Nakara
Household income in the 91.2nd percentile nationally combined with a median house price of $467,000 makes Nakara one of Darwin's more accessible professional enclaves. The suburb scores decile 8 on IRSAD, IRSD and IEO, placing it comfortably above the national average on all three advantage measures. Nearly half of residents, 46.2%, were born overseas, which is 24.6 points above the national figure, and 48% hold university qualifications, running 17.9 points higher than national. With 91.7% detached housing, a density of 2,262 people per km2 and only 0.84 km2 in area, Nakara is a compact, well-educated suburb whose ageing demographic trend tells a more nuanced story than its income rank suggests.
Population
1,906
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,424/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$467K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $467,000 is well below the national median for established suburbs in decile 8 income areas, offering relative affordability for buyers targeting a professional neighbourhood. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most comparable income-tier suburbs nationally. Detached houses account for 91.7% of stock, semi-detached 5.2% and apartments only 3.1%, so buyers face limited choice of dwelling type but strong supply of the dominant format. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 48.7% and four-plus bedroom homes follow at 39.5%, meaning families are well served by the local stock. Outright owners make up 30.5% of households, with 33.5% on a mortgage and 36.1% renting.
For Buyers
The median house price of $467,000 is well below the national median for established suburbs in decile 8 income areas, offering relative affordability for buyers targeting a professional neighbourhood. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most comparable income-tier suburbs nationally. Detached houses account for 91.7% of stock, semi-detached 5.2% and apartments only 3.1%, so buyers face limited choice of dwelling type but strong supply of the dominant format. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 48.7% and four-plus bedroom homes follow at 39.5%, meaning families are well served by the local stock. Outright owners make up 30.5% of households, with 33.5% on a mortgage and 36.1% renting.
For Investors
A 36.1% renter share and weekly rent of $420 give investors a reasonable tenant pool, and the $467,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.7%, higher than most Sydney or Melbourne markets. The vacancy rate of 5.3% is elevated compared to the national average, signalling softer rental demand than the tenant share alone would suggest. Migration patterns weigh against the investment case: net internal outflow runs at minus 176 persons per year, only partially offset by net overseas arrivals of 139, leaving the suburb with an overall population that has declined from 3,748 before COVID to 3,522 in 2025. Forecast population under the medium scenario recovers slightly to 3,685 by 2031, but annual growth of 0.23% is slow. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, consistent with an established, low-churn market.
Schools in Nakara iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Nakara Primary School
T-6 · 409 students
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4 years below the national figure, yet the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 4.6 points and the working-age share fell 0.7 points over the decade, while the young share fell 1.7 points. Overseas-born residents at 46.2% run 24.6 points above the national average, the highest single comparison signal in the brief. Ancestry is led by English (435 residents), followed by a large Other category (416) and Chinese (222). Mandarin (64 speakers), Greek (53) and Malayalam (29) are the top non-English languages. University qualifications at 48% sit 17.9 points above the national figure, which aligns with the professional occupation profile. Average household size is 3.0, half a person above the national average, consistent with the high share of couples with children (660 families).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.7%
Houses
5.2%
Townhouse
3.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is spread across three roughly equal bands: 30.5% own outright, 33.5% carry a mortgage and 36.1% rent. The 91.7% separate-house share is high by national standards, leaving apartments at just 3.1% and semi-detached at 5.2%. Bedroom composition skews large: 48.7% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 39.5% have four or more, so two-bedroom or smaller homes are rare at 11.7% combined. Monthly mortgage costs of $2,000 sit at 19.1% of household income, below mortgage-stress thresholds, while rent at $420 a week represents 17.3% of household income, also below stress levels. The vacancy rate of 5.3% is above typical healthy-market benchmarks of around 3%, indicating some softness in rental demand compared to supply.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$995
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.3%
Unoccupied
33
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.1%
Couples, no children
1,444
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 22.6% of workers (163 people), followed by Education at 15.5% (112) and Public Administration at 13.0% (94). Professional/Technical services adds 9.4% and Hospitality 7.2%, rounding out a workforce weighted toward the public-sector and knowledge economy typical of Darwin. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group (266), followed by Community/Personal services (140), Clerical/Admin (107) and Managers (106). The full-time employment rate is 68.8% and unemployment sits at 5.2%, above the levels seen in decile 8 suburbs elsewhere. The SEIFA IER decile is 6, two notches below the IRSAD decile of 8, because Darwin's rental-heavy professional workforce holds less accumulated property wealth than similarly qualified cohorts in capital-city owner-occupier suburbs.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
2,142
Unemployed
62
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.8%
Part-time
26.0%
Participation
64.1%
Employed
921
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.0%
Postgraduate
16.7%
Born Overseas
46.2%
Dwellings
581
Transport to Work
Car dependence is the defining transport characteristic: 77.8% of residents drive to work, well above the national average, while only 6.0% use public transport. Walking and cycling account for a notable 9.0%, above average for a suburban NT context. The suburb scores decile 8 on IRSAD nationally, the top third of the advantage scale, and housing stress is absent on both tenure types, with rent-to-income at 17.3% and mortgage-to-income at 19.1%. Volunteering is active at 20.2% of residents and only 3.6% of the population needs daily assistance. Detailed suburb-level crime data is not available in this dataset, though the decile 8 IRSD score for relative disadvantage is consistent with low-disadvantage conditions nationally. No schools are recorded within the Nakara boundary, so families use institutions in neighbouring Darwin suburbs.
Drive
77.8%
Public Transport
6.0%
Walk / Cycle
9.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.23%/yr
(+8 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has declined from a pre-COVID high of 3,748 to 3,522 in 2025, a fall of 6.0%, and the suburb has not recovered to its pre-pandemic level. Annual growth under the medium forecast is just 0.23%, or about 8 persons per year, reaching 3,685 by 2031. The main headwind is net internal outflow of minus 176 persons a year, a flow that partially reflects Darwin's broader pattern of interstate departures. Overseas migration adds 139 annually, providing the only positive demographic driver. The gentrification score is low at 0 with the stage classified as not gentrifying, consistent with net outflow and an affordability trend that improved from 48.3% in 2011 to 41.1% in 2021 but without the price pressure that normally signals gentrification. The population trajectory is aging, with real income growth negative at minus 4.4% over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+139
Net Internal / yr
-176
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -176/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Nakara compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nakara a good suburb to live in?
Nakara ranks in decile 8 on IRSAD and IEO, the top third nationally, with household income in the 91.2nd percentile. University qualifications at 48% run 17.9 points above the national figure. Housing costs are low relative to income, with mortgage-to-income at 19.1% and rent-to-income at 17.3%, both well below stress thresholds.
What is the median house price in Nakara?
The median house price is approximately $467,000, estimated from rental data. Weekly rent averages $420 and monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000. This produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.1%, which is below the national stress benchmark of 30%.
What schools are in Nakara?
No schools are recorded inside the Nakara boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Darwin suburbs. Locally, 48% of adult residents hold university qualifications, which is 17.9 percentage points above the national figure, suggesting high educational attainment in the resident base.
Is Nakara safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Nakara at suburb level in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, Nakara scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage nationally, placing it above the national average on this measure, and only 3.6% of residents (64 people) need daily assistance.
Is Nakara good for property investment?
The 36.1% renter share and $420 weekly rent imply a gross yield near 4.7% against the $467,000 median, higher than most eastern-seaboard markets. However, the vacancy rate of 5.3% is above healthy-market benchmarks and net internal outflow of minus 176 persons per year limits demand growth. Overseas migration of 139 per year provides a partial offset.
How is Nakara's population changing?
The population has declined from a pre-COVID peak of 3,748 to 3,522 in 2025, a fall of about 6.0%. Annual growth is forecast at just 0.23% under the medium scenario, reaching 3,685 by 2031. Net internal outflow of minus 176 per year is the main drag, partially offset by 139 overseas arrivals annually.
What languages are spoken in Nakara?
About 46.2% of residents were born overseas, which is 24.6 percentage points above the national average. The most common non-English languages are Mandarin (64 speakers), Greek (53) and Malayalam (29), reflecting a cosmopolitan mix driven partly by Darwin's healthcare and education workforce.
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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