Alice Springs vs Gillen

Gillen is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 37 in Alice Springs. In Alice Springs, most households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In Gillen, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. On these figures, Alice Springs tends to suit renters and people living alone, while Gillen suits families with children.

Alice Springs and Gillen are both small NT communities with minimal natural hazards, but they differ notably in scale and economic profile. Gillen is significantly larger with 4466 residents compared to Alice Springs' 231, and offers substantially higher median household income at $113,152 versus $76,076. Alice Springs has a stronger walkability score of 83 compared to Gillen's 61, making it more pedestrian-friendly, though Gillen's socio-economic decile of 6 suggests a more affluent demographic overall. Rental and property costs are moderately higher in Gillen, reflecting its larger, more established community.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Gillen

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (70% vs 11%)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (60% vs 21%)
  • But Alice Springs has more childcare (6 vs 3)

Weighs schools, house stock, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Gillen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 32%)

Weighs unit prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Alice Springs

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (74% vs 42%)
  • has cheaper rent ($313/wk vs $400/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Alice Springs

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (87/100 vs 65/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1498.1 km vs 1500.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Alice Springs

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (8 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (89% vs 30%)
  • is more walkable (87/100 vs 65/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Gillen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.4% vs -23.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Alice Springs and Gillen drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Alice Springs Gillen
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Alice Springs Gillen
Walkability 87 / 65
Alice Springs — Walkability: 87/100 Gillen — Walkability: 65/100

Demographics

Gillen has more residents (4,466 vs 231); Gillen has higher household incomes ($113,152 vs $76,076).

Alice Springs Gillen
Population 231 4,466
+1833% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -23.0% +4.4%
Median age 37 33
Median household income $76,076/yr $113,152/yr
+49% vs other
Median weekly rent $313/wk $400/wk
+28% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Alice Springs Gillen
0-4 3.5% / 6.9%
Alice Springs — 0-4: 3.5% Gillen — 0-4: 6.9%
5-14 6.5% / 15.9%
Alice Springs — 5-14: 6.5% Gillen — 5-14: 15.9%
15-19 3.0% / 6.4%
Alice Springs — 15-19: 3.0% Gillen — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 3.0% / 5.5%
Alice Springs — 20-24: 3.0% Gillen — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 29.0% / 19.2%
Alice Springs — 25-34: 29.0% Gillen — 25-34: 19.2%
35-44 21.6% / 16.1%
Alice Springs — 35-44: 21.6% Gillen — 35-44: 16.1%
45-54 11.7% / 12.4%
Alice Springs — 45-54: 11.7% Gillen — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 18.2% / 9.9%
Alice Springs — 55-64: 18.2% Gillen — 55-64: 9.9%
65-74 3.5% / 5.0%
Alice Springs — 65-74: 3.5% Gillen — 65-74: 5.0%
75-84 — / 2.1%
Alice Springs — 75-84: not among its largest Gillen — 75-84: 2.1%
85+ 1.3% / 0.6%
Alice Springs — 85+: 1.3% Gillen — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Alice Springs 67.2% lone person
Alice Springs — Lone Person: 67.2% Alice Springs — Couple Families: 14.9% Alice Springs — One Parent Families: 6.0% Alice Springs — Group Household: 11.9% Alice Springs — Other Families: 0.0%
Gillen 29.5% lone person
Gillen — Lone Person: 29.5% Gillen — Couple Families: 40.2% Gillen — One Parent Families: 19.6% Gillen — Group Household: 8.3% Gillen — Other Families: 2.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Alice Springs 73.6% renting
Alice Springs — Owned Outright: 11.1% Alice Springs — Mortgage: 15.3% Alice Springs — Renting: 73.6%
Gillen 42.1% renting
Gillen — Owned Outright: 14.8% Gillen — Mortgage: 43.2% Gillen — Renting: 42.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Alice Springs Gillen
Certificate III & IV 13.4% / 13.9%
Alice Springs — Certificate III & IV: 13.4% Gillen — Certificate III & IV: 13.9%
Bachelor Degree 10.4% / 12.2%
Alice Springs — Bachelor Degree: 10.4% Gillen — Bachelor Degree: 12.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 6.9%
Alice Springs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Gillen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Postgraduate Degree 7.8% / 4.9%
Alice Springs — Postgraduate Degree: 7.8% Gillen — Postgraduate Degree: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 2.1%
Alice Springs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Gillen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.9%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Alice Springs Gillen
India 8.7% / 5.8%
Alice Springs — India: 8.7% Gillen — India: 5.8%
New Zealand 5.6% / 3.8%
Alice Springs — New Zealand: 5.6% Gillen — New Zealand: 3.8%
Nepal 3.9% / 1.2%
Alice Springs — Nepal: 3.9% Gillen — Nepal: 1.2%
England 1.3% / 2.2%
Alice Springs — England: 1.3% Gillen — England: 2.2%
Philippines — / 2.7%
Alice Springs — Philippines: not among its largest Gillen — Philippines: 2.7%
Thailand 2.6% / —
Alice Springs — Thailand: 2.6% Gillen — Thailand: not among its largest
Vietnam 1.7% / —
Alice Springs — Vietnam: 1.7% Gillen — Vietnam: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Alice Springs 84.3% flats / apartments
Alice Springs — Flats / Apartments: 84.3% Alice Springs — Houses: 10.8% Alice Springs — Townhouses: 4.8%
Gillen 3.3% flats / apartments
Gillen — Flats / Apartments: 3.3% Gillen — Houses: 69.6% Gillen — Townhouses: 27.2%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Alice Springs Gillen
Median house price — $460,000
Median unit price $305,000 $307,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 85 days
from 60 sales

Development activity

Alice Springs Gillen
New dwellings approved 30
across Alice Springs
same for both
Approvals change year on year +25%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Alice Springs Gillen
Houses — 7.7%
$750/wk on $509K
Units — 6.8%
$445/wk on $342K

Ranking within NT

Alice Springs Gillen
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 45% of NT Higher than 74% of NT
Schools — Higher than 100% of NT
Walkability Higher than 99% of NT Higher than 91% of NT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 68% of NT Higher than 73% of NT
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NT Higher than 71% of NT
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 98% of NT
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 50% of NT

Liveability

Alice Springs is more walkable (87 vs 65).

Alice Springs Gillen
Grade — B
Score — 65/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Alice Springs Gillen
Bushfire Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Crime Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
 7
within 5 km

Schools

Alice Springs Gillen
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Alice Springs

  • Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College - Bath Street Campus Catholic · Primary

Schools in Gillen

  • Bradshaw Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Centralian Middle School Government · Secondary
  • Gillen Primary School Government · Primary
  • St Joseph's Catholic Flexible School Catholic · Secondary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Alice Springs Gillen
Supermarkets 2
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 12 0
Parks & reserves 3 5
Childcare 6 3
GPs 8 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 6 0
Fuel stations 3 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Gillen sits further from the CBD (1500.4 km vs 1498.1 km).

Alice Springs Gillen
Walkability score 87/100 65/100
Distance to Darwin 1498.1 km 1500.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 948 min 952 min
Public transport score 56/100
Bus
 31/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 22.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 8.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 0870
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 0870
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Alice Springs Gillen
Car (driver) 50.0% / 77.7%
Alice Springs — Car (driver): 50.0% Gillen — Car (driver): 77.7%
Walked Only 35.6% / 4.7%
Alice Springs — Walked Only: 35.6% Gillen — Walked Only: 4.7%
Car (passenger) 2.9% / 9.8%
Alice Springs — Car (passenger): 2.9% Gillen — Car (passenger): 9.8%
Worked from Home 6.7% / 2.8%
Alice Springs — Worked from Home: 6.7% Gillen — Worked from Home: 2.8%
Bicycle 4.8% / 3.6%
Alice Springs — Bicycle: 4.8% Gillen — Bicycle: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.7%).

Setting

Alice Springs Gillen
Elevation 582 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 576 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Alice Springs Gillen
Connectivity score 57/100 64/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
794 premises
 35%
1,906 premises

Climate

Alice Springs Gillen
Annual rainfall 285 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 36.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Alice Springs Gillen
Average residential rate $2,106/yr
same for both
Council Alice Springs
same for both

Federal electorate

Alice Springs Gillen
Division Lingiari
same for both
Member Marion Scrymgour
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Alice Springs Gillen
Grant amount $50,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Alice Springs

Apartments Multicultural Parks River

Gillen

Affordable Easy Commute Family Parks Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Alice Springs

Alice Springs vs East Side Alice Springs vs The Gap Alice Springs vs Desert Springs Alice Springs vs Stuart Alice Springs vs Ciccone

Other comparisons with Gillen

Gillen vs Araluen Gillen vs The Gap Gillen vs Ciccone Gillen vs Flynn
Full data on Alice Springs Full data on Gillen
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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