Gunn
At the 92.1 household-income percentile, Gunn combines high household earnings with a compact, detached suburban form. Its 2,564 residents have a median age of 31, which is 9 years below the national comparison, while density reaches 1,771.8 people per sq km across 1.45 sq km. Gunn contrasts with nearby Palmerston suburbs such as Durack and Rosebery through the combination of a compact footprint and 97.9% separate houses. Because 44.1% of households are paying a mortgage, the suburb has a strong owner-occupier pipeline. The mix is youthful today but follows an aging trajectory, with senior share up 4.5 percentage points and young share down 2.5 points.
Local council: Palmerston
Population
2,564
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,485/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
For buyers, Gunn is primarily a detached-house market: 97.9% of dwellings are separate houses, while 52.2% have 3 bedrooms and 46.6% have 4 or more. This matters because families seeking larger floorplans have far more choice than buyers focused on apartments or smaller formats. A suburb-level median house price is unavailable, so the $1,950 monthly mortgage figure and $480 weekly rent provide practical affordability reference points rather than a purchase valuation. Mortgage costs equal 18.1% of household income, below the 19.3% rent share, and mortgage stress is not flagged. The 44.1% mortgage tenure share is higher than the 13.2% owned-outright share, pointing to a substantial active-buyer cohort.
For Buyers
For buyers, Gunn is primarily a detached-house market: 97.9% of dwellings are separate houses, while 52.2% have 3 bedrooms and 46.6% have 4 or more. This matters because families seeking larger floorplans have far more choice than buyers focused on apartments or smaller formats. A suburb-level median house price is unavailable, so the $1,950 monthly mortgage figure and $480 weekly rent provide practical affordability reference points rather than a purchase valuation. Mortgage costs equal 18.1% of household income, below the 19.3% rent share, and mortgage stress is not flagged. The 44.1% mortgage tenure share is higher than the 13.2% owned-outright share, pointing to a substantial active-buyer cohort.
For Investors
Gunn gives investors a tenant base equal to 40.7% of households, with weekly rent at $480 and vacancy at 9.1%. The renting share is higher than the 13.2% owned-outright share, supporting a meaningful rental market, although the vacancy level suggests conditions may be less tight than in a low-vacancy area. There were 0 development projects in the past 12 months, limiting immediate new-supply pressure but also reducing the chance of a fresh construction catalyst. The wider growth outlook is 0.98% annually, driven by overseas migration, while rent growth has reached 15.4%. Without a median sale price, gross-yield calculations should wait for comparable current sales.
Demographics
Gunn is younger than the national profile: the median age is 31, or 9 years below the national comparison. University attainment is 23.2%, 6.9 percentage points below the national figure, while the overseas-born share is 21.9%, just 0.3 points above it. Average household size is 2.9, 0.4 above national, matching a family-heavy mix: 50.4% of families are couples with children and 31.1% are couples without children. This helps explain the demand for larger detached homes. English ancestry is reported by 865 residents, followed by Other at 332, Irish at 260 and Scottish at 242. No religion is reported by 1,280 residents, compared with 990 for Christianity. Turnover is 36.3%, lower than the 63.7% who stayed.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.9%
Houses
1.4%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Gunn's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 97.9% separate houses, 1.4% semi-detached dwellings and 0.7% apartments. Larger homes dominate: 52.2% have 3 bedrooms and 46.6% have 4 or more, compared with only 1.2% with 2 bedrooms. This layout supports family households because 50.4% of families are couples with children. Tenure is split between 44.1% mortgages, 40.7% renting and 13.2% outright ownership, while 2.0% sits in other arrangements. The mortgage share is higher than outright ownership, consistent with an established owner-occupier market. At $480 a week, rent takes 19.3% of household income, higher than the 18.1% mortgage share.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$480
Census 2021
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,201
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.1%
Unoccupied
85
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.4%
Couples with children
31.1%
Couples, no children
17.1%
Single parent
701
Total families
Economy & Employment
Gunn's economy is anchored by public administration, which accounts for 22.6% of industry employment and 200 workers, followed by healthcare at 14.1% and 125, education at 10.3% and 91, construction at 10.0% and 89, and retail at 5.3% and 47. Public administration and service industries provide a stable employment base because they account for much of the local job mix. Labour-force participation is 78.7%, unemployment is 2.5% and full-time employment is 69.6%, supporting household income of $2,485 a week at the 92.1 percentile. Clerical and administrative roles lead occupations with 253 workers, ahead of community and personal service at 248 and professionals at 221. Area-level advantage is lower than household income suggests: IEO is decile 1, IER decile 4, IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 2. This points to strong earnings alongside below-average broader socioeconomic positioning.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
1,536
Unemployed
38
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.6%
Part-time
24.0%
Participation
78.7%
Employed
1,498
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.2%
Postgraduate
4.5%
Born Overseas
21.9%
Dwellings
855
Transport to Work
Gunn suits residents who rely on cars: 84.9% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.8% using public transport and 1.5% walking or cycling. Because car use is much higher than public or active transport, daily access is oriented toward road connections rather than local walking. Work from home accounts for 3.6%. The suburb covers 1.45 sq km at 1,771.8 people per sq km, creating a compact urban setting despite its 97.9% separate-house share. Families should check nearby Palmerston school options and enrolment zones against the exact address. For safety decisions, use current NT Police incident information and inspect streets at different times. IRSAD is decile 2, below the national midpoint, so services, transport and household resources deserve practical checking.
Drive
84.9%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
3.6%
Growth Outlook
Gunn's established growth pattern is positive but measured: the annual trend is 0.98%, and population change across the wider area is 22.0% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the shift trajectory is Aging. That transition is visible in a 4.5 percentage-point rise in the senior share and a 2.5-point fall in the young share, meaning population growth is occurring alongside gradual age restructuring. Affordability is described as Stable, moving from 41.7% in 2011 to 40.0% in 2021, while rent growth is 15.4%. With a gentrification score of 7 and stage Not gentrifying, Gunn sits below the intensity associated with an active renewal market. The pattern is steady expansion rather than rapid transformation.
Population trend: Palmerston council area
Gunn sits in the Palmerston council area. These are the council area's residents, not Gunn's.
Residents 2025
43,193
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.4%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gunn compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gunn a good suburb to live in?
Gunn can suit households wanting detached homes, strong employment participation and access to Palmerston services. It has 97.9% separate houses, a median age of 31 and household income at the 92.1 percentile. Car dependence is high at 84.9%, so the suburb is better suited to residents comfortable relying on road travel.
What is the median house price in Gunn?
A current suburb-level median house price is not available for Gunn. Buyers can frame affordability around the $1,950 monthly mortgage figure and $480 weekly rent, then compare recent sales for similar 3-bedroom and 4-plus-bedroom detached homes, which represent 52.2% and 46.6% of housing respectively.
What schools are in Gunn?
Schooling for Gunn families should be assessed through nearby Palmerston options and the exact enrolment zone, rather than assumed from the suburb name. Gunn covers 1.45 sq km and has 2,564 residents, so travel distance and catchment boundaries matter. Confirm current school locations, sectors and enrolment rules before signing a lease or contract.
Is Gunn safe?
Use current NT Police incident information and inspect the streets at different times before deciding. Gunn has 2,564 residents across 1.45 sq km, with density of 1,771.8 people per sq km. Checking the exact street, lighting, parking and evening activity will give a more useful safety view than relying on suburb-wide impressions.
Is Gunn good for property investment?
Gunn has a substantial rental base at 40.7%, weekly rent of $480 and 9.1% vacancy. That demand is supported by employment in public administration, healthcare and education, but the absence of a median sale price means yield cannot be judged reliably yet. Development activity was 0 projects over 12 months, while annual growth is forecast at 0.98%.
How is Gunn's population changing?
Growth across the wider area is forecast at 0.98% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver and population change of 22.0% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 4.5 percentage points while the young share has fallen 2.5 points. Gunn is therefore growing steadily, but its age mix is shifting.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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