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Northern Territory · Postcode 0870
Desert Springs postcode and suburb data
Northern Territory · Phone area code 08 · 1292 km from Darwin
Suburb snapshot
Desert Springs at a glance vs NT
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NT
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Desert Springs ranks: household income is in the top 10% of NT suburbs; rents are among the top 10% in NT; SEIFA decile 10 puts it in the top 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Desert Springs vs the NT average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Desert Springs | NT avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $3,025 +NT | $2,022 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $500 +NT | $309 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $2,264 +NT | $1,631 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 36 | 33.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 10/10 +NT | 3.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 1.6% -NT | 7.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NT average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Desert Springs is a very remote community in Northern Territory, with postcode 0870. It lies roughly 1292 km from Darwin, classified by the ABS as very remote Australia. The area is administered by Alice Springs.
According to the 2021 Census, Desert Springs has a population of 1,536 with a median age of 36. The median weekly household income is $3,025, above the NT average. The unemployment rate is 1.6%, lower than the NT average. The Indigenous population is 62 (4.0% of residents).
Housing in Desert Springs includes a median weekly rent of $500, median monthly mortgage repayment of $2,264, with 525 total dwellings. These housing costs sit above the NT average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 63.3% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Desert Springs scores in decile 10 out of 10, which is well above the national average.
Desert Springs is part of the Alice Springs statistical area in Northern Territory.
Desert Springs details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 0870 |
| State | Northern Territory (NT) |
| Phone Area Code | 08 |
| Population (2021) | 1,536 |
| Median Age | 36 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $3,025/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $1,454/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $500 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $2,264 |
| Average Household Size | 2.8 persons |
| Area | 2.5 km² |
| Population Density | 620/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 525 |
| Australian Citizens | 74.2% |
| Indigenous Population | 62 (4.0%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.6% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 10/10 (well above average) |
| Latitude | -23.7142 |
| Longitude | 133.889 |
| Distance from Darwin | 1292 km |
| Region (SA4) | Northern Territory - Outback |
| Area (SA3) | Alice Springs |
| Local Government | Alice Springs |
| State Electorate | Namatjira |
| Time Zone | ACST (UTC+9:30), Australia/Darwin (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 315 (20.5%) |
| 15–24 years | 152 (9.9%) |
| 25–44 years | 498 (32.4%) |
| 45–64 years | 404 (26.3%) |
| 65+ years | 164 (10.7%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Asthma | 91 (5.9%) |
| Arthritis | 80 (5.2%) |
| Diabetes | 41 (2.7%) |
| Heart Disease | 41 (2.7%) |
| Cancer | 32 (2.1%) |
| Lung Condition | 11 (0.7%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 7 (1.4%) |
| 1 vehicle | 156 (30.1%) |
| 2 vehicles | 231 (44.6%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 124 (23.9%) |
Suburbs Near Desert Springs
Same Postcode (0870)
More Desert Springs Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.