Nhulunbuy

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Nhulunbuy is around 3,873 people. This figure reflects a growth of 523 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,350 people in the suburb. AreaSearch validated this increase following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional one new address since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 59 persons per square kilometer. The growth rate of 15.6% since the 2021 census exceeds both the national average (8.9%) and the state's average, positioning Nhulunbuy as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 55% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and overseas migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, growth rates by age cohort are applied to each area based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. Future population trends project an above median growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Nhulunbuy expected to expand by 563 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 14.9% over the 17 years.

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

Nhulunbuy had minimal residential development activity from 2016 to 2020 with only 2 dwelling approvals annually. This totals to 14 dwellings over the five-year period. Such low development levels are typical in rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity.

It's important to note that due to the small number of approvals, individual development projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics. Compared to Rest of NT, Nhulunbuy has substantially lower development levels. Its development pattern is also well below national averages. New building activity in Nhulunbuy shows 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% attached dwellings. There's a growing mix of townhouses and apartments, providing options across different price points from family homes to more affordable compact living.

This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 86.0% houses. This shift could indicate decreasing availability of developable sites and reflect changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The estimated population density in Nhulunbuy is 966 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain 577 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Nhulunbuy has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 1stth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified three projects that could affect this region: Bunggulwuy Close Housing Development, Nhulunbuy Master Plan, Gunyangara (Gove Port) Tourism Precinct, and Northern Territory Freight Rail And Logistics Capacity Improvements. The following details those most relevant.

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The exceptional employment performance in Nhulunbuy places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Nhulunbuy has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 0.8%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, there are 2,982 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 5.1% lower than the Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%. Workforce participation in Nhulunbuy is high at 65.4%, compared to the Rest of NT's 50.7%. Employment is concentrated in mining, health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. Mining has a particularly strong presence with an employment share 6.9 times the regional level.

Conversely, public administration & safety shows lower representation at 10.6% compared to the regional average of 17.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, indicated by the count of Census working population to local population. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, labour force decreased by 1.8%, employment declined by 1.7%, and unemployment remained essentially unchanged in Nhulunbuy. Comparatively, Rest of NT recorded similar employment and labour force declines but saw a marginal decrease in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Nhulunbuy's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Nhulunbuy had a median income among taxpayers of $61,253 and an average income of $76,680. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Rest of NT's $51,655 and $61,577 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.01% since financial year 2022, current estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $68,609 (median) and $85,889 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Nhulunbuy rank highly nationally, between the 94th and 97th percentiles. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 39.8% of the community (1,541 individuals), similar to regional levels where 33.6% occupy this range. A substantial proportion of high earners, 44.8%, are above $3,000/week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the area. After housing costs, residents retain 95.6% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Nhulunbuy's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.7% houses and 14.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NT's 89.4% houses and 10.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Nhulunbuy stood at 5.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 3.2% and rented ones at 91.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,741, higher than Non-Metro NT's average of $1,664. Median weekly rent in Nhulunbuy was $120, compared to Non-Metro NT's $80. Nationally, Nhulunbuy's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Nhulunbuy has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 74.9 percent of all households, including 46.1 percent couples with children, 21.4 percent couples without children, and 6.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 25.1 percent, with lone person households at 22.0 percent and group households comprising 3.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NT average of 4.0.

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

Educational attainment in Nhulunbuy is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. 29.4% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 14.9% in the SA3 area and 20.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 18.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.2%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 45.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 9.6% and certificates for 35.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 47.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 21.7% in primary education, 12.7% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education. Nhulunbuy's 4 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 758 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 974) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 1 primary, 2 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Nhulunbuy, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 57% of the total population (around 2,209 people), compared to 51.5% across the rest of NT.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 5.6% and 5.1% of residents respectively, while 82.8% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 82.9% reported across the rest of NT. As of 2017-2020, 5.3% of residents are aged 65 and over (205 people). Health outcomes among seniors in Nhulunbuy are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

Nhulunbuy's cultural diversity is above average, with 18.7% of its population born overseas and 15.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Nhulunbuy, comprising 43.0% of its people. The 'Other' religious category represents only 1.8%, significantly lower than the Rest of NT average of 15.8%.

In terms of ancestry, Australians are the largest group at 28.1%, substantially higher than the regional average of 11.5%. English ancestry follows at 24.8%, also above the regional average of 10.3%. The 'Other' category stands at 8.7%. Notable differences exist in ethnic group representation: Maori are overrepresented at 1.7% compared to the regional average of 0.7%, Australian Aboriginals are underrepresented at 8.0% versus a regional average of 60.9%, and South Africans are also slightly overrepresented at 0.7%.

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

Nhulunbuy's median age is 33 years, which modestly exceeds the Rest of NT average of 31 but is substantially under Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of NT, Nhulunbuy has a higher concentration of residents aged 35-44 (20.0%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (14.5%). This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.2%. Post the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.0% to 11.8%, while the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 16.6% to 14.5%, and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 19.5% to 18.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Nhulunbuy, with the 45 to 54 age group expected to grow by 36%, reaching 726 people from 534. Conversely, the 25 to 34 and 35 to 44 cohorts are projected to decrease in population.