Leanyer

Leanyer 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 Nov 2025, Leanyer's population is estimated at around 4,990, reflecting an increase of 393 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS ERP estimate for surrounding areas applied to Leanyer by AreaSearch in Jun 2024 was 4,988. This represents an 8.5% growth from the 2021 Census figure of 4,597 people. The population density is approximately 1,996 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Leanyer's growth exceeded the SA3 area's 7.6%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed around 55% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch projects an above median population growth for statistical areas analysed, with Leanyer expected to increase by 854 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 17.1%.

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

Leanyer has seen minimal dwelling approvals in recent years, with an estimated total of 4 homes approved between FY21-FY25. As of FY26, no dwelling approvals have been recorded. This low supply contrasts with an average annual increase of 35 new residents per home built over the past five financial years. The average construction value of new dwellings is $200,000, lower than regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

In FY26, commercial approvals totalled $54,000, reflecting Leanyer's residential nature. Compared to Greater Darwin, Leanyer has significantly reduced construction activity, with 91.0% fewer approvals per person, which can reinforce demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This is also lower than national averages, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints. All new constructions in Leanyer have been standalone homes, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. Notably, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests, indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With approximately 9923 people per approval, Leanyer demonstrates characteristics of a mature, established area.

Leanyer has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 2ndth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely affecting this area: Northern Suburbs Youth Hub, Leanyer Primary School, Casuarina Square Redevelopment, Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in Leanyer rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Leanyer has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.5% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Darwin's rate of 3.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.9%, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. In Leanyer, 2,880 residents were employed in June 2025, with workforce participation at 67.6%, slightly below Greater Darwin's 69.7%. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety (34.1%), health care & social assistance (28.7%), and education & training (15.2%).

The accommodation & food sector has limited presence, employing 6.4% of residents compared to the regional average of 8.0%. Analysis of SALM and ABS data for the wider area over the 12 months to June 2025 shows employment increased by 2.9%, while labour force increased by 2.9%, maintaining a stable unemployment rate. In comparison, Greater Darwin recorded similar employment and labour force growth but with a marginal decrease in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Leanyer's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Leanyer's median income among taxpayers was $70,155 in financial year 2022, with an average income of $78,210. This compares to figures for Greater Darwin's median income of $65,522 and average income of $75,260 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.01% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $78,581 (median) and $87,603 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family and personal incomes in Leanyer rank highly nationally, between the 79th and 85th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 37.5% of Leanyer's population (1,871 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the region showing 36.7% in the same category. A substantial proportion of high earners, at 32.0%, indicates strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. Housing accounts for 14.5% of income, while strong earnings rank residents within the 80th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Leanyer's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 71.1% houses and 29.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Darwin metro's 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Leanyer was at 25.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.0% and rented dwellings at 33.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, lower than Darwin metro's average of $2,028. The median weekly rent figure for Leanyer was $400, higher than Darwin metro's $350. Nationally, Leanyer's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Leanyer features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 74.5% of all households, including 37.1% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 25.5%, with lone person households at 21.0% and group households making up 4.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Greater Darwin average.

Leanyer performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Leanyer residents aged 15+ with university qualifications stand at 32.1%, slightly above the Northern Territory average of 27.3%. Bachelor degrees are most common (21.5%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 34.1% of residents holding such qualifications; advanced diplomas account for 10.7%, while certificates make up 23.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: primary (12.0%), secondary (7.4%), and tertiary (6.3%). Good Shepherd Lutheran College - St Andrews Campus and Leanyer Primary School serve a total of 512 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1009). Both schools focus on primary education; secondary options are available in nearby areas. There are 10.3 school places per 100 residents in Leanyer, below the regional average of 16.9, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent regions. Note that 'n/a' for enrolments refers to the parent campus.

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

Leanyer has 17 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 48 different routes that together facilitate 2,679 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is deemed good, with residents living an average of 259 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 382 trips across all routes, which translates to about 157 weekly trips per individual stop.

Leanyer's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance across Leanyer.

Both younger and older age groups exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover rates are notably high, approximately 58% of the total population (around 2,876 people). Asthma and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 6.5 and 6.1% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 74.4%, report no medical ailments, compared to 77.0% in Greater Darwin. Leanyer has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 15.5% (773 people), than the 12.3% recorded in Greater Darwin. Senior health outcomes align closely with those of the general population.

Leanyer is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Leanyer has a high level of cultural diversity, with 33.8% of its population born overseas and 32.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Leanyer, making up 46.6% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin, comprising 4.1% of Leanyer's population.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (20.6%), English (17.9%), and Other (14.0%). There are notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Filipino at 4.7%, Greek at 5.0%, and Australian Aboriginal at 5.9%.

Leanyer's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Leanyer's median age is 37 years, which is higher than Greater Darwin's average of 34 but aligns with Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Greater Darwin, Leanyer has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (9.5%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (15.2%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 35-44 has grown from 14.9% to 16.7%. Conversely, the population aged 55-64 has declined from 12.8% to 11.0%, and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 12.6% to 11.3%. By 2041, Leanyer's population is forecasted to experience significant demographic changes. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to grow by 39%, adding 221 residents to reach a total of 785. Meanwhile, the number of residents aged 55-64 is expected to decrease by 19%.