Nakara

An assessment of population growth drivers in Nakara reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Nakara's population is estimated at around 84,140 people. This reflects an increase of 11,198 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 72,942 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of Nakara's resident population at 1,908 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 100,166 persons per square kilometer. Nakara's growth rate of 15.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area's 7.6% growth and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was primarily responsible for population gains during recent periods, with natural growth and interstate migration playing minimal roles.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch applies growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends predict exceptional growth for Nakara, placing it in the top 10 percent of regional areas nationally. By 2041, the suburb is expected to expand by 7,013 persons, reflecting an increase of 15.7% over the 17-year period based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Nakara when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Nakara had approximately 68 new homes approved annually. Between FY21 and FY25, around 343 homes were approved, with an additional 21 approved in FY26 to date. This results in about 11.6 people moving to the area per dwelling built over the past five financial years.

The demand significantly exceeds new supply, leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $520,000. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $259.7 million, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the Rest of NT, Nakara has 14.0% less building activity per person and ranks among the 6th percentile nationally, offering limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties. This is due to the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

New building activity comprises 65.0% standalone homes and 35.0% townhouses or apartments, providing options across different price points. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix of 136.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1942 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. With population expected to remain stable or decline, Nakara may see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Nakara has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 8thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects expected to impact the region. Notable projects include Casuarina Square Redevelopment, CDU - Centre for Better Health Futures, CDU - Trades Training Centre, and Edgeview Court Water Main Replacement. The following details these projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Nakara performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Nakara has an educated workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 3.5% as of June 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

In Nakara, 26,961 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 2.4% lower than Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%. Workforce participation in Nakara is high at 119.6%, compared to Rest of NT's 50.7%. Key industries for employment among residents include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. Notably, health care & social assistance has a high concentration with employment levels at 2.3 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing, however, has limited presence with 3.6% employment compared to the regional average of 5.0%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 1.0, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.6%, while employment declined by 1.7%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged in Nakara. In comparison, Rest of NT recorded an employment decline of 1.7% and a labour force decline of 1.8%, with marginal unemployment fall. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Nakara's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.2% 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

Nakara's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Nakara's median income among taxpayers is $114,956 and average income stands at $132,636, compared to Rest of NT's figures of $51,655 and $61,577 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.01% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $128,762 (median) and $148,566 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Nakara, between the 132nd and 144th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 69.0% of the community (58,056 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 33.6% in the same category. The district exhibits notable income diversity with 36.0% earning under $800 weekly while 52.0% exceed $3,000, creating a mixed socioeconomic profile. After housing costs, residents retain 170.4% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Nakara's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 135.6% houses and 64.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NT had 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Nakara was at 29.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 63.8% and rented ones at 106.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,600, higher than Non-Metro NT's average of $2,028. Weekly rent in Nakara was recorded at $560, compared to Non-Metro NT's $350. Nationally, Nakara's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 135.0% of all households, including 60.0% couples with children, 45.4% couples without children, and 26.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute -35.0%, with lone person households at 55.2% and group households comprising 9.6%. The median household size is 5.6 people, surpassing the Rest of NT average of 2.7.

Nakara shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Nakara's educational attainment is notably high, with 53.8% of its residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 20.1% in the Rest of Northern Territory (NT) and 27.3% across the NT as a whole. This high level of educational attainment positions Nakara favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.8% and graduate diplomas at 6.0%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 60.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 17.0% and certificates for 43.2%.

Educational participation in Nakara is particularly high, with 64.2% of its residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 27.4% in primary education, 15.6% in secondary education, and 8.6% pursuing tertiary education. Nakara Primary School serves the local educational needs within Nakara, with an enrollment of 409 students as of a recent report. The area exhibits above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1058. There is one school in Nakara that focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. As an educational hub, Nakara offers 30.0 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 16.9, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Nakara has 198 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 distinct routes that together facilitate 940 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is limited, with residents located an average of 79976 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 134 daily trips across all routes, which equates to approximately four weekly trips per individual stop.

Nakara's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Nakara's health outcomes show exceptional results with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is remarkably high at approximately 107% of the total population (90,315 people), compared to 56.7% in the Rest of NT and a national average of 55.3%. Diabetes and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 12.0 and 11.8% of residents respectively.

Notably, 153.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.0% in the Rest of NT. Nakara has 18.5% of residents aged 65 and over (15,599 people), higher than the 12.3% in the Rest of NT. While health outcomes among seniors are strong, they require more attention than those in the broader population.

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

Nakara has a population where 43.0% were born overseas, with 81.0% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Nakara, comprising 105.2% of its population. The 'Other' religious category represents 4.2% of Nakara's population, higher than the Rest of NT average of 1.7%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian Aboriginal is the highest at 57.8%, substantially above the regional average of 7.4%. English ancestry stands at 34.8%, surpassing the regional average of 18.4%. Australian ancestry is also notably high at 34.0%, exceeding the regional average of 19.4%. Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Maori at 2.2% (regional average 0.5%), Samoan at 0.8% (regional average 0.1%), and Filipino at 3.4% (regional average 4.7%).

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

The median age in Nakara is 66 years, significantly higher than Rest of NT's average of 31 years and considerably older than Australia's national norm of 38 years. The age distribution in Nakara aligns closely with the Rest of NT average across all cohorts. Notably, the concentration of individuals aged 25 to 34 is well above the national average of 14.5%. According to the Census conducted on August 10, 2021, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 30.8% to 32.4%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 24.8% to 26.3%. Conversely, the age groups of 5 to 14 and 25 to 34 have seen declines, dropping from 28.2% to 26.5% and from 38.0% to 36.4%, respectively. By the year 2041, Nakara's age composition is expected to undergo notable shifts. The population aged 85 years and above is projected to grow steadily, expanding by -452 people (-43%) from 1,043 to 591. Conversely, population declines are projected for the age cohorts of 85+ and 75 to 84 years.