Median house price
—
No data available
NT · Alice Springs Council
Desert Springs, 0870
Est. population · Jun 2025
1,943
Growth (1 yr)
+2.6%
Growth (5 yr)
+17.8%
Median age
36
Median income
$3,025/wk
Employment rate
78.5%
Languages at home
17.7%non-English
Most common: Punjabi, Malayalam, Mandarin
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Education hub
- Excellent transport
- Café precinct
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Desert Springs is a regional smaller community in Alice Springs Council, oriented around local life rather than the metro orbit of Darwin. Day-to-day life leans on nearby towns and local hubs rather than the metro area. Families and commuters make up much of the community, with family life visible on every street.
The suburb has a clear multicultural mix alongside longer-term local households. Sport and recreation are easy to access, with local venues supporting active weekends and after-work routines. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here, with buses covering longer trips across the wider area.
Homes cost more here than in most comparable suburbs. A growing community is gradually adding fresh energy without losing its local identity.
Against similar regional towns, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because parks and green space, plus schools and education lag behind, despite relative strength in community and employment, plus safety. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Desert Springs snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
1,943
+2.6% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
14.2%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#4
among Country & regional · Growth area
Pop. growth
89th
percentile in NT
Advantage (IRSAD)
10/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
3rd
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 37.6/100 — Below average
- State standing
- Top 38% of Northern Territory's suburbs
- National rank
- 4202nd in Australia
- State rank
- 61st in NT
- Peer rank
- #4 among Country & regional · Growth area suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #18 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 61%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
1,943(June 2025)
+2.6% annual · +17.8% over 5 years · 89th percentile in NT
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +2.6%
- 5-year growth
- +17.8%
- Change in 1 year
- +49
- Change in 5 years
- +294
- Growth rank in NT
- 89th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~2,100), extrapolated at +1.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 1,536
- Median age
- 36
- Median household income / week
- $3,025
- Dwelling vacancy
- 14.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 87 of 614
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,264
- Employment rate
- 78.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 351 / 165 / 4
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 4
- Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
- 807
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 3th
School list
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic CollegeCombined · Catholic · ICSEA 1028 · 59th percentile · LBOTE 51% · 823 students · Top SEA quarter 24% · 1.2 km awayView on My School →
- St Joseph's Catholic Flexible SchoolSpecial · Catholic · LBOTE 55% · 82 students · 1.7 km awayView on My School →
- Gillen Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 807 · 3th percentile · LBOTE 64% · 230 students · Top SEA quarter 8% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
- Sadadeen Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 793 · 3th percentile · LBOTE 73% · 118 students · Top SEA quarter 8% · 2.0 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Public transport
3 public transport stops in this suburb
- Barrett Dr Desert Palms
- Barrett Dr before Cromwell Dr
- Convention Centre Barrett Dr
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
Amenities
66 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
2 restaurants · 1 cafes · 1 playgrounds · 24 swimming pools
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Decent local green space — 2 parks in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
- Strong local sport and recreation — 26 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 11/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0.65
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 1.95
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 1.3
Food & drink(3)
- The Bean Tree CafeCafe
27 Tuncks Road
- HanumanRestaurant
- The Juicy RumpRestaurant
Sport & outdoors(29)
- Park (2)
- Picnic area
- Playground
- Sports field
- Swimming pool (24)
Entertainment(2)
- Coolabah Swamp and Native Fig LookoutViewpoint
- River and Ranges LookoutViewpoint
Transport(4)
4 bus stops
Other(15)
- Artwork
- EmuArtwork
- Strange news From Another StarArtwork
- Bench
- Bicycle Parking (2)
- Drinking water (4)
- Alice Springs Convention CentreExhibition Centre
93 Barrett Drive
- Olive Pink Botanic GardenGarden
Tuncks Road
- Crowne Plaza Lasseter'sHotel
93 Barrett Drive
- DoubleTree By HiltonHotel
Barrett Drive
- Golf Club Car ParkParking
- Parking (7)
- Public toilets
- Shelter (4)
- The Blakeman ShelterShelter
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 2
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Alice Springs Hospital (1.2 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 31
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 16.0
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 36° / 21°
- Rainfall
- 117 mm · ~15 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 29° / 14°
- Rainfall
- 78 mm · ~10 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 21° / 5°
- Rainfall
- 37 mm · ~5 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 31° / 15°
- Rainfall
- 56 mm · ~7 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via state planning hazard mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- NT Fire Protection and Fire Management zones — Bushfires NT / Department of Lands, Planning and Environment · current · Updated · Shapefile boundaries (CC BY 4.0)
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Lingiari
- Member of Parliament
- Marion SCRYMGOUR (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 76,817
- Turnout (2025)
- 62.2%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +6.5 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 41.9%Labor 58.1%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 1040.7 km away).
Coalition 40.0%Labor 60.0%
1.9 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +8.8 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Alice SpringsLabor 64.0% · Coalition 36.0% TPP (2025)1.2 km away
- GillenLabor 54.8% · Coalition 45.2% TPP (2025)1.7 km away
- SadadeenLabor 64.2% · Coalition 35.8% TPP (2025)1.9 km away
- IlparpaLabor 36.2% · Coalition 63.8% TPP (2025)3.8 km away
- BraitlingLabor 53.2% · Coalition 46.8% TPP (2025)4.2 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
This suburb ranks highly for
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
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