Alawa
The standout feature of Alawa is its compact scale paired with strong household earning power: 2,078 people live across 1.24 sq km, a density of 1,675.9 people per sq km. Median age is 35, five years below the national comparison, while 41.5% were born overseas, 19.9 percentage points above the national share. Household income sits at the 78.3rd percentile and 88.0% of dwellings are separate houses, with three-bedroom homes at 58.7%. Compared with nearby Nakara and Brinkin, Alawa's measurable point of difference is its detached, car-oriented pattern rather than a fast-growth trajectory. Forecast growth is -0.13% annually, with an Aging trajectory and a Not gentrifying stage.
Local council: Darwin
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
Alawa suits buyers prioritising a conventional family-home layout, although no median sale price is available. Separate houses account for 88.0% of dwellings versus 9.0% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 58.7%, followed by four-plus-bedroom homes at 25.6%. Weekly rent is $340 and the monthly mortgage figure is $1,777; mortgage-to-income is 19.7%. Compared with apartment-oriented areas, the higher detached share means buyers should inspect land size, ageing housing condition, cyclone resilience and insurance costs. The 37.9% mortgage-held share indicates many households are leveraged, so rate buffers matter more than headline layout alone.
For Buyers
Alawa suits buyers prioritising a conventional family-home layout, although no median sale price is available. Separate houses account for 88.0% of dwellings versus 9.0% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 58.7%, followed by four-plus-bedroom homes at 25.6%. Weekly rent is $340 and the monthly mortgage figure is $1,777; mortgage-to-income is 19.7%. Compared with apartment-oriented areas, the higher detached share means buyers should inspect land size, ageing housing condition, cyclone resilience and insurance costs. The 37.9% mortgage-held share indicates many households are leveraged, so rate buffers matter more than headline layout alone.
For Investors
Alawa presents an established rental market, but its near-term signals are softer than a tight, high-growth investment case. Renting households account for 37.0%, weekly rent is $340 and vacancy is 8.7%, creating more availability than a low-vacancy market. Rents fell 2.9%, while the annual growth trend is -0.13%, so investors should stress-test flat or falling income rather than assume rapid escalation. There were 0 development applications in the past 12 months, limiting the immediate supply pipeline, and overseas migration is the primary forecast driver. The 88.0% separate-house share may support family tenant demand, but no purchase price is available for a defensible gross-yield calculation.
Demographics
Alawa is younger than the national comparison but more internationally connected. Median age is 35, five years below national, and 41.5% were born overseas, 19.9 percentage points above the national share. University attainment is 40.7%, 10.6 points above national, while average household size is 2.8, or 0.3 above national. English ancestry leads at 521 people, followed by Chinese at 155 and Irish at 151; Greek at 46, Nepali at 40 and Mandarin at 30 are leading listed languages. No religion is reported by 821 people versus 712 for Christianity. Compared with nearby Nakara and Brinkin, this mix matters for service planning because overseas migration has broadened language and household needs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.0%
Houses
2.4%
Townhouse
9.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Alawa's housing stock is decisively detached: 88.0% separate houses, 9.0% apartments and 2.4% semi-detached dwellings. Three-bedroom homes account for 58.7%, while four-plus-bedroom homes represent 25.6%, so the stock is weighted toward family formats rather than small units. Tenure is 23.4% owned outright, 37.9% mortgaged and 37.0% rented; the 61.3% combined owner or mortgaged share is higher than renting. Household income is $2,083 a week, with mortgage-to-income at 19.7% and rent-to-income at 16.3%, neither flagged as stressed. Compared with apartment-heavy suburbs, the land-based pattern may suit larger households but makes maintenance and insurance important. No median house price is available, so recent comparable sales matter.
Mortgage / mo
$1,777
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$340
Census 2021
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
43.6%
Couples with children
36.0%
Couples, no children
19.5%
Single parent
534
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Alawa's largest listed industry at 19.7% of workers, or 138 people, followed by public administration at 16.5% with 116, education at 11.5% with 81, construction at 9.1% with 64 and professional or technical work at 7.8% with 55. The occupation mix is led by professionals at 249, community or personal service workers at 151, trades at 133, clerical or administration workers at 125 and labourers at 105, linking the suburb to both public-sector and practical service employment. Participation is 65.3%, full-time employment 62.3% and unemployment 6.3%, with 627 full-time and 308 part-time workers. Compared with the national decile midpoint, education and occupation sits above it at IEO decile 6, while economic resources are below it at IER decile 3; IRSAD is decile 5 and IRSD decile 4. This gap suggests skilled employment coexists with uneven household resources, consistent with a 78.3rd-percentile household-income position and 37.0% renting.
Unemployment
6.3%
Labour Force
1,074
Unemployed
68
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
65.3%
Employed
1,006
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.7%
Postgraduate
14.6%
Born Overseas
41.5%
Dwellings
675
Transport to Work
Alawa's 1.24 sq km footprint can help keep local trips short, but daily travel is strongly car-led because 77.1% drive, compared with 3.6% using public transport and 6.4% walking or cycling. Only 4.9% work from home, so access to employment and services remains relevant to household routines. Volunteering is 19.8%, and 5.8% of residents report needing assistance, supporting attention to community and accessible services. IRSAD sits at decile 5, around the national middle, while IRSD is decile 4 and IER decile 3, indicating lower economic-resources positioning than the overall advantage score. Compared with transit-oriented areas, Alawa is better suited to households comfortable with regular driving. A suburb-level crime rate is unavailable, so check current local safety information before deciding.
Drive
77.1%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
6.4%
Work from Home
4.9%
Growth Outlook
Alawa is an established, slow-growth suburb rather than a current expansion or gentrification play. The forecast annual trend is -0.13%, and population change across the wider area is -2.2% over 10 years, both below a zero-growth baseline. Its shift trajectory is labelled Aging: senior share has risen 5.0 percentage points, while young share has fallen 0.9 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, which can refresh the resident mix even as total growth remains soft. Gentrification is not occurring, with a score of 10 and the stage marked Not gentrifying. The suburb recovered 4.9% after a 2.1% COVID dip, but rent growth of -2.9% remains below zero. Compared with faster-growing corridors, the case here rests more on established amenity and gradual demographic change than on rapid capital-growth momentum.
Population trend: Darwin council area
Alawa sits in the Darwin council area. These are the council area's residents, not Alawa's.
Residents 2025
90,035
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.4%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
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 can suit households wanting detached housing, a 35-year median age and strong car access. Its 88.0% separate-house share and 1.24 sq km footprint support a conventional suburban setting, while -0.13% annual growth and 8.7% vacancy point to a slower market than a high-growth area.
What is the median house price in Alawa?
No median house price is available for Alawa. The $340 weekly rent, $1,777 monthly mortgage figure and 88.0% separate-house share provide context, but buyers should check recent comparable sales and current listings before setting a budget.
What schools are in Alawa?
Families should verify the schools serving Alawa and exact enrolment zones with the Northern Territory education authority, because boundaries can cross suburb lines. Check travel times from the specific address; Alawa covers 1.24 sq km and has 2,078 residents.
Is Alawa safe?
No suburb-level crime rate is available for Alawa, so use current police information and visit the area at different times before deciding. The suburb has 2,078 residents across 1.24 sq km, but density alone cannot establish whether a location is safe.
Is Alawa good for property investment?
Alawa may suit investors seeking established detached housing, with 37.0% renting and weekly rent of $340. However, the 8.7% vacancy rate, -2.9% rent growth and -0.13% annual trend are softer than a tight, higher-growth market, and no purchase price is available to calculate yield.
How is Alawa's population changing?
Alawa has an aging, slow-growth trajectory. Annual growth is -0.13%, while population change across the wider area is -2.2% over 10 years; senior share has increased 5.0 percentage points and young share has fallen 0.9 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver.
What languages are spoken in Alawa?
The leading listed languages include Greek, spoken by 46 people, Nepali by 40 and Mandarin by 30. Cantonese is listed at 17 and Punjabi at 13. With 41.5% of residents born overseas, language access can be relevant when comparing local services.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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