Poverty and living standards in Darwin, Australia: official figures
The median weekly rent paid by households in the City of Darwin was $380 at the 2021 Census (rents on census night, 10 August 2021), joint 12th lowest of 31 areas; the national median was $375. Boundary: the City of Darwin local government area (the council area), not the wider urban region around it.
What is the average mortgage repayment in Darwin?
The median monthly mortgage repayment in the City of Darwin was $2,000 at the 2021 Census (the national median was $1,863), joint 9th highest of 31 areas.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Darwin have no income?
7.4% of residents of the City of Darwin had nil or negative personal income at the 2021 Census, joint 13th lowest of 31 areas, below the national figure (8.7%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many renters in Darwin are in rental stress?
18.4% of renting households in the City of Darwin paid more than 30% of their income in rent at the 2021 Census (a common measure of rental stress), the lowest of 26 areas, below the national figure (32.2%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Darwin are in mortgage stress?
11.3% of households with a mortgage in the City of Darwin paid more than 30% of their income in repayments at the 2021 Census (mortgage stress), below the national figure (14.5%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Darwin are on a low income?
15.0% of residents of the City of Darwin had a personal income of $1 to $499 a week at the 2021 Census, below the national figure (23.3%); 9.8% of households had an equivalised income of $1 to $499 a week, below the national figure (15.9%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Darwin?
An estimated 1,567 people were homeless on census night 2021 in the City of Darwin, which is 178 per 10,000 residents (2nd highest of 26 areas; Australia 48 per 10,000).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Darwin are overcrowded?
6.3% of occupied homes in the City of Darwin needed at least one more bedroom for the people living there at the 2021 Census (Australia 3.5%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyIs Darwin a disadvantaged area?
On the ABS SEIFA index of relative socio-economic disadvantage (2021), the City of Darwin is in decile 9 of Australia, where decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of areas and decile 10 the least.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Darwin are disadvantaged?
19.5% of households in the City of Darwin were in the most disadvantaged quarter of Australian households on the ABS Index of Household Advantage and Disadvantage (2021 Census).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow Darwin compares with other cities in Australia
Median weekly rent, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Darwin ranks 20 of 31, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like.
| Rank | City | Median weekly rent, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Hobart | $390 |
| 18 | Greater Darwin | $385 |
| 19 | Greater Brisbane | $380 |
| 20 | Darwin | $380 |
| 21 | Newcastle-Maitland | $375 |
| 22 | Greater Hobart | $350 |
| 23 | Greater Perth | $350 |
Renting households paying over 30% of income in rent, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Darwin ranks 26 of 26, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like. Not published for Significant Urban Areas.
| Rank | City | Renting households paying over 30% of income in rent, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Greater Perth | 29.9% |
| 21 | Brisbane | 29.1% |
| 22 | Perth | 28.7% |
| 23 | Townsville | 25.4% |
| 24 | Canberra | 23.0% |
| 25 | Greater Darwin | 19.5% |
| 26 | Darwin | 18.4% |
Residents with nil or negative income, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Darwin ranks 18 of 31, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like.
| Rank | City | Residents with nil or negative income, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Central Coast | 7.6% |
| 16 | Sydney | 7.4% |
| 17 | Cairns | 7.4% |
| 18 | Darwin | 7.4% |
| 19 | Greater Hobart | 7.4% |
| 20 | Toowoomba | 7.3% |
| 21 | Greater Darwin | 7.3% |
More on Darwin: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · all cities in Australia
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Data by region 2011-2025: Local Government Areas (ASGS Edition 3), 18 city councils, all indicators, read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 788eca55906d…)
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