Desert Springs vs Mount Johns

In Desert Springs, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. In Mount Johns, most households rent and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Desert Springs: a median of $760,000, against $550,000 in Mount Johns, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Desert Springs tends to suit couples, while Mount Johns suits renters, young adults, and people living alone.

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

Desert Springs

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (67% vs 24%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 42%)

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

First-home buyers

Mount Johns

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($195,000 vs $400,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($550,000 vs $760,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mount Johns

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (67% vs 37%)
  • has cheaper rent ($345/wk vs $500/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Desert Springs

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (30/100 vs 6/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (953 min vs 973 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1500.7 km vs 1506 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Desert Springs

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (30/100 vs 6/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (11% vs 4%)
  • But Mount Johns has more units and townhouses to downsize into (76% vs 33%)

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

Investors

Desert Springs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.0% vs -1.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Desert Springs Mount Johns
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.

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Walkability 30 / 6
Desert Springs — Walkability: 30/100 Mount Johns — Walkability: 6/100

Demographics

Desert Springs has more residents (1,536 vs 541); Desert Springs rents higher ($500/wk vs $345/wk).

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Population 1,536
+65% vs other
 541
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.0% -1.3%
Median age 36 35
Median household income $157,300/yr
+25% vs other
 $117,988/yr
Median weekly rent $500/wk
+31% vs other
 $345/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Desert Springs Mount Johns
0-4 7.6% / 8.3%
Desert Springs — 0-4: 7.6% Mount Johns — 0-4: 8.3%
5-14 13.0% / 11.5%
Desert Springs — 5-14: 13.0% Mount Johns — 5-14: 11.5%
15-19 6.2% / 1.7%
Desert Springs — 15-19: 6.2% Mount Johns — 15-19: 1.7%
20-24 3.7% / 5.2%
Desert Springs — 20-24: 3.7% Mount Johns — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 16.1% / 22.9%
Desert Springs — 25-34: 16.1% Mount Johns — 25-34: 22.9%
35-44 16.3% / 17.2%
Desert Springs — 35-44: 16.3% Mount Johns — 35-44: 17.2%
45-54 13.2% / 15.2%
Desert Springs — 45-54: 13.2% Mount Johns — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 13.2% / 14.2%
Desert Springs — 55-64: 13.2% Mount Johns — 55-64: 14.2%
65-74 7.5% / 3.0%
Desert Springs — 65-74: 7.5% Mount Johns — 65-74: 3.0%
75-84 2.6% / 0.6%
Desert Springs — 75-84: 2.6% Mount Johns — 75-84: 0.6%
85+ 0.6% / 0.7%
Desert Springs — 85+: 0.6% Mount Johns — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Desert Springs 58.2% couple families
Desert Springs — Couple Families: 58.2% Desert Springs — Lone Person: 26.8% Desert Springs — One Parent Families: 8.2% Desert Springs — Group Household: 4.9% Desert Springs — Other Families: 1.9%
Mount Johns 39.2% couple families
Mount Johns — Couple Families: 39.2% Mount Johns — Lone Person: 56.0% Mount Johns — One Parent Families: 3.0% Mount Johns — Group Household: 1.8% Mount Johns — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Desert Springs 36.7% renting
Desert Springs — Owned Outright: 22.8% Desert Springs — Mortgage: 40.5% Desert Springs — Renting: 36.7%
Mount Johns 66.9% renting
Mount Johns — Owned Outright: 11.6% Mount Johns — Mortgage: 21.5% Mount Johns — Renting: 66.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Bachelor Degree 17.4% / 20.0%
Desert Springs — Bachelor Degree: 17.4% Mount Johns — Bachelor Degree: 20.0%
Certificate III & IV 13.4% / 9.1%
Desert Springs — Certificate III & IV: 13.4% Mount Johns — Certificate III & IV: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree 8.1% / 12.6%
Desert Springs — Postgraduate Degree: 8.1% Mount Johns — Postgraduate Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 8.5%
Desert Springs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Mount Johns — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.6%
Desert Springs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Mount Johns — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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.

Desert Springs Mount Johns
India 4.0% / 4.3%
Desert Springs — India: 4.0% Mount Johns — India: 4.3%
New Zealand 3.1% / 3.0%
Desert Springs — New Zealand: 3.1% Mount Johns — New Zealand: 3.0%
England 2.7% / 2.8%
Desert Springs — England: 2.7% Mount Johns — England: 2.8%
Philippines 2.3% / 2.0%
Desert Springs — Philippines: 2.3% Mount Johns — Philippines: 2.0%
Germany — / 1.7%
Desert Springs — Germany: not among its largest Mount Johns — Germany: 1.7%
South Africa 1.4% / —
Desert Springs — South Africa: 1.4% Mount Johns — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Desert Springs 66.9% houses
Desert Springs — Houses: 66.9% Desert Springs — Townhouses: 31.4% Desert Springs — Flats / Apartments: 1.7%
Mount Johns 24.4% houses
Mount Johns — Houses: 24.4% Mount Johns — Townhouses: 40.7% Mount Johns — Flats / Apartments: 34.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Median house price $760,000 $550,000
Median unit price $400,000 $195,000
Median land price $720,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 54 days
from 20 sales
 —

Development activity

Desert Springs Mount Johns
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.

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Houses 7.0%
$1,275/wk on $948K
 —
Units — 10.0%
$375/wk on $195K

Ranking within NT

Desert Springs Mount Johns
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 97% of NT Higher than 81% of NT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 75% of NT Higher than 54% of NT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 72% of NT —
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of NT Higher than 69% of NT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 89% of NT —
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 100% of NT

Liveability

Desert Springs is more walkable (30 vs 6); Desert Springs scores higher overall (64 vs 57).

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Grade B
same for both
Score 64/100 57/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Desert Springs Mount Johns
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
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 2 0

Mobility

Mount Johns sits further from the CBD (1506 km vs 1500.7 km).

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Walkability score 30/100 6/100
Distance to Darwin 1500.7 km 1506 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 953 min 973 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 0870
 0.0%
postcode 0874
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 0870
 8
postcode 0874

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.

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Car (driver) 76.6% / 71.5%
Desert Springs — Car (driver): 76.6% Mount Johns — Car (driver): 71.5%
Car (passenger) 8.6% / 10.3%
Desert Springs — Car (passenger): 8.6% Mount Johns — Car (passenger): 10.3%
Bus 1.9% / 11.3%
Desert Springs — Bus: 1.9% Mount Johns — Bus: 11.3%
Walked Only 3.0% / 4.5%
Desert Springs — Walked Only: 3.0% Mount Johns — Walked Only: 4.5%
Bicycle 5.7% / 1.0%
Desert Springs — Bicycle: 5.7% Mount Johns — Bicycle: 1.0%
Worked from Home 4.2% / 1.4%
Desert Springs — Worked from Home: 4.2% Mount Johns — Worked from Home: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.6%).

Setting

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Elevation 584 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 623 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Connectivity score 68/100 56/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 42%
656 premises
 20%
350 premises

Climate

Desert Springs Mount Johns
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

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Average residential rate $2,106/yr
same for both
Council Alice Springs
same for both

Federal electorate

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Division Lingiari
same for both
Member Marion Scrymgour
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Desert Springs Mount Johns
Grant amount $50,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Desert Springs

Quiet Townhouses

Mount Johns

Affordable Apartments Professionals Rural Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Desert Springs

Desert Springs vs East Side Desert Springs vs Sadadeen Desert Springs vs The Gap Desert Springs vs Alice Springs

Other comparisons with Mount Johns

Mount Johns vs Sadadeen Mount Johns vs The Gap Mount Johns vs Ross Mount Johns vs Flynn Mount Johns vs Hale
Full data on Desert Springs Full data on Mount Johns
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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