NT 0830 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Moulden

All four SEIFA indexes place Moulden in decile 1, the lowest advantage tier nationally, yet 80.3% of its dwellings are separate houses and the median house price sits at $354,000. That price-to-stock contrast reflects Darwin's regional housing economics rather than gentrification: Moulden has a gentrification score of 14 and shows no signs of uplift. Population has been contracting slowly, falling from 3,314 in 2023 to 3,053 today at roughly 0.3% per year. Household income sits at the 47.4th percentile nationally, and real incomes fell 6.1% over the decade despite a 28.3% rise in rents.

Moulden urban fabric map

Population

3,053

Median Age

33.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,515/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

0

Median House

$354K

Estimated from rent (2025)

1.75 km²· 1,744.2 people/km²· Family income $1,919/wk

The $354,000 median house price is notably lower than most Australian capital-city suburbs, reflecting Moulden's decile 1 SEIFA disadvantage ranking. Separate houses dominate the stock at 80.3%, with apartments at 13.8% and semi-detached at 5.9%. Three-bedroom homes make up 62.2% of dwellings, making them the clear majority. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,632, which at 24.9% of household income stays below the 30% stress threshold. However, outright ownership is low at 11.6%, with 42.8% on mortgages and 45.6% renting, suggesting the suburb skews toward renters and recent buyers rather than established owners.

For Buyers

The $354,000 median house price is notably lower than most Australian capital-city suburbs, reflecting Moulden's decile 1 SEIFA disadvantage ranking. Separate houses dominate the stock at 80.3%, with apartments at 13.8% and semi-detached at 5.9%. Three-bedroom homes make up 62.2% of dwellings, making them the clear majority. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,632, which at 24.9% of household income stays below the 30% stress threshold. However, outright ownership is low at 11.6%, with 42.8% on mortgages and 45.6% renting, suggesting the suburb skews toward renters and recent buyers rather than established owners.

For Investors

A 45.6% renter share provides a deep tenant pool, and weekly rent of $295 against a $354,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.3%, higher than most capital city markets. However, the vacancy rate of 9.4% is elevated and signals real supply pressure on demand. Population is declining at 0.3% per year, with internal migration running at minus 43 per year offset by only 12 overseas arrivals annually. Rent grew 28.3% over the decade while real incomes fell 6.1%, a divergence that squeezes tenant affordability and could soften future rental demand. Investors are buying yield over growth in a market where the median household income sits at the 47.4th percentile nationally.

Schools in Moulden iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Moulden Primary School

ICSEA 753 Primary Government

T-6 · 211 students

Demographics

The median age of 33 is 7.0 years below the national figure, reflecting a notably young resident base. English ancestry leads at 837 residents, followed by Irish (237) and Scottish (213). Overseas-born residents at 15.8% are 5.8 points below the national average. University qualifications reach 10.7%, which is 19.4 percentage points below the national rate. Average household size is 2.7, marginally above national by 0.2 persons. The suburb has 811 couples with children versus 336 couples without, pointing to a family-oriented profile where working-age residents outnumber retirees.

Age Distribution

0-14
25.6%
15-24
12.9%
25-44
28.6%
45-64
23.7%
65+
9.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
5.3%
2 bed
19.5%
3 bed
62.2%
4+ bed
12.9%

Dwelling Structure

80.3%

Houses

5.9%

Townhouse

13.8%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 11.6% Mortgage 42.8% Rent 45.6%

Tenure splits unevenly: 45.6% rent, 42.8% carry a mortgage and only 11.6% own outright. That outright ownership rate is far below national norms, reflecting a younger, more transient population. Separate houses make up 80.3% of stock, above the national average for low-income suburbs, because NT housing differs structurally from southern capitals. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 62.2%, with 2-bedroom at 19.5% and 4-plus at 12.9%. Rent-to-income at 19.5% and mortgage-to-income at 24.9% both sit below the 30% stress threshold.

Mortgage / mo

$1,632

Rent / wk

$295

HH Size

2.7

Personal Income / wk

$851

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

9.4%

Unoccupied

98

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

19.5%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

24.9%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

AIndLng
38

Ancestry

English
837
Ancestry NS
553
Other
333
Irish
237
Scottish
213
Filipino
121

Household Composition

16.4%

Couples, no children

2,050

Total families

Economy & Employment

Public Administration is the largest industry at 19.9% of employed residents (125 workers), consistent with Darwin's government-employment base. Healthcare follows at 14.0% (88 workers) and Construction at 13.1% (82 workers), with Education at 11.1% (70 workers) and Retail at 6.4% (40 workers). By occupation, Clerical and Admin workers lead (184), followed by Community and Personal Services (178) and Labourers (129). The unemployment rate is 8.8%, above the national average, and the labour force participation rate of 50.4% is low. All four SEIFA indexes rank Moulden at decile 1 nationally, indicating both low income and limited access to economic resources compared to the broader population.

Unemployment

13.6%

Labour Force

1,595

Unemployed

217

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
1
Disadvantage
1
Economic resources
1
Education & occupation
1

Full-time

74.0%

Part-time

17.2%

Participation

50.4%

Employed

1,048

Occupations

Clerical/Admin 184
Community/Personal 178
Labourers 129
Professionals 125
Sales 105
Managers 99
Machinery/Drivers 87

Top Industries

Public Admin 19.9%
Healthcare 14.0%
Construction 13.1%
Education 11.1%
Retail 6.4%

University

10.7%

Postgraduate

1.7%

Born Overseas

15.8%

Dwellings

950

Transport to Work

Car dependency is high at 86.6% commuting by car, versus 2.1% using public transport and 1.0% walking or cycling, reflecting low-density Darwin infrastructure. All four SEIFA deciles rank Moulden at 1 nationally, the lowest advantage tier for education, occupation, economic resources and relative disadvantage. Around 6.4% of residents (161 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded within the 1.75 km2 boundary. Volunteering runs at 11.7%, moderate for a suburb where the median age of 33 is 7 years below the national average. Housing stress remains manageable, with both rent-to-income and mortgage-to-income below 30%.

Drive

86.6%

Public Transport

2.1%

Walk / Cycle

1.0%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

-0.31%/yr

(-10 people/yr)

Established

Moulden's population fell 4.2% over the decade, from 3,314 in 2023 to 3,053 today, declining faster than the national trend of slow suburban growth. The annual rate is minus 0.3%, or roughly 10 persons per year, driven by net internal outflow of 43 annually offset by only 12 overseas arrivals. Medium forecasts project a further decline to about 3,186 by 2031. No gentrification signals are present, with a score of 14 compared to upgrading suburbs that score above 60. Affordability worsened from 31.2% in 2011 to 34.7% in 2021, as rent grew 28.3% while real incomes fell 6.1% over the same period.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+12

Net Internal / yr

-43

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Moulden compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 17%
Household Income
Bottom 47%
Rent Level
Top 42%
Apartments
Top 25%
Renters
Top 11%
Uni Educated
Bottom 7%
Public Transport
Bottom 35%
Born Overseas
Top 43%
Density
Top 10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Moulden a good suburb to live in?

Moulden offers affordable housing, with a $354,000 median house price and rent-to-income at 19.5%, below stress thresholds. However, all 4 SEIFA indexes rank it at decile 1 nationally, the lowest advantage tier, and unemployment sits at 8.8%. It suits buyers and renters seeking low-cost, house-dominated stock close to Darwin.

What is the median house price in Moulden?

The median house price is approximately $354,000, estimated from rental data for 2025. Weekly rent averages $295 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,632, representing 24.9% of household income, below the 30% stress threshold.

What schools are in Moulden?

No schools are recorded within the Moulden boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers 1.75 km2 and families rely on schools in neighbouring Darwin suburbs. University qualifications reach only 10.7% of residents, which is 19.4 percentage points below the national figure.

Is Moulden safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Moulden in this dataset. As a context indicator, the suburb ranks at SEIFA decile 1 nationally on all four indexes, placing it in the lowest socioeconomic tier. The unemployment rate of 8.8% is above the national average, which is associated with higher crime risk in comparable areas.

Is Moulden good for property investment?

The 45.6% renter share and $295 weekly rent against a $354,000 median imply a gross yield near 4.3%, above most capital city markets. The risk factors are a 9.4% vacancy rate, population declining at 0.3% per year, and net internal migration of minus 43 annually. Investors should weigh yield against long-term demand weakness.

How is Moulden's population changing?

Population fell from 3,314 in 2023 to 3,053 today, a 4.2% decline over the decade at roughly 10 persons per year. Internal migration runs at minus 43 annually, only partially offset by 12 overseas arrivals per year. Medium forecasts project a further decline to around 3,186 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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