NORTHERN TERRITORY


Total population

Age and sex distribution

Median age

Children (under 15 years of age)

Working age population (aged 15-64 years)

People aged 65 years and over

Sex ratio


TOTAL POPULATION

The estimated resident population of the Northern Territory (NT) at June 2011 was 231,300 people, an increase of 33,600 people (or 17%) since June 2001. This was the third fastest growth of all the states and territories, behind Western Australia (24%) and Queensland (23%).

Greater Darwin was home to over half of the NT's population in 2011, increasing by 22,200 people since 2001 to reach 129,100. The rest of the NT increased by 11,300 people in the same ten year period to reach 102,300.

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION

At June 2011, the age structure of people residing in Greater Darwin was generally older than for the rest of the NT. Greater Darwin had a higher proportion of males aged 20 to 24 years and above and females aged 25 to 29 years and above. In contrast, the rest of the NT had a higher proportion of both males and females in the younger age groups, particularly in the 5 to 9 year age group.

In both Greater Darwin and the rest of the NT, the 25 to 29 year age group accounted for the largest proportion of the population of any age group, both for males and females.

MEDIAN AGE

At June 2011, the NT had a median age (the age at which where half the population is older and half is younger) of 31.4 years. Despite increasing from 29.6 years in the ten years to 2011, the NT continued to have the lowest median age of all states and territories.

The SA2 with the highest median age in the territory in 2011 was Ross (41.6 years), which is predominantly a rural/residential area located in Alice Springs. This was followed by Virginia (40.7) in the Darwin rural area and Alligator (39.3) in the Top End. From 2001 to 2011, the SA2 with the largest increase in median age was Alligator, which increased by 7.1 years.

In 2011, Thamarrurr, which includes the community of Wadeye, was the SA2 with the lowest median age (21.6 years) in the NT, followed by West Arnhem (24.0) and Victoria River (24.4). These areas are all located outside of Greater Darwin.
CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

At June 2011, there were 52,400 children in the NT, with boys outnumbering girls by 1,800. Despite an increase of 1,200 children in the ten years to 2011, the proportion of children in the total NT population declined from 26% in 2001 to 23% in 2011. However, the NT still had the highest proportion of children of all states and territories in 2011.

In 2011, 20% of Greater Darwin’s population was under 15 years of age. Within Greater Darwin, the SA2s with the highest proportion of children were Lyons (29%) in Darwin's northern suburbs, and Moulden (29%) and Rosebery - Bellamack (28%) in Palmerston.

In the rest of the NT, 26% of the population were under 15 years of age. The three SA2s with the highest proportion of children in the NT were all located outside of Greater Darwin. They were Thamarrurr (36%), Victoria River (33%) and Gulf (32%).
WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

At June 2011, there were 166,100 people of working age (15 to 64 years) residing in the NT, an increase of 26,900 people from June 2001. The NT had the highest proportion of working age population of any state and territory, at 72%.

Within Greater Darwin, the SA2s with the highest proportion of working age population were Berrimah, which contains the Northern Immigration Detention Centre and the Darwin Correctional Centre, and Darwin City (both 86%), followed by Stuart Park (82%).

The SA2s with the highest proportions in the rest of the NT were Petermann - Simpson (79%) in the far south, Mount Johns (77%) in Alice Springs, and Alligator (74%).

PEOPLE AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

At June 2011, there were 12,800 people aged 65 years and over in the NT, representing 5.5% of the total population. This was by far the lowest proportion of all states and territories, with the Australian Capital Territory having the next lowest at 11%. The proportion of people age 65 years and over in the NT increased from 3.7% in 2001, which is in line with the national trend for this ten year period.

The SA2 with the highest proportion of its population aged 65 years and over in 2011 was the northern suburb of Tiwi (14%) in Greater Darwin. This was followed by Fannie Bay - The Gardens, also in Greater Darwin, and Ross, in Alice Springs (both 11%).
SEX RATIO

There were 121,500 males and 109,900 females in the NT at June 2011. This represents a sex ratio (the number of males per 100 females) of 110.6, a slight increase from June 2001 (109.7). The NT had the highest sex ratio of all states and territories in 2011, with more males than females in every five year age group up to 80 years and over.

The SA2 of Berrimah had the highest sex ratio in the NT, and one of the highest in the country, with 263.7 males per 100 females. This was followed by Howard Springs (163.5) in the Darwin rural area, Sandover - Plenty (140.5) in the south of the NT, and Darwin City (135.5).

Across the NT, only 10% of SA2s had more females than males in their population, all of which were in Greater Darwin. The SA2s with the lowest sex ratios were Tiwi (94.3), Moulden (96.2) and Coconut Grove (98.6).