Gillen

Population growth drivers in Gillen are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Gillen's population is estimated at around 5048 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 582 people (13.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4466 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 5034, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional five validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1979 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Gillen's 13.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), along with the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is applying growth rates by age cohort to each area, as provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Looking at population projections moving forward, an above median population growth of national non-metropolitan areas is projected, with the suburb expected to grow by 845 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 16.1% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Gillen according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Gillen had approximately 4 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 24 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved in FY26 so far. This results in about 11.1 new residents per year arriving for each dwelling constructed during this period.

The demand for housing significantly outpaces supply, which typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $419,000, which is moderately above regional levels, indicating a focus on quality construction. In FY26, around $2.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to the Rest of NT, Gillen records about 58% of the building activity per person and places among the 19th percentile of areas assessed nationally, indicating more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings.

However, development activity has picked up in recent periods. New development consists of 80.0% detached dwellings and 20.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Gillen shows a mature, established area with around 832 people per approval. Population forecasts indicate Gillen will gain approximately 812 residents through to 2041 based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Gillen has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 27thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 13 such projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include the Regional Skate and Play Precinct, Jim McConville Oval Lighting Upgrade, Gillen Oval Multi-Sport Precinct, and Melanka Accelerated Accommodation Development. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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 of employment trends sees Gillen performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Gillen has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.6%, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation as of September 2025. In this period, 3,799 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 4.3% lower than the Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%.

Workforce participation in Gillen stands at 98.4%, significantly higher than the Rest of NT's 70.4%. Census responses indicate that only 2.7% of residents work from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 0.3% employment compared to the regional average of 5.0%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as suggested by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, labour force decreased by 1.0% and employment declined by 1.1%, leaving unemployment relatively stable compared to the Rest of NT's employment decline of 1.3% and labour force decline of 1.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within Gillen. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Gillen's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Gillen had a median income among taxpayers of $67,076. The average income stood at $75,103. This is higher than the national averages of $53,572 and $63,776 in Rest of NT respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% from financial year 2023 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $72,737 for median income and $81,442 for average income as of that date. From the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Gillen rank highly nationally, between the 76th and 85th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 39.0% of individuals earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, reflecting patterns seen in metropolitan regions where 33.6% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 15.7% of income. Despite this, strong earnings place disposable income at the 76th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Gillen is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Gillen, as per the latest Census assessment, 70.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 29.8% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This compares to Non-Metro NT's figures of 75.6% houses and 24.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gillen stood at 14.5%, similar to Non-Metro NT, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.1% and rented dwellings at 42.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Gillen was $1,733, aligning with the Non-Metro NT average, while the median weekly rent was $400, compared to Non-Metro NT's figures of $1,733 and $150 respectively. Nationally, Gillen's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents exceeding the national figure of $375.

Gillen features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.5% of all households, including 30.7% that are couples with children, 24.0% that are couples without children, and 14.2% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.5%, with lone person households at 22.8% and group households comprising 6.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NT average of 3.1.

Educational outcomes in Gillen fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's educational profile stands out regionally with university qualification rates of 29.3% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the SA4 region average of 20.1% and that of Rest of NT (20.1%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 7.5% and graduate diplomas at 3.2%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 35.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 24.8%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 14.0% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Gillen has 12 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These are covered by three routes offering a total of 83 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically living 192 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car use dominates at 88%, with 5% walking and 4% cycling. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, only 2.7% of residents work from home, which might be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 11 trips per day, equating to roughly six weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Gillen are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Gillen's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are higher than average for both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is very high at approximately 56% of the total population (around 2,849 people), compared to 51.6% across the rest of the NT. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.8% and 5.6% of residents respectively. Meanwhile, 76.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 78.4% across the rest of the NT. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 9.3% of residents aged 65 and over (469 people), which is higher than the 8.3% in the rest of the NT. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

Gillen 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

Gillen's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 30.6% born overseas and 29.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Gillen, comprising 44.5% of its population. However, the category 'Other' showed an overrepresentation in Gillen, making up 2.8% compared to 5.2% across the rest of Northern Territory.

In terms of ancestry, Australian-born parents were most represented at 21.0%, substantially higher than the regional average of 14.9%. English-born parents followed at 19.3%, also significantly higher than the regional average of 14.3%. However, Australian Aboriginal ancestry was notably lower in Gillen at 13.9% compared to the regional average of 43.6%. Other notable divergences included Maori representation at 1.8% in Gillen versus 0.7% regionally, Samoan at 1.1% versus 0.2%, and New Zealand-born at 1.1% versus 0.5%.

Gillen's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Gillen's median age is 33 years, which is slightly higher than the Rest of NT average of 31 but significantly lower than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of NT, Gillen has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (17.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (16.4%). According to the 2021 Census, Gillen's population aged 15-24 increased from 11.9% to 14.2%, while the 35-44 age group rose from 16.1% to 17.3%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group decreased from 19.2% to 16.4%, and the 5-14 age group fell from 15.9% to 14.7%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 suggest significant demographic changes in Gillen. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 32%, adding 183 people, reaching a total of 759 from 575. The 0-4 age group is expected to grow at a more modest rate of 7%, with an increase of 25 residents.