Nhulunbuy, NT: suburb profile

The population of Nhulunbuy NT is 3,350 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Nhulunbuy is $1,465 per week ($76,180 per year). Median rent in Nhulunbuy is $120 per week ($520 per month). Nhulunbuy has a median age of 33 years, younger than the national median of 38. Nhulunbuy has a population density of 51 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Nhulunbuy is New Zealand. The most common religion is No religion (39.9% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Australian Indigenous Languages. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Nhulunbuy is $1,741.

Population
3,350
Census 2021
Median income
$1,465/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$120/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
33years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Nhulunbuy vs the typical NT suburb

The median personal income in Nhulunbuy is $1,465 a week, 71% above the typical NT suburb ($855). That ranks 6th of 163 NT suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $120 a week, $130 less than the typical NT suburb. Rent takes 4.3% of the median household income here, against 13.6% in the typical NT suburb. The median resident is 33, the same age as in the typical NT suburb.

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureNhulunbuyTypical NTDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,465/wk$855/wk +71%$766/wk
Household income$2,777/wk$1,803/wk +54%$1,637/wk
Rent$120/wk$250/wk −52%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,741/mo$1,950/mo −11%$1,733/mo
Median age3333 0 yrs42
Rent share of household income4.3%13.6% −9.3 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Nhulunbuy, the typical NT suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Nhulunbuy Population

3,350 residents at the 2021 Census.

Nhulunbuy Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,465/wk
$76,180 per year
Ranked 135 of 14,663
Median Rent
$120/wk
$520 per month
Ranked 8,508 of 14,663
Median Age
33years
5 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,741/mo
Avg household size: 2.8 · 1 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Nhulunbuy Rent Prices & Affordability

4% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,777/wk
Median rent $120/wk
Rent to income 4.3%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Nhulunbuy against your income

About $12,034 a month
Median rent $120/wk
Left after rent $2,657/wk
Rent share 4.3%

Nhulunbuy Schools

4
schools nearby
2
government
968
avg ICSEA score
766
total students
Nhulunbuy Christian College Independent
Combined · T-10 · 138 students
1056
ICSEA
Nhulunbuy Primary School Government
Primary · T-6 · 349 students
946
ICSEA
Nhulunbuy High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 279 students
903
ICSEA
NT Christian College - Nhulunbuy Campus Independent
Secondary

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Nhulunbuy, with a map

Nhulunbuy Map

Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Nhulunbuy

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 51.5% (1,727) Female 48.5% (1,625)

Population Density

51
people per km²
3,350 people · 65.6 km²

Households

2.8
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$3,150
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

New Zealand
3.4%
England
1.9%
Philippines
1.4%
South Africa
0.8%
India
0.7%
Fiji
0.6%
Papua New Guinea
0.5%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Australian Indigenous Languages
4.3%
Tagalog
0.5%
Malayalam
0.4%
Arabic
0.4%
German
0.4%
Gujarati
0.3%
Spanish
0.3%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
31.4%
English
27.7%
Australian Aboriginal
9.0%
Irish
8.1%
Scottish
8.1%
German
3.5%
Filipino
2.0%
Maori
1.9%
Italian
1.4%
Chinese
1.3%
Indian
1.3%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
39.9%
Not stated
23.4%
Catholic
12.9%
Anglican
5.1%
Uniting Church
5.0%
Christian (other)
3.7%
Baptist
1.8%
Other religions
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

10.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
43.8% 1,077
Separated
3.5% 86
Divorced
7.6% 187
Widowed
1.5% 36
Never married
43.7% 1,074

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
64.4%
Couple: no children
17.7%
Couple: no children under 15
10.3%
One parent: children under 15
6.2%
One parent: no children under 15
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
21.9%
2 persons
27.0%
3 persons
15.0%
4 persons
22.3%
5 persons
9.9%
6+ persons
4.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Nhulunbuy

Housing Tenure

Of the 853 occupied private dwellings in Nhulunbuy at the 2021 Census, 60.5% were rented, 3.8% owned outright and 2.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
29.1% 248 dwellings
Owned outright
3.8% 32 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
2.6% 22 dwellings
Rented
60.5% 516 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
3.2% 27 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
91.9%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
8.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
7.1%
2 bedrooms
13.3%
3 bedrooms
60.4%
4 bedrooms
18.2%
5 bedrooms
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
27.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
27.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
45.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.3%
1 vehicle
36.9%
2 vehicles
43.0%
3 vehicles
11.0%
4+ vehicles
4.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Nhulunbuy

Employment

Employed full-time
63.7% 1,139 people
Employed part-time
16.0% 286 people
Unemployed
2.2% 40 people
Not in labour force
18.1% 324 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
31.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
21.3%
Managers
12.4%
Clerical & Administrative
12.0%
Community & Personal Service
10.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
7.3%
Labourers
3.3%
Sales Workers
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
0.4%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$300-$399/wk
0.4%
$400-$499/wk
0.8%
$500-$649/wk
0.9%
$650-$799/wk
0.7%
$800-$999/wk
2.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
4.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.2%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
14.9%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
12.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
12.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
9.2%
$4,000+/wk
23.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
6.5%
$1-$149/wk
3.6%
$150-$299/wk
2.5%
$300-$399/wk
1.6%
$400-$499/wk
1.5%
$500-$649/wk
1.1%
$650-$799/wk
4.7%
$800-$999/wk
7.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
10.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
10.5%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
22.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.3%
$3,500+/wk
4.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
67.7%
Did not go to work
10.7%
Car (passenger)
8.3%
Walked only
6.3%
Bicycle
3.3%
Bus
1.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.0%
Other
0.5%
Truck
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
64.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
21.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
11.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.7%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
43.3%
Bachelor Degree
25.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
13.3%
Postgraduate Degree
8.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
6.2%
Certificate I/II
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Engineering
24.6%
Health
18.3%
Management & Commerce
16.4%
Education
10.7%
Society & Culture
10.0%
Architecture & Building
7.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.5%
Agriculture & Environment
2.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.3%
Creative Arts
1.6%
Information Technology
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
32.7%
Secondary: Government
26.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
15.4%
Pre-school
8.2%
Vocational Education
7.6%
Primary: Catholic
5.2%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.1%
Secondary: Catholic
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
75.7%
Has need for assistance
1.3%
Need for assistance not stated
22.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
138
Asthma
71
Diabetes
36
Heart disease
32
Arthritis
30
Lung condition
20
Cancer
15
Stroke
9
Kidney disease
8
Dementia
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
7.8% 145
Did not provide
92.2% 1,707

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
25.0% 465
Not a volunteer
75.0% 1,397

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.2% 4
Current ADF: Reserves
0.3% 6
Previously served
2.8% 53
Never served
96.6% 1,809

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
34.8%
1 child
12.0%
2 children
28.9%
3 children
14.7%
4 children
7.8%
5+ children
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

1951: 1960
12
1961: 1970
18
1971: 1980
40
1981: 1990
66
1991: 2000
54
2001: 2010
125
2011: 2015
68
2016
20
2017
14
2018
32
2019
14
2020
5
2021
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

24.1%
moved in the last year
61.0%
moved in the last 5 years
2.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
65.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,945
Moved: same area (SA2)
190
Moved from NT
125
Moved from QLD
92
Moved from WA
76
Moved from VIC
41
Moved from NSW
41
Moved from SA
19
Moved from overseas
16
Moved from TAS
6
Moved from ACT
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.3%
5: 14 hours
35.6%
15: 29 hours
13.9%
30+ hours
8.2%
Did not do domestic work
17.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
80.4%
Step family: no other children
13.1%
Blended family: no other children
5.5%
Other couple: children only
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Frequently Asked Questions About Nhulunbuy

What is the population of Nhulunbuy NT?

The population of Nhulunbuy NT is 3,350 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 51 people per km². Nhulunbuy is ranked #2,205 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Nhulunbuy?

The median personal income in Nhulunbuy NT is $1,465 per week, or $76,180 per year. The median household income is $2,777 per week. Family income is $3,150 per week. Nhulunbuy is ranked #135 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Nhulunbuy?

Median rent in Nhulunbuy NT is $120 per week ($520 per month). Rent represents 4.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. Nhulunbuy ranks #8,508 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Nhulunbuy?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Nhulunbuy NT is $1,741. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Nhulunbuy?

The median age in Nhulunbuy NT is 33 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Nhulunbuy a good suburb to live in?

Nhulunbuy is a suburb in Northern Territory with a population of 3,350. The median income is $1,465/wk, which is above the typical NT suburb ($855/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (4.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 70208. All dollar figures in AUD.