtual power plant, an islandable microgrid at the Desert Knowledge Precinct, public housing solar and battery trial, and wind resource monitoring.
Alice Springs Flood Mitigation Project
Major flood mitigation infrastructure project to reduce flooding impacts in Alice Springs through trunk drainage upgrades. Engineering feasibility assessment underway to inform concept design of key trunk drainage infrastructure to mitigate flooding from the Todd River and localized stormwater overflows. The project focuses on structural flood mitigation measures including upgrades to major drainage infrastructure and is expected to reduce flooding impacts on 386 properties, providing flood immunity for public roads and improved protection for residential areas in localised flooding events up to a 1 in 100 year event.
Alice Springs CBD Revitalisation Project
Northern Territory Government program to transform the Alice Springs CBD into a greener, cooler and safer town centre through shade structures and tree planting, lighting and CCTV upgrades including Billy Goat Hill, wayfinding, traffic calming and streetscape works. A River Activation Space opened in February 2022. Final road reseal and line marking works occurred April-May 2024 with the project marked complete in July 2024.
St Mary's Hostel Social and Affordable Housing Project
Redevelopment of the historic 8.2-hectare St Mary's Hostel site to deliver up to 120 social and affordable dwellings. The project, backed by $14 million in Australian Government funding for enabling infrastructure and site works, will honor the site's historical, cultural, and heritage significance through the preservation of the St Mary's Chapel and its heritage-listed mural, and community access for events. The site was acquired by the Northern Territory Government in early 2024 for $3.25 million, but there are no immediate plans for full redevelopment, with initial efforts focused on preservation, land studies, and consultation with the St Mary's Stolen Generation Group.
St Mary's Land Development
The NT Government acquired the historic 8.2-hectare St Mary's site in March 2024 for $3.25 million to develop up to 120 social and affordable housing dwellings. The Australian Government has committed $14 million for enabling infrastructure including power, water, sewerage, roads, site preparation, demolition and remediation. The development will preserve the heritage-listed St Mary's Chapel with its 1958 Robert Czako mural and other sites of cultural significance important to the Stolen Generations. The site, located on the Stuart Highway alongside the Todd River south of Heavitree Gap, operated as a boarding school for mainly Aboriginal children from 1947 to 1972. While there are no immediate plans for construction, the project is part of the Housing Australia Future Fund and National Infrastructure Facility programs, with the NT Government working closely with the St Mary's Stolen Generation Group to ensure development honors the legacy of former residents.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Desert Springs performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia
Desert Springs has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 0.7%.
This is 5.2% below the Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%, and the workforce participation rate is 79.9%, compared to the Rest of NT's 50.7%. The leading employment industries among residents are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. There is a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence, with 0.0% employment compared to the regional 5.0%.
The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.8% while employment declined by 0.9%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. In contrast, the Rest of NT saw employment contract by 1.3%, with a fall in labour force of 1.2% and a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Desert Springs' employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis
The median taxpayer income in Desert Springs is $82,757, with an average of $92,640 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with the Rest of NT's median income of $53,572 and average income of $63,776. By September 2025, estimates based on an 8.44% Wage Price Index growth would be approximately $89,742 (median) and $100,459 (average). Census 2021 data shows incomes in Desert Springs rank highly nationally, with household, family, and personal incomes all between the 97th and 97th percentiles. In Desert Springs, 35.1% of individuals earn over $4,000 annually, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 33.6%. The suburb demonstrates affluence with 51.8% earning over $3,000 per week. After housing costs, residents retain 86.9% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Desert Springs displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
In Desert Springs, as assessed in the latest Census, 67.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 32.5% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This distribution is similar to Non-Metro NT's 67.8% houses and 32.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Desert Springs stood at 22.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.8% and rented ones at 37.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,264, exceeding Non-Metro NT's average of $1,800. The median weekly rent in Desert Springs was $500, compared to Non-Metro NT's $280. Nationally, Desert Springs' mortgage repayments averaged significantly higher at $2,264 versus Australia's $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Desert Springs features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size
Family households constitute 77.1% of all households, including 40.9% couples with children, 31.2% couples without children, and 5.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 22.9%, with lone person households at 18.7% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NT.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Desert Springs 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 Desert Springs is notable with 38.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications. This compares to 20.1% in the SA4 region and 20.1% in the Rest of NT. Bachelor degrees are most common at 24.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 34.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (21.3%).
Educational participation is high at 29.4%, including 10.6% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is very low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
The analysis of public transportation in Desert Springs shows that there are three active transport stops currently operating, all of which serve buses. These stops are serviced by one individual route, collectively providing thirty-four weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as limited, with residents typically located seven hundred ninety-four meters from the nearest transport stop.
The service frequency averages four trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately eleven weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Desert Springs's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups
Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Desert Springs, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (1,150 people), compared to 53.8% across the Rest of NT and the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, affecting 5.8 and 5.1% of residents respectively, while 79.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 76.9% across the Rest of NT.
The area has 11.7% of residents aged 65 and over (212 people), which is higher than the 9.3% in the Rest of NT. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Desert Springs was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Desert Springs, as per data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016, exhibited higher cultural diversity than most nearby areas. 17.7% of its residents spoke a language other than English at home, while 37.0% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 42.9% of people adhering to it.
However, the 'Other' religious category showed a slight overrepresentation at 1.9%, compared to 2.1% in the rest of Northern Territory. In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (26.0%), Australian (19.4%), and Other (12.5%). Notably, German (6.1%) and Korean (1.0%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 3.3% and 0.2%, respectively. Filipino ethnicity was also marginally higher at 1.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Desert Springs's population is slightly younger than the national pattern
At 36 years, Desert Springs's median age is materially older than the Rest of NT average of 31 but modestly under the Australian median of 38. Relative to Rest of NT, Desert Springs has a higher concentration of 55-64 residents (12.7%) but fewer 25-34 year-olds (14.1%). Post-2021 Census data shows the 15-24 age group grew from 9.9% to 12.3%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 16.4% to 18.3%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 16.1% to 14.1%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 13.0% to 11.5%. Demographic modeling suggests Desert Springs's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 45-54 age cohort projected to expand considerably, increasing by 118 people (55%) from 214 to 333.