Acton - Upper Burnie

Acton - Upper Burnie is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Acton - Upper Burnie's population is approximately 3,397 as of Feb 2026. From the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,270 people, there has been an increase of 127 people (3.9%). This growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 3,395 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is around 1,580 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Acton - Upper Burnie's growth rate of 3.9% since the census is within 0.6 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.5%), indicating strong growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 61.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Future demographic trends suggest an overall population decline, with the area expected to lose 18 persons by 2041 according to these projections. However, growth is anticipated in specific age cohorts, notably the 85 and over group, projected to grow by 44 people.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Acton - Upper Burnie according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Acton - Upper Burnie experienced limited development activity with an average of two approvals per year between 2016 and 2020, resulting in a total of twelve dwellings over this five-year period. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area where housing needs drive development rather than market demand. Due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Compared to Rest of Tas., Acton - Upper Burnie had significantly less construction activity during these years and was also below national patterns. All new constructions were detached houses, aligning with rural living preferences for space and privacy. The location had approximately 850 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. With population expected to remain stable or decline in the future, Acton - Upper Burnie is likely to face reduced pressure on housing, potentially presenting opportunities for buyers.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Acton - Upper Burnie should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Acton - Upper Burnie has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

No changes can influence a region's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, significant projects, and planning initiatives. Zero projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting this area. Notable projects include Homes Tasmania - Park Grove Subdivision, Burnie City Centre Urban Plan, Burnie Cultural Precinct Redevelopment, and Marinus Link. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment drivers in Acton - Upper Burnie are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Acton - Upper Burnie has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate was 7.2% as of September 2025. Employment grew by an estimated 6.8% in the past year.

There are 1,461 residents currently employed. The unemployment rate is 3.4% higher than Rest of Tas.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is lower at 55.9%, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 58.6%. Only 3.3% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. Retail trade has a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 3.0%, compared to 8.4% regionally. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 6.8% while labour force grew by 5.7%, reducing unemployment by 0.9 percentage points. This compares to Rest of Tas., where employment grew by 0.7%, labour force expanded by 0.5%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Acton - Upper Burnie's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this is an illustrative extrapolation not accounting for localised population projections.

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

Acton - Upper Burnie SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $47,373 and an average of $55,421 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is below the national average, with Rest of Tas.'s median income being $49,689 and average income being $59,358. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.6% since financial year 2023, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $51,921 (median) and $60,741 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Acton - Upper Burnie all fall between the 2nd and 10th percentiles nationally. In income distribution, 32.9% of locals (1,117 people) are in the $400 - 799 category, differing from the regional pattern where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 28.5%. Economic circumstances show widespread financial pressure, with 41.7% of households having weekly budgets below $800. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.1% of income remaining, ranking at the 4th percentile.

Acton - Upper Burnie is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Acton - Upper Burnie's dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro Tas., meanwhile, had 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Acton - Upper Burnie was at 30.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.5% and rented ones at 40.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $989, lower than Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,274. The median weekly rent figure was $238, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s $250. Nationally, Acton - Upper Burnie's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $989 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Acton - Upper Burnie features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 57.7 percent of all households, including 19.8 percent couples with children, 22.8 percent couples without children, and 13.8 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 42.3 percent, with lone person households at 40.3 percent and group households comprising 2.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Tas. average of 2.3.

Acton - Upper Burnie faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 10.9%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 7.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15+, with 37.4% holding them, including advanced diplomas (6.3%) and certificates (31.1%). Educational participation is high, with 26.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.9% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 2.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Acton-Urper Burnie has 20 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are served by 60 individual routes that facilitate 5,181 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 198 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature, with car being the dominant mode at 95%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, lower than the regional average. Only 3.3% of residents work from home (2021 Census).

Service frequency averages 740 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 259 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Acton - Upper Burnie is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Acton - Upper Burnie faces significant health challenges as per AreaSearch's assessment (released on 12th January 20XX). Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is low, at approximately 47% of the total population (~1610 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common conditions, affecting 12.3% and 10.7% of residents respectively. Conversely, 56.8% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of Tas. figure of 62.0%. The working-age population has notably high chronic condition rates. The area has a lower proportion of seniors (20.8%, or 705 people) compared to Rest of Tas. (24.9%). Senior health outcomes align with national rankings, indicating some challenges in this demographic.

Acton - Upper Burnie is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Acton - Upper Burnie had a cultural diversity below average with 91.6% citizens, 90.6% born in Australia, and 96.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 36.8%. Hinduism, however, was overrepresented at 0.9%, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 1.1%.

For ancestry, Australian was highest at 37.6%, above regional average of 32.6%, followed by English at 32.7% and Australian Aboriginal at 6.7%.

Acton - Upper Burnie's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Acton - Upper Burnie is 38 years, which is notably lower than the Rest of Tas.'s average of 45 but equal to Australia's median of 38. Compared to the Rest of Tas., the 15-24 cohort is notably over-represented at 14.1% locally, while the 65-74 age group is under-represented at 10.2%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.4% to 14.1%, and the 85+ cohort has increased from 2.0% to 3.0%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 12.7% to 10.9%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 12.5% to 10.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Acton - Upper Burnie. The 85+ age cohort is projected to expand by 37 people (37%), from 103 to 141. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 53% of the projected population growth, while the 0 to 4 and 55 to 64 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.