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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
As of November 2025, Desert Springs' estimated population is around 1,805. This represents a growth of 269 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,536. The increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 1,804 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and two validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 727 persons per square kilometer. Desert Springs' population growth rate of 17.5% exceeded both national (8.9%) and state averages, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 77.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, growth rates by age cohort are applied based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. Projecting demographic shifts indicates a significant population increase in Desert Springs to 2041, with an expected rise of 466 persons and a total increase of 27.4% over the 17 years.
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 saw approximately 4 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 21 homes were approved, with none yet recorded in FY-26.
Over the past five financial years, an average of 10.8 people moved to the area per dwelling built. This supply lagging demand suggests heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. Compared to the Rest of NT, Desert Springs shows a 51.0% higher development activity per person, offering greater choice though recent activity has moderated. Nationally, activity is lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. Recent building activity consists solely of attached dwellings, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is 68.0% houses, due to reduced development site availability and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.
By 2041, Desert Springs is forecasted to gain 495 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
Desert Springs has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 8thth percentile nationally
Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly: Melanka Accelerated Accommodation Development, Lasseters Hotel Casino Extension And Redevelopment, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia, St Mary's Hostel Social and Affordable Housing Project.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia
A world-class national gallery celebrating the artistic traditions and cultural expressions of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The revised design features a 3-storey, 4,000 square meter building with over 1,300 square meters of exhibition space for major touring and international exhibitions. Located in the heart of Alice Springs CBD on the southern portion of the Anzac Oval precinct at the Wills Terrace car park site. The gallery will include a public cafe, community forecourt with seating and landscaping, secure loading dock, art quarantine and conservation spaces, and staff facilities. Design reached 50% completion in July 2025 with development consent application submitted. The project aims to showcase First Nations art from the birthplace of contemporary Aboriginal art, Mparntwe (Alice Springs), driving cultural tourism and economic growth. Not a collecting gallery but focused on exhibitions and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts.
Alice Springs Hospital Emergency Department Redevelopment
Major redevelopment and expansion of the Alice Springs Hospital Emergency Department to deliver a larger, modern facility with increased treatment spaces, dedicated paediatric area, fast-track zone, and improved resuscitation capabilities for Central Australia's primary acute care hospital.
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
Employment conditions in Desert Springs rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally
Desert Springs has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 0.6%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.
As of June 2025, 1,463 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 5.3% lower than Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%. Workforce participation in Desert Springs is high at 79.9%, compared to Rest of NT's 50.7%. Employment concentrations include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level.
Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.0% compared to the regional 5.0%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census working population vs resident population counts. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.9% and employment declined by 1.8%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In comparison, Rest of NT recorded a 1.7% employment decline and 1.8% labour force decline with marginal unemployment fall. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Desert Springs' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.
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
Desert Springs' median income among taxpayers was $82,757 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $92,640 during the same period. These figures compare to those for Rest of NT's, which were $51,655 and $61,577 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.01% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $92,696 (median) and $103,766 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family and personal incomes in Desert Springs all rank highly nationally, between the 97th and 97th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 35.1% of the population fall within the $4000+ income range, differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 33.6%. A substantial proportion of high earners (51.8% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. 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
The latest Census evaluation found that Desert Springs had 67.5% houses and 32.5% other dwellings, compared to Non-Metro NT's 67.8% houses and 32.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Desert Springs was at 22.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.8% and rented dwellings at 37.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,264, higher than 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 were significantly higher at $2,264 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $500.
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 percent of all households, including 40.9 percent couples with children, 31.2 percent couples without children, and 5.0 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 22.9 percent, with lone person households at 18.7 percent and group households making up 3.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which aligns with the Rest of NT average.
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 and over holding university qualifications, compared to 20.1% in the SA4 region and 20.1% in the Rest of NT as of 2021 data. 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 holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (21.3%). Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest census data.
This includes 10.6% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education. Schools appear to be located outside Desert Springs' immediate boundaries, requiring families to access educational facilities in neighboring areas.
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
Public transport analysis indicates three active transport stops operating within Desert Springs. These stops service a mix of bus routes, with one individual route collectively providing 34 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 794 meters from the nearest transport stop.
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 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 (1,142 people), compared to 53.7% across the Rest of NT and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 5.8 and 5.1% of residents respectively, while 79.3% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 76.9% across the Rest of NT.
Desert Springs has 11.8% of residents aged 65 and over (212 people), higher than the 9.3% in the Rest of NT. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Desert Springs was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics
Desert Springs had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 17.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 37.0% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 42.9%. The 'Other' category comprised 1.9%, compared to 2.1% regionally.
For ancestry, English was highest at 26.0%, Australian at 19.4%, and Other at 12.5%. Notably, German (6.1%), Korean (1.0%) and Filipino (1.9%) groups were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 3.3%, 0.2% and 1.7% respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Desert Springs's population is slightly younger than the national pattern
At 36 years, Desert Springs' median age is older than the Rest of NT average of 31 but younger than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of NT, Desert Springs has a higher percentage of residents aged 55-64 (12.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (14.2%). According to post-2021 Census data, 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 14.2%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 13.0% to 11.4%. Demographic modeling indicates that Desert Springs' age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the 45-54 age cohort projected to increase by 122 people (57%) from 212 to 335.