East Devonport

An assessment of population growth drivers in East Devonport reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of East Devonport is around 4,617, reflecting a growth of 233 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 5.3% change from the previous figure of 4,384 residents. AreaSearch validated this estimate by examining the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and considering an additional 99 new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is approximately 380 persons per square kilometer. This growth exceeds the SA4 region's increase of 5.1%, positioning East Devonport as a growth leader in the area. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this population gain.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 growth estimation by age group, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Future population projections indicate lower quartile growth for national regional areas, with the suburb expected to increase by 95 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 0.8% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within East Devonport when compared nationally

East Devonport has seen approximately 27 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 139 homes were approved, with an additional 10 approved in FY-26 so far. This results in about 1.6 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over these five years, indicating a balanced supply and demand. However, this ratio has decreased to 1 person per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting more balanced supply conditions.

The average construction value of new properties is $347,000, higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development. This year, there have been $436,000 in commercial approvals, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the Rest of Tas., East Devonport shows similar development activity per person, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns.

All new construction has been detached houses, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers, with approximately 185 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts suggest East Devonport will gain 35 residents by 2041, with current development patterns indicating that new housing supply should meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

East Devonport has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Devonport Mental Health Hub, Spirit of Tasmania New Vessels and Port Upgrade, TasPorts QuayLink Port Development, and Devonport Oval Sports Complex. The following list details those most relevant:.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch assessment indicates East Devonport faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

East Devonport has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, diverse sectors represented, an unemployment rate of 7.6% as of September 2025, and estimated employment growth of 7.2% over the past year (AreaSearch data). It has 1,798 residents employed, but its unemployment rate is 3.7% higher than Rest of Tas.'s 3.8%. Workforce participation is lower at 51.7%, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 58.6%.

Only 5.4% of residents work from home (Census data). Major employment industries are health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and retail trade. Transport, postal & warehousing has notable concentration with levels at 1.7 times the regional average. However, education & training shows lower representation at 4.6% compared to the regional average of 8.8%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 7.2%, labour force by 5.8%, reducing unemployment by 1.2 percentage points (AreaSearch data). In comparison, Rest of Tas. had employment growth of 0.7%, labour force growth of 0.5%, with unemployment falling by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest East Devonport's employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.4% over ten years.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

East Devonport's income level is lower than average nationally, based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The suburb's median income among taxpayers is $38,316 and the average income is $45,219. This compares to figures of $49,689 and $59,358 respectively for Rest of Tas. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.6% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $41,994 (median) and $49,560 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in East Devonport fall between the 1st and 4th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income analysis shows that 34.9% of the community earns between $400 - 799 per week (1,611 individuals), differing from metropolitan patterns where earnings between $1,500 - 2,999 dominate with 28.5%. With 45.0% earning under $800 per week, the suburb faces income constraints affecting local spending patterns. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 3rd percentile nationally.

East Devonport is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

East Devonport's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.7% houses and 14.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Non-Metro Tas.'s 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Devonport was at 34.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.7% and rented ones at 43.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,059, lower than Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,274. Weekly rent in East Devonport was $235, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s $250. Nationally, East Devonport's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,059 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

East Devonport features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 62.5% of all households, including 17.3% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 18.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.5%, with lone person households at 33.9% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Tas. average of 2.3.

East Devonport faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 11.4%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 37.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (7.2%) and certificates (30.2%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in East Devonport is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

East Devonport faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Various health conditions impact both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 45% of the total population (around 2,082 people), compared to 49.1% in the rest of Tasmania and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common conditions, affecting 12.4% and 12.3% of residents respectively, while 55.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 62.0% in the rest of Tasmania. Working-age residents face notable health challenges with high chronic condition rates. The area has 25.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,158 people), with senior health outcomes presenting additional challenges that rank higher than the general population nationally.

East Devonport ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

East Devonport had a low level of cultural diversity, with 86.6% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (86.7%), and speaking English only at home (93.5%). Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 41.8% of the population. While Judaism's representation was similar to the rest of Tasmania (0.1%), it showed notable overrepresentation compared to other religions.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.8%), English (32.5%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.5%). Some ethnic groups, such as Samoan (0.2% vs 0%), Korean (0.1% vs 0.1%), and Sri Lankan (0.1% vs 0.1%) showed notable divergences in representation compared to regional averages.

East Devonport hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

East Devonport has a median age of 44, comparable to Rest of Tasmania's figure of 45 but significantly higher than Australia's national norm of 38. The age group of 25-34 is strongly represented at 13.4%, compared to Rest of Tasmania's figure, while the 55-64 cohort is less prevalent at 12.1%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 9.8% to 11.6% of the population, and the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 8.2% to 9.7%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 13.7% to 12.3%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 11.5% to 10.3%. By 2041, East Devonport is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 21%, reaching 544 people from 447. The aging population trend is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 91% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 0 to 4 age cohorts.