Katherine South
Katherine South stands out as a compact, renter-led residential area: 66.3% of households rent, vacancy is 13.8%, and the population is 1,507 across 5.13 square kilometres. At a median age of 33, residents are 7 years younger than the national figure, while household income sits at the 56.5th percentile. Compared with nearby Katherine East and the central Katherine township, its clearest identity is a workforce housing pocket, with healthcare, public administration and education shaping local demand.
Local council: Katherine
Population
1,507
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,632/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Homebuyers in Katherine South need to assess value dwelling by dwelling, using recent comparable sales and building reports rather than a single suburb-wide benchmark. The monthly mortgage indicator is $1,325 and mortgage stress is flagged false at 18.8% of household income. Renting is much more common than ownership, at 66.3% compared with 12.9% owned outright and 17.8% with a mortgage. Separate houses make up 51.2%, semi-detached homes 39.9%, and 3-bedroom dwellings 41.0%. Compared with outright owners, buyers enter a more mobile tenure market, so condition, insurance and resale depth matter.
For Buyers
Homebuyers in Katherine South need to assess value dwelling by dwelling, using recent comparable sales and building reports rather than a single suburb-wide benchmark. The monthly mortgage indicator is $1,325 and mortgage stress is flagged false at 18.8% of household income. Renting is much more common than ownership, at 66.3% compared with 12.9% owned outright and 17.8% with a mortgage. Separate houses make up 51.2%, semi-detached homes 39.9%, and 3-bedroom dwellings 41.0%. Compared with outright owners, buyers enter a more mobile tenure market, so condition, insurance and resale depth matter.
For Investors
Investor demand is supported by a 66.3% rental share and a median weekly rent of $320, but the 13.8% vacancy rate signals that tenant competition may be uneven. Compared with the 17.8% mortgage tenure, the rental base is unusually large for this local housing profile, which can support leasing depth while also increasing exposure to turnover. The development pipeline has 0 recorded projects in the past 12 months, limiting near-term supply pressure. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while annual growth is 0.52%, so investors should prioritise property condition, tenant appeal and cash-flow resilience over rapid capital-growth assumptions.
Demographics
At 33, Katherine South's median age is 7 years below the national figure, reinforcing its young-resident base, although the forecast trajectory is labelled Declining young. University attainment is 24.3%, 5.8 percentage points below the national level, while overseas-born residents account for 20.9%, only 0.7 points below national. English ancestry is recorded for 290 people, followed by Irish at 92 and Scottish at 82; no religion is the largest religious grouping at 580, ahead of Christianity at 512. Compared with nearby Katherine East, Katherine South reads as a workforce-oriented pocket, with 34.9% turnover and 65.1% staying in the same address pattern suggesting both mobility and a stable core.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
51.2%
Houses
39.9%
Townhouse
6.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Katherine South has a tenure pattern shaped more by renting than ownership: 66.3% rent, compared with 12.9% owning outright and 17.8% paying a mortgage. The dwelling mix is relatively broad, with 51.2% separate houses, 39.9% semi-detached homes and 6.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 41.0%, followed by 2-bedroom dwellings at 31.4%, while 16.9% are studios or 1-bedroom homes. Weekly rent is $320 and rent-to-income is 19.6%, with rent stress flagged false. Compared with nearby Katherine East and central Katherine, this mix points to a practical, higher-turnover housing market, so buyers should weigh maintenance and tenant demand alongside any purchase price.
Mortgage / mo
$1,325
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$320
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$912
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.8%
Unoccupied
84
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.4%
Couples with children
39.4%
Couples, no children
20.9%
Single parent
325
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 26.6% and 112 workers, followed by public administration at 15.9% and 67, education at 13.5% and 57, retail at 10.0% and 42, and construction at 7.1% and 30. This service mix fits a regional employment base: community and personal occupations lead at 120, followed by professionals at 118, managers at 85, trades at 84 and clerical or administration at 84. Unemployment is 3.6% across a labour force of 669, with 72.1% working full time. Household income is $1,632 weekly, above the 50th percentile at 56.5%. Compared with IEO decile 5, IER 2, IRSD 3 and IRSAD 4 indicate stronger education and occupation positioning than economic resources, helping explain service employment alongside financial pressure.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
669
Unemployed
24
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
72.1%
Part-time
20.8%
Participation
56.2%
Employed
645
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.3%
Postgraduate
6.2%
Born Overseas
20.9%
Dwellings
504
Transport to Work
Daily movement is car-led: 81.8% travel as car drivers, compared with 7.2% who walk or cycle, while only 2.4% work from home. That pattern suits a 5.13-square-kilometre suburb with density of 293.9 people per square kilometre, but households without a reliable vehicle may need to plan trips carefully. The population of 1,507 keeps the area relatively small, while an IRSAD decile of 4 sits below higher-resource locations and points to uneven access to advantage. Families should check exact school catchments, travel times and available year levels across the wider Katherine area because suburb boundaries do not define enrolment zones. Compared with a more walkable urban suburb, Katherine South's practical strengths are space and car access rather than active-transport convenience.
Drive
81.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
7.2%
Work from Home
2.4%
Growth Outlook
Growth in Katherine South is measured rather than explosive: the annual trend is 0.52%, compared with rent growth of 47.5%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 4.9% over 10 years. The trajectory is labelled Declining young, with the young share down 2.7 percentage points and the senior share up 2.8 points, pointing to gradual ageing even as the area attracts newcomers. Gentrification is scored at 0 and classified Not gentrifying, so current change is more likely to reflect migration and household turnover than redevelopment. Affordability is labelled Stable, moving from 26.5% in 2011 to 27.6% in 2021.
Population trend: Katherine council area
Katherine South sits in the Katherine council area. These are the council area's residents, not Katherine South's.
Residents 2025
11,282
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.0%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.8%
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 Katherine South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Katherine South a good suburb to live in?
Katherine South can suit residents who value a smaller, service-oriented setting and can manage car-based travel. The suburb has 1,507 residents, a median age of 33 and 66.3% renting. Its 13.8% vacancy rate may widen housing choice, while the IRSAD decile of 4 suggests checking services and costs carefully against the exact street.
What is the median house price in Katherine South?
Use recent comparable sales, property condition and land or dwelling type to establish the current median rather than relying on an outdated figure. Useful local context includes $320 weekly rent, a $1,325 monthly mortgage indicator and a 51.2% separate-house share. These measures help frame affordability but do not replace a current sales search.
What schools are in Katherine South?
School choice for Katherine South should be checked across the wider Katherine catchment and against the exact address. Confirm sector, year levels, enrolment zones and travel times, then compare at least 2 realistic options before signing a lease or contract. Suburb boundaries can differ from school catchments, so distance alone is not enough.
Is Katherine South safe?
Treat safety as an address-level question and review recent NT Police incidents before deciding. Katherine South has a 13.8% vacancy rate and 34.9% address turnover, so inspect the street at different times and ask about lighting, parking and property security. Compare incident categories over 12 months rather than relying on a single impression.
Is Katherine South good for property investment?
Katherine South may suit investors seeking a renter-heavy market, but it is not a set-and-forget proposition. Rent is $320 a week, 66.3% of households rent and vacancy is 13.8%, while 0 development projects were recorded over 12 months. Overseas migration supports demand, but the 0.52% annual growth trend favours careful cash-flow and maintenance analysis.
How is Katherine South's population changing?
Katherine South has 1,507 residents today. Growth is forecast at 0.52% a year, while population change across the wider area is 4.9% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the trajectory is labelled Declining young, with the young share down 2.7 percentage points and the senior share up 2.8 points. That points to slow growth with gradual ageing.
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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