Desert Springs
Household income in the 97.3rd percentile nationally makes Desert Springs one of Alice Springs's wealthiest pockets, yet a 14.2% vacancy rate signals that demand does not fully absorb the 2.48 km2 suburb's housing stock. The population of 1,536 is highly educated, with university qualifications at 44.5%, which is 14.4 points above the national average. The median age of 36 sits 4 years below the national figure, reflecting a workforce-age concentration tied to Public Administration and Healthcare, which together account for nearly half of all local employment.
Population
1,536
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,025/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$543K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price is $543,000, derived from weekly rent of $500 using a capitalisation approach for 2025. Separate houses make up 67.5% of dwellings, above average for a suburb of this density, while semi-detached stock accounts for 31.7% and apartments only 0.8%. Four-plus bedroom homes are the dominant type at 44.0% of dwellings, reflecting family-oriented stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,264, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold compared to national norms. Outright owners represent 22.8% of households, lower than typical high-income suburbs, suggesting that many residents are mid-career professionals on mortgages rather than long-term, debt-free owners.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price is $543,000, derived from weekly rent of $500 using a capitalisation approach for 2025. Separate houses make up 67.5% of dwellings, above average for a suburb of this density, while semi-detached stock accounts for 31.7% and apartments only 0.8%. Four-plus bedroom homes are the dominant type at 44.0% of dwellings, reflecting family-oriented stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,264, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold compared to national norms. Outright owners represent 22.8% of households, lower than typical high-income suburbs, suggesting that many residents are mid-career professionals on mortgages rather than long-term, debt-free owners.
For Investors
Renters account for 36.7% of households, providing a steady tenant base, with weekly rent at $500. However, the 14.2% vacancy rate is high relative to most Australian suburbs and signals that available properties meaningfully outnumber active tenants. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, which limits near-term supply pressure but also indicates limited market confidence in new builds. Overseas-born residents make up 37.0% of the population, 15.4 points above the national figure, suggesting ongoing demand from government and healthcare workers on relocation packages. The income base is strong, with household income in the 97.3rd percentile nationally, but investors should weigh this against the elevated vacancy before committing.
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4 years below the national average, consistent with a suburb that draws working-age professionals. Overseas-born residents reach 37.0%, which is 15.4 points above the national figure, reflecting Alice Springs's role as a hub for government-deployed and healthcare workers. Ancestry is led by English (547), Irish (177) and Scottish (147), with a small Punjabi-speaking community (16 speakers). University qualifications at 44.5% are 14.4 points above national, and the workforce is dominated by Professionals (266) and Managers (170). Average household size of 2.8 is 0.3 above the national figure, and 53.0% of families are couples with children, pointing to a family-formation cohort.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.5%
Houses
31.7%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits with 40.5% on a mortgage, 36.7% renting and 22.8% owning outright. The mortgage share is the largest cohort, indicating an active buyer market drawing on strong incomes. Stock is heavily weighted toward larger homes: 44.0% have four or more bedrooms and 29.8% have three, while two-bedroom dwellings account for 25.2%. Separate houses represent 67.5% of all dwellings, higher than the Alice Springs average, and apartments are negligible at 0.8%. Rent-to-income at 16.5% and mortgage-to-income at 17.3% are both well below the stress threshold compared to national averages. The estimated median house price of $543,000 is moderate relative to equivalent high-income suburbs in capital cities.
Mortgage / mo
$2,264
Rent / wk
$500
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,454
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.2%
Unoccupied
87
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.1%
Couples, no children
1,223
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Administration leads employment at 24.1% (173 workers), followed closely by Healthcare at 23.9% (172 workers), which together account for nearly half of all jobs. Education contributes 10.8%, Construction 7.9% and Professional/Technical Services 7.2%, giving the local economy a strong government and social services base typical of a regional NT centre. The unemployment rate is 1.7%, well below the national average, and full-time employment reaches 75.7%, among the higher rates nationally. Participation sits at 75.6% and only 196 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the younger median age. Weekly household income of $3,025 places the suburb in the 97.3rd percentile nationally, reflecting the premium paid to professionals accepting remote postings.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
75.7%
Part-time
22.6%
Participation
75.6%
Employed
903
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.5%
Postgraduate
14.1%
Born Overseas
37.0%
Dwellings
520
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 80.0% of residents driving to work, compared to just 2.0% using public transport, reflecting Alice Springs's limited transit network. Walking and cycling accounts for 9.1%, above what the remote setting might suggest, likely due to the compact 2.48 km2 boundary and proximity to the Alice Springs CBD. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in surrounding areas. The need-for-assistance rate is just 1.6% (23 residents), consistent with the young, professional demographic. Volunteering reaches 21.9%, above the national average, and the low rent-to-income ratio of 16.5% means housing costs do not crowd out household discretionary spending.
Drive
80.0%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
9.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Desert Springs compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Desert Springs a good suburb to live in?
Desert Springs sits in the 97.3rd percentile for household income nationally, with unemployment at just 1.7% and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.3%, well below the stress threshold. University qualifications at 44.5% are 14.4 points above the national average. The main trade-off is a 14.2% vacancy rate and limited public transport, with 80.0% of residents commuting by car.
What is the median house price in Desert Springs?
The estimated median house price is $543,000, derived from the weekly rent of $500 (2025 estimate). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,264, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.3%, which is comfortable compared to most Australian suburbs. Separate houses make up 67.5% of the stock, with four-plus bedroom homes the most common dwelling type at 44.0%.
What schools are in Desert Springs?
No schools are recorded inside the Desert Springs boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Alice Springs area. Despite this, the suburb is highly educated, with 44.5% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 14.4 points above the national figure, reflecting the professional workforce based here.
Is Desert Springs safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Desert Springs in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the need-for-assistance rate is just 1.6% (23 residents) and the household income sits in the 97.3rd percentile nationally, both consistent with a low-disadvantage environment. The unemployment rate of 1.7% is also well below the national average.
Is Desert Springs good for property investment?
The rental market has a 36.7% tenant share and weekly rent of $500, but the 14.2% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants caution. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months. The strong income base, with household income in the 97.3rd percentile nationally, supports rent affordability, but the high turnover rate of 25.5% reflects a transient professional cohort rather than long-term tenants.
How is Desert Springs's population changing?
The current population is 1,536, spread across 2.48 km2 at a density of 620 residents per km2. A turnover rate of 25.5% indicates roughly one in four residents moved in the past five years, higher than typical Australian suburbs, because the employment base of government and healthcare roles attracts workers on fixed-term postings. Detailed forecast data is not available in this dataset.
What languages are spoken in Desert Springs?
About 37.0% of residents were born overseas, which is 15.4 points above the national figure. English dominates, with Punjabi (16 speakers) the only non-English language recorded in the dataset. The Anglo-Celtic ancestry base is strong, led by English (547), Irish (177) and Scottish (147) ancestries among a population of 1,536.
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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