West Hobart

West Hobart has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of West Hobart is around 6470, a decrease of 55 people from the 2021 Census figure of 6525. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 6453 in Jun 2024, along with validation of 9 new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 1593 persons per square kilometer, above national averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 86% of recent population gains. 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, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are adopted and adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Future trends suggest the suburb may grow by around 509 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of approximately 7.7% over 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, West Hobart has seen around 7 new homes approved per year. Over the past five financial years, between FY21 and FY25, approximately 39 homes were approved, with another 13 approved so far in FY26. On average, only 0.6 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years, suggesting that new construction is matching or outpacing demand.

This offers buyers more options and enables population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $320,000. In FY26, $7.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential development. When measured against Greater Hobart, West Hobart shows substantially reduced construction activity, with 57.0% fewer dwellings approved per person than the regional average. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties.

This trend is also below the national average, reflecting the area's maturity and potentially indicating planning constraints. New building activity in West Hobart consists of 89.0% detached dwellings and 11.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 1178 people per dwelling approval, West Hobart reflects a highly mature market. Population forecasts indicate that West Hobart will gain approximately 499 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth in the area.

West Hobart has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified twelve projects likely to impact this region. Notable ones include Royal Hobart Hospital Redevelopment - Stage 2, Royal Hobart Hospital Emergency Department Expansion, Hobart City Deal, and Transforming Collins Street. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in West Hobart demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

West Hobart has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.1% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In this period, 3,872 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.9% lower than Greater Hobart's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in West Hobart was higher at 70.0%, compared to Greater Hobart's 63.8%. Census responses showed that only 12.6% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have influenced this figure. Key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety. Notably, professional & technical services had employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction showed lower representation at 3.7% compared to the regional average of 8.7%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, West Hobart's labour force decreased by 1.0%, with employment declining by 0.9%, leading to a 0.1 percentage point drop in unemployment. By comparison, Greater Hobart recorded an employment decline of 0.7% and a labour force decline of 0.9%, with unemployment falling by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within West Hobart. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to West Hobart's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

West Hobart's median income among taxpayers was $53,747 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $72,942 during the same period. Comparing these figures with Greater Hobart's median income of $54,577 and average income of $65,190 shows West Hobart had higher incomes. By September 2025, based on a 9.6% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, the estimated median income would be approximately $58,907 and the average income around $79,944. According to Census 2021 income data, West Hobart's incomes cluster around the 71st percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows that 31.0% of residents (2,005 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket. After housing expenses, 86.2% of income remains for other expenses. West Hobart's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in West Hobart, as per the latest Census, consisted of 76.1% houses and 23.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Hobart metro's 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Hobart was at 35.1%, aligning with Hobart metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.0% and rented ones at 34.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,950, exceeding the Hobart metro average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Hobart metro's $350. Nationally, West Hobart's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

West Hobart features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 62.2% of all households, including 24.6% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for 37.8%, with lone person households at 28.8% and group households comprising 8.8%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Hobart average of 2.4.

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

West Hobart has a notably high educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above, with 55.3% holding university qualifications. This is significantly higher than the state average of 25.5% in Tasmania (TAS) and the national average of 30.4% in Australia. The area's strong educational advantage is reflected in its high proportion of residents with bachelor degrees (31.8%), postgraduate qualifications (17.7%), and graduate diplomas (5.8%). Vocational pathways also account for a significant portion, at 20.2%, including advanced diplomas (8.7%) and certificates (11.5%).

Educational participation is particularly high in West Hobart, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.3% in tertiary education, 8.2% in primary education, and 7.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

West Hobart has 26 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 74 different routes that facilitate 7,725 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 198 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. Most residents commute outward due to the area's predominantly residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 59% of residents, while walking and cycling account for 30% and 4%, respectively. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.1, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 12.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 1,103 trips made daily across all routes, equating to approximately 297 weekly trips per individual stop.

West Hobart's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis shows West Hobart's health metrics are strong. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups.

Private health cover is high at approximately 56%, compared to 51.7% in Greater Hobart. Mental health issues impact 10.4% of residents, while arthritis affects 8%. About 68.7% report no medical ailments, compared to 65.5% in Greater Hobart. Under-65s have better than average health outcomes. West Hobart has 18.9% residents aged 65 and over (1,222 people), lower than Greater Hobart's 19.9%. Seniors' health outcomes are strong, matching national rankings.

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

West Hobart showed cultural diversity above average, with 23.6% of its population born overseas and 14.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the main religion in West Hobart, comprising 26.5%. Judaism, however, was notably overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to 0.1% across Greater Hobart.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (29.5%), Australian (23.3%), and Irish (10.6%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Polish was overrepresented at 1.2% in West Hobart versus 0.8% regionally, Welsh at 0.8% compared to 0.5%, and Dutch at 1.7% compared to 1.5%.

West Hobart's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

West Hobart's median age is 38, closely matching Greater Hobart's figure of 39 and Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the greater area average, West Hobart has a notably higher percentage of 25-34 year-olds (17.5%) and a lower percentage of 5-14 year-olds (8.7%). Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group grew from 12.1% to 14.5%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 4.6% to 6.2%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group declined from 19.1% to 17.5%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 13.9% to 12.3%. By 2041, West Hobart's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 45-54 cohort is expected to grow by 284 people (36%), increasing from 795 to 1,080. Conversely, both the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.