Australia may be the 6th largest country in the world, but it is one of the least populated, with a population density of 3.3 people per square kilometer.
Despite this space, most of us cluster along the East Coast and choose to live in smaller properties in or near major cities.
But those who live in the Top End enjoy the largest lot size homes of any major city.
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Darwin housing has the largest median parcel size of all capital cities. Photo: realestate.com.au
According to PropTrack’s latest data, Darwin has the largest home of any capital city, with a median parcel size of 823 square meters.
Median residential lot size in major cities
| rank | capital | Median parcel size (square meters) |
| 1 | Greater Darwin | 823 |
| 2 | Australian Capital Territory | 773 |
| 3 | Greater Hobart | 692 |
| Four | Greater Perth | 691 |
| Five | Greater Brisbane | 663 |
| 6 | Greater Adelaide | 650 |
| 7 | Greater Melbourne | 601 |
| 8 | Greater Sydney | 597 |
And Darwinians don’t even have to move far from the CBD to get a big house. This is because the suburbs with the largest parcel sizes are only 20 minutes from the city center.
For example, Girraween has a median parcel size of 20,000 square meters (2 hectares), making it the largest residential suburb alongside neighboring Virginia, Humpty Doo, and Herbert.
Canberra’s median parcel size is slightly smaller than Darwin’s at 773 sqm, with Forest suburb taking the top spot with the largest median.
Known for multi-million dollar 4-bedroom and larger homes, Forrest’s median parcel size is 1576 square meters.
Inner Suburbs with Largest Residential Lot Size – Top Suburbs for Each City
| Suburbs | city | state | property type | median house price | Median parcel size (square meters) |
| Girraween | Greater Darwin | NT | House | $817,276 | 20,234 |
| for rest | Australian Capital Territory | activity | House | $3,510,802 | 1576 |
| Kenmore Hills | Greater Brisbane | queensland | House | $1,381,992 | 1065 |
| Dalkeith | Greater Perth | Wa | House | $3,168,000 | 1011 |
| east lindfield | Greater Sydney | New South Wales | House | $3,512,411 | 941 |
| Netherby | Greater Adelaide | SA | House | $1,406,701 | 921 |
| Eaglemont | Greater Melbourne | Big | House | $2,280,737 | 844 |
| mount nelson | Greater Hobart | TAS | House | $931,886 | 839 |
Not surprisingly, Sydney has the smallest parcel size at 597 square metres.
Median house lot sizes in Sydney’s inner ring suburbs range from 914 sqm in the affluent suburb of East Lindfield to 97 sqm in the terraced streets of Ultimo.
Ultimo’s small terrace has the smallest central lot size in Sydney. Photo: realestate.com.au.
Melbourne had a slightly larger median parcel size (601 sqm) than Sydney, but only 4 sqm extra.
More Real Estate Market Insights
Eaglemont has the largest lot size in the inner ring suburbs and Carlton has the smallest.
Inner Suburbs with Smallest Residential Lot Size – Top Suburbs for Each City
| Suburbs | city | state | Property type | median house price | Median parcel size (square meters) |
| Ultimo | Greater Sydney | New South Wales | House | $1,612,022 | 97 |
| Carlton | Greater Melbourne | Big | House | $1,390,457 | 130 |
| Adelaide | Greater Adelaide | SA | House | $919,670 | 145 |
| Petrie Terrace | Greater Brisbane | queensland | House | $1,236,645 | 229 |
| east perth | Greater Perth | Wa | House | $1,161,596 | 274 |
| North Hobart | Greater Hobart | TAS | House | $879,730 | 290 |
| Zuccoli | Greater Darwin | NT | House | $447,077 | 479 |
| Blues | Australian Capital Territory | activity | House | $1,069,619 | 528 |
As population increases and the amount of available land decreases, inner-city land becomes a premium.
This means either paying a lot for a large lot closer to the CBD or moving further away from a less populated location.
Alternatively, you can move to Darwin or Canberra.