Tennant Creek NT 0860
Tennant Creek sits 991 km from Darwin CBD in Northern Territory, around 10 hours 35 minutes by car. Census data records 3,080 residents with a median age of 33 and a median household income of $87,204 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Population grew 3.0% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $180 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,114. 2 schools sit within the town boundary, and walkability is moderate.
Is Tennant Creek a good town?
Tennant Creek scores a C (37/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on community.
Mixed results
2 schools
Very walkable
Walkability 62/100 · 990.7 km · 636 min drive to Darwin
Median available
Median $265K
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 1/10 · median age 33 · 3,080 residents
Liveability Rating
37 / 100 · Ranked #69 in NTEach bar is Tennant Creek's rank among NT suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 3 of 5 factors: no school or safety data, so the other factors carry its weight.
No bushfire or crime or flood data is published for Northern Territory — a blank here means we hold no data, not that there is no risk.
How do you rate the liveability in Tennant Creek?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
37 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataTennant Creek's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $265,000, roughly 22% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$265,000
Based on 55 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 112 days — median across 13 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 32 sales $255K
- 4 bed 7 sales $385K
Units
$317,500
Based on only 6 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Tennant Creek are currently listed at around $286,000 on average. Based on 22 houses listed in the past six months.
$286K
22 houses listed in the last 6 months.
22 of the suburb's 943 dwellings (2.3%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Crime in the Tennant Creek area
Crime recorded across the whole area over the 12 months to Aug 2026, not in Tennant Creek alone. NT Police publish by town and district, not by suburb, and recent months can take several months to settle.
| Type | Count | Per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| All offences | 1,380 | 384.7 |
| Assault | 427 | 119.0 |
| Domestic violence assault | 315 | 87.8 |
| Sexual offences | 14 | 3.9 |
| House burglary | 146 | 40.7 |
| Commercial burglary | 57 | 15.9 |
| Theft | 271 | 75.6 |
| Property damage | 423 | 117.9 |
| Robbery and extortion | 16 | 4.5 |
| Endangering people | 25 | 7.0 |
Rates use the Tennant Creek area’s 3,587 residents. The latest month is preliminary and may be revised.
Schools
Two schools serve Tennant Creek, but none have published comparable ratings yet.
- • 451 students across 2 schools (avg 226)
- • ICSEA 732-754, median 743 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Tennant Creek Primary School (309 students)
Primary
Secondary
Walkability
Tennant Creek is somewhat walkable on foot — at 62/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Tennant Creek.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 2%
- Premises covered
- 1,509
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Barkly: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 9 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 4 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this town rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Tennant Creek is home to about 3,100 residents, with a median age of 33, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $87,000 a year, with unemployment at 8.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
3,080
Median Age
33
Median Household Income
$87,204/yr
Census Median Rent
$180/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,114/mo
Avg Household Size
2.7
Median Personal Income
$34,892/yr
Unemployment Rate
8.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
20.0%
Total Dwellings
943
Owner-Occupier Rate
28.3%
Houses
80.4%
Rental Stress
10.7%
Mortgage Stress
15.3%
Work From Home
3.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
237 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 37 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 557 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 75.7%
- English Spoken at Home
- 52.9%
- Employment Rate
- 46.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 26.5%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
132 residents (4.3%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
9.5% of residents (268) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Darwin (90).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 2,809 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Local Jobs
People who work in this town against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 1,243 people work here; 1,131 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (1.1 per resident). At least 9% of the people who work here must live elsewhere.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,475 a year through Barkly based on 2026 figures.
Building Approvals: Barkly
In the year to August 2026, 2 new dwellings were approved across Barkly. Almost all of the pipeline is detached houses. Approvals are down 100.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Climate & Setting
from Tennant Creek Airport, 1.4 kmModerate rainfall — very hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 364 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Annual rainfall
- 520 mm
- 38 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 36.8°C
- 144 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 13.2°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the town centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
3 facilities within 5 km- 1.2 kmFossil Fuel Electricity GenerationTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 1.4 km
- 1.6 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds
EV adoption
In postcode 0860, 0 of 1,452 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.5% (22 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.5%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 0860, 187 rooftop-solar systems totalling 1.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 1,133 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 2 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$50,000 for new homes.
Administered as the HomeGrown Territory Grant. Established-home buyers may also be eligible for the separate BuildBonus Grant.
Mortgage repayments
Stamp duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Territory Revenue Office
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-26 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Marion Scrymgour Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Marion Scrymgour | 58.1% | 41.9% | +6.5 |
| 2022 | Marion Scrymgour | 51.0% | 49.0% | +4.5 |
| 2019 | Warren Snowdon | 55.5% | 44.5% | +2.7 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Steve Edgington Country Liberal
Next state election: 26 August 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Steve Edgington CLP | 51.9% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2023, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Northern Territory Electoral Commission.
Looking at a specific address in Tennant Creek?
Every figure above is a town average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 3,080 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Featured in
Compare Tennant Creek to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other NT suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Tennant Creek
Is Tennant Creek a safe place to live?
NT does not publish suburb-level crime statistics, so there is no crime figure for Tennant Creek.
Is Tennant Creek a good place to live?
Tennant Creek has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (37/100), ranked against other NT suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Tennant Creek?
Tennant Creek, NT had a population of 3,080 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Tennant Creek, NT?
The postcode for Tennant Creek, NT is 0860.
How far is Tennant Creek from Darwin?
Tennant Creek is 991 km from Darwin CBD by road, about 636 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Tennant Creek?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Tennant Creek was $87,204 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Tennant Creek?
There are too few current rental listings in Tennant Creek for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $180, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Tennant Creek?
The median age of residents in Tennant Creek was 33 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Tennant Creek?
There are 2 schools inside the Tennant Creek boundary, none of which has enough NAPLAN and ICSEA data for a quality band.
Is Tennant Creek walkable?
Tennant Creek scores 62/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it somewhat walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Tennant Creek?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Tennant Creek, Tennant Creek Airport (1.4 km away), summer days average 36.8°C, winter nights 13.2°C, 520 mm of rain a year over 38 rainy days, and 144 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Tennant Creek?
First-home buyers in NT may be eligible for $50,000 towards new homes. The grant is administered by Territory Revenue Office; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Tennant Creek belong to?
Tennant Creek sits within the Barkly local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Tennant Creek?
The average residential rates bill through Barkly is $1,475 a year (2026). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Tennant Creek?
Across Barkly, 2 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 100.0% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Tennant Creek in?
Tennant Creek sits within the federal Division of Lingiari, currently held by Marion Scrymgour (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2026–27
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2024
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.