Moving to Katherine NT 0850
What the official numbers say about living in Katherine — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $360 a week, against a median household income of $2,053 a week.
About 45% of homes are owner-occupied and 51% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Katherine shrank 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (1,376 → 1,254 people).
Around 58% of households are families, averaging 2.3 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines; most spoken languages besides English: Australian Indigenous, Nepali, Tagalog.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Katherine sits around the national average (decile 5 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (79% of workers).
Nearest airport: RAAF Base Tindal, 14.7 km south-east.
The Darwin CBD is roughly 270 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 11 schools · 15 cafes & restaurants · 1 supermarket · 6 parks — see them all on the Katherine profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Clyde Fenton Primary School 750 m · Katherine School of the Air 800 m · St Joseph Primary School 1 km · Kintore Street School 1.1 km · St Joseph Secondary College 1.2 km · Katherine High School 1.8 km · MacFarlane Pre School 1.9 km · MacFarlane Primary School 2 km
Groceries: Woolworths 950 m
Parks and reserves: Giles Park 900 m · O'Shea Park 900 m · Jukes Park 1.1 km · Ryan Park 1.1 km · Rundle Park 2.1 km · Fuller Park 2.8 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Katherine, most often seen first: Magpie-lark · Red-collared Lorikeet · Bar-shouldered Dove · Black Kite · Great Bowerbird · Willie Wagtail.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Katherine, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katherine here | 1,254 | — | 5/10 | 23% |
| Katherine South | 1,507 | — | 3/10 | 17% |
| Katherine East | 3,061 | — | 4/10 | 17% |
| Cossack | 1,293 | — | 5/10 | 16% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Katherine — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Lingiari — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 0850 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Katherine profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $360 a week, and about 51% of homes here are rented.
The population fell 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 1,376 people to 1,254. It sits about 270 km from the Darwin CBD in a straight line. Local government is Katherine council, and the federal seat is Lingiari.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Katherine vs Katherine South · Katherine vs Katherine East.
Nearby guides: Katherine South · Katherine East · Cossack.
Keep an eye on Katherine
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