Gillen
Household income at the 82.8th percentile nationally makes Gillen one of Alice Springs' more prosperous residential pockets, yet 42.1% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate sits at 12.2%, a pairing that points to a transient professional cohort rather than settled owner-occupiers. The suburb covers just 2.55 km2 with 4,466 residents, giving a density of 1,752 per km2. Median age is 33, which is 7 years below the national figure, and 30.6% of residents were born overseas, some 9 percentage points above the national average. Healthcare and Public Administration together account for 44.3% of local employment, reflecting the suburb's connection to Alice Springs' public sector and hospital services.
Population
4,466
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,176/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$425K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $425,000 sits well below major capital city benchmarks, making entry-level ownership achievable on professional incomes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 18.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite incomes at the 82.8th percentile nationally. Detached houses make up 70.2% of the stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 27.4% and apartments just 2.4%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.0% of all dwellings, while 4-plus bedroom properties account for 22.7%, giving buyers a relatively spacious floor-plan mix compared to capital city unit markets. Outright ownership is low at 14.8%, while 43.2% carry a mortgage, suggesting a market driven by working professionals rather than long-term owner-occupiers.
For Buyers
The median house price of $425,000 sits well below major capital city benchmarks, making entry-level ownership achievable on professional incomes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 18.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite incomes at the 82.8th percentile nationally. Detached houses make up 70.2% of the stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 27.4% and apartments just 2.4%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.0% of all dwellings, while 4-plus bedroom properties account for 22.7%, giving buyers a relatively spacious floor-plan mix compared to capital city unit markets. Outright ownership is low at 14.8%, while 43.2% carry a mortgage, suggesting a market driven by working professionals rather than long-term owner-occupiers.
For Investors
The renter share of 42.1% provides a broad tenant pool, and weekly rent of $400 generates a gross yield approaching 4.9% against the $425,000 median, above what many inner-suburban capital city markets offer. The 12.2% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants attention as it signals softer demand relative to current supply, particularly since no new development applications were lodged in the past 12 months. Resident mobility is high with a 33.8% annual turnover rate, meaning leases rotate frequently and vacancies can accumulate between tenancies. The income base is strong at the 82.8th percentile nationally, and full-time employment runs at 75.1%, supporting rental payment capacity. Demand is primarily driven by the healthcare and public administration workforce, so sustained government services employment in Alice Springs is the key risk variable.
Schools in Gillen iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Bradshaw Primary School
T-6 · 381 students
Gillen Primary School
T-6 · 230 students
Demographics
Gillen's median age of 33 is 7 years below the national figure, reflecting a young professional and working-family profile reinforced by the high proportion of couples with children (1,546 families). Overseas-born residents reach 30.6%, which is 9 percentage points above the national average, and the top non-English languages are Malayalam (70 speakers), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages (66) and Punjabi (51), pointing to a South Asian professional migration stream alongside the local Indigenous community. University qualifications stand at 34.2%, which is 4.1 points above national, consistent with the suburb's professional employment base. English ancestry leads at 1,139 residents, followed by Irish (392) and Scottish (281). Average household size of 2.7 is marginally above the national figure of 2.5.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.2%
Houses
27.4%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between renters at 42.1% and mortgage holders at 43.2%, with outright owners a relatively small 14.8%, lower than comparable suburbs nationally. This pattern is consistent with a mobile workforce that defers ownership while on regional postings. Separate houses dominate at 70.2% and semi-detached at 27.4%, with apartments negligible at 2.4%, giving the suburb a suburban residential character across its 2.55 km2 footprint. Three-bedroom homes account for the majority at 49.0%, while 4-plus bedroom homes at 22.7% suggest families are well catered for on lot size. Mortgage repayments average $1,733 per month, and at 18.4% of household income, mortgage stress is not evident compared to eastern capital city benchmarks. Rent-to-income is also 18.4%, well under the 30% stress threshold.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,103
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.2%
Unoccupied
207
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.4%
Couples, no children
3,280
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 25.8% (427 workers), followed by Public Administration at 18.5% (306 workers) and Education at 10.6% (176 workers). These three sectors alone represent 54.9% of the workforce, anchoring the suburb's economic base in government-funded services rather than private industry. Professionals are the largest occupational group at 488 workers, followed closely by Community and Personal service workers at 461, then Clerical and Administrative at 305. Full-time employment runs at 75.1% and unemployment is low at 3.8%, which is below the typical regional NT average. Labour participation is 68.5% and personal weekly income averages $1,103, contributing to a household income at the 82.8th percentile nationally. Construction at 7.3% and Retail at 6.7% round out the top five industries.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
75.1%
Part-time
21.1%
Participation
68.5%
Employed
2,277
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.2%
Postgraduate
9.8%
Born Overseas
30.6%
Dwellings
1,478
Transport to Work
Transport patterns reflect the car-dependent nature of Alice Springs, with 80.0% of residents driving to work compared to the national average that is pulled lower by capital city transit users. Walking and cycling account for 8.5%, which is relatively high for a regional NT suburb, while public transport usage is minimal at 1.3%. Crime data is not available for Gillen in this dataset, so no crime rate comparison can be made. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in surrounding Alice Springs suburbs. Rent-to-income at 18.4% and mortgage-to-income at 18.4% both sit well below the 30% stress threshold, indicating that housing costs are manageable relative to the strong income base. Volunteering runs at 17.0% and only 3.3% of residents (137 people) need daily assistance.
Drive
80.0%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
8.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gillen compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gillen a good suburb to live in?
Gillen offers professional-grade incomes at the 82.8th percentile nationally and manageable housing costs, with mortgage-to-income at 18.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb has a young median age of 33 and strong full-time employment at 75.1%, though the 12.2% vacancy rate and 33.8% annual turnover reflect the transient character common in NT regional postings.
What is the median house price in Gillen?
The median house price is $425,000 (estimated from rent data, 2025). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and weekly rent is $400. Compared to eastern capital city medians, Gillen offers significantly lower entry costs, making homeownership accessible on professional incomes at the 82.8th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Gillen?
No schools are recorded inside the Gillen suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Alice Springs suburbs. Despite no local schools, 34.2% of Gillen residents hold university qualifications, which is 4.1 percentage points above the national average.
Is Gillen safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Gillen in this dataset, so no crime rate figure can be cited. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low at 18.4% rent-to-income and 18.4% mortgage-to-income, and only 3.3% of the 4,466 residents (137 people) need daily assistance, which is consistent with a functioning, low-disadvantage residential area.
Is Gillen good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $400 against the $425,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.9%, higher than many capital city inner suburbs. The 42.1% renter share provides a deep tenant pool, though the 12.2% vacancy rate and 33.8% annual turnover are elevated risks. Zero development applications in the past 12 months limits new supply, and the 82.8th percentile income base supports rental payment capacity.
How is Gillen's population changing?
Gillen has a turnover rate of 33.8% annually, meaning roughly 1 in 3 residents changes each year, which is characteristic of NT regional centres where employment postings drive movement. The suburb holds 4,466 residents across 2.55 km2. Growth momentum is closely tied to government sector staffing in healthcare and public administration, which together account for 44.3% of local jobs.
What languages are spoken in Gillen?
About 30.6% of Gillen residents were born overseas, which is 9 percentage points above the national average. The top non-English languages are Malayalam (70 speakers), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages (66), Punjabi (51), Hindi (33) and Nepali (29), reflecting both a South Asian professional migration stream and the local Indigenous community presence.
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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