Farrar
Household income in the 93.2nd percentile nationally is the standout fact in Farrar, a compact 1.47 km2 suburb in Darwin's northern corridor with a population of 1,650. The median age of 32 sits 8 years below the national figure, making this one of Darwin's younger pockets, and the family structure reflects it: 743 couples with children account for the majority of the 1,272 family households. Despite solid incomes, 43.1% of residents rent rather than own, pointing to the high defence and public sector mobility typical of NT suburbs. Public administration employs 26% of the local workforce, more than twice the national share for that sector.
Population
1,650
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,573/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$506K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $506,000 is well below Sydney and Melbourne equivalents, and mortgage repayments average $2,167 per month, a ratio of 19.5% of household income that sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 78.8% of dwellings, making the suburb more detached-house focused than many Darwin peers, while apartments represent just 2.6%. Bedrooms skew large: 52.7% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 36.7% have 3 bedrooms, reflecting the family-centric household profile with an average size of 2.9 compared to the national average of 2.5. Outright ownership is low at 10.5%, because most buyers here are relatively recent arrivals on mortgages (46.4%) rather than long-tenure owners.
For Buyers
The median house price of $506,000 is well below Sydney and Melbourne equivalents, and mortgage repayments average $2,167 per month, a ratio of 19.5% of household income that sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 78.8% of dwellings, making the suburb more detached-house focused than many Darwin peers, while apartments represent just 2.6%. Bedrooms skew large: 52.7% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 36.7% have 3 bedrooms, reflecting the family-centric household profile with an average size of 2.9 compared to the national average of 2.5. Outright ownership is low at 10.5%, because most buyers here are relatively recent arrivals on mortgages (46.4%) rather than long-tenure owners.
For Investors
Renters at 43.1% of households give landlords a solid tenant base, and weekly rent of $455 against a $506,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.7%, meaningfully higher than southeast capital city markets. The vacancy rate of 7.9% is elevated compared to most suburban markets, a recurring feature of Darwin due to defence postings and government contractor turnover. Turnover across the suburb runs at 31.1% annually, meaning roughly 1 in 3 residents moved address in the past year, which keeps rental demand cycling but makes long tenancies harder to sustain. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, suggesting the suburb is built out with little new supply pressure on existing landlords.
Demographics
The median age of 32 is 8 years below the national median, placing Farrar firmly in the younger-resident tier by Australian standards. Overseas-born residents at 21.4% sit roughly in line with the national figure, 0.2 percentage points below. Ancestry is Anglo-leaning: English (516) leads, followed by Scottish (117) and Irish (111), with Other ancestry (266) the second-largest group. University qualifications at 23.8% are 6.3 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a workforce concentrated in operational public sector and community roles rather than professional services. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above the national average, driven by the high share of couples with children, who make up 743 of 1,272 families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.8%
Houses
18.6%
Townhouse
2.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Farrar splits 46.4% mortgage, 43.1% renting, and just 10.5% outright ownership, a profile typical of younger, higher-mobility NT suburbs where few residents have held property long enough to pay it off. The stock is predominantly separate houses at 78.8%, with semi-detached at 18.6% and apartments a minimal 2.6%. Large homes are the norm: 52.7% have 4 or more bedrooms, compared to the national average where 3-bedroom homes predominate. The median house price of $506,000 is estimated from 2025 rental data, and rent at $455 per week gives a rent-to-income ratio of 17.7%, below the 30% rental stress benchmark. Mortgage stress is also absent at 19.5% of income, despite the high proportion of households on mortgages.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$455
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,172
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.9%
Unoccupied
43
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.9%
Couples, no children
1,272
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration employs 26% of Farrar residents, the dominant sector by a wide margin, which explains both the strong household incomes (93.2nd percentile nationally) and the high turnover as government postings rotate. Healthcare follows at 16.8% and Construction at 9.2%, then Education at 8.4% and Retail at 6.7%. By occupation, Clerical and Admin (145) and Community and Personal Services (143) are the two largest groups, followed closely by Professionals (135) and Managers (98). The unemployment rate is 3.3%, and 78% of employed residents work full-time, both healthy figures. Participation at 66.6% leaves 276 residents not in the labour force, partly explained by the family-heavy demographic with one partner at home.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
78.0%
Part-time
18.7%
Participation
66.6%
Employed
787
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.8%
Postgraduate
5.8%
Born Overseas
21.4%
Dwellings
495
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total in Farrar: 90.4% of residents drive to work and only 1.4% use public transport, below even typical Darwin rates. Walking and cycling account for 1.6% of commutes, typical for a low-density suburban layout in the NT. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby Darwin schools. The volunteering rate of 15.1% is a positive indicator of community participation. Need-for-assistance stands at 9.4% (145 residents), somewhat elevated relative to the young median age of 32, which may reflect caring responsibilities within family households. Rent-to-income at 17.7% and mortgage-to-income at 19.5% both sit well below national stress thresholds, making housing costs manageable relative to the suburb's above-average incomes.
Drive
90.4%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Farrar compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Farrar a good suburb to live in?
Farrar sits at the 93.2nd income percentile nationally, meaning household incomes here are higher than over 93% of Australian suburbs. The suburb is family-oriented with 78.8% separate houses, large 4-plus bedroom homes at 52.7%, and low housing stress at 19.5% mortgage-to-income. The main limitation is car dependence, with 90.4% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Farrar?
The median house price is approximately $506,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $455 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, keeping the mortgage-to-income ratio at 19.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Farrar?
No schools are recorded within the Farrar suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Darwin suburbs. The local workforce has a university qualification rate of 23.8%, which is 6.3 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the area's public sector and trade occupation mix.
Is Farrar safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Farrar in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, household incomes sit at the 93.2nd percentile nationally, and housing stress rates are well below national benchmarks at 17.7% rent-to-income and 19.5% mortgage-to-income, consistent with a stable, working-family suburb rather than a high-disadvantage area.
Is Farrar good for property investment?
With 43.1% of households renting and weekly rent of $455 against a $506,000 median price, gross yield is approximately 4.7%, higher than comparable Sydney or Melbourne suburban markets. The 7.9% vacancy rate is elevated versus national averages, a common feature of Darwin due to government and defence posting rotations, so investors should factor in periodic vacancy gaps.
How is Farrar's population changing?
Farrar has a population of 1,650 across 1.47 km2. The suburb shows high annual turnover at 31.1%, reflecting NT defence and government employment cycles rather than net population decline. With 68.9% of residents staying in the same address over the year, a core stable population coexists with a rotating transient layer.
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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