How median household incomes compare across Northern Territory

New Census figures reveal the median household income in the Northern Territory was about $2060 a week. See how your income compares with our interactive map.

Melanie BurgessData journalist

@melanieburgess

2 min read

July 7, 2022 - 3:47PM

News Corp Australia Network

'Fundamental problem' in limited wage growth

National

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The average Northern Territory household is earning just $78 more each week than it was five years ago, and many communities – including Darwin City – have even gone backwards.

New Census figures reveal the median household income in the territory was $2061 a week (about $107,170 a year) in 2021, up from $1983 a week ($103,120 a year) in 2016.

That’s just 3.9 per cent growth over five years, which is well behind the national trend of 21.4 per cent.

Job site Indeed’s senior economist for the Asia Pacific region Callam Pickering said in general Australian wages were growing but “nowhere near as fast as inflation”.

“Adjusted for inflation, Australian households have experienced the largest wage cut since the introduction of the GST,” Mr Pickering said.

“Purchasing power has declined quite a bit.”

He said workers had not received a “meaningful wage increase” despite the low unemployment rate meaning quality employees are in short supply.

“Demands for higher wages are going to become louder over the next 12 months,” he said.

“Households won’t be particularly happy they are going backwards and (incomes are) not keeping pace.”

Over the past five years, most of the NT’s largest income jumps were recorded in the Top End.

The median household in Elsey, about 350 km southeast of Darwin, earned 35 per cent more in 2021 ($1389 a week) than the median household in 2016 ($1026), while the median in Berrimah increased 26 per cent to $2250 and that of the Gulf region jumped 19 per cent to $1281.

On the flip side, median incomes shrunk considerably in areas such as the Anindilyakwa region, encompassing Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island (down 37 per cent), Thamarrurr, west of Katherine (down 22 per cent), and Yuendumu–Anmatjere in the middle of the territory (down 11 per cent).

The Darwin City median was down 5 per cent – bringing in $2151 a week in 2021, or $113 less than five years earlier.

Indeed senior economist Callam Pickering says inflation is far out-pacing wage growth. Picture: Supplied

Mr Pickering said income growth was typically the result of changes in demographics, industry composition and population growth – and different regions were experiencing different trends.

“People relocating during the pandemic would be contributing to this situation,” he said.

“The fact more people were working from home (last year) compared to 2016 would enable a situation where people have jobs that would normally be based in Sydney (for example), but they are living in the regions.”

Mr Pickering said new or growing industries could also help a region shift towards higher-income roles.

“It might just be that a high-income industry, such as construction, is getting a little bit bigger compared to five years ago and that flows through to more income in that region, which increases wages for other industries as well,” he said.