Tumbling Waters vs Darwin River

Tumbling Waters is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 47 in Darwin River. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Tumbling Waters, about half of households are couple families. In Darwin River, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Tumbling Waters: a median of $815,000, against $590,000 in Darwin River, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Tumbling Waters tends to suit families with children and couples, while Darwin River suits people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

  • Tumbling Waters is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 49%)
  • Darwin River has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 85%)

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

First-home buyers

Darwin River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($590,000 vs $815,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Tumbling Waters has a bigger rental market to choose from (22% vs 12%)
  • Darwin River has cheaper rent ($268/wk vs $350/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Tumbling Waters

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (49 min vs 58 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (56.5 km vs 65.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Tumbling Waters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (15% vs 1%)

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

Where they sit

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

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
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.

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Walkability 0 / 0
Tumbling Waters — Walkability: 0/100 Darwin River — Walkability: 0/100

Demographics

Darwin River has more residents (627 vs 254); Tumbling Waters rents higher ($350/wk vs $268/wk).

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Population 254 627
+147% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — -9.9%
Median age 37 47
Median household income $93,600/yr
+14% vs other
 $80,600/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+23% vs other
 $268/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
0-4 9.8% / 5.1%
Tumbling Waters — 0-4: 9.8% Darwin River — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 15.7% / 11.8%
Tumbling Waters — 5-14: 15.7% Darwin River — 5-14: 11.8%
15-19 5.5% / 5.6%
Tumbling Waters — 15-19: 5.5% Darwin River — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 5.5% / 3.8%
Tumbling Waters — 20-24: 5.5% Darwin River — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 9.8% / 7.3%
Tumbling Waters — 25-34: 9.8% Darwin River — 25-34: 7.3%
35-44 15.4% / 12.8%
Tumbling Waters — 35-44: 15.4% Darwin River — 35-44: 12.8%
45-54 10.6% / 21.4%
Tumbling Waters — 45-54: 10.6% Darwin River — 45-54: 21.4%
55-64 13.8% / 16.9%
Tumbling Waters — 55-64: 13.8% Darwin River — 55-64: 16.9%
65-74 9.1% / 12.3%
Tumbling Waters — 65-74: 9.1% Darwin River — 65-74: 12.3%
75-84 2.0% / 4.8%
Tumbling Waters — 75-84: 2.0% Darwin River — 75-84: 4.8%
85+ 1.2% / —
Tumbling Waters — 85+: 1.2% Darwin River — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Tumbling Waters 48.2% couple families
Tumbling Waters — Couple Families: 48.2% Tumbling Waters — Lone Person: 30.4% Tumbling Waters — One Parent Families: 21.4% Tumbling Waters — Group Household: 0.0%
Darwin River 37.3% couple families
Darwin River — Couple Families: 37.3% Darwin River — Lone Person: 45.1% Darwin River — One Parent Families: 11.8% Darwin River — Group Household: 5.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Tumbling Waters 22.0% renting
Tumbling Waters — Owned Outright: 39.0% Tumbling Waters — Mortgage: 39.0% Tumbling Waters — Renting: 22.0%
Darwin River 11.6% renting
Darwin River — Owned Outright: 36.2% Darwin River — Mortgage: 52.2% Darwin River — Renting: 11.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 22.3%
Tumbling Waters — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Darwin River — Certificate III & IV: 22.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 5.7%
Tumbling Waters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Darwin River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Bachelor Degree 4.3% / 5.3%
Tumbling Waters — Bachelor Degree: 4.3% Darwin River — Bachelor Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 2.4%
Tumbling Waters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Darwin River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.6%
Tumbling Waters — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Darwin River — Postgraduate Degree: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.3%).

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.

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
England 2.8% / 2.9%
Tumbling Waters — England: 2.8% Darwin River — England: 2.9%
New Zealand 1.2% / 2.9%
Tumbling Waters — New Zealand: 1.2% Darwin River — New Zealand: 2.9%
Germany 1.2% / 0.6%
Tumbling Waters — Germany: 1.2% Darwin River — Germany: 0.6%
Nepal 1.2% / —
Tumbling Waters — Nepal: 1.2% Darwin River — Nepal: not among its largest
Indonesia 1.2% / —
Tumbling Waters — Indonesia: 1.2% Darwin River — Indonesia: not among its largest
Vietnam — / 0.8%
Tumbling Waters — Vietnam: not among its largest Darwin River — Vietnam: 0.8%
Philippines — / 0.8%
Tumbling Waters — Philippines: not among its largest Darwin River — Philippines: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Tumbling Waters 85.0% houses
Tumbling Waters — Houses: 85.0% Tumbling Waters — Flats / Apartments: 15.0%
Darwin River 98.6% houses
Darwin River — Houses: 98.6% Darwin River — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Median house price $815,000 $590,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $350,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 53 days
from 4 sales

Development activity

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
New dwellings approved 130
across Litchfield
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
same for both

Ranking within NT

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 57% of NT Higher than 49% of NT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 20% of NT Higher than 4% of NT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 21% of NT Higher than 79% of NT
NBN connectivity Higher than 64% of NT Higher than 62% of NT

Liveability

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Grade — C
Score — 26/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
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

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Waterways 1 3

Mobility

Darwin River sits further from the CBD (65.4 km vs 56.5 km).

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Darwin 56.5 km 65.4 km
+16% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 49 min 58 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 0822
 0.5%
postcode 0841
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 26
postcode 0822
 38
postcode 0841

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.

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Car (driver) 73.3% / 82.4%
Tumbling Waters — Car (driver): 73.3% Darwin River — Car (driver): 82.4%
Worked from Home 7.8% / 10.6%
Tumbling Waters — Worked from Home: 7.8% Darwin River — Worked from Home: 10.6%
Car (passenger) 7.8% / 2.8%
Tumbling Waters — Car (passenger): 7.8% Darwin River — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Bus 7.8% / 1.9%
Tumbling Waters — Bus: 7.8% Darwin River — Bus: 1.9%
Walked Only 3.3% / 2.3%
Tumbling Waters — Walked Only: 3.3% Darwin River — Walked Only: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.4%).

Setting

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Elevation 35 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 92 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 11.9 km 18.9 km

NBN connectivity

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Connectivity score 29/100 28/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
101 premises
 0%
312 premises

Climate

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
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

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Average residential rate $1,153/yr
same for both
Council Litchfield
same for both

Federal electorate

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Division Lingiari
same for both
Member Marion Scrymgour
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Tumbling Waters Darwin River
Grant amount $50,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Tumbling Waters

Family Outer Young Families

Darwin River

Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Tumbling Waters

Tumbling Waters vs Berry Springs Tumbling Waters vs Southport

Other comparisons with Darwin River

Darwin River vs Berry Springs Darwin River vs Livingstone Darwin River vs Fly Creek
Full data on Tumbling Waters Full data on Darwin River
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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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