NT 0830 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Durack

At median age 31, Durack sits 9 years younger than the national figure, and household incomes land in the 91.9th percentile nationally, a combination that signals a suburb attracting working families at the early-career stage rather than older wealth-holders. Population grew 26% over the decade to reach approximately 3,730 residents, driven almost entirely by overseas migration averaging 135 arrivals per year. Detached housing dominates at 95.4% of dwellings, and nearly half of all homes have 4 or more bedrooms, reflecting the family-formation focus. SEIFA places Durack in decile 9 on both IRSD and IER, among the least disadvantaged suburbs in the NT.

Durack urban fabric map

Population

3,730

Median Age

31.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,471/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

0

Median House

$531K

Estimated from rent (2025)

2.94 km²· 1,268.5 people/km²· Family income $2,716/wk

The estimated median house price of $531,000 puts Durack considerably below the national capital-city median, making it one of the more accessible entry points for detached-house buyers in greater Darwin. With 95.4% of dwellings being separate houses and 48.8% carrying 4 or more bedrooms, buyers get genuine family-scale floorplans rather than the apartment-heavy compromise of inner-city alternatives. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold given household incomes in the 91.9th percentile nationally. Only 11.2% of owners hold their property outright compared with 42.9% on a mortgage, indicating a relatively recent wave of buyers rather than long-held, debt-free ownership.

For Buyers

The estimated median house price of $531,000 puts Durack considerably below the national capital-city median, making it one of the more accessible entry points for detached-house buyers in greater Darwin. With 95.4% of dwellings being separate houses and 48.8% carrying 4 or more bedrooms, buyers get genuine family-scale floorplans rather than the apartment-heavy compromise of inner-city alternatives. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold given household incomes in the 91.9th percentile nationally. Only 11.2% of owners hold their property outright compared with 42.9% on a mortgage, indicating a relatively recent wave of buyers rather than long-held, debt-free ownership.

For Investors

A 45.9% renter share against a $531,000 median gives a gross yield calculation around 4.9% at the $500 weekly rent figure, higher than most eastern capital suburbs. The 8.3% vacancy rate is above comfortable levels, suggesting moderate oversupply in the rental pool and warranting caution before adding stock. Overseas migration averaging 135 arrivals per year provides the primary demand driver, more than offsetting internal outflow of 13 per year. Population is forecast to reach approximately 9,657 by 2031 under the medium scenario, which supports sustained rental demand over the medium term. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, so no new supply pressure is entering the immediate pipeline.

Schools in Durack iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Durack Primary School

ICSEA 1017 Primary Government

T-6 · 474 students

Demographics

The median age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, making Durack one of the younger suburbs in the NT's suburban belt. Overseas-born residents account for 27.0% of the population, 5.4 percentage points above the national average, with Filipino ancestry (232 residents) notable alongside the dominant English (1,153), Irish (367) and Scottish (335) ancestries. The average household size of 2.8 is 0.3 above national, reflecting the high proportion of couples with children: 1,666 couple-with-children families compared with 718 couples without children. University qualifications reach 31.1%, one percentage point above the national rate, and the full-time employment rate of 76.7% is strong, consistent with the prime working-age population profile.

Age Distribution

0-14
25.3%
15-24
11.1%
25-44
36.5%
45-64
20.6%
65+
6.3%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.9%
2 bed
3.4%
3 bed
46.9%
4+ bed
48.8%

Dwelling Structure

95.4%

Houses

2.7%

Townhouse

1.9%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 11.2% Mortgage 42.9% Rent 45.9%

Durack's housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 95.4%, with semi-detached at 2.7% and apartments at just 1.9%, lower than state and national apartment shares. Bedroom size skews large: 48.8% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 46.9% have 3 bedrooms, leaving fewer than 5% with 2 bedrooms or fewer. Tenure splits 42.9% mortgaged and 45.9% renting, with only 11.2% owned outright, a pattern more mortgage-belt than wealth-retention. At a rent-to-income ratio of 20.2% and mortgage-to-income of 20.3%, neither tenants nor owners face housing stress by conventional thresholds. The $531,000 estimated median is based on 2025 rent capitalisation rather than direct sales data.

Mortgage / mo

$2,167

Rent / wk

$500

HH Size

2.8

Personal Income / wk

$1,275

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

8.3%

Unoccupied

115

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.2%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.3%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Greek
20
Bengali
18
Sinhal
17
Guj
13

Ancestry

English
1,153
Other
513
Irish
367
Scottish
335
Filipino
232
Ancestry NS
219

Household Composition

23.3%

Couples, no children

3,084

Total families

Economy & Employment

Public administration dominates employment at 23.8% of workers (345 people), reflecting Darwin's role as a government and defence hub and placing Durack well above the national share for this sector. Healthcare follows at 12.6% and Education at 11.1%, so the combined public-sector cluster accounts for nearly half the local workforce. Construction at 10.6% points to an active building economy consistent with a suburb still growing into its footprint. Unemployment stands at just 2.8% and the participation rate is 73.6%. SEIFA decile 9 on IRSAD confirms above-average advantage relative to most Australian suburbs, though the IEO score sits lower at decile 7, indicating that while incomes are strong, educational attainment and occupation levels are somewhat more modest than income alone would suggest.

Unemployment

4.9%

Labour Force

4,249

Unemployed

208

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
8
Disadvantage
9
Economic resources
9
Education & occupation
7

Full-time

76.7%

Part-time

20.5%

Participation

73.6%

Employed

1,992

Occupations

Professionals 404
Community/Personal 357
Clerical/Admin 345
Managers 284
Sales 139
Labourers 135
Machinery/Drivers 114

Top Industries

Public Admin 23.8%
Healthcare 12.6%
Education 11.1%
Construction 10.6%
Professional/Tech 6.3%

University

31.1%

Postgraduate

8.0%

Born Overseas

27.0%

Dwellings

1,265

Transport to Work

Durack is heavily car-dependent, with 88.9% of residents driving to work compared with the national average, and public transport usage at 1.8%. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD, placing it among the least disadvantaged areas nationally, and decile 8 on IRSAD, confirming broad socioeconomic advantage. Volunteering reaches 16.7% of residents and housing stress is absent by standard measures, with both rent-to-income (20.2%) and mortgage-to-income (20.3%) below the 30% threshold. Only 4.0% of residents (140 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby institutions. The 8.3% vacancy rate is the main liveability caution, suggesting some transience in the rental population.

Drive

88.9%

Public Transport

1.8%

Walk / Cycle

2.2%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+1.36%/yr

(+120 people/yr)

Established

Population grew 26% over the 10 years to 2025, well above national suburban averages, and the annual trend of 1.36% (approximately 120 persons per year) is expected to continue. Medium forecasts project the wider SA2 population reaching 9,657 by 2031, up from 8,813 in 2025. Overseas migration averaging 135 arrivals per year is the primary engine, more than compensating for the small net internal outflow of 13 per year. The gentrification stage shows early signs, with signals including 30% population growth since 2011 and full recovery from a COVID dip of 2.2%. Affordability improved from 61.7% in 2011 to 57.9% in 2021, and rent grew 16.7% over the period, both consistent with a suburb building sustained demand rather than speculative pressure.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+135

Net Internal / yr

-13

20

Gentrification Signal

Early signs

Population +30% since 2011, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Durack compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 14%
Household Income
Top 8%
Rent Level
Top 6%
Apartments
Bottom 34%
Renters
Top 11%
Uni Educated
Top 32%
Public Transport
Bottom 31%
Born Overseas
Top 17%
Density
Top 13%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Durack a good suburb to live in?

Durack ranks in decile 9 on IRSD and IER nationally, indicating very low disadvantage. Household incomes sit in the 91.9th percentile nationally and housing stress is minimal, with mortgage-to-income at 20.3%. The main trade-offs are heavy car dependence (88.9% drive to work) and no schools recorded inside the suburb boundary.

What is the median house price in Durack?

The estimated median house price is $531,000, based on 2025 rent capitalisation. Weekly rent averages $500 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold.

What schools are in Durack?

No schools are recorded inside the Durack suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs within greater Darwin. Despite this, 31.1% of residents hold university qualifications, 1 percentage point above the national figure.

Is Durack safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Durack in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage nationally, and only 4.0% of its 3,730 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.

Is Durack good for property investment?

At $500 weekly rent against a $531,000 median, the estimated gross yield is around 4.9%, higher than most eastern-seaboard suburbs. The 8.3% vacancy rate signals moderate oversupply, so thorough vacancy research is essential. Overseas migration of 135 per year supports demand, and the suburb population is forecast to reach 9,657 by 2031.

How is Durack's population changing?

Population grew 26% over 10 years and the annual trend is 1.36%, adding approximately 120 persons per year. Overseas migration averaging 135 arrivals per year is the primary driver, offsetting a small net internal outflow of 13 per year. Medium forecasts project the wider SA2 reaching 9,657 residents 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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