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National Forecasting Program
Population forecast for Northern Territory
Our 2025 population forecast for Northern Territory, and the starting point for the forecasts of its 2 regions.
- State
- Northern Territory
- Regions
- 2, each forecast individually
- Base
- ABS ERP June 2024
- Built on
- 2025 national forecast (2021.2024.3)
- Status
- Current
- Boundaries
- ASGS 2021 Ed. 3
- Horizon
- 2046
The forecast
248,151
Population, 2021
278,066
Population, 2046
+29,915
Total growth to 2046
0.3%
Share of national growth
+13,261
Additional dwellings
17.9%
Aged 65 and over, 2046
2
Regions forecast individually
Age structure
| Age group | 2021 | 2046 | Change, percentage points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 0–14 | 21.2% | 17.2% | −4.0 |
| Aged 15–64 | 70.1% | 64.9% | −5.2 |
| Aged 65 and over | 8.7% | 17.9% | +9.2 |
Northern Territory's population, 2021 to 2046
Our 2025 forecast, by year (at 30 June).
- Our forecast · 0.28m (our forecast)
Source: Informed Decisions, National Forecasting Program, 2025 forecast. 2021 to 2024 are ABS estimated resident population.
+ Show the data− Hide the data
| Year | Our forecast |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 0.25m |
| 2026 | 0.26m |
| 2031 | 0.27m |
| 2036 | 0.27m |
| 2041 | 0.28m |
| 2046 | 0.28m |
Download the full series (CSV)
Informed Decisions, National Forecasting Program, 2025 forecast
Where Northern Territory sits
- NationAustralia+8.6m to 2046Population growth, 2021 to 20462025 forecast
- You are here: StateNorthern Territory+0.03m to 20460.3% of national growth2025 forecast
- Below the state2 regions, forecast individuallyThe largest growth is forecast for Darwin. Each region carries its own release.
Northern Territory's share of national growth is set from the national drivers. How it is distributed inside Northern Territory is built from development assessed on the ground, region by region.
What we assess, and where
Different things drive population change at different scales. We form a view at each level, and each level constrains the one below it.
- Nation
- Net overseas migration
- Fertility and life expectancy
- Housing completions
- State (this page)
- Share of overseas migration
- Interstate migration
- State housing and planning policy
- Economic conditions
- Region
- Intrastate migration
- Development pipeline
- Capacity and limiting factors
- Ageing in place
- Suburb and site
- Site-by-site development assessment
- Dwelling type and density
- Local capacity
Components of population change, 2021 to 2046
| Component | 2021 to 2046 |
|---|---|
| Births | +80,276 |
| Deaths | −45,959 |
| Natural increase | +34,317 |
| Net overseas migration | +51,767 |
| Net interstate migration | −56,169 |
| Total change | +29,915 |
Regional forecasts for Northern Territory
| Region | Population, 2021 | Population, 2046 | Growth to 2046 | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darwin | 148,801 | 191,740 | +42,939 | 2021.2021.3.1.2 · Jul 2023 |
| Northern Territory – Outback | 100,399 | 110,939 | +10,540 | 2021.2021.3.1.2 · Jul 2023 |
Our forecasting team
Common questions about the forecast for Northern Territory
A credible, independent forecast
Independent of government
Our forecasts are not commissioned by any government, so they give an independent view.
Granular forecasts for custom catchments
Forecast at small-area level, so they can be built up into any catchment you need, such as a school catchment, a retail trade area or a utility service area.
Every region, on one basis
A single national model, not a collection of unconnected local studies.
Assessed site by site
Built on a national development sites layer maintained by our own forecasters.
500+
organisations across Australia trust Informed Decisions for data and insights
15,000+
suburbs forecast, covering every part of Australia
A named forecaster behind every region
Questions about a forecast go to the team who prepared it.
See the forecast for your exact area
Placemaker is our mapping and reporting platform for population, housing and development. Draw any catchment in Northern Territory and get the forecast for it, by single year, with age and sex detail and the development pipeline behind it.