Herbert

An assessment of population growth drivers in Herbert reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering 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 the suburb of Herbert's population is estimated at around 1,800 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 190 people (11.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,610 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,800, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2025) and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 50 persons per square kilometer, a level providing ample space per person. the suburb of Herbert's 11.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.3%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 63.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including overseas migration and interstate migration were positive factors.

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). Moving forward with demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of national statistical areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 185 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting reflecting an increase of 10.3% in total over the 16 years.

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

Property approvals in Herbert have been exceptionally quiet, with only a single project authorized over a five-year span. Although the neighborhood is fully established, it has experienced almost no fresh home construction. This sparse addition of new residences generally helps maintain the valuation of current homes, though it might point to issues like regulatory constraints or sluggish market conditions.

Compared to the broader Greater Darwin region, construction initiatives in Herbert are substantially quieter. This constrained pipeline of new buildings typically bolsters the market demand and pricing structures of current properties, even though building initiatives have shown some acceleration in recent times. This trend is also trailing the national average, highlighting the established state of the locality and pointing to potential zoning or planning restrictions.

Herbert has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Local upgrades, planning changes, and major works have a significant influence on property performance. There are no projects identified by AreaSearch that are expected to influence this locality. Some of the major regional works include Darwin Renewable Energy Hub, Darwin Corporate Park, Adelaide River Off-Stream Water Storage, and Desert Springs Octopus Renewable Energy Program, with the following details focusing on those most likely to be relevant.

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The labour market in Herbert shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

The local workforce displays a balanced mix of professional and trade occupations, with a strong presence in vital service fields, a very low jobless rate of 2.7%, and consistent jobs numbers over the prior year, according to compiled regional indicators. By March 2026, there were 1,036 employed locals, with the unemployment rate tracking 0.7% lower than the 3.5% recorded in Greater Darwin, while workforce participation is standard at 75.1% compared to 72.7% across Greater Darwin. Census records show a modest 4.7% of the workforce operated from home, though the influence of pandemic restrictions should be taken into account.

The primary sectors employing local workers are building services, public administration & safety, along with school education & training. The community shows a clear concentration in building services, where the employment share is 1.7 times the regional benchmark. Conversely, health care & social assistance is underrepresented, employing only 8.2% of the local workforce compared to 14.2% in Greater Darwin. This heavily residential district seems to provide few local jobs, as shown by the comparison between working residents and locally based jobs in the Census.

According to analysis of SALM and ABS statistics compiled from surrounding areas, the workforce contracted by 0.1% and total employment fell by 0.4% during the 12 months ending March 2026, leading to a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Conversely, Greater Darwin saw employment expand by 0.4% and its labor force grow by 0.8%, resulting in a 0.3 percentage point increase. The national job projections released by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 offer additional context on future hiring trends in the area. These five and ten-year forecasts are mapped to the local industry mix to project regional trends. While countrywide employment is expected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, the rates of change vary widely by industry. Weighting these projections against the local job profile suggests employment in the area could rise by 5.7% over five years and 12.0% over ten years, though this is a basic weighted projection that does not factor in local population shifts.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Based on the latest postcode level ATO statistics released for the financial year 2023, the suburb of Herbert's median taxpayer income stands at $72,895, with an average figure of $83,765. These figures are among the highest nationwide, compared to a median of $66,956 and an average of $77,199 in Greater Darwin. Adjusted for the Wage Price Index growth of 9.41% since the financial year 2023, current estimates correspond to roughly $79,754 for the median and $91,647 for the average as of March 2026. Census data from 2021 shows household, family, and individual earnings in Herbert are highly ranked, placing in the 93rd to 94th national percentiles. Income distribution shows that 31.7% of the population (570 individuals) earn in the $1,500 - 2,999 range, mirroring the broader region where 36.7% fall into this bracket. Economic capacity is highlighted by the 44.2% of households earning more than $3,000 per week, which encourages local retail spending. Residential costs account for 15.3% of earnings, yet strong wages keep disposable income in the 94th percentile, and the SEIFA economic index places the area in the 7th decile.

Herbert is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Residential patterns in Herbert, measured in the most recent Census, show that separate houses make up 98.8% of the housing stock compared to 1.2% for multi-unit dwellings, which contrasts with the Darwin metropolitan split of 63.5% houses and 36.5% other options. The level of outright home ownership stood at 19.3%, which is higher than the Darwin metro average, while the remaining homes were occupied under a mortgage (68.3%) or rented (12.4%). The typical monthly mortgage payment was $2,323, placing it well above the metropolitan median, while typical weekly rent was $460, compared to metropolitan benchmarks of $2,100 and $385. Nationally, mortgage costs in the area are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and typical rent is also above the national figure of $375.

Herbert features high concentrations of family households and group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Families make up the vast majority of local households at 80.2%, consisting of couples with children at 45.5%, couples without children at 26.6%, and single parents at 7.4%. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 19.8%, with single-person households at 15.7% and shared group households at 3.8%. The typical household size of 3.0 people exceeds the Greater Darwin average of 2.6.

Herbert demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

The locality presents educational disparities, as university graduation rates (14.2%) sit well under the SA4 regional average of 31.3%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 9.5%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.8%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.9%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 54.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (13.0%) and certificates (41.5%).

Learning enrollment is exceptionally high, with 33.0% of the population actively participating in studies. This is comprised of 14.0% attending primary school, 9.9% in secondary education, and 3.4% enrolled in higher education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Herbert's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

An assessment of health markers indicates excellent outcomes across the community, based on localized tracking of mortality and long-term illness, which reveals an exceptionally low occurrence of widespread health issues across all age brackets, while private medical coverage is remarkably common, extending to roughly 60% of the population (1,076 people).

Asthma and mental health conditions are the most common medical diagnoses, affecting 7.1 and 5.4% of citizens respectively, while 79.0% of the population reported no chronic illnesses at all, compared to 77.1% throughout Greater Darwin. The working-age population is healthy, with very low rates of chronic disease. Residents aged 65 and over make up 10.6% of the population (190 people). Senior citizens experience exceptionally good health, with national health benchmarks surpassing those of the younger local demographic.

Herbert is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

The local area has a lower level of cultural variety than average, with 87.9% of the population born locally, 91.2% holding citizenship, and 95.5% using only English at home. Christianity is the primary religion, followed by 40.1% of the population. The most prominent comparative concentration is in Buddhism, which represents 2.4% of residents compared to 3.3% across Greater Darwin.

Regarding ancestral backgrounds, the three most common heritages are Australian, representing 33.0% of the population, which is higher than the regional level of 22.6%, English, representing 29.5% of the population, which is higher than the regional level of 21.7%, and Scottish, representing 7.6%. Furthermore, there are distinct differences in other groups: Australian Aboriginal people account for 5.5% of the community (compared to 7.0% across the region), Dutch heritage is at 1.5% (compared to 1.0%), and New Zealand heritage is at 0.8% (compared to 0.6%).

Herbert's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The typical resident age of 38 years is older than the Greater Darwin median of 34, matching the national average of 38. The 55 - 64 age bracket is highly represented at 14.8% compared to the Darwin metro area, while the 25 - 34 bracket is less common at 9.2%. Since 2021, the cohort aged 55 to 64 has increased from 12.7% to 14.8%, and the group aged 75 to 84 has risen from 1.0% to 2.7%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 group fell from 17.8% to 15.0%, and children aged 5 to 14 decreased from 16.5% to 14.0%. Projections for 2041 indicate notable changes in local age groups. The cohort aged 55 to 64 is expected to grow by 41 people (16%), rising from 266 to 308. In contrast, population drops are expected in the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age brackets.