Family-friendly ranking · NT

The for families suburbs in Northern Territory.

Suburbs ranked by average school ICSEA score and family-household percentage. Filtered to Northern Territory suburbs only.

About this ranking

Family-friendly suburbs balance four things: schools you'd actually send your kids to, parks and bike paths that get used, walkable neighbourhood retail, and a price point that doesn't lock you out of upgrading rooms when the family grows. We rank by the strongest measurable proxy (school ICSEA) and weight by the share of households that are families with dependents.

Northern Territory property market in 2026

The Northern Territory market is small, illiquid, and unusually exposed to public-sector wages and defence-sector activity. Darwin median house prices sit around $580K, the lowest of any capital, and rental yields are correspondingly higher (often 5%+). The market has been firming through 2024-2025 after a long flat period; 2026 sees solid demand but limited stock.

Buyer tip, NT

The NT's HomeGrown and HomeBuild Access loan schemes are designed for the local market and can be more flexible than mainstream lender policy. Check both before defaulting to a big-four bank.

Watch out, NT

Cyclone exposure and tropical-climate maintenance costs mean Darwin properties carry higher insurance premiums and ongoing capex than southern equivalents. Factor an additional $3K to $5K per year into your holding-cost assumptions.

Methodology

Suburbs are scored on average ICSEA across primary and secondary schools (sourced from ACARA), filtered to suburbs where families with dependents make up at least 40% of households (ABS Census 2021). Population-weighted to avoid outliers from very small localities.

Best for

First home buyers planning to start a family in the next 5 years; existing families upsizing into a longer-term home; relocating families researching new areas.

By stateAll Australia NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS NT ACT

Showing top 50 suburbs in Northern Territory

#	Suburb	State	Avg ICSEA	Family HH %	Profile
1	Rapid Creek 0810	NT	1,103	61%	View profile →
2	Larrakeyah 0820	NT	1,086	61%	View profile →
3	Ross 0873	NT	1,085	63%	View profile →
4	Parap 0820	NT	1,066	60%	View profile →
5	Stuart Park 0820	NT	1,054	62%	View profile →
6	Nakara 0810	NT	1,051	78%	View profile →
7	Nightcliff 0810	NT	1,025	61%	View profile →
8	Leanyer 0812	NT	1,024	74%	View profile →
9	Douglas-Daly 0822	NT	1,022	51%	View profile →
10	Durack 0830	NT	1,017	81%	View profile →
11	Wanguri 0810	NT	1,011	78%	View profile →
12	Zuccoli 0832	NT	1,008	82%	View profile →
13	Marlow Lagoon 0830	NT	1,008	86%	View profile →
14	Anula 0812	NT	1,006	80%	View profile →
15	Johnston 0832	NT	1,001	78%	View profile →
16	Jingili 0810	NT	997	78%	View profile →
17	Freds Pass 0822	NT	987	75%	View profile →
18	Fannie Bay 0820	NT	980	63%	View profile →
19	Bakewell 0832	NT	978	70%	View profile →
20	Girraween 0836	NT	978	85%	View profile →
21	The Gardens 0820	NT	977	55%	View profile →
22	Marrara 0812	NT	975	65%	View profile →
23	Alawa 0810	NT	970	76%	View profile →
24	Nhulunbuy 0880	NT	968	75%	View profile →
25	Rosebery 0832	NT	964	78%	View profile →
26	Moil 0810	NT	960	77%	View profile →
27	Humpty Doo 0836	NT	947	79%	View profile →
28	Wagaman 0810	NT	944	76%	View profile →
29	Tiwi 0810	NT	944	68%	View profile →
30	Bellamack 0832	NT	939	78%	View profile →
31	Alice Springs 0870	NT	936	41%	View profile →
32	Woodroffe 0830	NT	913	72%	View profile →
33	Millner 0810	NT	911	65%	View profile →
34	Tipperary 0822	NT	911	78%	View profile →
35	Braitling 0870	NT	911	70%	View profile →
36	Katherine South 0850	NT	907	61%	View profile →
37	Ludmilla 0820	NT	905	72%	View profile →
38	Driver 0830	NT	899	74%	View profile →
39	Wulagi 0812	NT	890	82%	View profile →
40	Karama 0812	NT	889	74%	View profile →
41	Alyangula 0885	NT	888	75%	View profile →
42	Gillen 0870	NT	863	70%	View profile →
43	Mataranka 0852	NT	844	62%	View profile →
44	Katherine 0850	NT	839	58%	View profile →
45	Katherine East 0850	NT	818	72%	View profile →
46	Gray 0830	NT	808	64%	View profile →
47	Malak 0812	NT	807	71%	View profile →
48	Sadadeen 0870	NT	789	65%	View profile →
49	Moulden 0830	NT	753	69%	View profile →
50	Middle Point 0822	NT	753	79%	View profile →

#1Rapid Creek

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

1,103

Family HH %

61%

View profile →

#2Larrakeyah

NT 0820

Avg ICSEA

1,086

Family HH %

61%

View profile →

#3Ross

NT 0873

Avg ICSEA

1,085

Family HH %

63%

View profile →

#4Parap

NT 0820

Avg ICSEA

1,066

Family HH %

60%

View profile →

#5Stuart Park

NT 0820

Avg ICSEA

1,054

Family HH %

62%

View profile →

#6Nakara

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

1,051

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#7Nightcliff

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

1,025

Family HH %

61%

View profile →

#8Leanyer

NT 0812

Avg ICSEA

1,024

Family HH %

74%

View profile →

#9Douglas-Daly

NT 0822

Avg ICSEA

1,022

Family HH %

51%

View profile →

#10Durack

NT 0830

Avg ICSEA

1,017

Family HH %

81%

View profile →

#11Wanguri

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

1,011

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#12Zuccoli

NT 0832

Avg ICSEA

1,008

Family HH %

82%

View profile →

#13Marlow Lagoon

NT 0830

Avg ICSEA

1,008

Family HH %

86%

View profile →

#14Anula

NT 0812

Avg ICSEA

1,006

Family HH %

80%

View profile →

#15Johnston

NT 0832

Avg ICSEA

1,001

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#16Jingili

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

997

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#17Freds Pass

NT 0822

Avg ICSEA

987

Family HH %

75%

View profile →

#18Fannie Bay

NT 0820

Avg ICSEA

980

Family HH %

63%

View profile →

#19Bakewell

NT 0832

Avg ICSEA

978

Family HH %

70%

View profile →

#20Girraween

NT 0836

Avg ICSEA

978

Family HH %

85%

View profile →

#21The Gardens

NT 0820

Avg ICSEA

977

Family HH %

55%

View profile →

#22Marrara

NT 0812

Avg ICSEA

975

Family HH %

65%

View profile →

#23Alawa

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

970

Family HH %

76%

View profile →

#24Nhulunbuy

NT 0880

Avg ICSEA

968

Family HH %

75%

View profile →

#25Rosebery

NT 0832

Avg ICSEA

964

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#26Moil

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

960

Family HH %

77%

View profile →

#27Humpty Doo

NT 0836

Avg ICSEA

947

Family HH %

79%

View profile →

#28Wagaman

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

944

Family HH %

76%

View profile →

#29Tiwi

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

944

Family HH %

68%

View profile →

#30Bellamack

NT 0832

Avg ICSEA

939

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#31Alice Springs

NT 0870

Avg ICSEA

936

Family HH %

41%

View profile →

#32Woodroffe

NT 0830

Avg ICSEA

913

Family HH %

72%

View profile →

#33Millner

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

911

Family HH %

65%

View profile →

#34Tipperary

NT 0822

Avg ICSEA

911

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#35Braitling

NT 0870

Avg ICSEA

911

Family HH %

70%

View profile →

#36Katherine South

NT 0850

Avg ICSEA

907

Family HH %

61%

View profile →

#37Ludmilla

NT 0820

Avg ICSEA

905

Family HH %

72%

View profile →

#38Driver

NT 0830

Avg ICSEA

899

Family HH %

74%

View profile →

#39Wulagi

NT 0812

Avg ICSEA

890

Family HH %

82%

View profile →

#40Karama

NT 0812

Avg ICSEA

889

Family HH %

74%

View profile →

#41Alyangula

NT 0885

Avg ICSEA

888

Family HH %

75%

View profile →

#42Gillen

NT 0870

Avg ICSEA

863

Family HH %

70%

View profile →

#43Mataranka

NT 0852

Avg ICSEA

844

Family HH %

62%

View profile →

#44Katherine

NT 0850

Avg ICSEA

839

Family HH %

58%

View profile →

#45Katherine East

NT 0850

Avg ICSEA

818

Family HH %

72%

View profile →

#46Gray

NT 0830

Avg ICSEA

808

Family HH %

64%

View profile →

#47Malak

NT 0812

Avg ICSEA

807

Family HH %

71%

View profile →

#48Sadadeen

NT 0870

Avg ICSEA

789

Family HH %

65%

View profile →

#49Moulden

NT 0830

Avg ICSEA

753

Family HH %

69%

View profile →

#50Middle Point

NT 0822

Avg ICSEA

753

Family HH %

79%

View profile →

Common questions

About this ranking.

What is ICSEA and why does it matter?

ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is ACARA's measure of the educational backgrounds of students at a school, used as a proxy for school resourcing and outcomes. Higher ICSEA generally correlates with stronger NAPLAN performance and higher senior-year retention. We use it because it's published consistently across all Australian schools, but it's not a direct quality measure, so always verify with site visits and NAPLAN data.

Why don't you rank by NAPLAN scores directly?

NAPLAN scores are published by My School (ACARA) but reproducing them in rankings is restricted. ICSEA is the next-best public proxy and correlates strongly with NAPLAN outcomes for like-for-like school cohorts.

How do school catchments affect this ranking?

We rank suburbs by the average ICSEA of schools located in or directly serving the suburb. Catchment boundaries cut through suburbs, so two houses on the same street can fall into different catchments. Always verify the in-catchment school for the specific address before making an offer.

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