Maningrida
With 99.1% of residents renting and average household size of 5.2 people, Maningrida sits far outside typical Australian suburb patterns. The population of 2,518 skews significantly younger than the national average, with a median age of 27, which is 13 years below the national figure. Over 1,130 residents speak an Australian Indigenous language at home, reflecting the community's deep First Nations roots. Weekly household income averages $1,449, placing the suburb at the 43.9th percentile nationally, while the unemployment rate of 39.6% reflects the structural employment challenges common to remote NT communities. Healthcare and education together account for over 60% of local employment, underscoring the public-service dependency that defines Maningrida's economy.
Population
2,518
Median Age
27.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,449/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Maningrida's housing data reflects its status as a remote Indigenous community where conventional property purchase is not the primary tenure model. Median house price data is not recorded for this location, consistent with the 99.1% renter rate, compared to the national renter share of around 31%. Separate houses dominate at 93.7% of all dwellings, with semi-detached properties making up 5.0%. The bedroom breakdown shows 3-bedroom homes are the most common at 45.5%, followed by 2-bedroom at 35.4%, and 4-plus bedroom at 13.2%. Buyers considering the area should note that housing here is predominantly managed under community or government tenure arrangements rather than private freehold, which makes conventional mortgage pathways largely inapplicable.
For Buyers
Maningrida's housing data reflects its status as a remote Indigenous community where conventional property purchase is not the primary tenure model. Median house price data is not recorded for this location, consistent with the 99.1% renter rate, compared to the national renter share of around 31%. Separate houses dominate at 93.7% of all dwellings, with semi-detached properties making up 5.0%. The bedroom breakdown shows 3-bedroom homes are the most common at 45.5%, followed by 2-bedroom at 35.4%, and 4-plus bedroom at 13.2%. Buyers considering the area should note that housing here is predominantly managed under community or government tenure arrangements rather than private freehold, which makes conventional mortgage pathways largely inapplicable.
For Investors
The residential investment case for Maningrida is structurally limited compared to mainstream NT markets. The vacancy rate of 9.3% is elevated, and weekly rent is recorded at $90, reflecting community housing rather than private market rates. Renting accounts for 99.1% of all tenure, well above the national average, but this occurs within a social or community housing framework rather than private landlord relationships. There were 0 development applications in the past 12 months, indicating no private development activity. Employment participation is low at 30.9%, with 1,197 residents not in the labour force, which constrains tenant affordability and rental growth prospects. Investors looking for conventional yield or capital growth would find more suitable markets in Darwin or Alice Springs.
Schools in Maningrida iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Maningrida College
T-12 · 584 students
Demographics
Maningrida's demographic profile is defined by a young, predominantly Indigenous population. The median age of 27 is 13 years below the national average, and the community has an average household size of 5.2 people, which is 2.7 above the national figure, reflecting multi-generational living arrangements. Indigenous language speakers number 1,130, making it the dominant language group ahead of English. Overseas-born residents are just 2.4%, which is 19.2 percentage points below the national rate, reinforcing that this is a locally rooted community with deep place attachment. University qualification rates stand at 16.4%, which is 13.7 points below the national average, and 85.0% of residents stayed in the same address over the prior year, showing high residential stability despite economic challenges.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.7%
Houses
5.0%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Maningrida is almost entirely rented, with 99.1% of dwellings under rental tenure and just 0.9% owned outright, compared to much higher ownership rates nationally. No mortgage holders are recorded, consistent with the absence of private freehold sales. The stock is heavily detached, with 93.7% of homes being separate houses and 5.0% semi-detached. The 3-bedroom configuration is most common at 45.5%, reflecting the large average household size of 5.2, which needs more bedrooms than a typical Australian household. Weekly rent of $90 is well below national median rents, pointing to subsidised or community-managed housing rather than market-rate leasing. The vacancy rate of 9.3% suggests some chronic underoccupancy even within this framework, which can occur when community movement patterns shift seasonally.
Mortgage / mo
$0
Rent / wk
$90
HH Size
5.2
Personal Income / wk
$256
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.3%
Unoccupied
40
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
6.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
11.4%
Couples, no children
2,252
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates Maningrida's employment at 37.0% of workers, followed by Education at 23.5% and Public Administration at 12.6%, meaning public sector services account for over 73% of local jobs. Construction (11.3%) and Retail (5.5%) fill remaining roles. By occupation, Professionals (108) and Community/Personal workers (107) are almost equal at the top, reflecting a workforce split between incoming qualified service staff and locally employed community roles. The unemployment rate of 39.6% is far above national and NT state averages, and the participation rate is just 30.9%, meaning most working-age adults are outside the formal labour market. Full-time employment among those who do work is 68.2%, suggesting that employed residents hold stable roles, but access to those roles is the structural constraint.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.2%
Part-time
-7.8%
Participation
30.9%
Employed
352
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.4%
Postgraduate
4.3%
Born Overseas
2.4%
Dwellings
398
Transport to Work
Maningrida's liveability is shaped by its remote location and community-managed infrastructure rather than urban amenities. Walking and cycling account for 35.2% of travel to work, the highest mode share in the data, higher than most urban suburbs nationally, reflecting the community's compact, walkable layout within an 11.06 km2 area. Car use for commuting sits at 29.9% and public transport at just 4.7%. No schools are recorded in the dataset for Maningrida, though the community is known to have a school serving the local population. Rent-to-income is 6.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which is low compared to urban NT rents, because rents here are community-managed at $90 per week. SEIFA disadvantage scores are not available for this suburb, but the employment and income data point to significant socioeconomic challenges.
Drive
29.9%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
35.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Maningrida compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maningrida a good suburb to live in?
Maningrida is a remote Northern Territory community with a population of 2,518, characterised by strong cultural identity, low rent at $90 per week, and high residential stability with 85% of residents remaining at the same address year to year. However, unemployment is 39.6% and access to services is constrained by its remote location, which makes it very different from urban NT options like Darwin.
What is the median house price in Maningrida?
No median house price is recorded for Maningrida, as 99.1% of residents rent rather than own, and housing is predominantly managed under community or government tenure arrangements rather than the private freehold market. Weekly rent is recorded at $90, which is well below urban NT levels, reflecting the subsidised community housing model.
What schools are in Maningrida?
No schools are listed in the suburb dataset for Maningrida. However, Maningrida College is a well-known community school serving this remote NT community, offering education across primary and secondary levels. The local university qualification rate is 16.4%, which is 13.7 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Maningrida safe?
Crime rate data is not available in this dataset for Maningrida. The community has a residential stability rate of 85%, meaning most of the 2,518 residents are long-term locals, and the rent-to-income ratio of 6.2% indicates low housing financial stress. For safety assessments, NT Police public reports provide the most current local data.
Is Maningrida good for property investment?
Maningrida is not suited to conventional property investment. With 99.1% of residents renting under community or government housing arrangements, no recorded house sales, and 0 development applications in the past 12 months, there is no private property market to access. Weekly rent is $90 and the vacancy rate is 9.3%, compared to Darwin where private rents and market activity are significantly higher.
How is Maningrida's population changing?
Maningrida's population of 2,518 shows high stability, with 85.0% of residents remaining at the same address, lower than urban turnover rates. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months. The median age of 27 is 13 years below the national average, indicating a young demographic base that could support gradual workforce growth if formal employment opportunities expand.
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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