🏙️ Top 25 Most Densely Populated Suburbs in Northern Territory
Population density — the number of residents packed into each square kilometre — is one of the clearest signals of how a suburb lives. High-density suburbs are built around apartments, walkable streets, public transport and close-in amenities; low-density suburbs spread out into detached houses, bigger blocks and a reliance on the car. This ranking lists the 25 most densely populated suburbs in Northern Territory, calculated from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census population divided by each suburb's gazetted land area.
Nightcliff leads with about 2,677 residents per square kilometre — 3,884 people living across just 1.45 km². That is well ahead of the midpoint of this list (Wanguri, ~2,072/km²). The densest suburbs cluster tightly around inner-city apartment precincts and high-rise renewal areas, where former industrial land has been rebuilt into vertical living.
Only suburbs (ABS SAL geographies) with a Census 2021 population of at least 500 residents and a land area above 0.1 km² are included, which keeps the list to genuine residential neighbourhoods and removes tiny localities whose density figures would be statistical noise. Note that area covers the whole gazetted locality — including any parks, water or non-residential land — so the lived density of the built-up core can be even higher than the figure shown.
Nightcliff NT 810
Nightcliff is a popular coastal suburb in the northern suburbs of Darwin, located 8 kilometres from the CBD on the traditional country of the Larrakia people. With a population of 3,884, it features a mix of elevated tropical homes and apartment complexes with sea views over the Timor Sea. The suburb has a relaxed, multicultural character with a slightly younger demographic attracted by the beachside lifestyle.
Parap NT 820
Parap is a vibrant inner suburb of Darwin, located just 3.7 km from the CBD in the City of Darwin. With a population of around 2,800 and a predominantly 30-39 age demographic, it attracts young professionals and families. The suburb has moderate owner-occupancy (36%) with significant rental investment, and residents typically earn above-average incomes working in professional occupations.
Stuart Park NT 820
Stuart Park is a compact inner-city suburb of Darwin, situated approximately 3 kilometres north-west of the Darwin CBD within the City of Darwin local government area. With a population of 4,101, the suburb skews young — the median age is just 34 — and attracts a diverse mix of professionals, university students, and recently arrived migrants, reflected in the fact that more than a third of residents were born overseas. Median household income sits at around $2,278 per week, well above the national average, underpinning a predominantly apartment and townhouse housing stock.
Wagaman NT 810
Wagaman is a suburban residential locality in Darwin's northern suburbs, situated approximately 9 kilometres north of the Darwin CBD within the City of Darwin local government area. With a population of around 2,023, it is a compact suburb covering under 1 square kilometre, characterised by single and double-storey residential homes typical of Darwin's tropical housing style. The suburb reflects Darwin's multicultural character, with a notable Greek-Australian community presence alongside a diverse mix of residents from Australian and international backgrounds.
Bakewell NT 832
Bakewell is a modern suburban locality within the City of Palmerston, approximately 20 kilometres south of Darwin CBD in the Greater Darwin region. With a population of 3,091 and a youthful median age of 32, the suburb reflects Palmerston's character as a planned satellite city with a diverse and growing community. The area features a notable multicultural population — including a significant Filipino community — as well as 419 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents, and households with a median weekly income of $1,955.
Karama NT 812
Karama is an established residential suburb in Darwin's northern suburbs, located 14 kilometres from the CBD. With a population of around 4,800, this 1980s-era suburb sits between McMillans Road and Vanderlin Drive. The community is notably diverse and includes a significant proportion of public housing residents—about 17% compared to the national average of 4%.
Lyons NT 810
Lyons is a suburban residential neighbourhood in northern Darwin, Northern Territory, located approximately 12km from Darwin's CBD. With a population of around 2,305 (2021 census) and a young median age of 20-39, the suburb reflects Darwin's transient workforce population. The area has a high rental occupancy rate (69%), typical of Darwin's defence and government worker demographics.
Nakara NT 810
Nakara is a compact residential suburb in Darwin's northern suburbs, situated approximately 9 kilometres north of the Darwin CBD within the Darwin (City) council area. With a population of 1,906 according to the 2021 Census, the suburb is notably multicultural, with significant communities of Chinese, Indian, Filipino, and Greek heritage alongside Anglo-Australian residents. The median household income of $2,424 per week is above average for the Northern Territory, and the suburb's young median age of 36 reflects its appeal to working families and professionals.
Darwin City NT 800
Darwin City is the central business district and urban core of Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory. Located on a peninsula overlooking Darwin Harbour, the suburb has a population of around 7,150 residents. Darwin City is a vibrant, multicultural hub known for its tropical climate, with distinct wet and dry seasons shaping daily life.
Rosebery NT 832
Rosebery is a modern residential suburb within the City of Palmerston, approximately 22 kilometres south of Darwin CBD in the Northern Territory. With a population of 4,127, it is one of Palmerston's established family suburbs, developed progressively from the late 1990s and 2000s to accommodate Darwin's growth. The median age of 30 is among the youngest of any Australian suburb, reflecting a community of young families and working-age adults — a common characteristic of Palmerston's newer residential areas. Median household income of $2,397 per week sits above the national average.
Muirhead NT 810
Muirhead is a modern northern suburb of Darwin in the Northern Territory, located approximately 15.8 km from the Darwin CBD. Established in 2008 and subdivided from 2011, it sits on the traditional Country of the Larrakia people near the shores of Buffalo Creek. The suburb had a population of 3,689 at the 2021 census, with a notably young median age of 29. Muirhead is named in commemoration of James Muirhead, a former Administrator of the Northern Territory and judge of the Supreme Court.
Gray NT 830
Gray is a residential suburb within the City of Palmerston, approximately 22 kilometres south of Darwin's CBD in Australia's Northern Territory. With a population of 3,142 and a median age of 34, Gray reflects Palmerston's character as a growing satellite city developed from the 1980s, attracting younger families and a diverse workforce. The suburb covers a compact 1.5 square kilometres on flat tropical terrain and has a notably multicultural community, including a significant Indigenous population (around 21% of residents) alongside Filipino, South-East Asian, and Pacific Islander communities.
Wanguri NT 810
Wanguri is a leafy northern suburb of Darwin, located approximately 14 kilometres from the CBD within the City of Darwin municipality. Established in 1972, it was one of Darwin's pre-Cyclone Tracy suburbs, rebuilt after the devastating 1974 cyclone. With a population of around 1,800, Wanguri is a compact residential suburb of just 1 square kilometre. The suburb is named after a clan of the Dangu Aboriginal people from east Arnhem Land, and its streets are mostly named after early Greek residents of Darwin.
Coconut Grove NT 810
Coconut Grove is a northern suburb of Darwin located 8.7 km from the CBD in the City of Darwin. With a population of 2,892 and a median age of 35, it is one of Darwin's more youthful and culturally diverse suburbs. Established in 1962, the suburb is named for the grove of coconut palms along its coastal fringe on the Timor Sea. It is the traditional country of the Larrakia people.
Larrakeyah NT 820
Larrakeyah is a prestigious inner suburb of Darwin located just 2 kilometres south of the CBD, within the City of Darwin. With a population of approximately 3,900, it is one of Darwin’s most established and sought-after residential areas. The suburb occupies about 2 square kilometres of peninsula land at just 13 metres elevation, with significant waterfront along Lameroo Beach and the Darwin Waterfront precinct. Larrakeyah is home to the Larrakeyah Defence Precinct and has a notable male-skewed population reflecting its military presence.
Wulagi NT 812
Wulagi is a residential suburb in the City of Darwin, located approximately 8 kilometres north of Darwin CBD within Greater Darwin. With a population of 2,510 and a median age of 36 as of the 2021 Census, Wulagi is a moderately young, multicultural community reflecting Darwin's characteristically diverse population. The suburb covers just over 1.26 square kilometres at low elevation, with a mix of houses, townhouses, and public housing typical of Darwin's northern residential corridor.
Woodroffe NT 830
Woodroffe is a residential suburb of Palmerston, located approximately 2 kilometres from Palmerston City and 25 kilometres south-east of Darwin CBD, within the City of Palmerston local government area. With a population of 3,175 and a median age of 33 years, the suburb has a young, active demographic reflective of Palmerston's planned growth in the 1980s. The suburb covers 1.6 square kilometres on the flat tropical landscape of the Top End, with a median household income of around $1,891 per week. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents make up approximately 18.5% of the population, alongside a notably diverse multicultural community.
The Narrows NT 820
The Narrows is a compact inner suburb of Darwin, Northern Territory, located approximately 4 kilometres from the Darwin CBD between Ludmilla Creek and Sadgrove Creek — the narrow land feature from which it takes its name. It is the traditional country of the Larrakia people and appeared on some of Darwin's earliest plans. With a population of around 632, it is a predominantly residential suburb within the City of Darwin local government area.
Moil NT 810
Moil is an established suburban locality situated approximately 12 kilometres south of Darwin CBD, within the City of Darwin in the Northern Territory. Covering around 1 square kilometre, the suburb had a 2021 Census population of 2,000 residents, with a median age of 37 and median household income of $2,033 per week. Moil is part of Darwin's middle ring of suburbs and is characterised by a notably diverse, multicultural community — with significant Filipino, Greek, and Indigenous Australian populations — reflecting Darwin's broader cosmopolitan character.
Bellamack NT 832
Bellamack is a modern residential suburb in the City of Palmerston, located approximately 27 kilometres southeast of the Darwin CBD in the Northern Territory. Established in 2010, it is one of Palmerston's newest suburbs with a population of around 2,500 residents. The suburb features contemporary housing developments and attracts young families and professionals working in the greater Darwin area. Its tropical climate and planned streetscapes give Bellamack a neat, community-oriented character.
Leanyer NT 812
Leanyer is a well-established residential suburb located approximately 12 kilometres north of Darwin CBD in the Northern Territory. With a population of around 4,580, it is a family-friendly suburb within the City of Darwin local government area. The suburb features a mix of single-storey homes on generous blocks, reflecting the tropical character of Top End living.
Anula NT 812
Anula is a well-established residential suburb located 13 kilometres north-east of Darwin CBD in the Northern Territory. With a population of around 2,385, it sits within the City of Darwin local government area. The suburb covers just 1.3 square kilometres and features a relatively dense, family-oriented layout with tree-lined streets named after notable Territorians.
Gunn NT 832
Gunn is a well-established residential suburb in the City of Palmerston, located approximately 21 kilometres southeast of Darwin CBD in the Northern Territory. With a population of around 2,500 residents, Gunn was developed in the mid-1990s as part of Palmerston's expansion. The suburb features a notably higher median income than the NT average, reflecting its appeal to defence personnel and government workers.
Millner NT 810
Millner is a compact residential suburb in Darwin's inner northern area, located approximately 6 kilometres north of the Darwin CBD within the Darwin (City) local government area. With a population of 2,576 according to the 2021 Census, it is a notably diverse community — reflecting Darwin's character as one of Australia's most multicultural cities, with significant Filipino, Nepalese, Indian, and Greek-ancestry communities. The median age of 36 is typical of Darwin's younger demographic, and households earn a median of $1,817 per week, broadly in line with the wider Top End.
Gillen NT 870
Gillen is a residential suburb in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, located approximately 2 km south-west of the town centre at an elevation of 578 metres. With a population of around 4,470 and a median age of 33, it is one of Alice Springs' larger and more diverse suburbs. The area is named after Francis James Gillen, a renowned anthropologist who studied Central Australian Aboriginal culture.
đź“Š Methodology
Population density is calculated as Census 2021 total population ÷ gazetted land area (km²) for each suburb (ABS SAL geography) in Northern Territory. Only suburbs with at least 500 residents and a land area above 0.1 km² are included, to avoid distortion from very small or sparsely populated localities. Ties are broken by total population (larger first). Land area covers the whole locality, including parks, water and non-residential land, so the density of the built-up residential core may be higher than shown.