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Job market report

Greater Darwin job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in Greater Darwin, Northern Territory, from Jobs and Skills Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Every figure is numbered and sourced.

Latest data
JSA September 2026; ABS 2023 to 2025 and the 2021 Census
Updated
24 October 2026
Area
ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area 7GDAR
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Shrinking: online job ads in Greater Darwin were down 11.7% on a year earlier, from 2,116 to 1,869 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were down 8.5% across the Northern Territory and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists had the most online ads, 127 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by automotive and engineering trades (118) and medical practitioners and nurses (102).[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, health care and social assistance grew fastest, with 41% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by other services (34% more).

    Agriculture, forestry and fishing had 16% fewer employee jobs than in 2019, and manufacturing 6% fewer.[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 4.0% of the labour force in Greater Darwin was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.6% across the Northern Territory.

    It was 4.6% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 69.7%, against 61.7% across the Northern Territory. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.[3]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation →

1 Job ads and demand

Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads.

Greater Darwin
−11.7%
1,869 ads a month[1]
Northern Territory
−8.5%
the sum of its areas[1][2]
Australia
+0.6%
the sum of every area[1][2]

Change in online job ads, the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 1.1: Online job ads a month, Greater DarwinThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1.6k1.8k2k2.2k2.4k2.6kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Greater DarwinGreater Darwin, Sep 2026: 1,8691,869

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Greater Darwin
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20232,417
November 20232,290
December 20232,006
January 20241,987
February 20242,041
March 20242,273
April 20242,216
May 20242,244
June 20242,165
July 20242,192
August 20242,147
September 20242,274
October 20242,335
November 20242,276
December 20241,987
January 20251,942
February 20251,929
March 20252,159
April 20252,071
May 20252,094
June 20252,036
July 20252,118
August 20252,099
September 20252,116
October 20252,082
November 20251,974
December 20251,721
January 20261,638
February 20261,696
March 20261,947
April 20261,942
May 20261,924
June 20261,820
July 20261,804
August 20261,805
September 20261,869

2 Which jobs are in demand

Online job ads by occupation group (ANZSCO sub-major groups), the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 2.1: Change in online job ads by occupation, Greater DarwinThe 12 occupation groups with the most ads, fastest-rising first. Groups with fewer than 5 ads a month now or a year earlier are left out; the table lists all 48.
Automotive and engineering trades: +3.5%Automotive and engineering trades+3.5%Drivers and storepersons: +3.4%Drivers and storepersons+3.4%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +2.8%Hospitality, retail and service managers+2.8%Medical practitioners and nurses: +1.0%Medical practitioners and nurses+1.0%Sales assistants and salespersons: −1.0%Sales assistants and salespersons−1.0%Corporate managers: −14.1%Corporate managers−14.1%Other labourers: −15.5%Other labourers−15.5%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −15.9%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−15.9%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −22.9%Legal, social and welfare professionals−22.9%Construction, production and distribution managers: −25.0%Construction, production and distribution managers−25.0%Carers and aides: −28.1%Carers and aides−28.1%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −28.2%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−28.2%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Greater Darwin
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists127151−15.9%
Automotive and engineering trades118114+3.5%
Medical practitioners and nurses102101+1.0%
Legal, social and welfare professionals101131−22.9%
Sales assistants and salespersons9596−1.0%
Drivers and storepersons9087+3.4%
Hospitality, retail and service managers7472+2.8%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals74103−28.2%
Carers and aides6489−28.1%
Corporate managers6171−14.1%
Other labourers6071−15.5%
Construction, production and distribution managers5472−25.0%
Business, finance and human resource professionals5161−16.4%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries5156−8.9%
Construction trades4744+6.8%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades4752−9.6%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians4543+4.7%
Engineers4250−16.0%
Numerical clerks4138+7.9%
Other clerical and administrative workers3959−33.9%
Mobile plant operators3842−9.5%
ICT professionals3331+6.5%
Education professionals32320.0%
Food trades3233−3.0%
Sales representatives and agents3028+7.1%
Machine and stationary plant operators2635−25.7%
Health and welfare support workers2536−30.6%
Cleaners and laundry workers2526−3.8%
Hospitality workers2331−25.8%
Science professionals and veterinarians2118+16.7%
Sports, travel and personal service workers1923−17.4%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators189+100.0%
Construction and mining labourers1723−26.1%
Health, education, ICT and other managers1517−11.8%
Sales support workers1510+50.0%
Information professionals1423−39.1%
Protective service workers1319−31.6%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals1216−25.0%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers1219−36.8%
Transport and design professionals, and architects1020−50.0%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers1015−33.3%
Factory process workers105+100.0%
Farm, forestry and garden workers910−10.0%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades880.0%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers87+14.3%
Arts and media professionals612−50.0%
Food preparation assistantsfewer than 58n/a
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a

3 Unemployment and participation

Unemployment and labour force participation at each Census, from the ABS. These are the rates at the Census named, not current rates.

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Greater DarwinShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against the Northern Territory.
  • Greater Darwin
  • Northern Territory
3%4%5%6%7%201120162021Greater DarwinGreater Darwin, 2011: 3.6%Greater Darwin, 2016: 4.6%Greater Darwin, 2021: 4.0%4.0%Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory, 2011: 5.3%Northern Territory, 2016: 7.0%Northern Territory, 2021: 5.6%5.6%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Greater Darwin
CensusGreater DarwinNorthern Territory
2011 Census3.6%5.3%
2016 Census4.6%7.0%
2021 Census4.0%5.6%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Greater DarwinShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against the Northern Territory.
  • Greater Darwin
  • Northern Territory
60%62.5%65%67.5%70%201120162021Greater DarwinGreater Darwin, 2011: 68.7%Greater Darwin, 2016: 68.5%Greater Darwin, 2021: 69.7%69.7%Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory, 2011: 63.9%Northern Territory, 2016: 61.5%Northern Territory, 2021: 61.7%61.7%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Greater Darwin
CensusGreater DarwinNorthern Territory
2011 Census68.7%63.9%
2016 Census68.5%61.5%
2021 Census69.7%61.7%

Note: This report takes unemployment from the Census. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.

4 Industries growing and shrinking

Employee jobs by industry (ANZSIC division) in the year to 30 June, from the ABS. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Shrinking means fewer employee jobs in the ABS count.

Figure 4.1: Change in employee jobs by industry, Greater Darwin, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Health care and social assistance: +40.6%Health care and social assistance+40.6%Other services: +34.4%Other services+34.4%Accommodation and food services: +28.0%Accommodation and food services+28.0%Retail trade: +26.6%Retail trade+26.6%Professional, scientific and technical services: +17.4%Professional, scientific and technical services+17.4%Transport, postal and warehousing: +15.2%Transport, postal and warehousing+15.2%Mining: +12.6%Mining+12.6%Education and training: +6.9%Education and training+6.9%Construction: +6.5%Construction+6.5%Administrative and support services: +5.2%Administrative and support services+5.2%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +4.3%Rental, hiring and real estate services+4.3%Public administration and safety: +3.1%Public administration and safety+3.1%Arts and recreation services: 0.0%Arts and recreation services0.0%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: −1.9%Electricity, gas, water and waste services−1.9%Wholesale trade: −3.8%Wholesale trade−3.8%Financial and insurance services: −4.7%Financial and insurance services−4.7%Manufacturing: −5.8%Manufacturing−5.8%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: −15.8%Agriculture, forestry and fishing−15.8%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Greater Darwin, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance15,22421,405+40.6%
Public administration and safety17,00717,532+3.1%
Accommodation and food services12,60816,135+28.0%
Retail trade10,81213,692+26.6%
Construction12,16212,953+6.5%
Administrative and support services11,47112,065+5.2%
Education and training11,28012,060+6.9%
Professional, scientific and technical services6,9448,153+17.4%
Transport, postal and warehousing5,2146,007+15.2%
Other services4,4085,924+34.4%
Arts and recreation services4,4974,4950.0%
Manufacturing4,1663,924−5.8%
Wholesale trade3,3853,258−3.8%
Rental, hiring and real estate services2,4272,531+4.3%
Mining2,1602,432+12.6%
Financial and insurance services2,3142,206−4.7%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing2,5262,127−15.8%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,4411,414−1.9%
Information media and telecommunications850919n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Greater Darwin, 2023150,447 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 21,405Health care and social assistance21,405Public administration and safety: 17,532Public administration and safety17,532Accommodation and food services: 16,135Accommodation and food services16,135Retail trade: 13,692Retail trade13,692Construction: 12,953Construction12,953Administrative and support services: 12,065Administrative and support services12,065Education and training: 12,060Education and training12,060Professional, scientific and technical services: 8,153Professional, scientific and technical services8,153

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Greater Darwin, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance21,40514%
Public administration and safety17,53212%
Accommodation and food services16,13511%
Retail trade13,6929%
Construction12,9539%
Administrative and support services12,0658%
Education and training12,0608%
Professional, scientific and technical services8,1535%
Transport, postal and warehousing6,0074%
Other services5,9244%
Arts and recreation services4,4953%
Manufacturing3,9243%
Wholesale trade3,2582%
Rental, hiring and real estate services2,5312%
Mining2,4322%
Financial and insurance services2,2061%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing2,1271%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,4141%
Information media and telecommunications9191%
All industries150,447100%

5 Pay

Employee income per person with wage or salary income, before tax, including part-time and part-year workers, from the ABS. The median is the middle earner; the mean (average) is pulled up by high earners.

Figure 5.1: Median employee income, Greater DarwinIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against the Northern Territory and Australia.
  • Greater Darwin
  • Northern Territory
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k20192020202120222023Greater DarwinGreater Darwin, 2019: $63,274Greater Darwin, 2020: $63,775Greater Darwin, 2021: $67,356Greater Darwin, 2022: $70,337Greater Darwin, 2023: $72,526$72,526Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory, 2019: $59,206Northern Territory, 2020: $60,000Northern Territory, 2021: $63,614Northern Territory, 2022: $66,118Northern Territory, 2023: $68,042$68,042AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $52,256Australia, 2020: $53,878Australia, 2021: $56,485Australia, 2022: $58,260Australia, 2023: $61,966$61,966

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Median employee income, Greater Darwin
YearGreater DarwinNorthern TerritoryAustralia
2019$63,274$59,206$52,256
2020$63,775$60,000$53,878
2021$67,356$63,614$56,485
2022$70,337$66,118$58,260
2023$72,526$68,042$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Greater DarwinIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against the Northern Territory and Australia.
  • Greater Darwin
  • Northern Territory
  • Australia
$60k$65k$70k$75k$80k20192020202120222023Greater DarwinGreater Darwin, 2019: $70,617Greater Darwin, 2020: $70,709Greater Darwin, 2021: $73,685Greater Darwin, 2022: $76,500Greater Darwin, 2023: $79,117$79,117Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory, 2019: $66,271Northern Territory, 2020: $66,993Northern Territory, 2021: $69,813Northern Territory, 2022: $72,175Northern Territory, 2023: $74,967$74,967AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $63,517Australia, 2020: $65,591Australia, 2021: $68,452Australia, 2022: $70,950Australia, 2023: $74,579$74,579

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Mean employee income, Greater Darwin
YearGreater DarwinNorthern TerritoryAustralia
2019$70,617$66,271$63,517
2020$70,709$66,993$65,591
2021$73,685$69,813$68,452
2022$76,500$72,175$70,950
2023$79,117$74,967$74,579

6 People

Estimated resident population and the working-age population (15 to 64), from the ABS.

People living in the area
159,284
ABS, 2025 · up 7.9% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
106,709
ABS, 2024 · up 2.6% since 2020[3]

The Northern Territory's population was up 6.9% from 2020 to 2025, and Greater Darwin's up 7.9%.[3]

7 Businesses

Counts of businesses by how many people they employ, from the ABS.

Businesses in the area
12,578
ABS, 2025 · up 15.5% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Greater Darwin, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 7,611No employees7,6111–4 employees: 3,0561–4 employees3,0565–19 employees: 1,4385–19 employees1,43820 or more employees: 47320 or more employees473

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Greater Darwin, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees6,3337,611+20.2%
1–4 employees2,9133,056+4.9%
5–19 employees1,2891,438+11.6%
20 or more employees359473+31.8%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in Darwin, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in Darwin
684
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, DarwinThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 69Healthcare & Medical69Hospitality & Tourism: 68Hospitality & Tourism68Retail & Consumer Products: 60Retail & Consumer Products60Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 57Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics57Trades & Services: 56Trades & Services56Community Services & Development: 53Community Services & Development53Information & Communication Technology: 49Information & Communication Technology49Construction: 48Construction48

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Darwin
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical69
Hospitality & Tourism68
Retail & Consumer Products60
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics57
Trades & Services56
Community Services & Development53
Information & Communication Technology49
Construction48

Browse jobs by region

9 Quick answers

Short answers to the questions people ask about Greater Darwin's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in Greater Darwin?

1,869 online job ads a month were placed in Greater Darwin, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Greater Darwin's job market growing or shrinking?

Shrinking: online job ads in Greater Darwin were down 11.7% on a year earlier, from 2,116 to 1,869 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were down 8.5% across the Northern Territory and up 0.6% across Australia.

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[1]; ViewJobs analysis[2].

Which jobs are most in demand in Greater Darwin?

General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists had the most online ads, 127 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by automotive and engineering trades (118) and medical practitioners and nurses (102).

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Greater Darwin?

4.0% of the labour force in Greater Darwin was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.6% across the Northern Territory. It was 4.6% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 69.7%, against 61.7% across the Northern Territory. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

What is the average wage in Greater Darwin?

Average (mean) employee income in Greater Darwin was $79,117 in 2023; the median was $72,526, against $68,042 across the Northern Territory and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in Greater Darwin?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in Greater Darwin: 21,405 in 2023, 14% of the 150,447 employee jobs. Next were public administration and safety (17,532) and accommodation and food services (16,135).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in Greater Darwin?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, health care and social assistance grew fastest, with 41% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by other services (34% more). Agriculture, forestry and fishing had 16% fewer employee jobs than in 2019, and manufacturing 6% fewer.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is Greater Darwin's population growing?

159,284 people lived in Greater Darwin in 2025, up 7.9% since 2020. The Northern Territory's population was up 6.9% over the same years. The working-age population was 106,709 in 2024, up 2.6% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in Greater Darwin?

At least 684 jobs are live on ViewJobs in Greater Darwin, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in Darwin, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Healthcare & Medical (69), Hospitality & Tourism (68) and Retail & Consumer Products (60).

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

10 Notes and method

What the figures count, where they come from, and the rules this report applies to them.

The area
Greater Darwin here is ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area 7GDAR. It takes in 1 ABS SA4 regions: Darwin. The reports cover 50 areas, 42 regional ABS regions and the eight capital cities: the areas Jobs and Skills Australia publishes online job ads for.
Online job ads
Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads. It counts ads, not jobs filled, by occupation and area.
State and national ads
This report reads the index's series by area, so a state or national figure here is the sum of its areas, marked as ViewJobs analysis. It can differ from the state and national totals Jobs and Skills Australia publishes separately.[2]
Small numbers
A figure under 5 ads a month is shown as "fewer than 5". A group with fewer than 5 ads a month, now or a year earlier, is left out of every change, and every ranking by change.
ABS figures
The latest ABS income and jobs figures here are for the year to 30 June 2023; population and business counts are more recent. Every figure shows its year. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Industries with fewer than 1,000 employee jobs are listed but not ranked.
Unemployment
This report takes unemployment from the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses: each figure is the rate at the Census named, not a current rate. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.
Jobs on ViewJobs
ViewJobs regions do not follow ABS boundaries. Section 8 counts the ads open on ViewJobs on 25 Oct 2026 in each ViewJobs region with at least 20% of its towns in this area, and counts each region whole: a region that reaches beyond the area can include ads from outside it, and a region with fewer of its towns here is left out. A classification links to its own page once it has enough ads for one.

11 References

Every figure on this page points at one of these entries.

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-10/internet_vacancies_anzsco2_occupations_gccsa_and_sa4_regions_-_september_2026.xlsx. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 24 October 2026.
  2. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/data/internet-vacancy-index. State and national figures are the sum of the ABS areas in Jobs and Skills Australia's regional series.
  3. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Data by Region, v1.6.0. dbr.abs.gov.au. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 24 October 2026.
  4. ViewJobs, Live job ads on ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026. preview.viewjobs.com.au.

Cite this report

ViewJobs (2026). Greater Darwin job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/nt/greater-darwin

Licence

Contains data from Jobs and Skills Australia, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, used under CC BY 4.0. ViewJobs has charted the data and, where marked as ViewJobs analysis, added areas together.

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