Katherine East

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Katherine East is around 3,639, reflecting an increase of 578 people since the 2021 Census. The population was recorded as 3,061 in the 2021 Census. This increase is inferred from the resident population of 3,550 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), along with an additional 36 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 462 persons per square kilometer. Katherine East's population growth of 18.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 9.9%. Natural growth contributed approximately 61.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 growth estimation, AreaSearch applies 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). According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 369 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 4.7% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Katherine East, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval data shows Katherine East had approximately 11 dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 59 homes were approved, with an additional 14 in FY-26 so far. Each dwelling built attracted about 0.7 new residents annually over the past five financial years.

This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost of new properties was $356,000. In FY-26, there have been $50.1 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to the Rest of NT, Katherine East has 69.0% more building activity per person. However, this is below the national average, suggesting maturity and possible planning constraints.

New development consists of 78.0% detached houses and 22.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 344 people moving in per dwelling approval, Katherine East indicates a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 172 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Katherine East has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified four projects that are expected to impact the area: Katherine Logistics and Agribusiness Hub, Supporting Growth in Katherine East (Katherine East Residential Estate), Katherine Aquatic Centre Upgrade, and Tindal Village. The following list details these key projects, which are 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.

The employment landscape in Katherine East presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.8%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Katherine East has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 2,249 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0% below the Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%.

Workforce participation in Katherine East is high at 89.2%, compared to the Rest of NT's 70.4%. Census responses indicate that only 3.5% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Katherine East shows strong specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.6% of local workers, below the Rest of NT's 5.0%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, labour force decreased by 1.6%, alongside a 1.3% employment decline, causing unemployment to fall by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with the Rest of NT, where employment fell by 1.3%, labour force contracted by 1.2%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Katherine East. These projections suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Katherine East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years. However, it is important to note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Katherine East had an average national income level according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $61,981 and the average income stood at $67,988. This compares with figures for Rest of NT's which were $53,572 and $63,776 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $67,212 (median) and $73,726 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Katherine East, between the 70th and 84th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the largest segment comprises 36.9% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,342 residents), consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 33.6% in the same category. Housing accounts for 14.8% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 73rd percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

In Katherine East, as per the latest Census evaluation, 83.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 16.3% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Non-Metro NT's figures of 75.6% houses and 24.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Katherine East stood at 12.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.1% and rented ones at 62.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro NT's average of $1,733. Weekly rent in Katherine East was recorded at $350, compared to Non-Metro NT's $150. Nationally, Katherine East's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 71.9% of all households, including 32.7% couples with children, 22.8% couples without children, and 14.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.1%, with lone person households at 22.2% and group households comprising 6.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people, smaller than the Rest of NT average of 3.1.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 25.8% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA3 area average of 17.4% and the SA4 region rate of 20.1%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 16.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 7.4% and graduate diplomas at 2.1%. Vocational credentials are prominent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 29.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 38.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 17.5% in primary education, 9.9% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Katherine East is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Katherine East faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence for common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population (~1,953 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. This compares to 51.6% across Rest of NT. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and diabetes, impacting 7.2 and 5.1% of residents respectively. 77.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 78.4% across Rest of NT. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 7.3% of residents aged 65 and over (265 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Katherine East's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 21.3% born overseas and 23.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Katherine East, comprising 40.7% of its people. However, Hinduism stood out with 4.5%, compared to the Rest of NT's 1.3%.

In terms of ancestry, Australians made up 22.7%, significantly higher than the regional average of 14.9%. Australian Aboriginals comprised 22.5%, notably lower than the regional average of 43.6%. English ancestry constituted 16.5% of Katherine East's population. Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Filipino at 4.8% (vs regional 1.4%), Samoan at 0.3% (vs 0.2%), and Sri Lankan at 0.3% (vs 0.1%).

Katherine East hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Katherine East's median age is 30 years, close to Rest of NT's 31 and significantly lower than the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NT, Katherine East has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (17.1%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (7.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the age group 35 to 44 has increased from 15.2% to 17.5% of the population while the age group 25 to 34 has decreased from 19.4% to 18.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Katherine East's age profile will change significantly. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 21%, reaching 450 people from the current 371. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are expected to decrease in number.