Of the 52 UC/Ls, the largest were Darwin (70,251), Alice Springs (22,488), Palmerston (12,233) and Katherine (7,979). Together, these four Urban Centres represented 57.9% of the NT population. As there were no Urban Centres containing 100,000 or more people, there was no category of Major Urban area for the NT.

Males outnumbered females in the majority (55.8%) of UC/Ls, particularly in the Top End areas of Pine Creek (L) (63.1%), Alyangula (57.1%), Minjilang (L) (56.5%) and Nhulunbuy (54.8%). Inland communities recorded the highest proportions of females: Papunya (L) (60.1%), Bamyili (Barunga) (L) (55.0%), Warrabri (L) (55.0%) and Kalkaringi (L) (54.1%).

In both 1996 and 1991, the Rural Balance recorded the highest proportion of people aged 65 years or more (5.6% and 5.3% respectively) and the Bounded Locality recorded the lowest (4.0% and 2.6%). On the other hand, the Bounded Locality recorded proportionally more children (aged 0–14 years) — 33.8% in 1996 and 35.7% in 1991.

At the UC/L level, the highest percentages of people aged 65 years or more were recorded in the Localities of Mataranka (16.5%), Elliott (10.6%) and Adelaide River (7.9%), all on the Stuart Highway, and Timber Creek (10.1%). The highest proportions of children were recorded in Alpurrurulam (L) (43.9%) on the Queensland border and the Top End areas of Port Keats (41.9%), Daly River (L) (40.7%), Gapuwiyak (L) (40.3%), Bamyili (Barunga) (L) (40.2%) and Ngukurr (L) (40.2%).

In over one-third of the UC/Ls, 98.0% or more of the people counted were born in Australia. These included the Top End Localities of Belyuen, Bamyili (Barunga) and Umbakumba, and Lajamanu (L) in the Tanami Desert.

Some 8.7% of the people counted in the Territory reported that they had been born overseas in countries other than the UK, Ireland or NZ, a decrease since 1991 (9.6%). The Other Urban area recorded the highest proportion of people born in these countries with 10.9% (12.3% in 1991). Likewise at the UC/L level, high proportions were noted in Darwin (14.7%), Nhulunbuy (10.6%) and Alyangula (9.3%) on Groote Eylandt.

UC/Ls which recorded very high proportions of Indigenous people were: Angurugu (L), Umbakumba (L), Lajamanu (L), Belyuen (L), Galiwinku, and Kintore (L) (ranging from 95.2% to 97.5%). However, in over one-quarter (14) of the UC/Ls, the proportion was the same as or less than the level for the NT as a whole. Particularly low percentages were recorded in Virginia-Bees Creek (4.8%), Nhulunbuy (3.8%), and Yulara (0.8%), the tourist village near Uluru.

At the UC/L level, the highest percentages of lone person households were recorded in Yulara, Pine Creek (L), Hermannsburg (L) and Kalkaringi (L) (26.2%, 25.3%, 21.6% and 20.3% respectively).

UC/Ls which registered the highest percentages of family households with dependent children were Umbakumba (L) and Ngukurr (L) (89.7% each), Galiwinku (89.6%) and Numbulwar (L) (89.2%). Mataranka (L) (46.7%) and Yulara (30.1%) recorded the lowest percentages.

Urban Centres with the largest numbers of employed people were Darwin (34,443), Alice Springs (11,059), Palmerston (5,129) and Katherine (3,376), a similar pattern to the population distribution.

UC/Ls which recorded high levels of male full-time employees were the mining towns of
Alyangula (77.7%), Pine Creek (L) (76.0%), and Nhulunbuy (70.9%). The highest percentages of full-time employees who were female were recorded in the remote communities of Lajamanu (L) (66.7%) and Santa Teresa (L) (62.5%), although the numbers employed were small.

UC/Ls which recorded high levels of female part-time employees were Alyangula (75.0%),
Palmerston (69.8%), and Katherine (67.4%). The highest rate for males was recorded in Nguiu (74.5%) on Bathurst Island.

In 1996, 11.1% of the employed people in the NT were Labourers and related workers, representing an increase since 1991 (9.5%). The Bounded Locality recorded the highest percentages (28.5% in 1996 and 17.8% in 1991). UC/Ls with the highest percentages were Gunyangara (L), (79.0%), Ngukurr (L) (65.3%) and Galiwinku (57.7%), all in the north-east of the Territory.

Localities with the highest levels in these industries were Umbakumba (91.2%), Gunyangara (90.8%) and Ngukurr (89.0%) in the north-east, and Kintore (86.0%) in the south-west.

At the UC/L level, the highest percentages were recorded in Yulara (89.7%), Alyangula (89.3%) and Pine Creek (L) (85.2%). Milikapiti (L), Ngukurr (L) and Alpurrurulam (L), which recorded the lowest proportions in private enterprise (5.9%, 5.7% and 4.8% respectively), also recorded high proportions engaged in the Community Development Employment Program (60.0%, 82.8% and 79.2% respectively).

Localities which recorded comparatively high unemployment rates and numbers of unemployed people were Bamyili (Barunga) (59.4% and 60) near Katherine and Minjilang (53.3% and 48) on Croker Island in the Arafura Sea. Areas which recorded high levels of unemployment for people aged 15-24 years were Nguiu (52.1% and 75), on Bathurst Island, and Tennant Creek (20.7% and 68).

Home ownership levels were highest in the north-west UC/Ls of Howard Springs (35.9%),
Timber Creek (L) (32.4%) and Mataranka (L) (31.7%).

High levels of homes being purchased were recorded in the UCs of
Humpty Doo-McMinns Lagoon (50.8%), Virginia-Bees Creek (40.4%), Palmerston (37.6%) and Howard Springs (36.9%.

In more than three-quarters of the UC/Ls the majority of dwellings were being rented. Furthermore, in Kintore (L), Ramingining (L), Warruwi (L), Kalkaringi (L), Minjilang (L) and Kaltukatjara (Docker River) (L) all dwellings were being rented.

UCs associated with mining recorded the highest median household incomes: Alyangula ($1,354), Nhulunbuy ($1, 250) and Jabiru ($1,055). The lowest were recorded in the Localities of Ampilatwatja (Aherrenge) (L) ($466), and Milikapiti (L) ($454) on Melville Island.

Comparatively high median housing loan repayments were recorded in the Top End UCs of
Nhulunbuy ($1,008), Howard Springs ($914) and Virginia-Bees Creek ($884).

UCs recording the highest median weekly rent payments were Darwin ($140),
Virginia-Bees Creek (also $140), Humpty Doo-McMinns Lagoon ($135) and Alice Springs ($130).

Persons

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