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Darwin in Australia

Darwin is made up of Darwin (C), Palmerston (C), and Litchfield (M).

Living in Darwin in May 2025

Darwin Overall Liveability Index
Australia
59.5
Adelaide
62.9
Central NSW
59.0
Central QLD
57.2
Central VIC
60.8
Eastern VIC
58.0
Far North Queensland
52.9
Hobart
58.1
Melbourne
60.6
Northern NSW
55.7
Perth
62.9
Regional NT
50.6
Regional SA
59.4
Regional Tas
58.8
Regional WA
61.0
Rest of QLD
66.5
South East Queensland
59.2
Southern NSW
59.1
Sydney
64.1
The ACT
64.2
Western VIC
60.9
Collected May 2025

Use the values and experiences matrix to understand the relationship between what your residents believe makes somewhere a good place to live and how they experience their local area in that regard. The matrix highlights the attributes that your community believe needs to maintained and improved to advance overall liveability.

Greater Importance & Worse Experiences    Greater Importance & Better Experiences    Less important attributes

Darwin Overall Liveability Index

Darwin Overall Liveability Index 52.6

Australia Overall Liveability Index

Australia Overall Liveability Index 59.5

Darwin
Australia
Importance
Experience
Feeling safe
Importance
Experience
72%
3.3
65%
6.2
Affordable decent housing
Importance
Experience
52%
4.4
56%
4.5
Natural environment
Importance
Experience
48%
7.5
50%
7.6
Health services
Importance
Experience
48%
4.7
48%
6.1
Good job prospects
Importance
Experience
47%
6.0
29%
5.4
Social cohesion
Importance
Experience
29%
5.3
26%
6.3
A prosperous economy
Importance
Experience
27%
4.3
16%
5.6
Education
Importance
Experience
26%
5.4
20%
6.3
Sense of community
Importance
Experience
26%
5.4
29%
6.2
Opportunity for all
Importance
Experience
22%
5.6
19%
5.9
Making your way
Importance
Experience
22%
6.7
30%
6.0
Shopping, leisure & dining
Importance
Experience
21%
4.8
26%
6.1
A lack of road congestion
Importance
Experience
21%
7.7
21%
5.3
Public transport
Importance
Experience
16%
3.7
40%
5.2
Cultural facilities
Importance
Experience
12%
6.2
15%
5.8
Sports and recreation
Importance
Experience
12%
6.8
9%
6.9
The arrows indicate whether a difference is statistically significant. Significance testing helps determine if a difference between two groups is likely real (shown by an arrow) or due to random chance (no arrow).
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Health and Wellbeing in Darwin in May 2025

Physical Health
How would you rate your physical health?
Do you think your physical health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
7.1
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
12%
58%
30%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
15%
56%
30%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Mental Health
How would you rate your mental health?
Do you think your mental health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
6.8
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
18%
62%
19%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
12%
64%
24%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Social wellbeing
How would you rate your social wellbeing?
Do you think your social wellbeing will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
6.2
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.5
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
15%
63%
21%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
11%
67%
22%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Financial circumstances in Darwin in May 2025

How would you rate your personal financial circumstances?
Do you think your personal financial circumstance will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
5.8
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
5.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
25%
52%
23%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
27%
47%
26%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
How often, if ever, are you late meeting your financial commitments?
Do you think the economic situation in your local area will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Darwin 2025 (n = 191)
Australia (n = 4683)
Always late
3%
2%
Often late
6%
6%
Sometimes late
31%
30%
Never late
60%
63%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
42%
45%
13%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
42%
48%
11%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change in Darwin in May 2025

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
Australia (n = 4907)
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by human activities
40%
43%
It's happening - caused equally by human activities and natural causes
33%
32%
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
10%
9%
It's happening - not sure what is causing it
4%
6%
I do not believe climate change is happening
14%
11%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among those that believe in climate change, 55% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 35% expected their local area to feel the effects within their lifetime. Of those, 6% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 37% somewhat confident. 54% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact your local area in your lifetime?
How confident are you that your local area will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Darwin 2025 (n = 172)
Australia (n = 4304)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
55%
49%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
35%
36%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect it will in my lifetime
10%
15%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Darwin 2025 (n = 147)
Australia (n = 3585)
Very confident
6%
5%
Somewhat confident
37%
35%
Not very confident
35%
39%
Not at all confident
19%
15%
Don't know
3%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt their local area is currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top local area climate-related events were: Extreme heat (81%), Cyclones (61%) and Storms (46%). The top actions residents felt should be taken to address the effects of climate change in their local area were: Protect and enhance local biodiversity (60%), Conserve natural resources (52%) and Reduce pollution of the environment (50%).

How is your local area currently, or how do you expect it will, feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
What do you feel are the best ways to address the effects of climate change in your local area?
Darwin 2025 (n = 145)
Australia (n = 3490)
Extreme heat
81%
74%
Cyclones
61%
24%
Storms
46%
53%
Flooding
30%
48%
Severe wind
29%
44%
Bushfires
28%
50%
Sea level rise
27%
24%
Droughts
25%
42%
Earthquakes
12%
5%
Extremely cold temperatures
2%
16%
Landslide
1%
7%
Other
6%
5%
None of these
2%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Darwin 2025 (n = 147)
Australia (n = 3585)
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
60%
60%
Conserve natural resources
52%
48%
Reduce pollution of the environment
50%
51%
More sustainable building and development practices
46%
44%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
44%
53%
Create renewable energy sources
42%
38%
Provide options for recycling waste
42%
47%
Adopt renewable energy sources
40%
48%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
36%
36%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
33%
35%
More sustainable transport options
30%
41%
Encourage residents to buy locally
28%
30%
Other
5%
6%
None of these
1%
2%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 54% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 32% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 9% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 47% somewhat confident. 41% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact you personally in your lifetime?
How confident are you that you personally will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Darwin 2025 (n = 172)
Australia (n = 4304)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
54%
47%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
32%
37%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
15%
16%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Darwin 2025 (n = 139)
Australia (n = 3506)
Very confident
9%
8%
Somewhat confident
47%
52%
Not very confident
36%
30%
Not at all confident
6%
6%
Don't know
3%
4%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt they are currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top personal impacts were: Increased household running costs (71%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (48%) and My ability to leave my home due to weather (42%). 49% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 23% feel it will reduce their quality of life a lot.

How are you currently, or how do you expect to, personally feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Which of the following best represents how you believe the effects of climate change will affect your quality of life?
Darwin 2025 (n = 139)
Australia (n = 3506)
Increased household running costs
71%
77%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
48%
61%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
42%
46%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
38%
26%
My ability to access nature due to weather
36%
32%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
30%
40%
Reduction in air quality
28%
36%
Loss or damage to your home/property
28%
29%
Challenges accessing essential services
25%
28%
Reduced value to your home/property
24%
15%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
22%
29%
Challenges getting around
20%
36%
None of these
5%
2%
Other
1%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Darwin 2025 (n = 139)
Australia (n = 3506)
It will improve a lot
5%
2%
It will improve somewhat
4%
7%
It will not change
18%
14%
It will reduce somewhat
49%
49%
It will reduce a lot
23%
22%
Don't know
2%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Concerns in Darwin in May 2025

What are the top three issues facing your local area?
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
Australia (n = 4907)
Law & order
78%
36%
Inflation/Cost of Living
36%
54%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
35%
15%
Issues Facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
32%
4%
Housing/Price of Housing
24%
50%
Healthcare/Hospitals
18%
20%
The Economy
12%
12%
Race Relations/Racism
10%
5%
Transport
8%
20%
Household Debt/Personal Debt
8%
13%
Poverty/Inequality
7%
11%
Petrol Prices/Fuel
7%
12%
Immigration
7%
7%
Education
5%
3%
Environmental Concerns
5%
10%
Unemployment
4%
9%
Taxation
2%
6%
Population/Overpopulation
2%
13%
Defence
1%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Residential Development and Local Area Decision-Making in Darwin in May 2025

What concerns do you have with residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
Australia (n = 4907)
Rising housing costs
42%
35%
Lack of affordable housing
39%
38%
Strain on infrastructure and public services
33%
42%
Loss of green space or natural areas
31%
28%
Environmental impact
26%
20%
Changes to neighbourhood character
20%
21%
Increased traffic and congestion
19%
46%
Overcrowding
11%
18%
Noise or disruption during construction
8%
10%
Other
7%
5%
None/not applicable to my area
9%
5%
Don't know
1%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What other concerns do you have with residential development in your local area?

What do you see as the potential benefits of residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
Australia (n = 4906)
Increased housing availability
49%
49%
More affordable housing options
44%
37%
Attraction of new residents and economic growth
38%
23%
Support for local businesses and services
34%
42%
Improved infrastructure and amenities (e.g. roads, parks)
22%
18%
Revitalisation of underused or vacant areas
21%
20%
Greater diversity in housing types
11%
10%
Opportunity for more sustainable, energy-efficient housing
8%
15%
Enhanced public transport options
5%
13%
Other
2%
4%
None/not applicable to my area
14%
13%
Don’t know
2%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What do you see as the other potential benefits of residential development in your local area?

To what extent do you feel your community’s views are considered in local area decision-making?
Darwin 2025 (n = 199)
Australia (n = 4907)
Very well considered
4%
4%
Somewhat well considered
18%
27%
Not well considered
39%
34%
Not considered at all
28%
27%
Don't know
11%
9%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower