Johnston
At a median age of 28, Johnston runs 12 years younger than the national figure, making it one of Darwin's youngest suburbs by resident profile. Household income sits in the 87th percentile nationally, yet 63.8% of residents rent rather than own, and just 2.0% own outright. The combination points to a workforce-driven suburb where high incomes fund mobility rather than asset accumulation. Overseas-born residents at 25.9% are 4.3 points above the national average, and the population of 2,386 across 2.6 sq km gives a density of 917 people per km2, comparable to a mid-density urban fringe.
Population
2,386
Median Age
28.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,254/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$484K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is $484,000, estimated from rent data for 2025, at an affordable entry point relative to Darwin's broader market. Separate houses make up 58.1% of dwellings, with apartments at 23.5% and semi-detached at 18.4%, giving buyers meaningful choice across stock types. Four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 39.0% and three-bedroom at 37.0%, which suits families with children given that 56.2% of families are couples with children. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,400, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Only 2.0% of residents own outright, compared to a national norm closer to 30%, confirming that Johnston is a market of active buyers and renters rather than long-held, debt-free ownership.
For Buyers
The median house price is $484,000, estimated from rent data for 2025, at an affordable entry point relative to Darwin's broader market. Separate houses make up 58.1% of dwellings, with apartments at 23.5% and semi-detached at 18.4%, giving buyers meaningful choice across stock types. Four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 39.0% and three-bedroom at 37.0%, which suits families with children given that 56.2% of families are couples with children. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,400, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Only 2.0% of residents own outright, compared to a national norm closer to 30%, confirming that Johnston is a market of active buyers and renters rather than long-held, debt-free ownership.
For Investors
With 63.8% of residents renting, Johnston sits well above the national rental average, providing landlords a large and stable tenant base. Weekly rent averages $370, and rent-to-income at 16.4% leaves tenants with healthy headroom, reducing vacancy risk from financial stress. The recorded vacancy rate is 9.1%, elevated, which signals some softness in demand relative to current supply and warrants monitoring. Net overseas migration averages 38 per year, the primary external demand driver, while internal migration is essentially flat at 2 per year net. Rent grew 19.0% over the measured period, outpacing real income growth of 7.9%, which supports the case for ongoing rental yield improvement even against a high vacancy rate.
Schools in Johnston iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
MacKillop Catholic College
7-12 · 795 students
Demographics
The median age of 28 is 12.0 years below the national figure, driven by a concentration of young working households. Couples with children represent 56.2% of families, a family-formation suburb rather than a retiree or empty-nester one. Overseas-born residents reach 25.9%, which is 4.3 points above the national average, with South Asian languages including Nepali (17 speakers), Punjabi (15) and Hindi (12) present alongside Australian Indigenous languages (35 speakers). Ancestry is led by English (620), Scottish (194) and Irish (160), a broadly Anglo-Celtic base, with 444 residents recorded under Other, reflecting the international mix. University qualifications at 27.8% are 2.3 points below the national rate, and the average household of 2.9 persons is 0.4 above national, consistent with the family-oriented composition.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.1%
Houses
18.4%
Townhouse
23.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by renters at 63.8%, with mortgage holders at 34.2% and outright owners at just 2.0%, far below the national outright ownership rate. The low outright ownership reflects the suburb's youth: at a median age of 28, most residents are in early ownership or pre-purchase stages. Separate houses make up 58.1% of the stock, while apartments account for 23.5% and semi-detached 18.4%. Four-plus bedroom homes are the modal category at 39.0%, followed by three-bedroom at 37.0%, pointing to family-scale demand. The vacancy rate of 9.1% is notably high compared to healthy market norms of 2-3%, suggesting supply exceeds current absorption and creating negotiating room for new tenants.
Mortgage / mo
$2,400
Rent / wk
$370
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,179
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.1%
Unoccupied
79
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.5%
Couples, no children
1,874
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration is by far the dominant industry at 24.0% of employed residents (197 workers), consistent with a Darwin satellite suburb serving government departments. Healthcare is second at 17.0% (140 workers) and Education third at 10.1% (83 workers), together giving the suburb a strong public-sector employment base. Construction accounts for 7.8% (64 workers) and Retail 7.4% (61 workers). By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers lead at 273, ahead of Professionals at 193 and Clerical and Admin at 182, reflecting the service-heavy employment mix. The unemployment rate is low at 4.4% and the full-time employment rate is strong at 75.5%, with a labour force participation rate of 70.7%. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 3 places Johnston below average nationally on relative disadvantage, while household income at the 87th percentile shows incomes are above average, an anomaly explained by the high renter base depressing ownership-related wealth measures.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
4,295
Unemployed
205
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
75.5%
Part-time
20.1%
Participation
70.7%
Employed
1,158
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.8%
Postgraduate
7.1%
Born Overseas
25.9%
Dwellings
776
Transport to Work
Johnston is almost entirely car-dependent, with 88.8% of residents commuting by car, compared to national averages where public transport usage is considerably higher. Only 2.2% use public transport and 1.5% walk or cycle, reflecting the suburb's Darwin fringe location. No schools are recorded within the 2.6 sq km boundary, so families rely on nearby institutions. Crime data is not available for this suburb. As indirect indicators of livability, rent-to-income sits at a low 16.4%, mortgage-to-income at 24.6% and only 3.8% of residents (82 people) require daily assistance, all below the national average. Volunteering at 13.3% is a modest engagement signal. The IRSAD decile of 2 places the suburb in the lower tier nationally on relative socio-economic advantage, while the high 87th-percentile household income is a contrasting positive.
Drive
88.8%
Public Transport
2.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.25%/yr
(+21 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth is 0.25%, adding roughly 21 persons per year, a slow rate for a suburb at this density. The 10-year population change was 6.3%, modest but positive. The age trajectory is aging despite the young median age: the senior share rose 6.4 points and the working-age share fell 3.2 points over the decade, suggesting that the youngest cohorts are cycling through rather than putting down roots. Medium forecasts project the broader area population reaching 8,342 by 2031 from 8,281 in 2025, an increase of about 61 persons. Net overseas migration of 38 per year is the principal growth driver, as internal migration contributes only 2 per year on average. The gentrification score of 24 places Johnston at early signs stage, with affordability actually improving from 41.3% in 2011 to 37.1% in 2021, a trend that runs counter to most Australian urban markets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+38
Net Internal / yr
+2
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Johnston compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Johnston a good suburb to live in?
Johnston suits young families and working households. Household income sits in the 87th percentile nationally, and mortgage-to-income at 24.6% and rent-to-income at 16.4% are both below stress thresholds. The IRSAD decile of 2 indicates lower overall advantage nationally, though high employment and family-oriented housing stock offset this for many residents.
What is the median house price in Johnston?
The median house price is $484,000, estimated from 2025 rent data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,400, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 24.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $370, which grew 19.0% over the measured period.
What schools are in Johnston?
No schools are recorded inside the Johnston suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Darwin suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 27.8%, which is 2.3 points below the national average, and the suburb has a large share of families with children at 56.2% of family households.
Is Johnston safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Johnston. As indirect indicators, only 3.8% of residents (82 people) need daily assistance, and the employment rate is strong with an unemployment rate of just 4.4%. The IRSD decile of 3 places the suburb below average nationally on relative disadvantage, which is a contextual risk factor worth considering.
Is Johnston good for property investment?
Johnston has a 63.8% rental rate, far above the national average, giving landlords a large tenant pool. Weekly rent of $370 grew 19.0% over the period, and rent-to-income at 16.4% keeps tenants financially stable. The main caution is a vacancy rate of 9.1%, well above a healthy 2-3%, suggesting current oversupply that could compress yields in the short term.
How is Johnston's population changing?
Population grows at 0.25% annually, adding about 21 people per year, with a 6.3% rise over the past decade. Net overseas migration of 38 per year is the primary driver, with internal migration contributing only 2 per year. The senior share rose 6.4 points over the decade, indicating the age profile is gradually shifting despite the currently young median age of 28.
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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