Kakadu vs West Arnhem

West Arnhem is the younger of the two, with a median age of 27 against 36 in Kakadu. In both, most households rent and most homes are detached houses. In West Arnhem, most households are couple families. On these figures, Kakadu tends to suit people living alone, while West Arnhem suits renters, families with children, and 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

West Arnhem

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (89% vs 57%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 68%)

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

Renters

West Arnhem

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($30/wk vs $92/wk)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (100% vs 71%)

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

Commuting to the city

Kakadu

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (221 min vs 386 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (227.2 km vs 396.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kakadu

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (32% vs 12%)

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

Investors

West Arnhem

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.9% vs 0.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kakadu West Arnhem
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.

Kakadu West Arnhem
Walkability 0 / 0
Kakadu — Walkability: 0/100 West Arnhem — Walkability: 0/100

Demographics

Kakadu rents higher ($92/wk vs $30/wk); West Arnhem has more residents (785 vs 315).

Kakadu West Arnhem
Population 315 785
+149% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.6% +14.9%
Median age 36 27
Median household income $87,724/yr
+30% vs other
 $61,048/yr
Median weekly rent $92/wk
+67% vs other
 $30/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kakadu West Arnhem
0-4 2.5% / 6.1%
Kakadu — 0-4: 2.5% West Arnhem — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 8.9% / 17.8%
Kakadu — 5-14: 8.9% West Arnhem — 5-14: 17.8%
15-19 4.1% / 10.1%
Kakadu — 15-19: 4.1% West Arnhem — 15-19: 10.1%
20-24 9.8% / 9.3%
Kakadu — 20-24: 9.8% West Arnhem — 20-24: 9.3%
25-34 21.0% / 20.4%
Kakadu — 25-34: 21.0% West Arnhem — 25-34: 20.4%
35-44 11.7% / 16.3%
Kakadu — 35-44: 11.7% West Arnhem — 35-44: 16.3%
45-54 18.7% / 9.8%
Kakadu — 45-54: 18.7% West Arnhem — 45-54: 9.8%
55-64 15.2% / 6.6%
Kakadu — 55-64: 15.2% West Arnhem — 55-64: 6.6%
65-74 5.7% / 1.5%
Kakadu — 65-74: 5.7% West Arnhem — 65-74: 1.5%
75-84 — / 1.1%
Kakadu — 75-84: not among its largest West Arnhem — 75-84: 1.1%
85+ — / 0.4%
Kakadu — 85+: not among its largest West Arnhem — 85+: 0.4%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kakadu 30.2% couple families
Kakadu — Couple Families: 30.2% Kakadu — One Parent Families: 27.0% Kakadu — Lone Person: 38.1% Kakadu — Group Household: 4.8% Kakadu — Other Families: 0.0%
West Arnhem 70.7% couple families
West Arnhem — Couple Families: 70.7% West Arnhem — One Parent Families: 18.7% West Arnhem — Lone Person: 6.0% West Arnhem — Group Household: 0.0% West Arnhem — Other Families: 4.7%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kakadu 71.2% renting
Kakadu — Owned Outright: 28.8% Kakadu — Mortgage: 0.0% Kakadu — Renting: 71.2%
West Arnhem 100.0% renting
West Arnhem — Owned Outright: 0.0% West Arnhem — Mortgage: 0.0% West Arnhem — Renting: 100.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kakadu 68.2% houses
Kakadu — Houses: 68.2% Kakadu — Flats / Apartments: 31.8%
West Arnhem 87.6% houses
West Arnhem — Houses: 87.6% West Arnhem — Flats / Apartments: 12.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Kakadu West Arnhem
Certificate III & IV 14.6% / 2.5%
Kakadu — Certificate III & IV: 14.6% West Arnhem — Certificate III & IV: 2.5%
Bachelor Degree 7.9% / —
Kakadu — Bachelor Degree: 7.9% West Arnhem — Bachelor Degree: not among its largest
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.5% / 0.5%
Kakadu — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.5% West Arnhem — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 0.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 0.4%
Kakadu — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% West Arnhem — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / —
Kakadu — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% West Arnhem — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.6%).

Development activity

Kakadu West Arnhem
New dwellings approved 34
across West Arnhem
same for both
Approvals change year on year +500%
same for both

Ranking within NT

Kakadu West Arnhem
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 54% of NT Higher than 27% of NT
Schools — Higher than 12% of NT
Walkability Higher than 11% of NT Higher than 1% of NT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 14% of NT Higher than 6% of NT
NBN connectivity Higher than 11% of NT Higher than 1% of NT

Liveability

Kakadu West Arnhem
Grade — D
Score — 22/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Kakadu West Arnhem
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 High
100/100
 High
98/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Kakadu West Arnhem
Inside the suburb 0 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Kakadu

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

Schools in West Arnhem

  • Nawarddeken Academy Kabulwarnamyo School Independent · Combined
  • Nawarddeken Academy Kunmayali School Independent · Secondary
  • Nawarddeken Academy Mamadawerre School Independent · Combined
  • Nawarddeken Academy Manmoyi School Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Kakadu West Arnhem
Parks & reserves 2 3
Fuel stations 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 30 3

Mobility

West Arnhem sits further from the CBD (396.1 km vs 227.2 km).

Kakadu West Arnhem
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Darwin 227.2 km 396.1 km
+74% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 221 min 386 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 0822
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 26
postcode 0822
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.

Kakadu West Arnhem
Walked Only 33.3% / 73.0%
Kakadu — Walked Only: 33.3% West Arnhem — Walked Only: 73.0%
Car (driver) 40.8% / 10.1%
Kakadu — Car (driver): 40.8% West Arnhem — Car (driver): 10.1%
Car (passenger) 15.0% / 16.9%
Kakadu — Car (passenger): 15.0% West Arnhem — Car (passenger): 16.9%
Worked from Home 5.8% / —
Kakadu — Worked from Home: 5.8% West Arnhem — Worked from Home: not among its largest
Bicycle 5.0% / —
Kakadu — Bicycle: 5.0% West Arnhem — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.0%).

Setting

Kakadu West Arnhem
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 35.8 km 43.9 km

NBN connectivity

Kakadu West Arnhem
Connectivity score 15/100
same for both
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
62 premises
 0%
54 premises

Council rates

Kakadu West Arnhem
Average residential rate $1,233/yr
same for both
Council West Arnhem
same for both

Federal electorate

Kakadu West Arnhem
Division Lingiari
same for both
Member Marion Scrymgour
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kakadu West Arnhem
Grant amount $50,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kakadu

Multicultural Rural

West Arnhem

Family Multicultural Professionals Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kakadu

Kakadu vs Gunbalanya Kakadu vs Jabiru Kakadu vs Nitmiluk

Other comparisons with West Arnhem

West Arnhem vs East Arnhem West Arnhem vs Gunbalanya West Arnhem vs Warruwi West Arnhem vs Minjilang West Arnhem vs Flying Fox
Full data on Kakadu Full data on West Arnhem
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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