Suburb in MacDonnell

Papunya, NT

Papunya had a population of 438 at the 2021 Census (+8.4% since 2016). Median age 25.6. Median weekly household income $1,425. Source: ABS Census 2021, via Censible. Census 2026 data arrives June 2027.

Papunya at a glance

What the 2021 Census says, compared with Northern Territory.

In Northern Territory - Outback

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, Papunya's population grew by 8.4% to 438, faster than Northern Territory as a whole (+1.7%). With a median age of 25.6, it is younger than the NT average (33.2). Children under 10 make up 20.3% of residents, and people aged 70 and over 2.5%.

77.5% of households rent, a larger share than the NT average of 48.6%. 0.0% own their home outright. Almost every home is a house; flats and apartments are 0.0% of homes. The 2021 Census counted 71 households.

The median household earns $1,425 a week, below the NT average of $2,058.

2.8% of residents were born overseas, fewer than the NT average of 23.9%. 93.0% use a language other than English at home. 12.7% report no religion, lower than the NT average (43.9%).

Key figures

2021 Census, Papunya beside NT and Australia.

MeasurePapunyaNTAustralia
Population438232,62125,422,828
Growth since 2016+8.4%+1.7%+8.6%
Median age25.633.238.2
Households7170,6469,275,123
Flats and apartments0.0%18.1%14.3%
Renting77.5%48.6%31.1%
Owned outright0.0%16.2%31.4%
Median household income a week$1,425$2,058$1,747
Median rent a week$93$326$376
Median mortgage repayment a month–$2,001$1,866
Born overseas2.8%23.9%29.3%
Other language at home93.0%36.1%23.6%
No religion12.7%43.9%41.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, via Censible. How the figures are built

Population and age

Each census since 2011, and the age profile in 2021.

Population

+8.4% since 2016.

Population · each census
  1. 4182011
  2. 4042016
  3. 4382021

Age

Median age 25.6, against 33.2 for Northern Territory.

Papunya Northern Territory
Share of people by age, Papunya and Northern Territory
0–920.3%
10–1917.6%
20–2918.9%
30–3917.6%
40–4911.6%
50–595.7%
60–695.3%
70–792.5%
80+0.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, via Censible. How the figures are built

Cultural background

The largest groups in Papunya at the 2021 Census.

Ancestry

Top 5 · ancestry
  1. Australian Aboriginal90.8%
  2. Australian3.3%
  3. English2.4%
  4. Scottish1.7%
  5. German1.4%

Languages at home

Top 5 · languages at home
  1. Australian Indigenous languages90.3%

Country of birth

Top 5 · country of birth
  1. Papua New Guinea1.2%
  2. the Philippines0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, via Censible. How the figures are built

Around Papunya

The places it belongs to, sits beside and contains.

Explore Papunya in Censible

Every census figure for Papunya, mapped and compared with any other place. A free account takes a minute.