Muirhead
At median age 29, Muirhead is 11 years younger than the national median, a gap that reflects its unusual demographic engine: household incomes sit in the 97.3rd percentile nationally, yet 45.4% of residents rent rather than own. The combination points to a suburb dominated by high-earning professionals on short postings rather than long-term owner-occupiers. With 44.1% of residents born overseas, 22.5 percentage points above the national figure, and a turnover rate of 33.4%, Muirhead reads as a high-income transient community anchored by Darwin's healthcare and public sector.
Population
3,689
Median Age
29.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,029/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$475K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is approximately $475,000, estimated from rental data. Against household income in the 97.3rd percentile, the mortgage-to-income ratio works out to just 19.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most comparable markets nationally. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 92.7% are separate houses, with apartments at only 2.4%. Large homes dominate, with 62.7% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, consistent with the high average household size of 3.4 persons. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600. The main caveat for buyers is the low outright-ownership rate of 5.2%, which signals that few households stay long enough to pay down their mortgage.
For Buyers
The median house price is approximately $475,000, estimated from rental data. Against household income in the 97.3rd percentile, the mortgage-to-income ratio works out to just 19.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most comparable markets nationally. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 92.7% are separate houses, with apartments at only 2.4%. Large homes dominate, with 62.7% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, consistent with the high average household size of 3.4 persons. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600. The main caveat for buyers is the low outright-ownership rate of 5.2%, which signals that few households stay long enough to pay down their mortgage.
For Investors
Renters make up 45.4% of residents, giving landlords a substantial tenant pool, and weekly rent of $313 is affordable relative to the 97.3rd-percentile household incomes. The vacancy rate sits at 5.0%, above the healthy 3% threshold, which suggests modest oversupply compared to long-term norms and warrants caution on vacancy risk. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not the source of the elevated vacancy. Demand is driven by the public sector and healthcare workforce rather than population growth, meaning rental demand tracks NT government and Royal Darwin Hospital staffing levels more than broader economic cycles.
Demographics
Muirhead's median age of 29 is 11 years below the national figure, the direct result of attracting young working-age professionals rather than established families or retirees. Overseas-born residents reach 44.1%, which is 22.5 percentage points above the national average, and the ancestry mix reflects this: Indian (450 residents) and Filipino (277) are prominent alongside English (719). The top non-English languages are Malayalam (139 speakers), Greek (94) and Mandarin (68), pointing to South Asian and Southeast Asian migration streams. University qualifications reach 49.8%, which is 19.7 points above the national figure. The average household size is 3.4 persons, 0.9 above the national average, driven by the 2,126 couples-with-children families that make up the largest household type.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.7%
Houses
4.9%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split almost evenly between renters (45.4%) and mortgage holders (49.4%), with outright owners at just 5.2%, far below most comparable suburbs nationally. This low ownership rate reflects the transient character of the resident base rather than affordability constraints: at a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.8%, buying is financially accessible for most households. The dwelling stock skews large, with 62.7% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and only 0.4% having 0 to 1 bedroom. The dominant type is the separate house, which accounts for 92.7% of dwellings. Rent-to-income at 10.3% is very low, meaning renters are not under financial pressure despite the relatively high 5.0% vacancy rate.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$313
HH Size
3.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,383
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.0%
Unoccupied
55
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
10.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
14.9%
Couples, no children
3,182
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 29.3% of the working population (454 workers) and Public Administration 28.2% (437 workers), together accounting for more than half the local workforce. This concentration reflects proximity to Royal Darwin Hospital and the NT public service. Education adds another 9.8% (151 workers). By occupation, Professionals lead at 657, followed by Community and Personal Service Workers at 343 and Managers at 254. The unemployment rate is 3.1%, below most state averages, and full-time employment runs at 77.6%, higher than the national norm, consistent with a workforce dominated by public sector and hospital roles. Labour force participation sits at 75.3%. Personal income averages $1,383 per week, above national benchmarks.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
77.6%
Part-time
19.3%
Participation
75.3%
Employed
1,922
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.8%
Postgraduate
15.7%
Born Overseas
44.1%
Dwellings
1,047
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 89.9% of residents drive to work, compared to just 1.9% on public transport and 1.6% who walk or cycle, reflecting Darwin's limited transit network rather than poor local amenity. No schools are recorded inside the Muirhead boundary, so families rely on schools in adjacent northern Darwin suburbs. Crime statistics are not available for Muirhead in this dataset. Housing stress is low on both measures: rent-to-income at 10.3% and mortgage-to-income at 19.8% are both well below national stress thresholds, meaning the cost of housing relative to income is more favourable here than in most comparable income-tier suburbs nationally. Need-for-assistance affects only 2.5% of residents (87 people).
Drive
89.9%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Muirhead compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Muirhead a good suburb to live in?
Muirhead suits high-income professionals working in Darwin's healthcare or public sector. Household incomes sit in the 97.3rd percentile nationally, housing stress is low at a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.8%, and unemployment is just 3.1%. The trade-off is limited public transport, with 89.9% of residents driving to work, and no schools recorded inside the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Muirhead?
The median house price is approximately $475,000, estimated from rental data for 2025. Weekly rent averages $313 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,600. At a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.8%, Muirhead is financially accessible for residents relative to the 97.3rd-percentile household incomes in the area.
What schools are in Muirhead?
No schools are recorded inside the Muirhead boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in surrounding northern Darwin suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 49.8%, which is 19.7 percentage points above the national figure, consistent with a professional workforce.
Is Muirhead safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Muirhead in this dataset. As indirect indicators, unemployment is low at 3.1% and only 2.5% of residents (87 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area. The suburb's dominant industries, healthcare at 29.3% and public administration at 28.2%, point to a stable, professional resident base.
Is Muirhead good for property investment?
The 45.4% renter share provides a large tenant pool and weekly rent of $313 is affordable for the income level. However, the vacancy rate of 5.0% is above the healthy 3% threshold, and demand is tied to NT government and hospital staffing rather than population growth. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months. Returns depend more on sector employment levels than broader market cycles.
How is Muirhead's population changing?
Muirhead has a population of 3,689 across 1.71 square kilometres. The turnover rate of 33.4% means roughly one in three residents moved in the past year, which is high compared to most Australian suburbs. Growth is linked to healthcare and public sector employment in Darwin rather than natural residential expansion. The median age of 29 is 11 years below the national figure, reflecting a young, mobile workforce.
What languages are spoken in Muirhead?
About 44.1% of residents were born overseas, which is 22.5 percentage points above the national average. The most common non-English languages are Malayalam (139 speakers), Greek (94), Mandarin (68), Nepali (53) and Hindi (37), reflecting migration from South Asia and Southeast Asia. Indian ancestry accounts for 450 residents and Filipino 277, alongside English (719).
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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