Katherine East
A 63.2% renter majority sets Katherine East apart from most regional Australian suburbs, and that figure explains much of what follows. Household income sits in the 78th percentile nationally, meaning residents earn more than three-quarters of the country but still rent rather than buy. The median age is 30, ten years below the national figure, pointing to a mobile, working-age population. Public administration and healthcare together account for more than half of local employment, anchoring the economy to government services.
Population
3,061
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,075/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$372K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At an estimated $372,000 median house price, Katherine East is more affordable than national medians, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 16.9% is well below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is detached-house dominant at 83.7%, with semi-detached dwellings at 16.0% and apartments barely registering at 0.3%. Three-bedroom homes account for 59.4% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes a further 26.8%. Only 11.4% own outright and 25.4% carry a mortgage, compared to a 63.2% renter share, so buyer competition is thin. Entry price and repayment burden are lower than state and national averages.
For Buyers
At an estimated $372,000 median house price, Katherine East is more affordable than national medians, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 16.9% is well below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is detached-house dominant at 83.7%, with semi-detached dwellings at 16.0% and apartments barely registering at 0.3%. Three-bedroom homes account for 59.4% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes a further 26.8%. Only 11.4% own outright and 25.4% carry a mortgage, compared to a 63.2% renter share, so buyer competition is thin. Entry price and repayment burden are lower than state and national averages.
For Investors
The 63.2% renter majority gives landlords a large tenant pool. Weekly rent of $350 against a $372,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.9%, above yields typical in most capital-city markets. The 16.0% vacancy rate is a caution flag, reflecting supply surplus that can suppress rent growth. Net overseas migration averages 76 per year, the primary population driver, while net internal migration runs at negative 32, meaning the suburb relies on international arrivals rather than domestic demand. Development activity was zero in the past 12 months, so new supply pressure is minimal.
Schools in Katherine East iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Casuarina Street Primary School
T-6 · 295 students
Katherine High School
7-12 · 468 students
MacFarlane Primary School
T-6 · 189 students
Demographics
The median age of 30 is 10.0 years below the national figure. Overseas-born residents are 21.3%, just 0.3 points below the national average. Ancestry skews Anglo-Celtic: English (613), Irish (203) and Scottish (189) lead. Hinduism (116 residents) is the second religion after Christianity (1,054), reflecting Nepali (49) and Malayalam (17) speaking communities. Average household size is 2.8, which is 0.3 above national. Couples with children (1,100 families) greatly outnumber couples without children (449), consistent with the young, family-oriented age profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.7%
Houses
16.0%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The 63.2% renter share is far above the national average, and only 11.4% own outright. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 16.9% is well below the stress threshold. The stock is 83.7% separate houses and only 0.3% apartments, so the rental market is dominated by freestanding homes. Three-bedroom homes make up 59.4% and 4-plus bedroom homes a further 26.8%. The 16.0% vacancy rate indicates oversupply relative to most regional markets, which keeps the weekly rent at an affordable $350.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,079
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
16.0%
Unoccupied
182
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.6%
Couples, no children
2,183
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration employs 26.9% of the local workforce (257 workers), followed by healthcare at 24.4% (233) and education at 13.2% (126). These three government-oriented sectors account for nearly two-thirds of employment, above the national share, making the economy resilient to private-sector swings but dependent on government budgets. Community and personal service workers (320) lead by occupation, ahead of professionals (263). Unemployment is 5.9% and participation is 60.1%. The IRSD decile of 3 signals relative disadvantage compared to the national median, while the IER decile of 2 reflects low asset accumulation driven by the high renter share.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
8,022
Unemployed
201
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
79.7%
Part-time
14.4%
Participation
60.1%
Employed
1,264
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.8%
Postgraduate
8.4%
Born Overseas
21.3%
Dwellings
943
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 83.7% commute by car and only 0.7% use public transport, which is well below the national average. Walking and cycling account for 6.2%. The IRSAD decile of 4 places Katherine East below the national median for socio-economic advantage. Rent-to-income at 16.9% and mortgage-to-income at 16.9% both sit below the 30% stress threshold. Volunteering runs at 16.1%, reasonable for a regional area. No schools are recorded in the suburb data. The need-assistance rate is 2.9%, with 78 residents requiring daily help.
Drive
83.7%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
6.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.52%/yr
(+59 people/yr)
EstablishedKatherine East grows at 0.52% per year, adding about 59 residents annually, below the national population growth rate. The 10-year change of 4.9% is modest, and medium forecasts project the broader Katherine region reaching 11,535 by 2031. Overseas migration delivers 76 net arrivals per year, while net internal migration of negative 32 shows that domestic movers tend to leave. Rent growth of 47.5% over the tracked period outpaced real income growth of 15.0%, eroding renter affordability compared to a decade ago. The gentrification score is early-signs only, so significant capital appreciation momentum is not evident.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+76
Net Internal / yr
-32
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Katherine East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Katherine East a good suburb to live in?
Katherine East suits government and health workers seeking affordable housing in a family-oriented community. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 16.9% is well below the 30% stress threshold and the median house price of $372,000 is affordable by national standards. The IRSAD decile of 4 places it below the national midpoint for socio-economic advantage, and car dependence is high at 83.7% commuting by car.
What is the median house price in Katherine East?
The median house price is estimated at $372,000 based on 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 16.9% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $350, implying a gross yield of approximately 4.9% for investors.
What schools are in Katherine East?
No schools are recorded inside the Katherine East boundary in this dataset. Families rely on educational facilities in the broader Katherine area. The local population has a university qualification rate of 26.8%, which is 3.3 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades and services.
Is Katherine East safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Katherine East in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, below the national median, which is associated with higher vulnerability. The unemployment rate of 5.9% is above the national average, which can correlate with higher crime rates in regional NT.
Is Katherine East good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $350 against a $372,000 median price implies a gross yield near 4.9%, above yields typical in most capital cities. The 63.2% renter share creates a large tenant pool. However, the 16.0% vacancy rate signals oversupply, and net internal migration of negative 32 per year means the suburb depends on overseas arrivals for population stability.
How is Katherine East's population changing?
Population grows at 0.52% per year, adding about 59 residents annually. Over 10 years the suburb expanded 4.9%. Overseas migration drives growth at 76 net arrivals per year, while net internal migration is negative 32. Medium forecasts project the broader Katherine area reaching 11,535 residents by 2031.
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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