Hugh vs Arumbera

Hugh is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 38 in Arumbera. In both, most households rent and most homes are detached houses. In Hugh, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Hugh tends to suit young adults and people living alone, while Arumbera suits renters.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Hugh has more separate houses rather than flats (82% vs 59%)
  • Arumbera is already more of a family suburb (57% vs 43%)

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

Renters

Hugh

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($30/wk vs $100/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (4% vs 12%)
  • But Arumbera has a bigger rental market to choose from (79% vs 58%)

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

Commuting to the city

Arumbera

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (992 min vs 1111 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1521.1 km vs 1604.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Arumbera

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (11% vs 4%)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (41% vs 18%)

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

Investors

Hugh

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.5% vs -4.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Hugh Arumbera
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.

Hugh Arumbera
Walkability 0 / 0
Hugh — Walkability: 0/100 Arumbera — Walkability: 0/100

Demographics

Hugh has more residents (895 vs 257); Arumbera rents higher ($100/wk vs $30/wk).

Hugh Arumbera
Population 895
+71% vs other
 257
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.5% -4.1%
Median age 35 38
Median household income $39,624/yr $43,056/yr
+9% vs other
Median weekly rent $30/wk $100/wk
+233% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hugh Arumbera
0-4 1.3% / 3.1%
Hugh — 0-4: 1.3% Arumbera — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 4.0% / 14.4%
Hugh — 5-14: 4.0% Arumbera — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 4.6% / 11.7%
Hugh — 15-19: 4.6% Arumbera — 15-19: 11.7%
20-24 11.4% / 2.3%
Hugh — 20-24: 11.4% Arumbera — 20-24: 2.3%
25-34 26.0% / 12.5%
Hugh — 25-34: 26.0% Arumbera — 25-34: 12.5%
35-44 24.7% / 17.1%
Hugh — 35-44: 24.7% Arumbera — 35-44: 17.1%
45-54 16.3% / 9.7%
Hugh — 45-54: 16.3% Arumbera — 45-54: 9.7%
55-64 7.2% / 17.9%
Hugh — 55-64: 7.2% Arumbera — 55-64: 17.9%
65-74 3.4% / 10.1%
Hugh — 65-74: 3.4% Arumbera — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 0.4% / —
Hugh — 75-84: 0.4% Arumbera — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ — / 1.2%
Hugh — 85+: not among its largest Arumbera — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hugh 47.7% lone person
Hugh — Lone Person: 47.7% Hugh — One Parent Families: 25.0% Hugh — Couple Families: 18.2% Hugh — Other Families: 9.1%
Arumbera 37.7% lone person
Arumbera — Lone Person: 37.7% Arumbera — One Parent Families: 28.3% Arumbera — Couple Families: 28.3% Arumbera — Other Families: 5.7%
Lone Person One Parent Families Couple Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Hugh 57.6% renting
Hugh — Owned Outright: 42.4% Hugh — Mortgage: 0.0% Hugh — Renting: 57.6%
Arumbera 79.4% renting
Arumbera — Owned Outright: 20.6% Arumbera — Mortgage: 0.0% Arumbera — Renting: 79.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Hugh Arumbera
England 1.0% / 2.7%
Hugh — England: 1.0% Arumbera — England: 2.7%
New Zealand 0.4% / 2.3%
Hugh — New Zealand: 0.4% Arumbera — New Zealand: 2.3%
South Africa — / 1.9%
Hugh — South Africa: not among its largest Arumbera — South Africa: 1.9%
Philippines 0.3% / —
Hugh — Philippines: 0.3% Arumbera — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.7%).

Qualifications

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

Hugh Arumbera
Bachelor Degree 1.6% / 5.8%
Hugh — Bachelor Degree: 1.6% Arumbera — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Certificate III & IV 2.5% / 3.9%
Hugh — Certificate III & IV: 2.5% Arumbera — Certificate III & IV: 3.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 1.0% / 4.3%
Hugh — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 1.0% Arumbera — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.6%
Hugh — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Arumbera — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%
Postgraduate Degree 0.3% / —
Hugh — Postgraduate Degree: 0.3% Arumbera — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hugh 81.8% houses
Hugh — Houses: 81.8% Hugh — Flats / Apartments: 18.2% Hugh — Townhouses: 0.0%
Arumbera 59.4% houses
Arumbera — Houses: 59.4% Arumbera — Flats / Apartments: 29.7% Arumbera — Townhouses: 10.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Development activity

Hugh Arumbera
New dwellings approved 7
across MacDonnell
 30
across Alice Springs
Approvals change year on year -100% +25%

Ranking within NT

Hugh Arumbera
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 10% of NT Higher than 13% of NT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 28% of NT
same for both
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 54% of NT
NBN connectivity Higher than 31% of NT Higher than 58% of NT

Liveability

Hugh Arumbera
Grade D —
Score 14/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Hugh Arumbera
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Hugh Arumbera
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Hugh

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

Schools in Arumbera

  • Yirara College Independent · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Hugh Arumbera
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 3 1
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 25 1

Mobility

Hugh sits further from the CBD (1604.7 km vs 1521.1 km).

Hugh Arumbera
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Darwin 1604.7 km
+5% vs other
 1521.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1111 min 992 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 0872
 0.3%
postcode 0873
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 8
postcode 0872
 21
postcode 0873

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.

Hugh Arumbera
Car (driver) 61.4% / 59.6%
Hugh — Car (driver): 61.4% Arumbera — Car (driver): 59.6%
Walked Only 14.3% / 40.4%
Hugh — Walked Only: 14.3% Arumbera — Walked Only: 40.4%
Car (passenger) 18.6% / —
Hugh — Car (passenger): 18.6% Arumbera — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Worked from Home 5.7% / —
Hugh — Worked from Home: 5.7% Arumbera — Worked from Home: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.4%).

Setting

Hugh Arumbera
Elevation 469 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 558 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Hugh Arumbera
Connectivity score 15/100 21/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
64 premises
 7%
15 premises

Council rates

Hugh Arumbera
Average residential rate $1,387/yr $2,106/yr
Council MacDonnell Alice Springs

Federal electorate

Hugh Arumbera
Division Lingiari
same for both
Member Marion Scrymgour
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Hugh Arumbera
Grant amount $50,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Hugh

Multicultural Rural

Arumbera

Multicultural Professionals Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hugh

Hugh vs Connellan Hugh vs Burt Plain Hugh vs Titjikala Hugh vs White Gums Hugh vs Namatjira Hugh vs Ghan

Other comparisons with Arumbera

Arumbera vs Kilgariff Arumbera vs Ilparpa Arumbera vs Connellan Arumbera vs White Gums
Full data on Hugh Full data on Arumbera
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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