Driver
At 2,747 residents packed into just 1.72 square kilometres, Driver carries a population density of 1,601 per km2, yet nearly half its dwellings are rented and one in ten sits empty. Household income lands in the 74.5th percentile nationally, which is notably strong for a suburb that scores only decile 3 on IRSD and decile 4 on IRSAD, pointing to a gap between earnings and structural advantage. The median age of 33 sits 7 years below the national figure, and overseas-born residents at 25.7% run 4.1 percentage points above national. Public administration and healthcare together account for more than a third of local employment, reflecting Darwin's government-service economy.
Population
2,747
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,984/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$421K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price in Driver is estimated at $421,000, derived from the $350 weekly rent figure and typical NT yield levels as at 2025. Separate houses make up 66.1% of the stock, with apartments at 28.6%, so detached homes dominate. Bedroom mix skews to three-bedders at 53.8%, followed by two-bedroom at 23.4% and four-plus at 20.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.7%, below the standard 30% stress threshold, making servicing manageable compared to most capital city markets. Outright owners are low at 13.4%, while 39.4% carry a mortgage, suggesting a relatively young buyer base still building equity rather than wealth-holding long-term owners.
For Buyers
The median house price in Driver is estimated at $421,000, derived from the $350 weekly rent figure and typical NT yield levels as at 2025. Separate houses make up 66.1% of the stock, with apartments at 28.6%, so detached homes dominate. Bedroom mix skews to three-bedders at 53.8%, followed by two-bedroom at 23.4% and four-plus at 20.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.7%, below the standard 30% stress threshold, making servicing manageable compared to most capital city markets. Outright owners are low at 13.4%, while 39.4% carry a mortgage, suggesting a relatively young buyer base still building equity rather than wealth-holding long-term owners.
For Investors
Driver's 47.2% renter share is considerably higher than the national average and supports a steady tenant pool. Weekly rent of $350 against a $421,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, which is more competitive than most eastern-capital suburban markets. However, the 10.8% vacancy rate is elevated, meaning landlords face meaningful competition for tenants. Net overseas migration adds approximately 48 residents a year while internal migration removes 59, resulting in thin net population change. The suburb is classified as not gentrifying with a gentrification score of zero, so capital growth prospects depend on broader Darwin market conditions rather than a local transformation story. Zero development applications in the past 12 months indicates no near-term supply surge.
Schools in Driver iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Driver Primary School
T-6 · 409 students
Palmerston College
7-12 · 1267 students
Demographics
Driver's median age of 33 is 7 years below the national figure, making it one of Darwin's younger suburban populations. Overseas-born residents at 25.7% sit 4.1 percentage points above the national rate, consistent with Darwin's role as a migration gateway. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, with English (828), Scottish (206) and Irish (186) the top three, while the most common non-English languages are Nepali (31 speakers), followed by Greek and Punjabi (14 each). University qualifications at 25.3% are 4.8 points below the national average, partly because the dominant industries, public administration and construction, recruit from trade and diploma pathways. Average household size of 2.7 is marginally above national, matching the 41.1% of families with children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
66.1%
Houses
5.2%
Townhouse
28.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split in Driver places 47.2% of households as renters, compared to the national renter share of around 30%, which is why the suburb carries an affordability signal despite a median house price of $421,000. Outright owners at 13.4% are low, and mortgage holders at 39.4% form the largest ownership group, reflecting a relatively recent buyer base. Separate houses account for 66.1% of all dwellings, apartments 28.6% and semi-detached 5.2%. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 53.8%, four-plus at 20.9% and two-bedroom at 23.4%. Rent-to-income sits at 17.6%, below the 30% stress level, so rental affordability is not currently strained despite the 10.8% vacancy rate, which is notably higher than typical Australian suburban benchmarks.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,011
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.8%
Unoccupied
113
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.1%
Couples, no children
2,041
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration leads employment in Driver at 17.8% of the workforce (162 workers), followed by healthcare at 16.3% (149) and education at 11.4% (104), forming a government-service cluster typical of Darwin suburbs. Construction employs 11.3% (103), reflecting ongoing NT infrastructure activity, and retail accounts for 7.2%. By occupation, professionals (224) are the largest group, ahead of community and personal service workers (208) and clerical/admin (194). The unemployment rate is 6.6%, above the national average, and the participation rate of 66.5% indicates a moderate share of working-age residents not seeking employment. The IRSD decile of 3 and IRSAD decile of 4 place Driver below average on relative disadvantage nationally, even though household income sits at the 74.5th percentile.
Unemployment
5.0%
Labour Force
1,690
Unemployed
85
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
74.1%
Part-time
19.3%
Participation
66.5%
Employed
1,319
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.3%
Postgraduate
6.0%
Born Overseas
25.7%
Dwellings
936
Transport to Work
Car dependency in Driver is high at 84.1% of commuters, above the national figure for urban suburbs, while public transport use at 3.0% is low, reflecting Darwin's limited transit network. Walking and cycling accounts for 5.0% of trips. Crime data are not available in this dataset. The suburb scores decile 3 on IRSD, placing it in the lower-advantage tier nationally, yet the rent-to-income ratio of 17.6% and mortgage-to-income of 22.7% both sit below stress thresholds, meaning residents are not financially overextended. Volunteering runs at 15.5% of the population (425 people) and 4.8% of residents need daily assistance. No schools are recorded within the Driver boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding Darwin suburbs.
Drive
84.1%
Public Transport
3.0%
Walk / Cycle
5.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.3%/yr
(-9 people/yr)
EstablishedDriver's population has edged from 2,915 in 2023 to 2,989 in 2025, an annual trend of minus 0.3%, broadly flat. The 10-year population change is minus 7.3%, meaning the suburb has shed residents over a decade. Medium-scenario forecasts project a continued gentle decline to around 2,884 by 2031. Internal migration runs at minus 59 per year on average while overseas migration contributes plus 48, so Darwin's international arrivals are partially offsetting local outflow. The suburb did experience a COVID-related dip of 2.4% but has since recovered. Affordability improved between 2011 and 2021, with the ratio moving from 39.9% to 34.6%, and the shift toward an aging demographic (senior share up 4.7 points, youth share down 3.9 points) suggests gradual household turnover rather than growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+48
Net Internal / yr
-59
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 Driver compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Driver a good suburb to live in?
Driver offers a median house price of $421,000 with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold nationally. Household income sits in the 74.5th percentile, though the suburb scores only decile 3 on IRSD, indicating below-average advantage. It suits buyers and renters seeking affordability within 1.72 km2 of Darwin's northern suburbs, with 66.1% separate houses and a young median age of 33.
What is the median house price in Driver?
The median house price in Driver is estimated at $421,000 as at 2025, based on weekly rent of $350. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb is considerably cheaper than the national median and most capital-city markets.
What schools are in Driver?
No schools are recorded within the Driver boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers just 1.72 km2, so families typically access schools in adjacent Darwin northern suburbs. University qualifications among residents stand at 25.3%, which is 4.8 percentage points below the national average.
Is Driver safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Driver in this dataset. As a structural indicator, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, placing it below average nationally. Unemployment at 6.6% is above national norms. About 4.8% of the 2,747 residents need daily assistance, which is moderate.
Is Driver good for property investment?
Driver's 47.2% renter share is well above the national average, and the $350 weekly rent against a $421,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, higher than most eastern-capital suburban markets. The 10.8% vacancy rate is a risk, signalling current oversupply. With population declining at minus 0.3% per year and no development applications in the past 12 months, short-term capital growth depends on Darwin-wide conditions.
How is Driver's population changing?
Driver's population is broadly flat at minus 0.3% annually, having declined 7.3% over the decade from a peak. The current level of 2,989 in 2025 is forecast to ease toward 2,884 by 2031 under medium projections. Internal migration removes around 59 residents per year while overseas migration adds 48, leaving a small net loss.
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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