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

The population of the suburb of Old Beach was estimated at around 4,823 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 429 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,394 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,709 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 316 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 191 persons per square kilometer. Old Beach's growth of 9.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth of 3.9%. Population growth 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 a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking at population projections moving forward, an above median population growth is projected for the suburb, with an expected increase of 852 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 15.3% in total over the 16 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Old Beach recorded around 62 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 311 homes. As of FY-26, 18 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), an average of 1.3 new residents arrived per new home, indicating a balance between supply and demand. The average construction value for new homes is $404,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

In FY-26, there have been $75,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Hobart, Old Beach shows 55.0% higher construction activity per person, offering buyers greater choice and indicating strong developer confidence in the area. Recent development has consisted entirely of detached houses, preserving the area's low density nature while attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 59 people per dwelling approval, Old Beach exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add 738 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 36thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Chocolate Experience at Cadbury, Windermere Bay Precinct, Cadbury Experience, and Glenorchy Sports Centre. The following details these projects in order of relevance.

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

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Employment performance in Old Beach ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Old Beach has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 1.9%, lower than Greater Hobart's 4.0%. Employment stability was maintained over the past year.

As of December 2025, 2,599 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.1% below Greater Hobart's. Workforce participation is high at 68.8%, compared to Greater Hobart's 63.7%. A low 6.9% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and construction.

Construction has a significant presence with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Accommodation & food services have limited presence at 4.8%, compared to the regional 8.0%. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on resident population vs working population count. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.2% and labour force by 0.3%, leading to a slight unemployment rise of 0.1 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Hobart had employment growth of 0.1%, labour force decline of 0.1%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industries. Applying these projections to Old Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years.

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

The suburb of Old Beach had a median taxpayer income of $56,582 and an average income of $62,878 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average, with Greater Hobart having a median income of $54,577 and an average income of $65,190 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.95% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $62,778 (median) and $69,763 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Old Beach are at the 61st percentile nationally. Income analysis shows that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 39.5% of residents (1,905 people), which aligns with regional levels where this cohort also represents 32.2%. After housing costs, residents retain 87.6% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power and 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. In comparison, Hobart metro had 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Old Beach was 35.6%, similar to Hobart metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings made up 52.4%, with rented ones at 12.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, aligning with the Hobart metro average. The median weekly rent figure was $400, compared to Hobart metro's $350. Nationally, Old Beach's mortgage repayments were lower than Australia's average of $1,863, while 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% who are couples with children, 33.6% who are couples without children, and 10.0% who are 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, which is 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 the most common at 12.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 41.3% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 30.5%. Educational participation is 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

Public transport analysis indicates 20 active transport stops operating within Old Beach. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 58 individual routes that collectively facilitate 4,916 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents typically located 431 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward, with car being the dominant mode at 95%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 6.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 702 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 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 based on 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 the average SA2 area at approximately 52% of the total population (~2,512 people). The most common medical conditions are arthritis (11.3%) and mental health issues (9.6%), while 64.1% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to 65.5% across Greater Hobart. Working-age residents show above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 20.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,003 people). 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 and 93.5% being citizens. English was spoken at home by 94.6% of residents. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 50.3%, compared to 39.8% across Greater Hobart.

The top three ancestry groups were English (34.5%), Australian (33.4%), and Irish (7.2%). Notably, Polish (1.0%) and Hungarian (0.3%) residents were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8% and 0.2%, respectively. Similarly, Russian residents at 0.3% exceeded the regional average of 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 median age of 38 years. The age group 0-4 represents 6.7% of the population in Old Beach, higher than Greater Hobart. However, the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 13.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.5% to 7.9%, while the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 12.8% to 10.8% and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 12.8% to 11.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Old Beach, with the 75 to 84 age group expected to grow by 63%, reaching 621 people from 381. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 52% 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.