Bakewell
At a median age of 32, Bakewell runs 8 years younger than the national figure, yet household income sits in the 73rd percentile nationally, a combination that makes it one of the more financially capable young-family suburbs in the Darwin fringe. The suburb covers just 1.32 km2 at a density of 2,344 people per km2, and 46.7% of residents rent rather than own, which is above average for a suburb where mortgage stress is absent: mortgage repayments are only 20.6% of income. Public admin employs 19.5% of the local workforce, reflecting Darwin's role as a government service hub and anchoring household incomes above state norms.
Population
3,091
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,955/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$415K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $415,000 is a working estimate based on 2025 rental data rather than a deep transaction series, so buyers should treat it as a range anchor. Separate houses account for 54.5% of dwellings, with apartments at 32.0% and semi-detached at 13.5%, giving homebuyers a reasonable choice of stock. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 54.5% of the mix, with four-plus bedrooms at 17.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,742, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 20.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold compared to most capital city markets. Only 10.8% of residents own outright, which is low compared to national norms, while 42.5% are on a mortgage, signalling a suburb of relatively recent buyers still working through their loans.
For Buyers
The median house price of $415,000 is a working estimate based on 2025 rental data rather than a deep transaction series, so buyers should treat it as a range anchor. Separate houses account for 54.5% of dwellings, with apartments at 32.0% and semi-detached at 13.5%, giving homebuyers a reasonable choice of stock. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 54.5% of the mix, with four-plus bedrooms at 17.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,742, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 20.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold compared to most capital city markets. Only 10.8% of residents own outright, which is low compared to national norms, while 42.5% are on a mortgage, signalling a suburb of relatively recent buyers still working through their loans.
For Investors
Renters form 46.7% of the population, providing landlords a broad tenant pool. Weekly rent of $380 against a $415,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.8%, higher than most eastern capital city markets and meaningful for a Darwin suburb. However, the vacancy rate of 8.4% is elevated compared to healthy markets, pointing to some oversupply and suggesting rents may face downward pressure unless population growth accelerates. Migration data shows overseas arrivals averaging 59 per year offsetting internal outflows of 58, so net demand is essentially flat. Rent growth has been negative at minus 2.6% over the period, which requires factoring into yield expectations. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term risk to existing investors.
Schools in Bakewell iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Bakewell Primary School
T-6 · 616 students
Demographics
The median age of 32 is 8 years below the national figure, putting Bakewell firmly in the young-family tier. Overseas-born residents account for 25.0% of the population, which is 3.4 points above the national average. Ancestry is primarily Anglo-Celtic: English leads at 938 residents, followed by Irish (254) and Scottish (248). University qualifications stand at 21.7%, which is 8.4 points below the national average, a gap explained partly by the high share of community and personal service workers rather than knowledge workers. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure exactly, and couples with children make up the largest family type at 1,110 households, consistent with the young and mortgage-active profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
54.5%
Houses
13.5%
Townhouse
32.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Just over half of Bakewell's dwellings (54.5%) are separate houses, with apartments (32.0%) and semi-detached homes (13.5%) making up the rest. Three-bedroom properties are the modal type at 54.5%, with two-bedroom at 25.8% and four-plus at 17.7%. Tenure splits as 42.5% mortgaged, 46.7% renting and only 10.8% owned outright, which is low compared to national outright ownership rates, reflecting both the suburb's young age profile and its rental market depth. At a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.6% and a rent-to-income ratio of 19.4%, neither tenure group is under financial stress. The vacancy rate of 8.4% is the key watch metric: it sits above comfortable levels and puts a ceiling on landlord pricing power.
Mortgage / mo
$1,742
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,104
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
105
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.7%
Couples, no children
2,337
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration is the dominant employer at 19.5% of workers (212 residents), which is above average for Australian suburbs and reflects Bakewell's position within the Darwin government services catchment. Healthcare ranks second at 13.4% (145 workers) and Education third at 10.0% (108), together with public admin accounting for over 40% of jobs. Construction at 9.7% and retail at 7.2% round out the top five. By occupation, clerical and admin workers are the largest group (317), followed by professionals (246) and community/personal workers (235). The unemployment rate is 4.6% with a participation rate of 70.8% and a full-time employment rate of 74.7%, all in line with NT norms. The SEIFA IRSD and IRSAD deciles sit at 5, meaning average relative disadvantage compared to national benchmarks.
Unemployment
2.2%
Labour Force
2,091
Unemployed
46
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
74.7%
Part-time
20.7%
Participation
70.8%
Employed
1,592
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.7%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
25.0%
Dwellings
1,135
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 88.7% of workers driving to work, compared to the national car-driver share, reflecting Darwin's limited public transport network where only 2.6% use transit. Walking and cycling account for 1.7% of trips. Crime data is not available in this dataset, so direct safety comparisons cannot be drawn. As a proxy for relative disadvantage, Bakewell scores decile 4 on IEO (education and occupation) and decile 5 on IRSAD, placing it in the average to slightly below-average advantage band nationally. Volunteering runs at 13.6% and 4.0% of residents (113 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Palmerston suburbs. Housing stress is low, with rent-to-income at 19.4% and mortgage-to-income at 20.6%, both well below stress thresholds.
Drive
88.7%
Public Transport
2.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.32%/yr
(+11 people/yr)
EstablishedBakewell's population was 3,372 in 2023, 3,411 in 2024 and 3,417 in 2025, representing near-flat annual growth of 0.32% or roughly 11 people per year. Over the decade the population has actually declined 3.1%, driven by net internal outflows averaging 58 per year. This internal loss is exactly offset by overseas migration averaging 59 per year, leaving the suburb in demographic equilibrium rather than genuine expansion. Medium forecasts project the population reaching only 3,454 by 2031. The gentrification score is 0 and the suburb is classified not gentrifying. One positive signal is that affordability improved from 41.9% in 2011 to 34.4% in 2021, meaning housing became more accessible relative to incomes over that decade, even though real incomes declined 3.6%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+59
Net Internal / yr
-58
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bakewell compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bakewell a good suburb to live in?
Bakewell suits young families on government wages. The median age is 32, household income is in the 73rd percentile nationally, and neither mortgage (20.6% of income) nor rent (19.4%) creates financial stress. The trade-offs are high car dependency at 88.7% of commuters and a vacancy rate of 8.4% that signals a softer rental market.
What is the median house price in Bakewell?
The median house price is approximately $415,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $380 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,742, putting the mortgage-to-income ratio at 20.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Bakewell?
No schools are recorded within the Bakewell suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby Palmerston suburbs. The suburb has 21.7% of residents with university qualifications, which is 8.4 points below the national average.
Is Bakewell safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bakewell in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 5 on the IRSAD index of relative disadvantage, placing it in the average band nationally. About 4.0% of residents (113 people) need daily assistance, consistent with an otherwise low-needs population.
Is Bakewell good for property investment?
Renters make up 46.7% of residents and weekly rent of $380 implies a gross yield near 4.8% against the $415,000 median, higher than most eastern capital city yields. The main concerns are an 8.4% vacancy rate, negative rent growth of minus 2.6%, and near-zero net population growth of 0.32% annually.
How is Bakewell's population changing?
Population has grown from 3,372 in 2023 to 3,417 in 2025 at 0.32% per year, and the 10-year change is minus 3.1%. Internal migration averages minus 58 per year, almost exactly offset by overseas arrivals of 59 per year. Medium forecasts put the population at 3,454 by 2031.
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.
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