Virginia

Demographics

The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, and the aging trajectory is pronounced: the senior share rose 6.8 points while the working-age share fell 4.6 points over the decade, compared with national trends. University qualifications reach 20.8%, which is 9.3 points below the national average, reflecting the suburb's trade and public-sector employment base rather than a professional knowledge economy. Overseas-born residents make up 14.3%, some 7.3 points below the national share. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (677 residents), Irish (170) and Scottish (168). Average household size is 2.9, marginally above the national figure by 0.4, consistent with the large-bedroom housing stock and family-oriented profile.

Virginia's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached: 96.0% separate houses and only 0.5% apartments, a ratio that places it far above the national average for house-dominated suburbs. Tenure splits with 48.6% on a mortgage and 32.2% owning outright, meaning over 80% of households are owner-occupiers versus the national renter share of around 30%. The renter share of 19.2% is correspondingly well below state and national norms. Large dwellings dominate, with 41.6% having four or more bedrooms and 38.4% three bedrooms, making Virginia suited to families rather than singles or couples. The 10.5% vacancy rate, estimated from 2025 rent data, is elevated and suggests either seasonal turnover in the outer Darwin market or oversupply relative to current demand.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Public Administration is the largest industry at 21.9% of local workers (141 people), which is typical for outer Darwin suburbs servicing Territory government employment. Construction follows at 14.9% (96 workers), a higher share than national averages and consistent with ongoing residential development across the outer Darwin fringe. Healthcare accounts for 10.4% and Education 9.9%, together reflecting local service employment. By occupation, Managers (167) and Professionals (162) are the two largest groups, followed closely by Clerical and Admin workers (154). The unemployment rate is 5.0% against a 65.9% participation rate. SEIFA IER sits at decile 8, above average nationally for economic resources, while IEO scores decile 5, pointing to a workforce that earns well but holds fewer formal qualifications.

Transport to Work

Car dependence is extreme: 92.2% of residents drive to work, among the highest ratios nationally, and only 0.8% use public transport. This reflects Virginia's outer suburban location across 32.63 square kilometres where walking or cycling accounts for just 1.1% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on facilities in neighbouring Darwin suburbs. The IRSAD decile 7 score places Virginia in the above-average tier for combined advantage and disadvantage nationally. Volunteering runs at 18.7% of the population, and only 3.0% of residents (50 people) need daily assistance. Rent stress is absent at 17.2% rent-to-income, well below the 30% threshold, and mortgage stress is similarly contained at 21.6%.

Population Forecast

Virginia grew 12.2% over ten years, faster than many established suburban areas, and the current annual rate is 1.12% or roughly 42 people per year. The population reached an estimated 3,759 in 2025 and medium forecasts project steady growth to 3,928 by 2031, a continuation of the existing trend rather than an acceleration. Migration is balanced: net internal arrivals average 59 per year and overseas 17, so the suburb is not reliant on either source alone. Affordability improved from 42.8% of income in 2011 to 33.8% in 2021, a meaningful 9-point easing that broadened the buyer pool. The gentrification score is 15, classified as not gentrifying, and real incomes grew 7.5% over the decade.

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

How Virginia compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions