Old Beach

Old Beach lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Old Beach's population is estimated at around 4,841 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 447 people (10.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,394 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,653 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 301 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 192 persons per square kilometer. Old Beach's 10.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (4.9%) and the Greater Hobart area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 45.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth by age group in the years post-2032, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for the suburb, with an expected increase of 954 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 15.0% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Old Beach among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Old Beach recorded approximately 62 residential properties granted approval annually. Around 314 homes were approved between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, with an additional 14 approved in FY-26. On average, 1.1 new residents arrived per year for each new home over the past five financial years.

This indicates a balanced supply and demand market, supporting stable conditions. The average construction value of new dwellings was $404,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, $75,000 in commercial development approvals were recorded, reflecting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Hobart, Old Beach showed 56.0% higher construction activity per person as of recent data. This level is above the national average, indicating strong developer confidence in the area.

All recent developments comprised detached houses, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. There were around 58 people per dwelling approval in Old Beach, suggesting growth characteristics. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Old Beach is projected to add 725 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Old Beach has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 39thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that could impact this region. Notable ones are Chocolate Experience at Cadbury Tasmania, Windermere Bay Precinct, Cadbury Experience, and Glenorchy Sports Centre. The following details the most relevant projects.

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

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Employment conditions in Old Beach demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Old Beach has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 1.8%, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation as of September 2025. There are 2,565 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.2% below Greater Hobart's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation stands at 68.5%, slightly higher than Greater Hobart's 63.8%. Census responses show that only 6.9% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and construction. Old Beach has a particularly strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, accommodation & food services is under-represented, with only 4.8% of Old Beach's workforce compared to Greater Hobart's 8.0%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.6%, alongside a 0.7% employment decline, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable at 1.8%. In contrast, Greater Hobart experienced an employment decline of 0.7% and a labour force decline of 0.9%, with a slight increase in its unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Old Beach's employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment profile.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, the suburb of Old Beach had a median income among taxpayers of $56,582 and an average income of $62,878. This is lower than the national averages of $54,577 and $65,190 respectively for Greater Hobart. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.6% from financial year ended June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income in Old Beach would be approximately $62,014 and average income $68,914 by the latter date. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Old Beach cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that 39.5% of locals (1,912 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, which aligns with the regional pattern where this cohort represents 32.2%. After housing costs, residents retain 87.6% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Old Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Old Beach's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.5% houses and 9.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Hobart metro's 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Old Beach was at 35.6%, similar to Hobart metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 52.4% and rented ones at 12.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, aligning with Hobart metro's average, while median weekly rent stood at $400, compared to Hobart metro's $350. Nationally, Old Beach's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Old Beach features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 79.1% of all households, including 34.8% couples with children, 33.6% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 20.9%, with lone person households at 18.7% and group households comprising 2.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Hobart average of 2.4.

Old Beach shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 17.9%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 32.8%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (30.5%). Educational participation is high at 25.8%, comprising primary education (10.8%), secondary education (5.9%), and tertiary education (3.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 5.9% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The analysis of public transport in Old Beach shows that there are currently 20 active transport stops operating within the area, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by a total of 58 individual routes, providing a combined weekly passenger trip count of 4,916 trips. The accessibility to these transport services is rated as moderate, with residents on average located approximately 431 meters away from the nearest stop. Old Beach is primarily residential, and most residents commute outward from the area. The car remains the dominant mode of transportation, used by 95% of residents. On average, there are 1.9 vehicles per dwelling in the area, which exceeds the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census data, only 6.9% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect the impact of COVID-19 conditions on work patterns. The service frequency averages out to approximately 702 trips per day across all routes, equating to around 245 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Old Beach is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Old Beach faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is slightly lower than average at approximately 52% of the total population (~2,521 people). The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 11.3% and 9.6% of residents respectively. However, 64.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 65.5% across Greater Hobart. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.6%, with 1,045 people in this age group compared to Greater Hobart's 19.9%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Old Beach is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Old Beach's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.0% of its population born in Australia, 93.5% being citizens, and 94.6% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Old Beach is Christianity, making up 50.3% of the population, compared to 39.8% across Greater Hobart. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (34.5%), Australian (33.4%), and Irish (7.2%).

Notably, Polish, Hungarian, and Russian ethnicities are overrepresented in Old Beach compared to regional averages: Polish at 1.0% vs 0.8%, Hungarian at 0.3% vs 0.2%, and Russian at 0.3% vs 0.2%.

Old Beach's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Old Beach is 40 years, similar to Greater Hobart's average of 39 years but somewhat older than Australia's 38 years. The 0-4 age group comprises 7.0% of the population, higher than Greater Hobart's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort makes up 12.8%, lower than Greater Hobart's figure. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.5% to 8.4%. Meanwhile, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 12.8% to 10.5%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 12.8% to 11.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Old Beach, with the 75 to 84 age group expected to grow by 60% (245 people), reaching 652 from 406. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 55% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 25 to 34 and 55 to 64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.