Gray vs Palmerston City

Palmerston City is the younger of the two, with a median age of 28 against 34 in Gray. In Gray, about half of households rent and most homes are detached houses. In Palmerston City, the large majority of households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. Palmerston City is closer to the city centre: 20.8 km, against 23.3 km. On these figures, Gray tends to suit families with children, while Palmerston City 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

Gray

ahead on 5 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (60% vs 0%)
  • has more childcare (8 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 1)

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

Renters

Palmerston City

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (100% vs 52%)
  • has cheaper rent ($259/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Palmerston City

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 72/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (20.8 km vs 23.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Palmerston City

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 40%)
  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 72/100)
  • But Gray has more residents already 65 and over (10% vs 3%)

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

Investors

Palmerston City

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (823.8% vs -4.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gray Palmerston City
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.

Gray Palmerston City
Walkability 72 / 88
Gray — Walkability: 72/100 Palmerston City — Walkability: 88/100

Demographics

Gray has more residents (3,142 vs 194); Gray skews older (34 vs 28).

Gray Palmerston City
Population 3,142
+94% vs other
 194
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -4.4% +823.8%
Median age 34 28
Median household income $76,908/yr $76,856/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+14% vs other
 $259/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gray Palmerston City
0-4 7.2% / 8.2%
Gray — 0-4: 7.2% Palmerston City — 0-4: 8.2%
5-14 15.7% / 10.3%
Gray — 5-14: 15.7% Palmerston City — 5-14: 10.3%
15-19 6.1% / 5.2%
Gray — 15-19: 6.1% Palmerston City — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 6.1% / 12.9%
Gray — 20-24: 6.1% Palmerston City — 20-24: 12.9%
25-34 15.2% / 31.4%
Gray — 25-34: 15.2% Palmerston City — 25-34: 31.4%
35-44 13.7% / 15.5%
Gray — 35-44: 13.7% Palmerston City — 35-44: 15.5%
45-54 14.7% / 5.7%
Gray — 45-54: 14.7% Palmerston City — 45-54: 5.7%
55-64 11.5% / 3.6%
Gray — 55-64: 11.5% Palmerston City — 55-64: 3.6%
65-74 6.9% / 3.1%
Gray — 65-74: 6.9% Palmerston City — 65-74: 3.1%
75-84 2.3% / —
Gray — 75-84: 2.3% Palmerston City — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 0.7% / —
Gray — 85+: 0.7% Palmerston City — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (31.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gray 39.6% lone person
Gray — Lone Person: 39.6% Gray — Couple Families: 28.2% Gray — One Parent Families: 25.7% Gray — Group Household: 5.3% Gray — Other Families: 1.2%
Palmerston City 55.1% lone person
Palmerston City — Lone Person: 55.1% Palmerston City — Couple Families: 30.6% Palmerston City — One Parent Families: 8.2% Palmerston City — Group Household: 6.1% Palmerston City — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Gray 51.9% renting
Gray — Owned Outright: 12.4% Gray — Mortgage: 35.8% Gray — Renting: 51.9%
Palmerston City 100.0% renting
Palmerston City — Owned Outright: 0.0% Palmerston City — Mortgage: 0.0% Palmerston City — Renting: 100.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Gray Palmerston City
Certificate III & IV 15.3% / 16.5%
Gray — Certificate III & IV: 15.3% Palmerston City — Certificate III & IV: 16.5%
Bachelor Degree 6.2% / 13.9%
Gray — Bachelor Degree: 6.2% Palmerston City — Bachelor Degree: 13.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.2% / 5.2%
Gray — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2% Palmerston City — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 6.7%
Gray — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Palmerston City — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.5%
Gray — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Palmerston City — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

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.

Gray Palmerston City
Philippines 4.4% / 8.2%
Gray — Philippines: 4.4% Palmerston City — Philippines: 8.2%
India 1.1% / 4.6%
Gray — India: 1.1% Palmerston City — India: 4.6%
Indonesia 1.0% / 4.6%
Gray — Indonesia: 1.0% Palmerston City — Indonesia: 4.6%
Pakistan — / 4.1%
Gray — Pakistan: not among its largest Palmerston City — Pakistan: 4.1%
Zimbabwe — / 4.1%
Gray — Zimbabwe: not among its largest Palmerston City — Zimbabwe: 4.1%
England 1.9% / —
Gray — England: 1.9% Palmerston City — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.9% / —
Gray — New Zealand: 1.9% Palmerston City — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gray 38.9% flats / apartments
Gray — Flats / Apartments: 38.9% Gray — Houses: 59.8% Gray — Townhouses: 1.3%
Palmerston City 100.0% flats / apartments
Palmerston City — Flats / Apartments: 100.0% Palmerston City — Houses: 0.0% Palmerston City — Townhouses: 0.0%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Gray Palmerston City
Median house price $557,000 —
Median unit price $360,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 10 days
from 9 sales
 —

Development activity

Gray Palmerston City
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.

Gray Palmerston City
Houses 5.4%
$650/wk on $624K
 —
Units 6.6%
$565/wk on $445K
 —

Ranking within NT

Gray Palmerston City
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 47% of NT Higher than 46% of NT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 94% of NT Higher than 99% of NT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 62% of NT Higher than 60% of NT
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of NT Higher than 76% of NT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 58% of NT —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 38% of NT —

Liveability

Palmerston City is more walkable (88 vs 72).

Gray Palmerston City
Grade C —
Score 50/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Gray Palmerston City
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 3
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Gray Palmerston City
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Gray

  • Good Shepherd Lutheran College - Palmerston Campus Independent · Primary
  • Gray Primary School Government · Primary

Schools in Palmerston City

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Gray Palmerston City
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 7
Parks & reserves 7 1
Childcare 8 1
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1

Mobility

Gray sits further from the CBD (23.3 km vs 20.8 km).

Gray Palmerston City
Walkability score 72/100 88/100
Distance to Darwin 23.3 km
+11% vs other
 20.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 21 min
Public transport score 74/100
Bus
 92/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 27.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 74.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
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.

Gray Palmerston City
Car (driver) 84.1% / 81.9%
Gray — Car (driver): 84.1% Palmerston City — Car (driver): 81.9%
Car (passenger) 6.5% / 12.0%
Gray — Car (passenger): 6.5% Palmerston City — Car (passenger): 12.0%
Bus 3.9% / 6.0%
Gray — Bus: 3.9% Palmerston City — Bus: 6.0%
Worked from Home 3.3% / —
Gray — Worked from Home: 3.3% Palmerston City — Worked from Home: not among its largest
Walked Only 2.0% / —
Gray — Walked Only: 2.0% Palmerston City — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.1%).

Setting

Gray Palmerston City
Elevation 31 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 50 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.5 km 5.3 km

NBN connectivity

Gray Palmerston City
Connectivity score 100/100 85/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
1,459 premises
 56%
429 premises

Climate

Gray Palmerston City
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

Gray Palmerston City
Average residential rate $1,608/yr
same for both
Council Palmerston
same for both

Federal electorate

Gray Palmerston City
Division Solomon
same for both
Member Luke John Gosling
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gray Palmerston City
Grant amount $50,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gray

Affordable Apartments Family Middle-Ring Parks

Palmerston City

Apartments Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gray

Gray vs Woodroffe Gray vs Bakewell Gray vs Driver Gray vs Gunn

Other comparisons with Palmerston City

Palmerston City vs Durack Palmerston City vs Driver Palmerston City vs Gunn Palmerston City vs Farrar
Full data on Gray Full data on Palmerston City
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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