Gray (NT)

Gray is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on demographic evaluations from the ABS for the surrounding region, combined with address records verified by AreaSearch subsequent to the Census, the suburb of Gray (NT) has a population of approximately 3,479 as of May 2026. This indicates an expansion of 337 people (10.7%) compared to the 2021 Census, which counted 3,142 individuals. This population shift is deduced from the resident count of 3,479, calculated by AreaSearch using the ABS ERP release from June 2025 and ongoing address auditing. With this population level, the density stands at 2,319 persons per square kilometer, outstripping the typical ratios found in nationwide areas analyzed by AreaSearch. The 10.7% expansion rate in the suburb of Gray (NT) since the 2021 census was greater than the countrywide benchmark (9.3%), placing it among the faster-growing sectors in the territory. The primary catalyst for this demographic growth was natural increase, which was responsible for about 50.0% of the overall population rise in recent times.

AreaSearch utilizes the demographic projections compiled by the ABS and Geoscience Australia for individual SA2 zones, which were published in 2024 using 2022 as the baseline. For any SA2 regions lacking these numbers, and to calculate projections beyond 2032, growth rates categorized by age brackets are applied to each locality, drawn from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections published in 2023 utilizing 2022 statistics. Looking at future demographic trends, the suburb of Gray (NT) is projected to experience population expansion above the median for Australian statistical areas, with an expected increase of 635 persons by 2041 according to collective SA2 projections, representing an overall growth of 18.2% over the 16 years.

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

Records show that merely 2 dwelling approvals occurred in Gray over the previous five years. This indicates a fully established neighborhood with scarce prospects for further building projects. The lack of additions to the housing stock generally helps bolster demand for existing properties and can assist in maintaining value stability.

When contrasted with Greater Darwin, Gray exhibits far lower levels of building activity. This minimal addition of new housing typically underpins stronger demand and pricing for existing homes. Furthermore, this building pace is slower than the national benchmark, indicating a mature residential market and highlighting potential constraints on construction.

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

Locality performance is heavily driven by modifications to nearby infrastructure, major developments, and urban planning changes. In total, no projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are expected to influence this locality. Prominent regional developments include the Darwin to Palmerston Mass Transit Corridor, Hudson Creek Power Station, Marine Industry Park, and Darwin Corporate Park, with details provided below for those most likely to impact the area.

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Employment conditions in Gray face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Gray features a diverse workforce distributed across professional and manual occupations, alongside a solid presence of essential service staff, with a jobless rate of 14.6% according to aggregated local statistics. In March 2026, 1,609 local citizens were employed, while the jobless rate was 11.1% higher than the 3.5% registered in Greater Darwin, indicating potential for job market gains. The rate of workforce participation is also below the regional benchmark, sitting at 68.1% compared to 72.7% in Greater Darwin. Census records indicate that a minor 3.1% of the workforce operated from home, though this figure may have been influenced by pandemic containment measures.

The primary sectors employing local residents are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. There is a notable concentration of workers in retail trade, which represents a share 1.4 times greater than the wider region. Conversely, public administration & safety accounts for only 15.7% of the local workforce, which is lower than the Greater Darwin level of 19.5%. This heavily residential locality appears to provide sparse employment options within its own boundaries, as demonstrated by the discrepancy between the census-recorded local workforce and the resident population.

According to evaluations of SALM and ABS data aggregated from local statistical zones, the labor force expanded by 0.9% during the twelve months leading to March 2026, while employment fell by 1.4%, leading to a rise in the jobless rate of 2.0 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Darwin experienced an employment increase of 0.4% and a labor force expansion of 0.8%, with its jobless rate rising by 0.3 percentage points. Employment projections for the nation published in May-25 by Jobs and Skills Australia provide further context regarding prospective labor demand in Gray. These five and ten-year forecasts have been aligned with the local industry breakdown to model future employment shifts. Although nationwide employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, the rates of change vary widely by industry. Projecting these industry-level patterns onto the occupational structure of Gray indicates that local employment is poised to rise by 6.0% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this is a basic weighted calculation for demonstration purposes and does not incorporate local demographic forecasts.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

The most recent ATO postcode data for the 2023 financial year indicates that personal earnings in Gray are slightly below the national benchmarks, with the median recorded at $60,378 and the average at $66,723. This compare to a median of $66,956 and an average of $77,199 across Greater Darwin. Factoring in a Wage Price Index rise of 9.41% since the 2023 financial year, current figures would translate to roughly $66,060 for the median and $73,002 for the average as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings place in the 63rd percentile ($877 weekly), whereas household earnings fall into the 34th percentile. The statistics show that the largest group contains 33.8% of residents (1,175 people) earning between $1,500 - 2,999, which is comparable to the wider region where this bracket accounts for 36.7%. Affordability constraints are highly pronounced, with residents retaining only 79.9% of their income, which ranks in the 29th percentile.

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

The composition of residential properties in Gray at the time of the most recent Census consisted of 59.8% standalone houses and 40.2% alternative housing types such as duplexes and apartments, compared to 63.5% houses and 36.5% other dwellings in the Darwin metro area. The level of home ownership in Gray was lower than the metropolitan Darwin rate, standing at 12.4%, with the remaining properties occupied by people with a mortgage (35.6%) or renters (52.0%). The median monthly home loan payment in the suburb was significantly lower than the Darwin metro median at $1,725, while the median weekly rental cost was $300, compared to metropolitan Darwin averages of $2,100 and $385 respectively. On a national level, monthly mortgage payments in Gray are lower than the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents are also well below the countrywide median of $375.

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

Families make up the majority of households at 63.6%, consisting of 23.4% couples raising children, 18.5% couples without children, and 19.9% single-parent households. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 36.4%, with single-person households representing 32.5% and shared group households at 4.3%. The median household occupancy of 2.4 residents is slightly smaller than the Greater Darwin average of 2.6.

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

The locality presents educational disparities, with the proportion of residents holding university degrees (17.5%) falling well short of the SA4 regional average of 31.3%. This situation highlights a clear area for targeted educational programs. Among tertiary qualifications, bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.4%, followed by postgraduate degrees (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Practical and technical skills are highly prevalent, with 44.4% of residents aged 15 and over possessing vocational training, consisting of advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificate qualifications (33.0%).

The rate of educational enrollment is notably high, with 38.1% of the local population currently undertaking formal studies. This proportion includes 14.8% of residents in primary schooling, 10.2% attending secondary schools, and 4.8% enrolled in tertiary institutions.

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

Analysis of transit options shows 13 active transit stops located within Gray, consisting of various bus options. These stops are connected to 23 distinct routes, which combine to support 1,422 weekly passenger journeys. Accessibility is classified as excellent, with the typical resident living 163 meters away from their nearest transit stop. Given the predominantly residential nature of the suburb, most workers commute out of the area, with private vehicles remaining the primary choice for 90% of commuters. Average car ownership is 1.2 per household, which is below the regional average. A small 3.1% of residents work from home (based on 2021 Census data, which may reflect pandemic-era conditions).

Transit services average 203 runs per day across all active routes, which translates to approximately 109 weekly departures for each individual stop.

Health performance in Gray is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Public health statistics indicate notable difficulties in Gray, based on evaluations of death rates and the frequency of ongoing medical issues across both younger and older demographics, while the proportion of residents with private health insurance is slightly higher than the typical SA2 average at roughly 53% of the population (~1,850 people). In comparison, private coverage stands at 57.8% across the Greater Darwin area.

Asthma and arthritis represent the most prevalent medical conditions among local residents, affecting 7.6% and 6.7% of the population respectively, while 72.5% of residents reported having no chronic health issues, compared to 77.1% in Greater Darwin. Residents under the age of 65 generally experience better health profiles than average. The suburb has 11.1% of its population aged 65 or older (386 people). Health statuses among these older residents show some difficulties, with national performance metrics generally mirroring those of the broader community.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Gray was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Gray displays a higher level of cultural diversity than most local residential markets, with 24.1% of its residents born outside Australia and 19.9% utilizing a non-English language at home. Christianity stands as the primary religious affiliation, accounting for 40.6% of the population. The most prominent deviation from broader trends is in Buddhism, which is practiced by 3.3% of the community, matching the 3.3% rate observed throughout Greater Darwin.

Looking at ancestral backgrounds (parents' birthplace), the three largest heritages in Gray are Australian at 22.9%, English at 22.0%, and Australian Aboriginal at 14.9%, which represents a much larger share than the regional average of 7.0%. There are also notable differences in the concentration of other backgrounds: Filipino heritage accounts for 4.4% of the population in Gray (compared to 3.8% across the region), Vietnamese stands at 1.0% (compared to 0.8% regionally), and Maori is at 0.6% (compared to 0.6% regionally).

Gray hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

The median age in Gray is 34 years, matching the Greater Darwin average of 34 but sitting well below the national median of 38. Compared to the Greater Darwin area, Gray contains a larger proportion of residents in the 55 - 64 age bracket (12.8%) but a smaller share of people aged 25 - 34 (13.8%). Since 2021, the 55 to 64 demographic has increased from 11.5% to 12.8% of the population. In contrast, the 5 to 14 age group has shrunk from 15.7% to 13.7%, and the 25 to 34 group has fallen from 15.2% to 13.8%. Projections suggest the age structure of Gray will change notably by 2041, with the 45 to 54 cohort expected to grow by 137 people (28%), rising from 497 to 635.