Wadeye

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the population of Wadeye is estimated at around 2,258 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 334 people (17.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,924 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2,254, estimated by AreaSearch 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 108 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Wadeye's growth of 17.4% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 9.9%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch is applying growth rates by age cohort to each area, provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends suggest a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas. The suburb is expected to grow by 259 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 10.1% in total over the 17 years.

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

Wadeye has had minimal residential development activity over the past five years, with less than one dwelling approval annually. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs driven by local demand are more significant than broader market forces. The small sample size means that individual projects can substantially influence annual growth and relativity statistics.

Compared to the Rest of NT and national patterns, Wadeye has much lower residential development activity.

Wadeye has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 12thth percentile nationally

No infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to impact the area. Key projects include East Kimberley Clean Energy Project, Australia-Asia PowerLink (AAPowerLink), Northern Territory Freight Rail And Logistics Capacity Improvements, and Network Optimisation Program - Rail.

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

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Employment conditions in Wadeye face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Wadeye has a balanced workforce consisting of white and blue collar jobs, with essential services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 24.3%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025454 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 18.5% higher than the Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%.

The workforce participation rate in Wadeye is significantly lower at 34.1%, compared to the Rest of NT's 70.4%. Census responses show that only 1.4% of residents work from home, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. Key industries for employment among residents are education & training, public administration & safety, and other services. Wadeye has a strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share 2.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, accommodation & food shows lower representation at 1.7%, compared to the regional average of 6.9%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3% and employment declined by 3.0%, causing unemployment to rise by 2.1 percentage points in Wadeye. In contrast, Rest of NT experienced an employment decline of 1.3% and a labour force decline of 1.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wadeye's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The suburb of Wadeye's median income among taxpayers was $29,616 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $39,533 during the same period. These figures are lower than those for Rest of NT, which were $53,572 and $63,776 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.44% since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest Wadeye's median income is approximately $32,116 and average income is around $42,870 as of September 2025. Census income data for detailed analysis is not available. Income distribution shows that the $0 - 399 bracket dominates with 28.5% of residents (643 people). This contrasts with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 33.6%. The prevalence of lower-income residents indicates constrained household budgets across much of the area. While housing costs are modest with 93.5% of income retained, total disposable income ranks at just the 3rd percentile nationally.

Wadeye is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Wadeye, as per the latest Census, 72.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 27.4% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. This is similar to Non-Metro NT's figures of 75.6% houses and 24.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wadeye stood at 1.1%, with mortgaged properties at 0.0% and rented dwellings at 98.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $0, significantly lower than Non-Metro NT's average of $1,733 and the national figure of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Wadeye was $50, considerably less than Non-Metro NT's $150 and the Australian average of $375.

Wadeye features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 85.0% of all households, including 50.1% couples with children, 12.5% couples without children, and 20.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 15.0%, with lone person households at 11.9% and group households making up 3.3%. The median household size is 4.8 people, which is larger than the Rest of NT average of 3.1.

Wadeye faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has university qualification rates of 9.9%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 6.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational pathways account for 15.3% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 4.5% and certificates at 10.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 19.6% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 1.5% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Wadeye's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data for Wadeye shows positive outcomes, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions. Common health issues are seen across all age groups. Private health cover is low at 43% (~961 people), compared to 51.6% in Rest of NT and the national average of 55.7%.

Heart disease (4.7%) and asthma (3.4%) are most common, with 86.7% reporting no medical ailments, higher than Rest of NT's 78.4%. Only 4.5% (~101 people) are aged 65 and over, lower than Rest of NT's 8.3%. Senior health outcomes rank high nationally.

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

Wadeye has a higher-than-average cultural diversity, with 2.6% of its population born overseas and 87.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Wadeye, comprising 46.5% of people. Notably, the 'Other' category makes up 14.1% of the population, significantly higher than the Rest of NT average of 5.2%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian Aboriginal is the most represented group at 83.4%, substantially higher than the regional average of 43.6%. Australian and English groups are underrepresented in Wadeye at 4.0% and 3.9% respectively, compared to regional averages of 14.9% and 14.3%. Korean ethnicity is notably overrepresented in Wadeye at 0.2%, compared to the regional average of 0.1%.

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

Wadeye's median age is 28 years, which is marginally below the Rest of NT average of 31 years and substantially under Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NT, Wadeye has a higher concentration of residents aged 15-24 at 19.7%, but fewer residents aged 65-74 at 3.7%. This 15-24 concentration is well above the national average of 12.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, Wadeye's median age has increased by 1 year from 27 to 28 years, indicating an aging population. Key changes include the 35-44 age group growing from 15.0% to 17.1%, and the 55-64 cohort increasing from 6.3% to 8.3%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 19.7% to 15.4%, and the 25-34 age group has dropped from 19.5% to 17.6%. Demographic modeling suggests Wadeye's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 45-54 cohort projected to grow by 50%, adding 123 residents to reach 370. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 85+ cohorts are expected to experience population declines.