Nightcliff vs Rapid Creek

Nightcliff and Rapid Creek are similarly positioned suburbs equidistant from Darwin's CBD at 11.9 km, with identical weekly rent at $350 and no bushfire, crime, or flood risk. Nightcliff edges ahead on liveability (73 versus 62) and walkability (70 versus 56), making it more appealing if you value neighbourhood amenity and getting around on foot. Rapid Creek offers a higher median household income of $114,816 compared to Nightcliff's $106,652, and slightly better unit rental yields at 6.5 percent. Both are affluent areas in the ninth socio-economic decile, so your choice largely depends on whether you prioritise walkable, liveable surroundings or higher household income levels.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Nightcliff

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 1)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Rapid Creek has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Rapid Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($997,500 vs $1,170,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Nightcliff

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (72/100 vs 54/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Nightcliff

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (72/100 vs 54/100)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Nightcliff returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.9% vs 3.4%)
  • Rapid Creek returns a higher gross yield on units (6.7% vs 6.2%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
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.

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Walkability 72 / 54
Nightcliff — Walkability: 72/100 Rapid Creek — Walkability: 54/100

Demographics

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Population 3,884
+16% vs other
 3,261
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.8% -0.6%
Median age 34 35
Median household income $106,652/yr $114,816/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
0-4 6.7% / 6.1%
Nightcliff — 0-4: 6.7% Rapid Creek — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 10.6% / 11.6%
Nightcliff — 5-14: 10.6% Rapid Creek — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 4.3% / 4.0%
Nightcliff — 15-19: 4.3% Rapid Creek — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 4.8% / 5.1%
Nightcliff — 20-24: 4.8% Rapid Creek — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 23.9% / 23.1%
Nightcliff — 25-34: 23.9% Rapid Creek — 25-34: 23.1%
35-44 16.8% / 16.7%
Nightcliff — 35-44: 16.8% Rapid Creek — 35-44: 16.7%
45-54 11.9% / 12.6%
Nightcliff — 45-54: 11.9% Rapid Creek — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 9.7% / 10.5%
Nightcliff — 55-64: 9.7% Rapid Creek — 55-64: 10.5%
65-74 8.0% / 7.1%
Nightcliff — 65-74: 8.0% Rapid Creek — 65-74: 7.1%
75-84 2.7% / 2.6%
Nightcliff — 75-84: 2.7% Rapid Creek — 75-84: 2.6%
85+ 0.7% / 0.6%
Nightcliff — 85+: 0.7% Rapid Creek — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Nightcliff 41.4% lone person
Nightcliff — Lone Person: 41.4% Nightcliff — Couple Families: 35.0% Nightcliff — One Parent Families: 10.7% Nightcliff — Group Household: 10.6% Nightcliff — Other Families: 2.3%
Rapid Creek 39.9% lone person
Rapid Creek — Lone Person: 39.9% Rapid Creek — Couple Families: 35.2% Rapid Creek — One Parent Families: 12.5% Rapid Creek — Group Household: 11.2% Rapid Creek — Other Families: 1.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Nightcliff 55.3% renting
Nightcliff — Owned Outright: 19.8% Nightcliff — Mortgage: 24.9% Nightcliff — Renting: 55.3%
Rapid Creek 56.6% renting
Rapid Creek — Owned Outright: 19.1% Rapid Creek — Mortgage: 24.3% Rapid Creek — Renting: 56.6%
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.

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
India 6.1% / 7.3%
Nightcliff — India: 6.1% Rapid Creek — India: 7.3%
Nepal 4.0% / 3.5%
Nightcliff — Nepal: 4.0% Rapid Creek — Nepal: 3.5%
England 2.9% / 3.4%
Nightcliff — England: 2.9% Rapid Creek — England: 3.4%
Philippines 3.4% / 1.9%
Nightcliff — Philippines: 3.4% Rapid Creek — Philippines: 1.9%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.8%
Nightcliff — New Zealand: 1.7% Rapid Creek — New Zealand: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.3%).

Qualifications

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

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Bachelor Degree 21.1% / 21.5%
Nightcliff — Bachelor Degree: 21.1% Rapid Creek — Bachelor Degree: 21.5%
Postgraduate Degree 12.9% / 14.7%
Nightcliff — Postgraduate Degree: 12.9% Rapid Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 14.7%
Certificate III & IV 10.0% / 9.2%
Nightcliff — Certificate III & IV: 10.0% Rapid Creek — Certificate III & IV: 9.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.4% / 6.4%
Nightcliff — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4% Rapid Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.6% / 4.4%
Nightcliff — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6% Rapid Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Nightcliff 55.2% flats / apartments
Nightcliff — Flats / Apartments: 55.2% Nightcliff — Houses: 35.8% Nightcliff — Townhouses: 9.0%
Rapid Creek 57.3% flats / apartments
Rapid Creek — Flats / Apartments: 57.3% Rapid Creek — Houses: 41.3% Rapid Creek — Townhouses: 1.5%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Median house price $1,170,000 $997,500
Median unit price $415,000 $447,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 19 sales
 18 days
from 13 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.

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
3 bed $885K / $818K
Nightcliff — 3 bed: $885K (16 sales) Rapid Creek — 3 bed: $818K (16 sales)

16 vs 16 sales

4 bed $1.27M / $1M
Nightcliff — 4 bed: $1.27M (11 sales) Rapid Creek — 4 bed: $1M (17 sales)

11 vs 17 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
1 bed $250K / $205K
Nightcliff — 1 bed: $250K (24 sales) Rapid Creek — 1 bed: $205K (15 sales)

24 vs 15 sales

2 bed $430K / $448K
Nightcliff — 2 bed: $430K (90 sales) Rapid Creek — 2 bed: $448K (72 sales)

90 vs 72 sales

3 bed $545K / $580K
Nightcliff — 3 bed: $545K (15 sales) Rapid Creek — 3 bed: $580K (15 sales)

15 vs 15 sales

Development activity

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
New dwellings approved 171
across Darwin
same for both
Approvals change year on year +47%
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.

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Houses 3.9%
$735/wk on $970K
 3.4%
$680/wk on $1.04M
Units 6.2%
$510/wk on $430K
 6.7%
$600/wk on $469K

Ranking within NT

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 67% of NT Higher than 76% of NT
Schools — Higher than 44% of NT
Walkability Higher than 94% of NT Higher than 85% of NT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 91% of NT Higher than 88% of NT
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NT Higher than 81% of NT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 11% of NT Higher than 4% of NT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 19% of NT Higher than 42% of NT

Liveability

Nightcliff is more walkable (72 vs 54); Nightcliff scores higher overall (85 vs 64).

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Grade A B
Score 85/100 64/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
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 Low
15/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Casuarina Campus, 4.3 km
 2
Casuarina Campus, 3.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.4% 1.2%

Schools in Nightcliff

  • Nightcliff Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Rapid Creek

  • St Paul's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Nightcliff Middle School Government · Secondary
  • The Essington School Independent · Combined
  • The Essington School - Senior Campus Independent · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 2
Parks & reserves 6 1
Childcare 3
same for both
GPs 0 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 3 0
Beaches 1
same for both
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Walkability score 72/100 54/100
Distance to Darwin 11.9 km
same for both
Drive time (normal traffic) 18 min
same for both
Public transport score 92/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 33.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 37.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 0810
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 35
postcode 0810
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.

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Car (driver) 76.5% / 74.9%
Nightcliff — Car (driver): 76.5% Rapid Creek — Car (driver): 74.9%
Car (passenger) 7.3% / 5.8%
Nightcliff — Car (passenger): 7.3% Rapid Creek — Car (passenger): 5.8%
Worked from Home 4.9% / 6.4%
Nightcliff — Worked from Home: 4.9% Rapid Creek — Worked from Home: 6.4%
Bicycle 5.0% / 6.0%
Nightcliff — Bicycle: 5.0% Rapid Creek — Bicycle: 6.0%
Bus 4.5% / 4.3%
Nightcliff — Bus: 4.5% Rapid Creek — Bus: 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.5%).

Setting

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Elevation 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 15 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 179 m
889 m to a named beach
 162 m
133 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Connectivity score 99/100 98/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 97%
2,169 premises
 94%
1,593 premises

Climate

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
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

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Average residential rate $1,870/yr
same for both
Council Darwin
same for both

Federal electorate

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Division Solomon
same for both
Member Luke John Gosling
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Nightcliff Rapid Creek
Grant amount $50,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Nightcliff

Apartments Beach Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Transport Hub

Rapid Creek

Apartments Beach Beachfront Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Professionals Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Nightcliff

Nightcliff vs Coconut Grove Nightcliff vs Ludmilla

Other comparisons with Rapid Creek

Rapid Creek vs Coconut Grove Rapid Creek vs Millner Rapid Creek vs Alawa Rapid Creek vs Jingili Rapid Creek vs Brinkin
Full data on Nightcliff Full data on Rapid Creek
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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