Rosebery
Household income at the 90.6th percentile nationally sets Rosebery apart from most Darwin fringe suburbs, yet 53.8% of residents rent rather than own, and the median age of 30 sits 10 years below the national figure. Those two facts together point to a suburb of high-earning young workers who have not yet converted income into ownership, common in NT government and defence-sector towns. Density runs at 2,184 people per km2 across just 1.89 km2, meaning a compact footprint serves a population of 4,127. The IRSD decile of 8 confirms low disadvantage relative to national distribution, while Public Admin employs 25.7% of the workforce, well above any comparable share in VIC or NSW suburban benchmarks.
Population
4,127
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,397/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$481K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $481,000 sits at a level where monthly mortgage repayments average $2,128 and the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 20.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 68.4% of stock, higher than many urban areas, with semi-detached dwellings at 20.8% and apartments at just 10.8%. Bedrooms skew large: 45.1% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 35.8% have 3 bedrooms, reflecting family-scale housing rather than investor-grade studio supply. Only 8.7% of residents own outright compared to 37.5% on a mortgage, meaning buyers are entering a market where most existing stock is still being paid down. The low outright ownership rate relative to the national average signals a relatively young purchasing cohort rather than long-held generational wealth.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $481,000 sits at a level where monthly mortgage repayments average $2,128 and the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 20.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses make up 68.4% of stock, higher than many urban areas, with semi-detached dwellings at 20.8% and apartments at just 10.8%. Bedrooms skew large: 45.1% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 35.8% have 3 bedrooms, reflecting family-scale housing rather than investor-grade studio supply. Only 8.7% of residents own outright compared to 37.5% on a mortgage, meaning buyers are entering a market where most existing stock is still being paid down. The low outright ownership rate relative to the national average signals a relatively young purchasing cohort rather than long-held generational wealth.
For Investors
A renter majority of 53.8% and a weekly rent of $420 are the headline investor metrics. Against the $481,000 estimated median, that rent implies a gross yield around 4.5%, above what inner-city Sydney or Melbourne markets offer at current prices. The vacancy rate sits at 7.0%, elevated compared to a healthy 2-3% benchmark, which signals some risk of void periods. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply pressure is not a near-term factor. The high share of Public Admin workers at 25.7% of the workforce provides tenancy stability, as government employees typically hold leases for multi-year postings. Investors should monitor the vacancy rate and the broader NT public sector staffing cycle, since departures can move occupancy quickly in small, single-employer-dependent markets.
Schools in Rosebery iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Rosebery Primary School
T-6 · 349 students
Demographics
Rosebery's median age of 30 is 10 years younger than the national figure, the clearest signal that this is an early-career household suburb. English ancestry leads at 1,300 residents, followed by Irish (318) and Scottish (307), giving the suburb a predominantly Anglo-Celtic profile. The overseas-born share of 22.8% is 1.2 percentage points above national and is reflected in a modest language spread: Urdu (30 speakers), Greek (28), Mandarin (13), Nepali (12) and Punjabi (12) are the main non-English languages. University qualifications at 24.3% sit 5.8 points below the national average, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades, clerical and community service roles rather than knowledge-sector professions. Couples with children account for 1,850 of 3,244 families, making it a strongly family-oriented suburb. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
68.4%
Houses
20.8%
Townhouse
10.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits clearly: 37.5% hold a mortgage, 53.8% rent and only 8.7% own outright, so ownership is the minority position. The renter majority is higher than the national average and reflects the mobile workforce character of Darwin-area suburbs. Separate houses dominate at 68.4% of dwellings, above what most capital city fringe markets show in a comparable density band. The bedroom profile is heavily weighted to large dwellings: 45.1% have 4 or more bedrooms, meaning families are the primary demand cohort. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5% is below stress levels, and rent-to-income at 17.5% is also comfortable, meaning housing costs are proportionate to the above-national incomes. Weekly rent of $420 is a practical reference point for both tenants and landlords assessing affordability against Rosebery's household income profile.
Mortgage / mo
$2,128
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,205
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.0%
Unoccupied
98
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.1%
Couples, no children
3,244
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Administration employs 25.7% of Rosebery's workforce, the single largest sector by a wide margin, followed by Healthcare at 14.0%, Construction at 9.8% and Education at 9.5%. This government-heavy concentration is typical of NT suburbs near Darwin's administrative core and provides employment stability but limited economic diversification. By occupation, Professionals lead at 371 workers, followed by Community/Personal service (364) and Clerical/Admin (364), with Managers at 256. The unemployment rate is 3.2%, equal to the national average, and the full-time employment rate of 75.2% is strong. SEIFA decile scores are 8 on IRSD and 7 on IRSAD, placing Rosebery in the upper-middle tier nationally for both relative disadvantage and overall advantage. The household income at the 90.6th percentile nationally is high for a suburb where university qualifications are 5.8 points below national, suggesting wage premiums from NT government and allowances rather than credential-driven pay.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
75.2%
Part-time
21.6%
Participation
69.9%
Employed
2,050
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.3%
Postgraduate
6.3%
Born Overseas
22.8%
Dwellings
1,300
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 89.6% of residents drive to work, against just 1.4% who use public transport and 1.5% who walk or cycle. This pattern is standard for Darwin-fringe suburbs and reflects infrastructure gaps rather than preference. The IRSD decile of 8 places Rosebery in the low-disadvantage tier nationally, and only 3.8% of residents (143 people) need daily assistance, in line with the young median age of 30. Rent-to-income at 17.5% and mortgage-to-income at 20.5% both fall below stress thresholds, so financial pressure on residents is low relative to income. No schools are recorded within the Rosebery boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring NT suburbs. Volunteering runs at 15.0% of the population, moderate relative to higher-income established suburbs. The vacancy rate of 7.0% is the main amenity risk signal, as it indicates softer underlying demand than a healthy market would show.
Drive
89.6%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Rosebery compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rosebery a good suburb to live in?
Rosebery ranks in the IRSD decile 8 nationally, meaning low disadvantage, and household income sits at the 90.6th percentile. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5% and rent-to-income of 17.5% are both below stress thresholds. The main practical trade-off is near-total car dependence, with 89.6% of residents driving to work and only 1.4% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Rosebery?
The estimated median house price is $481,000, based on 2025 rent data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,128, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.5%. Weekly rent is $420. Separate houses make up 68.4% of stock, so the market is predominantly detached family dwellings rather than apartments.
What schools are in Rosebery?
No schools are recorded inside the Rosebery boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring NT suburbs. The suburb's population skews young at a median age of 30, and 24.3% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 5.8 points below the national average.
Is Rosebery safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Rosebery are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 8 nationally, placing it in the low-disadvantage tier. Only 3.8% of residents (143 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a young and relatively well-resourced population at the 90.6th income percentile nationally.
Is Rosebery good for property investment?
A renter majority of 53.8% and weekly rent of $420 give landlords a large tenant pool. Against the $481,000 estimated median, gross yield is around 4.5%, higher than most capital city markets. The vacancy rate of 7.0% is elevated above the 2-3% healthy benchmark, so void periods are a real risk. Zero development applications in 12 months means no near-term supply pressure.
How is Rosebery's population changing?
Rosebery has a young and mobile population, with 36.6% of residents having changed address in the five years before the census. The median age of 30 is 10 years below national. The suburb spans just 1.89 km2 with no new development recorded in the past 12 months, so near-term population growth will be driven by household formation and NT government employment levels rather than new dwellings.
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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