Berrimah
Berrimah's most distinctive tension is its young resident base alongside an aging trajectory: the median age is 32, or 8 years below the national comparison, while population change across the wider area is forecast at -32.1% over 10 years. The suburb has 1,199 residents across 10.43 sq km, 45.2% born overseas, 23.6 percentage points above the national share, and household income at the 83.4th percentile. Compared with nearby East Arm's port-industrial role, Berrimah combines a stronger resident base with employment access, although its density is only 114.9 people per sq km and vacancy is 12.4%.
Local council: Darwin (59% of the suburb; the rest sits in a neighbouring council)
Population
1,199
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,193/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Homebuyers need to price the dwelling and holding costs separately because no median house price is available. A mortgage commitment of $2,535 per month compares with weekly rent of $400; mortgage costs equal 26.7% of household income, higher than the 18.2% rent-to-income share. The housing stock is not purely detached: 47.5% is separate houses, 38.5% semi-detached and 2.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.5%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 25.2%, so buyers should compare layout, land and strata exposure rather than rely on a suburb-wide median.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to price the dwelling and holding costs separately because no median house price is available. A mortgage commitment of $2,535 per month compares with weekly rent of $400; mortgage costs equal 26.7% of household income, higher than the 18.2% rent-to-income share. The housing stock is not purely detached: 47.5% is separate houses, 38.5% semi-detached and 2.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.5%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 25.2%, so buyers should compare layout, land and strata exposure rather than rely on a suburb-wide median.
For Investors
Rental demand needs careful testing rather than assuming a tight market. Rent is $400 a week and 37.9% of households rent, but vacancy is 12.4%, a risk signal because available stock can lengthen leasing periods. Rent growth of 94.7% is higher than real income growth of 7.4%, which can support rents but also pressure affordability, worsening from 24.7% in 2011 to 36.5% in 2021. The forecast trend is 0.84% annually, with internal migration the primary driver. Development count is 0 over 12 months, so asset selection matters more than a broad pipeline story.
Demographics
Berrimah's 1,199 residents are younger than the national comparison, with a median age of 32, or 8 years below it, but the forecast trajectory is Aging. Overseas-born residents account for 45.2%, 23.6 percentage points above the national share; Filipino ancestry is the largest named group at 222 people, ahead of English at 190 and Indian at 73. University attainment is 35.7%, 5.6 points above the national comparison. Average household size is 2.8, or 0.3 above national, and couples with children make up 51.9% of families. Turnover is 45.4%, below the 54.6% who stayed, while Christianity has 626 adherents compared with 267 reporting no religion.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
47.5%
Houses
38.5%
Townhouse
2.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Berrimah is a mortgage-belt market without a usable suburb-wide median price, so buyers and investors must work from individual comparables. Mortgage holders account for 47.1% of households, higher than the 11.1% owned outright and above the 37.9% renting share; mortgage-to-income is 26.7%, while rent-to-income is 18.2%. Dwelling form is split between separate houses at 47.5% and semi-detached homes at 38.5%, with apartments at 2.3%. The bedroom mix is led by 3-bedroom homes at 52.5%, then 4-plus at 25.2%, compared with 15.2% for 0 to 1 bedrooms and 7.1% for 2 bedrooms. The 12.4% vacancy rate makes condition, parking and tenure details important.
Mortgage / mo
$2,535
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$977
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.4%
Unoccupied
43
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.9%
Couples with children
33.6%
Couples, no children
11.9%
Single parent
235
Total families
Economy & Employment
Berrimah's economic base is led by Healthcare, at 27.2% or 100 workers, followed by Public Admin at 12.3% and 45, Hospitality at 10.4% and 38, Education at 7.6% and 28, and Construction at 7.4% and 27. This mix helps explain a workforce weighted to Professionals at 103, Community/Personal roles at 88, Trades and Clerical/Admin at 66 each, and Labourers at 64. Labour-force participation is 60.0%, unemployment 5.8%, and full-time employment 67.0%. Household income of $2,193 weekly sits at the 83.4th percentile, while IRSAD is decile 6, higher than IER and IRSD at decile 4 and IEO at 5, indicating stronger advantage on resources than on education or general disadvantage measures.
Unemployment
5.8%
Labour Force
569
Unemployed
33
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.0%
Part-time
26.9%
Participation
60.0%
Employed
536
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.7%
Postgraduate
6.9%
Born Overseas
45.2%
Dwellings
299
Transport to Work
Daily mobility is strongly car-based: 77.4% travel as car drivers, compared with 0.9% using public transport, while 7.9% walk or cycle and 4.5% work from home. That pattern makes parking, road access and trip planning more important than transit proximity. Families should confirm enrolment zones, travel times and whether the preferred option is government, Catholic or independent for the exact address rather than infer access from the suburb name. Safety decisions should use current street-level checks, lighting and visits at different times. Socioeconomic conditions are mixed: IRSAD is decile 6, higher than IRSD and IER at decile 4, with IEO at 5.
Drive
77.4%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
7.9%
Work from Home
4.5%
Growth Outlook
Growth is modest but not static: the annual trend is 0.84%, with Internal migration named as the primary driver. The wider area has a population-change trajectory of -32.1% over 10 years and is labelled Aging, a marked contrast with Berrimah's current median age of 32, which is 8 years below the national comparison. Affordability worsened from 24.7% in 2011 to 36.5% in 2021, while rent growth reached 94.7%, higher than real-income growth of 7.4%. Gentrification signals are mixed: the current score is 40, stage Active, while the shift measure is 34 and Early signs. This points to selective change rather than uniform uplift.
Population trend: Darwin council area
About 59% of Berrimah sits in Darwin; the rest is in a neighbouring council. These are the council area's residents, not Berrimah'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 Berrimah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Berrimah a good suburb to live in?
Berrimah can suit households wanting a car-oriented Darwin location with relatively high incomes. Median age is 32, 8 years below the national comparison, and 77.4% drive to work, compared with 0.9% using public transport. Check parking, road access and the exact dwelling before deciding.
What is the median house price in Berrimah?
A verified median house price is not available for Berrimah. Use recent comparable sales for the specific dwelling, then test affordability against a $2,535 monthly mortgage figure and $400 weekly rent. Mortgage costs are 26.7% of household income, higher than the 18.2% rent share.
What schools are in Berrimah?
School access should be checked against the exact address, including enrolment zones, travel time and whether the preferred option is government, Catholic or independent. Car use is central locally: 77.4% drive, while 0.9% use public transport, so daily school logistics may differ from transit-oriented suburbs.
Is Berrimah safe?
No suburb can be judged from a single label. Check current NT Police incident information, lighting, traffic and the street at different times before renting or buying. Berrimah covers 10.43 sq km and has 1,199 residents, so conditions can vary by pocket; compare the exact address with nearby streets.
Is Berrimah good for property investment?
It may suit an investor who can tolerate leasing variability, but the numbers call for caution. Rent is $400 a week, vacancy is 12.4%, and renters make up 37.9%; rent growth of 94.7% is higher than real-income growth of 7.4%. The forecast trend is 0.84% annually, so price and vacancy assumptions should be conservative.
How is Berrimah's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at -32.1% over 10 years, while the annual trend is 0.84% and Internal migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is labelled Aging, even though Berrimah's median age is 32, which is 8 years below the national comparison. Expect uneven change rather than a simple growth story.
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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