Southport (NT 0800) in Focus 2026: Is It a Good Investment? R-Score 97/100, 10.4% Yield & Best Streets

Market Classification: High-Yield & Momentum Sweet Spot · R-Score: 97/100 (National Rank #578 of 15,286) · Street Average: 100/100 across 14 streets.

In a 6%+ interest rate environment, most Australian suburbs force investors to choose between capital growth momentum and holding cashflow. Southport is one of the rare markets in NT currently delivering both: a 97/100 R-Score paired with a 10.4% gross rental yield at a $300,000 median price. That yield profile preserves bank borrowing serviceability so investors can sequence their next acquisition without a punishing cashflow deficit.

“I would treat the 10.4% gross yield as a starting point, not a conclusion. With vacancy at 11.1% and rents down 10.4%, I’d test the actual rent street by street, then price in a slower resale rather than assuming the $248 weekly pre-tax cash flow will persist.”

Looking for the live, monthly-updated numbers? The Southport (NT) suburb profile tracks the current median house price, rent, vacancy and R-Score, and the Southport street-by-street scores rank every street. This article is our investment analysis of what those numbers mean.

Below is our full September 2026 quantitative and street-level breakdown for Southport (NT 0800), combining 36 months of settled price and rental history from our Aurora research warehouse, council-level supply and employment data for Litchfield (NT), and block-by-block ABS 2021 Census SA1 tenure and yield rankings across 360 residential addresses.

1. Southport (NT) 3-Year Market Trajectory & 27-Indicator R-Score (September 2026)

As of September 2026, Southport records a settled median house price of $300,000. On the rental side, median weekly asking rents moved -10.4% over the past year to $600/wk, equating to a 10.4% gross rental yield. Compared with 12 months ago—when Southport carried an R-Score of 100/100—its current composite R-Score of 97/100 represents a -3-point shift in underlying market pressure.

Indicator / R-Score Pillar	Southport (NT) Current	12-Month / 36-Month Context
Composite Suburb R-Score	97 / 100	Ranked #578 of 15,286 suburbs (was 100/100 12m ago)
Median House Price	$300,000	12m change: +5.3%
Median Weekly Rent & Gross Yield	$600/wk (10.4%)	12m rent change: -10.4%
Rental Vacancy & Days on Market	11.1% vacancy	Median selling time: 900 days on market (1.5% vacancy is the tight-market line)
Pillar 1: Buyer Demand	25 / 100	Measures days-on-market compression, vendor discounting & sales velocity
Pillar 2: Supply & Ownership	69 / 100	Measures stock on market, building approvals vs stock & owner-occupier share
Pillar 3: Price Momentum	57 / 100	Measures short/medium-term price velocity vs Litchfield & NT
Pillar 4: Yield Pressure	50 / 100	Measures gross rental yield, rent trajectory & vacancy compression

2. The “Two-Speed Suburb” Test: Best & Worst Streets in Southport (NT)

Why do two 4-bedroom houses in Southport achieve completely different bank valuations and tenant quality? Because suburb medians blend every pocket together. When we map all 360 addresses across 14 streets in Southport through G-NAF to their ABS 2021 Census SA1 blocks, the suburb splits into three distinct tiers:

• Strong Street Profile (Score 75–100): 9 streets (100% of scored streets) pass both ABS Census tenure tests (owner-occupiers >65% and public housing ≤5%) plus at least one—or both—of the Southport rent and yield benchmarks.
• Mid / Mixed Street Profile (Score 50–74): 0 streets pass the core owner-occupier and public-housing thresholds but sit below the suburb median on weekly rent or yield.
• Weaker / Caution Street Profile (Score 0–25): 0 streets fail one or both census tenure thresholds—meaning either owner-occupation sits at or below 65% or state/community public housing exceeds 5% on those specific SA1 blocks.

Top 5 Highest-Scoring Streets in Southport (NT)

These streets sit in SA1 census blocks with high homeowner pride of ownership, minimal social housing concentration, and strong block-level rents (inspect all 14 streets in Southport):

Top Street in Southport	Street Score	Addresses	Owner-Occupiers	Public Housing	SA1 Rent & Yield
#1 Austin Street	100/100	60	78%	0%	$18840/wk (308.6%)
#2 Collett Street	100/100	56	78%	0%	$18840/wk (308.6%)
#3 Kersley Street	100/100	56	78%	0%	$18840/wk (308.6%)
#4 Ringwood Street	100/100	54	78%	0%	$18840/wk (308.6%)
#5 Aldridge Street	100/100	51	78%	0%	$18840/wk (308.6%)

3. Economic & Supply Drivers in Litchfield Council (Northern Territory)

Southport sits within the Litchfield Local Government Area, which has a residential population of approximately 24,849 (+6.9% population movement over the past 3 years) and 8,440 total dwellings. Three council-level fundamentals shape Southport’s medium-term outlook:

• Local Employment Diversity (ABS Census): The largest employment sectors across Litchfield are Construction (27%), Public Administration and Safety (24%), Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (12%). Multi-sector employment reduces reliance on any single employer or commodity cycle.
• New Building Approvals vs. Existing Stock: Over the latest 12-month financial year, Litchfield approved 2.3% new dwelling stock (~161.312 dwellings). Because new approvals exceed 1.8% of stock, investors in Southport must avoid generic greenfield house-and-land pockets and stick to established, built-out streets.
• Tracked Infrastructure Pipeline: Litchfield currently has $7.2 billion in tracked major infrastructure projects (placing it in the 78th percentile of Australian councils).

4. Worked Cashflow, Deposit & 80% LVR Stress-Test for Southport (September 2026)

What does it actually cost to acquire and hold a typical house in Southport at today’s median price of $300,000 and median rent of $600/wk? Below is the baseline 80% Loan-to-Value Ratio (LVR) model we use to stress-test serviceability before shortlisting a property:

Cashflow & Capital Item	Southport Worked Figure	Assumptions & Notes
Purchase Price (Suburb Median)	$300,000	Settled house median as of September 2026
20% Deposit + Est. Stamp Duty & Costs	$74,400	$60,000 deposit (80% LVR) + ~$14,400 stamp duty, legal & inspection allowance (can be funded via usable home equity)
80% LVR Loan Amount	$240,000	Standard no-LMI investor loan threshold
Gross Annual Rental Income	$31,200/yr ($600/wk)	10.4% gross rental yield before vacancies and expenses
Est. Annual Interest + Operating Costs	$18,300/yr	Assumes 6.25% interest-only ($15,000/yr) + ~1.1% for council rates, insurance & property management ($3,300/yr)
Pre-Tax Weekly Cashflow Position	+$248/wk surplus	Before tax deductions / depreciation (confirm post-tax position with your accountant)

5. Who Should Buy in Southport—And 3 Rules Before You Make an Offer

Rare Convergence of 5%+ Gross Rental Yield and Top-Quartile Demand. Based on our September 2026 data, Southport is best suited to first-time property investors, homeowners unlocking $150k–$250k in equity, and second/third property buyers who need strong rental yield (10.4%) to preserve bank borrowing capacity while capturing capital growth.

1. Never Buy Blind on the Suburb Median: In Southport, 0 streets score below 50/100 on our census tenure and yield tests. Always run the exact street through the Southport Street Score Hub and target the 9 streets scoring 75–100/100.
2. Check Lot-Level Overlays (Flood, Bushfire, Slope & Easements): Even on a 100/100 streetlike Austin Street, individual lots can carry overland flow paths, steep gradients, or sewer easements that restrict granny-flat additions or spike insurance premiums.
3. Price Against Street-Matched Settled Comparables: Do not let a selling agent justify an asking price on a 25/100 street using comparable sales from a 100/100 street. Compare settled sales within the same SA1 Street Score band.