Alawa
With 41.5% of residents born overseas, 19.9 percentage points above the national figure, Alawa is one of Darwin's more internationally connected suburbs despite sitting in the middle tier of SEIFA advantage. Household income places the suburb at the 78.3rd percentile nationally, while the university qualification rate of 40.7% is 10.6 points above the national average. At 1.24 km2 and a density of 1,676 people per km2, Alawa is a compact, predominantly detached-house area where 88% of dwellings are separate houses, affordable relative to Darwin and Australia broadly.
Population
2,078
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,083/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$396K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price is $396,000, below the national capital city median and reflecting Alawa's position as an affordable detached-house market. Separate houses account for 88% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the dominant configuration at 58.7% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 25.6%, making it well suited to families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,777, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 19.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners make up 23.8% of households, mortgage holders 38.6% and renters 37.6%, a tenure split more balanced than many Darwin suburbs at comparable price points.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price is $396,000, below the national capital city median and reflecting Alawa's position as an affordable detached-house market. Separate houses account for 88% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the dominant configuration at 58.7% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 25.6%, making it well suited to families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,777, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 19.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners make up 23.8% of households, mortgage holders 38.6% and renters 37.6%, a tenure split more balanced than many Darwin suburbs at comparable price points.
For Investors
A 37.6% renter share gives investors a solid tenant pool, and weekly rent of $340 against a $396,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.5%, higher than most east coast capitals. The vacancy rate of 8.7% is elevated, signalling periods of softer demand that can delay letting, so location and property condition matter more than in tighter markets. Net overseas migration averages 65 residents per year, partially offsetting net internal outflow of 56, which means demand is sustained primarily by newcomers from abroad. Development activity was zero applications in the past 12 months, so no new supply is competing with existing landlords near term.
Schools in Alawa iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Alawa Primary School
T-6 · 259 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5.0 years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age and family-oriented population. University qualifications reach 40.7%, which is 10.6 points above the national average, and the average household size of 2.8 is 0.3 above national. Overseas-born residents at 41.5% sit 19.9 percentage points above the national norm, with English (521), Chinese (155) and Irish (151) the leading ancestries. Greek (46 speakers), Nepali (40) and Mandarin (30) are the most common non-English languages. Hinduism (130 residents) and Buddhism (99) stand alongside Christianity (712), reflecting the suburb's international character. Couples with children make up the largest household type at 658 families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.0%
Houses
2.4%
Townhouse
9.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses dominate at 88%, with apartments at only 9% and semi-detached at 2.4%, giving Alawa a low-density suburban character compared to Darwin's inner ring. Three-bedroom homes account for 58.7% and 4-plus bedroom homes 25.6%, so the stock skews toward family sizes rather than couples or singles. Tenure splits to 38.6% mortgaged, 37.6% renting and 23.8% owning outright. At an estimated $396,000 median price, the mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.7% is well below the national stress level, making entry more accessible than the national median suggests. Rent-to-income at 16.3% is also below the 30% stress threshold, keeping Alawa affordable for both buyers and tenants.
Mortgage / mo
$1,777
Rent / wk
$340
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$915
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.7%
Unoccupied
64
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.8%
Couples, no children
1,534
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 19.7% (138 workers), followed by Public Administration at 16.5% (116) and Education at 11.5% (81), a profile typical of Darwin's government-and-services economy. Construction (9.1%) and Professional/Tech (7.8%) add private-sector weight. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 249, well ahead of Community/Personal (151) and Clerical/Admin (125). The full-time employment rate of 67.1% is solid, though unemployment sits at 6.8%, above the national average, partly because the participation rate of 61.0% leaves 436 residents not in the labour force. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 4 and IRSAD decile of 5 place Alawa in the middle disadvantage range nationally, below the suburb's income percentile of 78.3, an anomaly explained partly by the high rental and overseas-born shares.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
1,210
Unemployed
56
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.1%
Part-time
26.1%
Participation
61.0%
Employed
935
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.7%
Postgraduate
14.6%
Born Overseas
41.5%
Dwellings
675
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 81.1% of residents driving to work, compared to 6.8% who walk or cycle and only 3.8% using public transport, consistent with Darwin's wider transport patterns. No schools are recorded within Alawa's 1.24 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby Darwin schools. The IRSAD decile of 5 places Alawa at the national median on the combined advantage-disadvantage scale, meaning it ranks neither among Darwin's most disadvantaged nor most privileged areas. Volunteering stands at 19.8% of residents, above average for a suburb with a 6.8% unemployment rate. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 16.3% and mortgage-to-income at 19.7% both sit well below national stress thresholds.
Drive
81.1%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
6.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.13%/yr
(-3 people/yr)
EstablishedAlawa's population has been broadly stable, rising from 2,236 in 2023 to 2,267 in 2025, but the 10-year trend shows a 2.2% decline from the decade prior. The annual growth rate is negative at -0.13%, equivalent to about 3 fewer residents per year, and medium forecasts project a slow drift down to around 2,213 by 2031. Net internal migration is negative at an average of 56 departures per year, a pattern common across Darwin suburbs as residents relocate south. Overseas migration of 65 per year partially offsets that outflow. The suburb recovered from a COVID population dip of 2.1%, reaching 2,263 in 2024 before stabilising, and the gentrification score of 10 indicates no gentrification pressure.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+65
Net Internal / yr
-56
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Alawa compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alawa a good suburb to live in?
Alawa offers affordable family-oriented housing at an estimated $396,000 median, with 88% separate houses and mortgage-to-income at 19.7%, well below stress thresholds. Household income is at the 78.3rd percentile nationally and university qualifications reach 40.7%, 10.6 points above national. The main trade-offs are a 6.8% unemployment rate and limited public transport, with 81.1% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Alawa?
The estimated median house price in Alawa is $396,000 (2025 estimate), below Darwin and national capital city medians. Weekly rent averages $340, implying a gross yield near 4.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,777, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.7% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Alawa?
No schools are recorded within Alawa's 1.24 km2 boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby Darwin suburbs. Alawa's population is well educated, with 40.7% holding university qualifications, 10.6 percentage points above the national figure, suggesting good access to educational infrastructure in the surrounding area.
Is Alawa safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Alawa in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb's IRSD decile of 4 places it in the lower-middle disadvantage range nationally, and 5.8% of residents (110 people) need daily assistance. The unemployment rate of 6.8% is above the national average, which can correlate with higher crime risk in some areas.
Is Alawa good for property investment?
At $396,000 median and $340 weekly rent, the gross yield is around 4.5%, higher than most east coast capitals. The renter share of 37.6% supports tenant demand. However, the vacancy rate of 8.7% is elevated, and annual population growth is slightly negative at -0.13%, so capital growth prospects are modest. Net overseas migration of 65 per year is the primary demand driver.
How is Alawa's population changing?
Population grew from 2,236 in 2023 to 2,267 in 2025, but the 10-year trend shows a 2.2% decline. Medium forecasts project a slow fall to around 2,213 by 2031, with annual net internal outflow averaging 56 residents offset by 65 overseas arrivals. The suburb recovered from a 2.1% COVID dip and is classified as established with an aging trajectory.
What languages are spoken in Alawa?
About 41.5% of Alawa residents were born overseas, 19.9 percentage points above the national figure. The most common non-English languages are Greek (46 speakers), Nepali (40) and Mandarin (30), with Cantonese (17) and Punjabi (13) also represented. This reflects Darwin's role as a gateway for international migration to Australia.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Alawa on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map