Rapid Creek
With 56.6% of residents renting, Rapid Creek sits comfortably above the national renter average, yet household incomes rank at the 83.9th percentile nationally, a combination that reflects its professional workforce rather than affordability pressure. The suburb's 56.6% university qualification rate is 26.5 percentage points above the national figure, driven by Darwin's concentration of healthcare, education and public administration workers. At 1.92 square kilometres and 3,261 residents, density reaches 1,701 people per km2. The median age of 35 is five years below the national figure, pointing to a younger-skewing, career-stage population.
Population
3,261
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,208/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$422K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price sits at $422,000, modest by national standards, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,956, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Housing stock leans heavily toward apartments, which make up 57.2% of dwellings, versus separate houses at only 41.4%. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 37.1%, with three-bedroom at 31.8% and four-plus at 21.1%. Outright owners account for just 19.1% of households and mortgage holders 24.3%, which is lower than national norms because 56.6% of households rent. For buyers, the low mortgage-to-income ratio and below-national price point offer relative affordability compared to most Australian capital city suburbs.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price sits at $422,000, modest by national standards, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,956, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Housing stock leans heavily toward apartments, which make up 57.2% of dwellings, versus separate houses at only 41.4%. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 37.1%, with three-bedroom at 31.8% and four-plus at 21.1%. Outright owners account for just 19.1% of households and mortgage holders 24.3%, which is lower than national norms because 56.6% of households rent. For buyers, the low mortgage-to-income ratio and below-national price point offer relative affordability compared to most Australian capital city suburbs.
For Investors
A 56.6% renter majority and weekly rent of $350 give landlords a broad tenant base, with rent-to-income running at 15.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Against the $422,000 estimated median, gross yield approaches 4.3%, meaningfully higher than most capital city comparisons. The vacancy rate of 9.8% is elevated and warrants attention, reflecting the transient nature of Darwin's government and professional workforce. Net overseas migration adds approximately 97 residents annually, partly offsetting internal outflow of around 102 per year. Annual population growth is forecast at 0.25%, adding roughly 9 persons per year through 2031. The slow growth trajectory and high vacancy make yield the primary return driver rather than capital appreciation.
Schools in Rapid Creek iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
The Essington School
T-12 · 782 students
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
T-6 · 221 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5 years below the national figure, consistent with the suburb's working-age, career-stage character. Overseas-born residents make up 34.4% of the population, which is 12.8 percentage points above the national average, reflecting Darwin's role as a gateway for skilled migration. University qualifications reach 56.6%, placing the suburb 26.5 points above the national rate. Ancestry is led by English (936 residents), followed by Other (694), Irish (393), Scottish (306) and Indian (195). The top non-English languages spoken are Nepali (62 speakers), Gujarati (49), Punjabi (34), Urdu (31) and Greek (30), reflecting a South Asian professional migrant cohort. Couples with children make up 1,059 families while 641 are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
41.4%
Houses
1.5%
Townhouse
57.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Rapid Creek is apartment-dominant, with 57.2% of dwellings being apartments and 41.4% separate houses. Just 1.5% are semi-detached. Two-bedroom units lead at 37.1%, followed by three-bedroom (31.8%) and four-plus (21.1%). Tenure skews heavily toward renting at 56.6%, compared to 24.3% with a mortgage and 19.1% owning outright. The outright ownership rate is lower than the national average, which reflects the suburb's younger demographic and transient professional population. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,956. At $422,000, the estimated median house price sits well below the national median, making entry relatively accessible for buyers, though the high renter share means owner-occupier demand is constrained.
Mortgage / mo
$1,956
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,229
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.8%
Unoccupied
142
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.3%
Couples, no children
2,267
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 25.2% of the workforce (392 workers), followed by Education at 16.4% (255) and Public Administration at 15.7% (244), together accounting for more than half of all jobs. Professional and technical services add another 9.2% (143 workers). By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 755 workers, followed by Community and Personal Service workers (244), Managers (243) and Clerical staff (192). This public-sector and knowledge-intensive profile explains the high university qualification rate and the 83.9th percentile household income ranking despite the high renter share. The unemployment rate is low at 3.9%, full-time employment runs at 69.8% and the participation rate is 71.3%. SEIFA shows a split: the IEO (education and occupation) decile is 9, placing it in the top tier nationally, while IER (economic resources) sits at decile 4, reflecting the limited household wealth that comes with a predominantly renting population.
Unemployment
1.7%
Labour Force
2,232
Unemployed
38
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.8%
Part-time
26.3%
Participation
71.3%
Employed
1,837
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.6%
Postgraduate
23.0%
Born Overseas
34.4%
Dwellings
1,305
Transport to Work
Transport in Rapid Creek leans car-dependent at 80.2% driving, which is higher than most capital city inner suburbs, though 9.1% walk or cycle, above the national average. Public transport use at 4.4% is modest, consistent with Darwin's limited network. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families access schools in neighbouring areas. The IRSAD decile of 8 places Rapid Creek in the upper advantage bracket nationally, and the IEO decile of 9 confirms a well-educated and well-employed population. Only 3.2% of residents (98 people) need assistance with daily activities. The volunteering rate of 25.3% is high relative to comparable suburbs, reflecting the community orientation of the professional workforce.
Drive
80.2%
Public Transport
4.4%
Walk / Cycle
9.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.25%/yr
(+9 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow but stable, forecast at 0.25% annually, adding around 9 persons per year to reach approximately 3,597 by 2031, below the national average growth rate for urban suburbs. The current estimated population of 3,532 has recovered fully from a COVID dip of 2.1%, exceeding the pre-COVID level of 3,505. Over ten years, population change is near flat at -0.3%. The migration balance is mixed: overseas migration contributes about 97 net arrivals per year while internal migration removes approximately 102 residents, a pattern common to Darwin suburbs where government and contract workers cycle through. The gentrification score sits at 10 (not gentrifying), but affordability improved from 38.7% in 2011 to 28.5% in 2021, meaning housing costs have become less burdensome relative to incomes over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+97
Net Internal / yr
-102
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -102/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Rapid Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rapid Creek a good suburb to live in?
Rapid Creek scores decile 8 on IRSAD and decile 9 on IEO, placing it in the upper advantage tier nationally. Household incomes rank at the 83.9th percentile, unemployment is low at 3.9% and university qualifications reach 56.6%, some 26.5 points above the national rate. The main trade-offs are a high vacancy rate of 9.8% and a predominantly renting population rather than stable owner-occupier community.
What is the median house price in Rapid Creek?
The estimated median house price is $422,000, well below the national median for capital city suburbs. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,956, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, below the stress threshold of 30%.
What schools are in Rapid Creek?
No schools are recorded within the Rapid Creek boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Darwin suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 56.6% holding university qualifications, which is 26.5 percentage points above the national average.
Is Rapid Creek safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Rapid Creek in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, in the upper tier nationally, and only 3.2% of residents (98 people) need daily assistance. These figures are broadly consistent with a lower-disadvantage area.
Is Rapid Creek good for property investment?
Rent of $350 a week against an estimated $422,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.3%, higher than most capital city comparisons. However, the 9.8% vacancy rate signals elevated turnover and rental competition. Net overseas migration of about 97 per year supports some demand, but annual population growth of only 0.25% means yield is the dominant return driver rather than capital growth.
How is Rapid Creek's population changing?
Population is growing slowly at 0.25% annually, projected to reach around 3,597 by 2031 from approximately 3,532 today. The suburb recovered fully from a COVID dip of 2.1% and sits above its pre-COVID level of 3,505. Net internal outflow of about 102 per year is largely offset by overseas migration of about 97 per year.
What languages are spoken in Rapid Creek?
About 34.4% of residents were born overseas, which is 12.8 percentage points above the national figure. The top non-English languages are Nepali (62 speakers), Gujarati (49), Punjabi (34), Urdu (31) and Greek (30), reflecting a South Asian professional migrant cohort alongside the broader international community.
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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