The Northern Territory has the lowest population growth in Australia, new statistics have shown, with a net population increase of just 534 people in 2015–16.

The Territory's population sat at 244,900 at the end of June this year, an annual growth rate of just 0.2 per cent, compared to the national growth rate of 1.4 per cent according to Australian Bureau of Statistics released today.

There was a net loss of 2,696 people who went to live interstate, which was offset from a natural increase from births of 2,810 and a further 420 moving to the NT from overseas.

At a glance: Population of the NT rises to 244,900

Population of the NT rises to 244,900 The Northern Territory has the youngest population in Australia with a median age of 33

The Northern Territory has the youngest population in Australia with a median age of 33 Men outnumber women in the Territory with 111.5 men to every 100 females but the gap is closer than in other years

Men outnumber women in the Territory with 111.5 men to every 100 females but the gap is closer than in other years The number of babies born in the Territory has dropped by 2.5 per cent compared to last year

The number of babies born in the Territory has dropped by 2.5 per cent compared to last year The number of Territorians dying has also gone down by almost 5 per cent

The low population growth rate was partly driven by refinery job losses according to Dr Tom Wilson, a demographer at Charles Darwin University.

"Part of it is what's happened is because of the winding back of the operations in Nhulunbuy there but it's also because there isn't a great deal of jobs growth in the Territory at the moment," he said.

Results 'not surprising'

Dr Wilson said the results were not surprising from the Territory.

"Its economy goes in cycles, it does well for a few years and then it comes off steam for a little while," he said.

"I don't see it changing anytime soon but it will pick up in the long run."

Dr Wilson said the best way to get more people to live and work here would be to develop a planned migration scheme, which was hard to do at a state or territory level.

"The ability for state and territory governments to alter migration patterns is very limited. The greatest area where there's some scope for affecting the migration tickers is really in immigration and through regional migration schemes," he said.

"A few years ago South Australia really boosted its net overseas migration through a concerted effort and an arrangement with the Commonwealth and they got a lot of migrants for that and I think for the Territory, that's the way to go.

"Things like boosting international student numbers, taking in more refugees and I think this is the way to go, because if there are lots of good opportunities in Melbourne it can be very hard to attract people from down south to come up."