Karama
A $389,000 median house price sits alongside an overseas-born share of 33.4%, which is 11.8 points above the national figure, and the two facts together define this Darwin suburb. The population of 4,803 is younger than most, with a median age of 35 that runs 5 years below national, yet the trajectory is aging because the senior share rose 5.6 points over the decade while the young-adult share fell 2.7 points. SEIFA places Karama in the lower advantage tiers, decile 3 on IRSAD and decile 2 on IRSD, so disadvantage is more common than in the average Australian suburb. Detached houses dominate at 77.2% of dwellings, and 41.7% of households carry a mortgage, more than the 19.4% who own outright.
Population
4,803
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,783/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$389K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $389,000 median house price keeps Karama well below typical capital-city levels and underpins its affordable, detached-house character. Three-bedroom homes make up 52.0% of the stock and four-plus-bedroom homes another 22.0%, so buyers find family-sized dwellings rather than apartments, which are only 5.0% of supply. Separate houses account for 77.2% of dwellings, far above the apartment-heavy inner suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which means buying here is achievable on local household incomes that sit at the 63.1st percentile nationally. Mortgage holders at 41.7% outnumber outright owners at 19.4%, a sign of a working, debt-carrying ownership base rather than established wealth.
For Buyers
The $389,000 median house price keeps Karama well below typical capital-city levels and underpins its affordable, detached-house character. Three-bedroom homes make up 52.0% of the stock and four-plus-bedroom homes another 22.0%, so buyers find family-sized dwellings rather than apartments, which are only 5.0% of supply. Separate houses account for 77.2% of dwellings, far above the apartment-heavy inner suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which means buying here is achievable on local household incomes that sit at the 63.1st percentile nationally. Mortgage holders at 41.7% outnumber outright owners at 19.4%, a sign of a working, debt-carrying ownership base rather than established wealth.
For Investors
Renters make up 38.9% of households and weekly rent averages $293, giving landlords a sizeable tenant pool in a market where the median house price is $389,000. That rent against that price implies a gross yield near 3.9%, materially higher than the sub-2% yields common in expensive capital-city suburbs, so the appeal here is income rather than capital growth. The vacancy rate of 5.9% is elevated, however, pointing to softer demand and some letting risk. Overseas migration adds about 86 residents a year and is the primary growth driver, but net internal migration removes roughly 142 a year, leaving the population shrinking. With annual population growth of negative 0.24% and rent that fell 5.5% over the period, the case rests on yield holding up rather than rising rents or population-led demand.
Schools in Karama iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
O'Loughlin Catholic College
7-12 · 599 students
Holy Family Catholic Primary School
T-6 · 248 students
Manunda Terrace Primary School
T-6 · 189 students
Karama Primary School
T-6 · 173 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5.0 years below the national figure, and the household profile is family-oriented, with an average household size of 2.9 that runs 0.4 above national and 1,616 couple families with children against 654 without. Overseas-born residents reach 33.4%, which is 11.8 points above national, and the ancestry mix is broad, led by English (977) and a sizeable Filipino community (408). University qualifications sit at 27.1%, which is 3.0 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward clerical, community and labouring roles rather than professional ones. Greek (126 speakers) and an Australian Indigenous language (54) are the most common non-English languages, and Buddhism (202) and Islam (129) follow Christianity (2,282), reflecting the migrant breadth.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.2%
Houses
17.8%
Townhouse
5.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward mortgaged households: 41.7% carry a mortgage, 38.9% rent and only 19.4% own outright, which points to a working ownership base rather than long-held, debt-free wealth. The stock is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses at 77.2% and apartments just 5.0%, so families dominate over downsizers. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 52.0% and four-plus-bedroom homes 22.0%, while one-bedroom dwellings are negligible at 4.4%. The $389,000 median house price stays affordable against local incomes, and the rent-to-income ratio of 16.4% sits well below the 30% stress line, as does the mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%. That low housing stress reflects modest prices rather than high earnings, since household income is only at the 63.1st percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$293
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$838
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.9%
Unoccupied
97
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.5%
Couples, no children
3,740
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans heavily on the public sector, typical of a Darwin suburb: Public Administration leads at 18.1% (238 workers), Healthcare follows at 16.3% (215) and Education at 13.5% (178), with Construction at 8.0% and Professional/Tech at 6.1%. By occupation, Professionals (356) and Clerical/Admin (348) are the largest groups, ahead of Community/Personal (299) and Labourers (246). Unemployment is elevated at 7.4%, above the national rate, and participation reads 59.7%, with 1,056 residents not in the labour force. Real incomes fell 10.0% over the decade, which helps explain the low SEIFA standing: decile 3 on IRSAD and IEO, decile 2 on IRSD and IER, all below the midpoint. The government-heavy employment base provides stability even as private-sector and income measures lag.
Unemployment
6.9%
Labour Force
2,665
Unemployed
184
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.0%
Part-time
22.6%
Participation
59.7%
Employed
2,054
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.1%
Postgraduate
6.2%
Born Overseas
33.4%
Dwellings
1,554
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-dependent: 82.5% of commuters drive, well above the national share, while only 4.0% use public transport and 3.7% walk or cycle, consistent with a suburban Darwin layout at 2,325 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 3 on IRSAD, both below the national midpoint, so a higher-than-average share of residents face economic disadvantage. Volunteering runs at 16.3% and 6.4% of residents, about 281 people, need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the 2.07 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. The trade-off is clear: low housing costs and family-sized homes against limited services and a disadvantage profile.
Drive
82.5%
Public Transport
4.0%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.24%/yr
(-12 people/yr)
EstablishedKarama is contracting slowly: annual population change registers negative 0.24%, about 12 fewer residents a year, and the 10-year change is negative 0.9%, classifying it as an established, slow-growth suburb. The historical series shows population easing from 5,127 in 2023 to 5,050 in 2025, and the medium forecast continues that drift to 5,045 by 2031. The only positive driver is overseas migration at about 86 a year, which is outweighed by net internal outflow of 142 a year. The gentrification score is 0, stage not gentrifying, fitting a market with low SEIFA deciles and falling rents. Affordability improved from 41.0% in 2011 to 35.0% in 2021, but that gain reflects weak price and rent growth rather than rising incomes, which fell 10.0% over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+86
Net Internal / yr
-142
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -142/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Karama compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Karama a good suburb to live in?
Karama suits affordability-focused families, with a $389,000 median house price and 77.2% detached houses. Housing stress is low, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, below the 30% threshold. The trade-offs are SEIFA decile 2 on IRSD, below the national midpoint, and an unemployment rate of 7.4%.
What is the median house price in Karama?
The median house price is $389,000, well below typical capital-city levels. Weekly rent averages $293 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%. The implied gross rental yield is near 3.9%, higher than most expensive city suburbs.
What schools are in Karama?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.07 km2 Karama boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 27.1%, which is 3.0 points below the national figure, reflecting a workforce weighted toward clerical and trade roles.
Is Karama safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Karama in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, below the national midpoint, and 6.4% of its residents, about 281 people, need daily assistance, both consistent with a higher-disadvantage area.
Is Karama good for property investment?
Rent of $293 a week against a $389,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.9%, higher than expensive city suburbs, and renters are 38.9% of households. The case is income rather than growth, since the vacancy rate is 5.9% and the population is shrinking at negative 0.24% a year.
How is Karama's population changing?
Population is declining slowly, with annual change of negative 0.24%, about 12 fewer residents a year, and a 10-year fall of 0.9%. It eased from 5,127 in 2023 to 5,050 in 2025. Overseas migration adds about 86 a year but is outweighed by a net internal outflow of 142 a year.
What languages are spoken in Karama?
About 33.4% of residents were born overseas, 11.8 points above the national figure. English is the dominant language, with Greek (126 speakers), an Australian Indigenous language (54), Mandarin (26) and Bengali (19) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a broad migrant mix that includes a notable Filipino community of 408.
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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