South Launceston

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

Based on analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for the broader area, as of November 2025, the estimated population of South Launceston is around 4,947. This reflects an increase of 53 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,894. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,928, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest Economic and Regional Population data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 27 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,779 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. South Launceston's growth rate of 1.1% since census positions it within 2.8 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth by age group post-2032, the 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, South Launceston is expected to increase by 284 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 5.3% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in South Launceston is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

South Launceston recorded approximately 11 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years ending FY26, totalling an estimated 57 homes. As of FY26, four approvals have been recorded. The average construction cost value of new homes in South Launceston is $317,000, below the regional average. In terms of commercial development, $10.2 million in approvals were registered in FY26.

Compared to Rest of Tas., South Launceston records roughly half the building activity per person and places among the 24th percentile nationally, indicating relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. New building activity shows 90.0% standalone homes and 10.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 660 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. Population forecasts indicate South Launceston will gain 264 residents through to 2041, based on AreaSearch quarterly estimates.

Current development patterns suggest new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

South Launceston has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that may impact this region. Key projects include Launceston Hospice, Northern Heart Centre, Launceston General Hospital Redevelopment, and Launceston General Hospital Northern Integrated Mental Health Precinct. 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 analysis indicates South Launceston maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

South Launceston has a well-educated workforce with high representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.2%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, 2,732 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.7% lower than Rest of Tas.'s 3.9%. Workforce participation is high at 64.2%, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 55.7%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Health care & social assistance shows notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.6% versus the regional average of 8.4%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, indicated by Census working population data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, South Launceston's labour force decreased by 1.5%, with employment declining by 1.3%, leading to a fall in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of Tas. saw an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.6%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that South Launceston's employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolations of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows South Launceston had a median taxpayer income of $51,421 and an average income of $59,476. These figures are below the national average. Comparatively, Rest of Tas. had median and average incomes of $47,358 and $57,384 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.83% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $58,533 (median) and $67,702 (average). According to 2021 Census figures, South Launceston's personal income ranks at the 42nd percentile ($767 weekly), while household income is at the 26th percentile. Income distribution shows 31.1% of the population (1,538 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, similar to regional levels where 28.5% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 26th percentile.

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

South Launceston's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 71.4% houses and 28.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Tas.'s 82.1% houses and 17.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Launceston was at 23.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.0% and rented ones at 46.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,279, lower than Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,300. Median weekly rent in South Launceston was $300, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s $280. Nationally, South Launceston's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,279 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

South Launceston features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 56.9% of all households, including 21.6% couples with children, 23.7% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 43.1%, with lone person households at 36.9% and group households comprising 5.9%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Tas. average of 2.3.

Educational attainment in South Launceston aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

South Launceston's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 31.3% hold university qualifications, compared to 19.3% in the rest of Tasmania and 21.7% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 31.5% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (8.7%) and certificates (22.8%). Educational participation is high, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.0% in primary, 6.1% in tertiary, and 5.5% pursuing secondary education.

Glen Dhu Primary School and John Calvin School serve the area, collectively educating 469 students under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1025). The educational mix includes one primary and one K-12 school, with a lower school places per 100 residents ratio (9.5) compared to the regional average (18.3), indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

South Launceston has 32 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 122 different routes that collectively facilitate 9,333 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 187 meters from their nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 1,333 trips across all routes, which translates to approximately 291 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in South Launceston is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

South Launceston faces substantial health challenges, with a considerably higher prevalence of common health conditions compared to the average.

This is particularly true for older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover in South Launceston is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~2,510 people). Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 11.3 and 10.1% of residents respectively. However, 64.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.9% across the Rest of Tas. South Launceston has 16.1% of residents aged 65 and over (796 people), which is lower than the 19.9% in the Rest of Tas. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in South Launceston was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

South Launceston's cultural diversity was above average, with 19.7% of its population born overseas and 14.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in South Launceston, comprising 35.5% of people. Judaism was overrepresented compared to the rest of Tasmania, making up 0.2% of South Launceston's population versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.6%), Australian (28.2%), and Other (9.0%). Notably, Dutch (1.5%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 2.0%, Sri Lankan (0.2%) was also overrepresented versus the regional average of 0.1%, and Irish (8.5%) showed a higher representation than the regional average of 7.2%.

South Launceston's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in South Launceston is 35 years, which is lower than the Rest of Tasmania's average of 45 years and the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are particularly prominent, making up 21.1% of the population, while those aged 65-74 make up a smaller proportion at 7.2%. This is higher than the national percentage for the 25-34 age group, which is 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group has grown from 19.2% to 21.1%, while the 35-44 cohort has increased from 13.3% to 15.1%. Conversely, the 15-24 cohort has declined from 12.2% to 10.1% and the 45-54 group has dropped from 11.3% to 10.2%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show that the 45-54 age cohort is expected to increase significantly, with an expansion of 113 people (22%) from 504 to 618. Conversely, both the 55-64 and 35-44 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.