Nightcliff

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Nightcliff is around 4,157. This figure reflects a growth of 273 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,884. AreaSearch's resident population estimate for Nightcliff was 4,121 as of June 2024, with an additional 59 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. The population density ratio is 2,866 persons per square kilometer, placing Nightcliff in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Nightcliff's growth rate of 7.0% since census compares favorably with its SA3 area at 7.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 59.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch projects an above median population growth for the suburb, expecting it to expand by 630 persons to reach a total of 4,817 by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections. This would reflect a gain of 14.3% in total over the 17-year period from 2025 to 2041.

The level of residential development activity in Nightcliff is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Nightcliff has experienced around 2 dwellings receiving development approval each year. An estimated 14 homes were approved over the past 5 financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with 1 more approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, which may benefit buyers.

The average construction cost value of new homes is around $100,000, lower than regional levels, indicating more affordable housing choices for buyers. In FY-26, there have been $11.2 million in commercial approvals, showing moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Darwin, Nightcliff has markedly lower building activity, 64.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. Additionally, this activity is under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

New development in Nightcliff consists of 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, offering choices across price ranges from spacious family homes to more compact options. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests at Census (36.0%), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With around 1639 people per dwelling approval, Nightcliff reflects a highly mature market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Nightcliff is forecasted to gain 594 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. Two projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to influence this region: Social Housing Accelerator Payment (SHAP) in Greater Darwin/Nightcliff, John Stokes Square Redevelopment, Darwin Mid Suburbs Area Plan, and Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit and CSSD Upgrade. The following list details those likely to have the most relevance.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Nightcliff performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Nightcliff has a highly educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.1% as of June 2025.

This is lower than Greater Darwin's rate of 3.0%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.4%. There were 2,645 residents in work by June 2025. The workforce participation rate was 74.1%, similar to Greater Darwin's 69.7%.

The dominant employment sectors among Nightcliff residents are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. Health care & social assistance is particularly strong with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 6.7% compared to the regional average of 9.2%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.4% while labour force grew by 2.9%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Darwin saw employment rise by 2.9%, labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment fall marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Nightcliff. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 14.8% over ten years. Applying these projections to Nightcliff's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 15.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Nightcliff's median income among taxpayers was $72,135 and average income stood at $84,008 according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. These figures compare to Greater Darwin's median of $65,522 and average of $75,260 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.01% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $80,798 (median) and $94,097 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, individual earnings stood out at the 91st percentile nationally with a weekly earning of $1,203. The earnings profile showed that 36.4% of Nightcliff's community earned between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (1,513 individuals), similar to the surrounding region where this cohort also represented 36.7%. The locality demonstrated considerable affluence with 30.2% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounted for 14.9% of income while strong earnings ranked residents within the 71st percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

Nightcliff features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Nightcliff's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 35.9% houses and 64.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Darwin metro's 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Nightcliff stood at 19.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.0% and rented ones at 55.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,972, below Darwin metro's average of $2,028. Median weekly rent in Nightcliff was $350, matching Darwin metro's figure but lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Nightcliff's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households account for 60.9% of all households, including 26.1% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 39.1%, with lone person households at 30.8% and group households comprising 7.9%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Darwin average of 2.7.

Nightcliff shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Nightcliff is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of 2021, 51.1% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 27.3% in the Northern Territory (NT) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 17.5% and graduate diplomas at 4.9%. Vocational pathways account for 24.8% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 8.7% and certificates at 16.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2021. This includes 10.4% in tertiary education, 8.6% in primary education, and 6.4% pursuing secondary education. Nightcliff Primary School provides local educational services within Nightcliff, with an enrollment of 505 students as of 2021. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 1070, indicating above-average socio-educational conditions. Secondary educational options are available in surrounding areas. As of 2021, there is one school per 100 residents in Nightcliff, compared to the regional average of 16.9, with some students likely attending schools in adjacent areas.

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

Nightcliff has ten active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by thirty-eight different routes that together facilitate two thousand four weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Nightcliff is rated as good, with residents on average located 211 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 286 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 200 weekly trips per individual stop.

Nightcliff'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 in Nightcliff, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (2,490 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Darwin.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 6.1% and 6.0% of residents respectively. A total of 78.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.0% across Greater Darwin. The area has 13.0% of residents aged 65 and over (540 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Nightcliff's population shows high cultural diversity, with 37.2% born overseas and 32.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 35.9%. Hinduism is overrepresented compared to Greater Darwin, comprising 9.5% versus 5.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.7%), Australian (18.8%), and Other (16.5%). Notable divergences include Filipino at 3.1% (vs regional 4.7%), Greek at 3.6% (vs 3.7%), and Indian at 4.0% (vs 3.2%).

Nightcliff hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Nightcliff's median age at 34 years matches Greater Darwin's average of 34 but is lower than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Darwin, Nightcliff has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.4%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (8.7%). This 25-34 concentration is notably above the national average of 14.5%. From 2021 to present, Nightcliff's population has seen an increase in the 35 to 44 age group from 16.8% to 17.9%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 11.9% to 10.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Nightcliff's age profile. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 185 people (43%), increasing from 436 to 622 residents. Conversely, the 0 to 4 age cohort is projected to decline by 8 people.