Driver vs Marlow Lagoon

Driver is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 39 in Marlow Lagoon. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Driver, about half of households rent. In Marlow Lagoon, the large majority of households own their home and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Marlow Lagoon: a median of $925,000, against $605,000 in Driver, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Driver tends to suit renters, young adults, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Marlow Lagoon suits couples.

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

Marlow Lagoon

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 66%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (79% vs 64%)
  • But Driver has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Driver has cheaper houses ($605,000 vs $925,000)
  • Marlow Lagoon leaves households under less mortgage stress (16% vs 23%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Driver

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (47% vs 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $550/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Driver

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 17/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Driver

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 17/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Driver returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.4% vs 4.7%)
  • Marlow Lagoon is growing faster (4.6% vs -4.8%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Driver Marlow Lagoon
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.

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Walkability 64 / 17
Driver — Walkability: 64/100 Marlow Lagoon — Walkability: 17/100

Demographics

Driver has more residents (2,747 vs 754); Marlow Lagoon has higher household incomes ($188,760 vs $103,168).

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Population 2,747
+73% vs other
 754
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -4.8% +4.6%
Median age 33 39
Median household income $103,168/yr $188,760/yr
+83% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk $550/wk
+57% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Driver Marlow Lagoon
0-4 7.4% / 6.1%
Driver — 0-4: 7.4% Marlow Lagoon — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 15.1% / 18.2%
Driver — 5-14: 15.1% Marlow Lagoon — 5-14: 18.2%
15-19 5.7% / 4.8%
Driver — 15-19: 5.7% Marlow Lagoon — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 7.0% / 4.2%
Driver — 20-24: 7.0% Marlow Lagoon — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 18.4% / 10.5%
Driver — 25-34: 18.4% Marlow Lagoon — 25-34: 10.5%
35-44 15.7% / 15.3%
Driver — 35-44: 15.7% Marlow Lagoon — 35-44: 15.3%
45-54 12.3% / 18.6%
Driver — 45-54: 12.3% Marlow Lagoon — 45-54: 18.6%
55-64 10.8% / 14.5%
Driver — 55-64: 10.8% Marlow Lagoon — 55-64: 14.5%
65-74 5.8% / 5.8%
Driver — 65-74: 5.8% Marlow Lagoon — 65-74: 5.8%
75-84 1.3% / 1.9%
Driver — 75-84: 1.3% Marlow Lagoon — 75-84: 1.9%
85+ 0.4% / 0.8%
Driver — 85+: 0.4% Marlow Lagoon — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Driver 41.9% couple families
Driver — Couple Families: 41.9% Driver — Lone Person: 27.8% Driver — One Parent Families: 22.6% Driver — Group Household: 7.0% Driver — Other Families: 0.7%
Marlow Lagoon 73.2% couple families
Marlow Lagoon — Couple Families: 73.2% Marlow Lagoon — Lone Person: 16.8% Marlow Lagoon — One Parent Families: 6.0% Marlow Lagoon — Group Household: 4.0% Marlow Lagoon — 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.

Driver 47.2% renting
Driver — Owned Outright: 13.4% Driver — Mortgage: 39.4% Driver — Renting: 47.2%
Marlow Lagoon 10.6% renting
Marlow Lagoon — Owned Outright: 28.0% Marlow Lagoon — Mortgage: 61.4% Marlow Lagoon — Renting: 10.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Certificate III & IV 17.6% / 21.0%
Driver — Certificate III & IV: 17.6% Marlow Lagoon — Certificate III & IV: 21.0%
Bachelor Degree 9.8% / 8.6%
Driver — Bachelor Degree: 9.8% Marlow Lagoon — Bachelor Degree: 8.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.0% / 7.6%
Driver — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0% Marlow Lagoon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.0% / 2.0%
Driver — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0% Marlow Lagoon — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.4%
Driver — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Marlow Lagoon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.0%).

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.

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Philippines 4.4% / 0.5%
Driver — Philippines: 4.4% Marlow Lagoon — Philippines: 0.5%
England 2.3% / 2.3%
Driver — England: 2.3% Marlow Lagoon — England: 2.3%
Nepal 2.6% / —
Driver — Nepal: 2.6% Marlow Lagoon — Nepal: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.8% / 0.7%
Driver — New Zealand: 1.8% Marlow Lagoon — New Zealand: 0.7%
India 2.4% / —
Driver — India: 2.4% Marlow Lagoon — India: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.9%
Driver — Germany: not among its largest Marlow Lagoon — Germany: 0.9%
Sri Lanka — / 0.8%
Driver — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Marlow Lagoon — Sri Lanka: 0.8%
Scotland — / 0.8%
Driver — Scotland: not among its largest Marlow Lagoon — Scotland: 0.8%
Ireland — / 0.8%
Driver — Ireland: not among its largest Marlow Lagoon — Ireland: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Driver 65.9% houses
Driver — Houses: 65.9% Driver — Flats / Apartments: 28.9% Driver — Townhouses: 5.2%
Marlow Lagoon 100.0% houses
Marlow Lagoon — Houses: 100.0% Marlow Lagoon — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Marlow Lagoon — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Median house price $605,000 $925,000
Median unit price $380,000 —
Median land price — $1,105,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 15 days
from 9 sales
 29 days
from 11 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Driver Marlow Lagoon
3 bed $600K / $860K
Driver — 3 bed: $600K (51 sales) Marlow Lagoon — 3 bed: $860K (9 sales)

51 vs 9 sales

4 bed $665K / $1.01M
Driver — 4 bed: $665K (18 sales) Marlow Lagoon — 4 bed: $1.01M (12 sales)

18 vs 12 sales

Development activity

Driver Marlow Lagoon
New dwellings approved 247
across Palmerston
same for both
Approvals change year on year -3%
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.

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Houses 5.4%
$720/wk on $695K
 4.7%
$1,100/wk on $1.23M
Units 7.4%
$570/wk on $399K
 —

Ranking within NT

Driver Marlow Lagoon
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 65% of NT Higher than 99% of NT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 90% of NT Higher than 66% of NT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 62% of NT Higher than 61% of NT
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of NT Higher than 97% of NT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 56% of NT Higher than 24% of NT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 77% of NT —

Liveability

Driver is more walkable (64 vs 17); Marlow Lagoon scores higher overall (71 vs 52).

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Grade C A
Score 52/100 71/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Driver Marlow Lagoon
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

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Driver

  • Driver Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Palmerston College Government · Secondary

Schools in Marlow Lagoon

  • NT Christian College - Palmerston Campus Independent · Secondary
  • Palmerston Christian College Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 4 0
Childcare 2 1

Mobility

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Walkability score 64/100 17/100
Distance to Darwin 21.8 km 23.2 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min 26 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 0830
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 0830
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.

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Car (driver) 80.9% / 83.9%
Driver — Car (driver): 80.9% Marlow Lagoon — Car (driver): 83.9%
Car (passenger) 7.6% / 4.8%
Driver — Car (passenger): 7.6% Marlow Lagoon — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Worked from Home 3.0% / 7.0%
Driver — Worked from Home: 3.0% Marlow Lagoon — Worked from Home: 7.0%
Bus 3.6% / 1.9%
Driver — Bus: 3.6% Marlow Lagoon — Bus: 1.9%
Walked Only 3.4% / 1.3%
Driver — Walked Only: 3.4% Marlow Lagoon — Walked Only: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.9%).

Setting

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Elevation 22 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.0 km 1.6 km

NBN connectivity

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Connectivity score 100/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
1,173 premises
 100%
249 premises

Climate

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Annual rainfall 1,836 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 32.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 19.8°C
same for both

Council rates

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Average residential rate $1,608/yr
same for both
Council Palmerston
same for both

Federal electorate

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Division Solomon
same for both
Member Luke John Gosling
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Driver Marlow Lagoon
Grant amount $50,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Driver

Family Middle-Ring Parks

Marlow Lagoon

Acreage Coastal Family Luxury Middle-Ring

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Driver

Driver vs Durack Driver vs Woodroffe Driver vs Gray Driver vs Moulden Driver vs Palmerston City

Other comparisons with Marlow Lagoon

Marlow Lagoon vs Durack Marlow Lagoon vs Moulden
Full data on Driver Full data on Marlow Lagoon
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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