Alice Springs vs The Gap

The Gap is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 37 in Alice Springs. In both, most households rent. In Alice Springs, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments and most households are people living alone. In The Gap, about half of households are people living alone. Units cost more in Alice Springs: a median of $305,000, against $252,000 in The Gap, though rent is higher in The Gap. On these figures, Alice Springs tends to suit people living alone, while The Gap suits buyers on a tighter budget.

Alice Springs and The Gap are both remote NT locations with minimal natural disaster risk, but they serve quite different lifestyles. The Gap has a notably higher median household income of $101,556 compared to Alice Springs' $76,076, and a larger population of 1,945 versus 231. Alice Springs, however, stands out for walkability with a score of 83 against The Gap's 52, making it far more pedestrian-friendly despite its smaller size. Rental costs are similar, though The Gap runs slightly higher at $350 per week. Alice Springs suits those prioritising walkable community living, while The Gap appeals to buyers seeking a larger, more affluent neighbourhood.

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

The Gap

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (32% vs 11%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (42% 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

The Gap

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper units ($252,500 vs $305,000)

Weighs unit prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Alice Springs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($313/wk vs $350/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 58/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1498.1 km vs 1500.6 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 1)
  • is more walkable (87/100 vs 58/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (89% vs 68%)

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

Investors

The Gap

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.8% vs -23.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Alice Springs and The Gap 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 The Gap
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 The Gap
Walkability 87 / 58
Alice Springs — Walkability: 87/100 The Gap — Walkability: 58/100

Demographics

The Gap has more residents (1,945 vs 231); The Gap has higher household incomes ($101,556 vs $76,076).

Alice Springs The Gap
Population 231 1,945
+742% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -23.0% +13.8%
Median age 37 34
Median household income $76,076/yr $101,556/yr
+33% vs other
Median weekly rent $313/wk $350/wk
+12% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Alice Springs The Gap
0-4 3.5% / 7.1%
Alice Springs — 0-4: 3.5% The Gap — 0-4: 7.1%
5-14 6.5% / 9.0%
Alice Springs — 5-14: 6.5% The Gap — 5-14: 9.0%
15-19 3.0% / 2.7%
Alice Springs — 15-19: 3.0% The Gap — 15-19: 2.7%
20-24 3.0% / 5.6%
Alice Springs — 20-24: 3.0% The Gap — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 29.0% / 27.5%
Alice Springs — 25-34: 29.0% The Gap — 25-34: 27.5%
35-44 21.6% / 18.0%
Alice Springs — 35-44: 21.6% The Gap — 35-44: 18.0%
45-54 11.7% / 12.3%
Alice Springs — 45-54: 11.7% The Gap — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 18.2% / 10.7%
Alice Springs — 55-64: 18.2% The Gap — 55-64: 10.7%
65-74 3.5% / 5.6%
Alice Springs — 65-74: 3.5% The Gap — 65-74: 5.6%
75-84 — / 1.1%
Alice Springs — 75-84: not among its largest The Gap — 75-84: 1.1%
85+ 1.3% / 0.2%
Alice Springs — 85+: 1.3% The Gap — 85+: 0.2%

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 — Group Household: 11.9% Alice Springs — One Parent Families: 6.0% Alice Springs — Other Families: 0.0%
The Gap 47.3% lone person
The Gap — Lone Person: 47.3% The Gap — Couple Families: 29.1% The Gap — Group Household: 9.3% The Gap — One Parent Families: 13.0% The Gap — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families 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%
The Gap 64.9% renting
The Gap — Owned Outright: 9.6% The Gap — Mortgage: 25.5% The Gap — Renting: 64.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Alice Springs The Gap
Bachelor Degree 10.4% / 21.6%
Alice Springs — Bachelor Degree: 10.4% The Gap — Bachelor Degree: 21.6%
Certificate III & IV 13.4% / 10.6%
Alice Springs — Certificate III & IV: 13.4% The Gap — Certificate III & IV: 10.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 6.6%
Alice Springs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% The Gap — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6%
Postgraduate Degree 7.8% / 6.5%
Alice Springs — Postgraduate Degree: 7.8% The Gap — Postgraduate Degree: 6.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 2.2%
Alice Springs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% The Gap — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.6%).

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 The Gap
India 8.7% / 8.3%
Alice Springs — India: 8.7% The Gap — India: 8.3%
New Zealand 5.6% / 3.1%
Alice Springs — New Zealand: 5.6% The Gap — New Zealand: 3.1%
Nepal 3.9% / 1.4%
Alice Springs — Nepal: 3.9% The Gap — Nepal: 1.4%
Philippines — / 5.0%
Alice Springs — Philippines: not among its largest The Gap — Philippines: 5.0%
England 1.3% / 3.0%
Alice Springs — England: 1.3% The Gap — England: 3.0%
China — / 3.1%
Alice Springs — China: not among its largest The Gap — China: 3.1%
Thailand 2.6% / —
Alice Springs — Thailand: 2.6% The Gap — Thailand: not among its largest
Vietnam 1.7% / —
Alice Springs — Vietnam: 1.7% The Gap — 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 — Townhouses: 4.8% Alice Springs — Houses: 10.8%
The Gap 13.0% flats / apartments
The Gap — Flats / Apartments: 13.0% The Gap — Townhouses: 54.9% The Gap — Houses: 32.1%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Alice Springs The Gap
Median house price — $380,000
Median unit price $305,000 $252,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 68 days
from 9 sales

Development activity

Alice Springs The Gap
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 The Gap
Houses — 6.8%
$560/wk on $430K
Units — 7.7%
$442/wk on $299K

Ranking within NT

Alice Springs The Gap
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 45% of NT Higher than 64% of NT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 99% of NT Higher than 87% 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 87% of NT
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 85% of NT

Liveability

Alice Springs is more walkable (87 vs 58).

Alice Springs The Gap
Grade — C
Score — 48/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Alice Springs The Gap
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
same for both

Schools

Alice Springs The Gap
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
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 The Gap

  • Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College Catholic · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Alice Springs The Gap
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 12 2
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 6 3
GPs 8 1
Pharmacies 3 0
Hospitals 0 2
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 6 0
Fuel stations 3 2
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

The Gap sits further from the CBD (1500.6 km vs 1498.1 km).

Alice Springs The Gap
Walkability score 87/100 58/100
Distance to Darwin 1498.1 km 1500.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 948 min 952 min
Public transport score 56/100
Bus
 34/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 22.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 10.5
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 The Gap
Car (driver) 50.0% / 65.5%
Alice Springs — Car (driver): 50.0% The Gap — Car (driver): 65.5%
Walked Only 35.6% / 16.7%
Alice Springs — Walked Only: 35.6% The Gap — Walked Only: 16.7%
Car (passenger) 2.9% / 9.6%
Alice Springs — Car (passenger): 2.9% The Gap — Car (passenger): 9.6%
Bicycle 4.8% / 5.8%
Alice Springs — Bicycle: 4.8% The Gap — Bicycle: 5.8%
Worked from Home 6.7% / 1.5%
Alice Springs — Worked from Home: 6.7% The Gap — Worked from Home: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.5%).

Setting

Alice Springs The Gap
Elevation 582 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 574 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Alice Springs The Gap
Connectivity score 57/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
794 premises
 22%
1,001 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Alice Springs The Gap
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

The Gap

Affordable Easy Commute Multicultural Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Alice Springs

Alice Springs vs Gillen Alice Springs vs East Side Alice Springs vs Desert Springs Alice Springs vs Stuart Alice Springs vs Ciccone

Other comparisons with The Gap

The Gap vs Gillen The Gap vs Desert Springs The Gap vs Mount Johns The Gap vs Flynn
Full data on Alice Springs Full data on The Gap
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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