Bridgewater - Gagebrook

Population growth drivers in Bridgewater - Gagebrook are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bridgewater-Gagebrook's population, as of May 2026, is approximately 8,739. This figure represents a 589-person increase (7.2%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,150. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: an ERP of 8,732 as of June 2025 and 302 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 156 persons per square kilometer. Bridgewater-Gagebrook's growth exceeded both its SA4 region (3.9%) and Greater Hobart post-2021 Census. Natural growth contributed approximately 68.0% to overall population gains, with other factors like interstate migration also positive.

AreaSearch uses 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 from 2022 (base year 2021) are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods. Future demographic trends project above median population growth for the area, with an expected increase of 1,856 persons by 2041 based on latest annual ERP numbers, reflecting a total increase of 21.2% over the 16-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Bridgewater - Gagebrook when compared nationally

Bridgewater - Gagebrook recorded approximately 57 residential properties granted approval annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25287 homes were approved, with a further 7 approved in FY-26 to date. On average, 3.2 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these five financial years.

This substantial lag between supply and demand has led to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $230,000. In FY-26, $26.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating steady commercial investment activity.

Compared to Greater Hobart, Bridgewater - Gagebrook has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 44th percentile nationally, offering limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. New building activity consists of 94.0% detached houses and 6.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1183 people. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Bridgewater - Gagebrook is expected to grow by 1,849 residents through to 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though buyers may experience heightened competition as the population grows.

Bridgewater - Gagebrook has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 9thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include New Bridgewater Bridge, Boyer Road Precinct Plan, Main Road Granton Shared Path Extension, and Homes Tasmania Brighton Subdivision. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Bridgewater - Gagebrook face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Bridgewater - Gagebrook had an 18.6% unemployment rate in the past year with estimated employment growth of 1.9%. As of December 2025, there were 2,732 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 14.6%, significantly higher than Greater Hobart's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation lagged at 50.8% compared to Greater Hobart's 63.7%.

Only 3.3% of residents worked from home according to Census responses, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts were not specified. Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction, with a particular specialization in retail trade at 1.5 times the regional level. Education & training had limited presence with only 5.6% employment compared to 10.8% regionally. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison of working population vs resident population.

Over the past year, employment increased by 1.9% while labour force decreased by 0.1%, causing a 1.6 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. In Greater Hobart, employment grew by 0.1%, labour force contracted by 0.1%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 projected national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bridgewater - Gagebrook's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localized population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Bridgewater - Gagebrook SA2 is below the national average. The median income is $51,596 and the average income is $56,168. In contrast, Greater Hobart has a median income of $54,577 and an average income of $65,190. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.95% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Bridgewater - Gagebrook would be approximately $57,246 (median) and $62,318 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Bridgewater - Gagebrook fall between the 2nd and 4th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 31.8% of the population (2,779 individuals) fall within the $400 - $799 income range, unlike trends in the metropolitan region where 32.2% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. The prevalence of lower-income residents (41.8% under $800/week) suggests constrained household budgets across much of the district. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 3rd percentile.

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

In Bridgewater - Gagebrook, as per the latest Census, 90.9% of dwellings were houses while 9.1% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In comparison, Hobart metro had 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bridgewater - Gagebrook stood at 18.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.0% and rented ones at 57.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, lower than Hobart metro's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Bridgewater - Gagebrook was $250, compared to Hobart metro's $350. Nationally, Bridgewater - Gagebrook's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,083 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bridgewater - Gagebrook has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.0% of all households, consisting of 22.6% couples with children, 16.7% couples without children, and 29.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.0%, with lone person households at 25.9% and group households comprising 3.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Greater Hobart average of 2.4.

Bridgewater - Gagebrook faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 7.8%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 32.8%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 5.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 36.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (5.4%) and certificates (30.7%). Educational participation is high at 34.8%, comprising primary education (17.0%), secondary education (9.4%), and tertiary education (1.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 17.0% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Bridgewater-Gagebrook has 83 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are served by 146 individual routes, facilitating 11,618 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents typically located 407 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, with car being the dominant mode at 92%, while bus usage stands at 5%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.2, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 3.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 1,659 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 139 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Bridgewater - Gagebrook is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Bridgewater - Gagebrook faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Multiple health conditions impact both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~4,151 people), compared to 51.7% in Greater Hobart and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 13.5% and 11.3% of residents respectively. However, 59.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 65.5% in Greater Hobart. Working-age individuals face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 13.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,169 people), lower than the 20.0% in Greater Hobart. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The latest Census data sees Bridgewater - Gagebrook placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bridgewater-Gagebrook had a cultural diversity below average. Its population comprised 88.1% citizens, with 94.3% born in Australia and 96.4% speaking English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 35.5% of the population.

The 'Other' category made up 0.8%, compared to 1.1% across Greater Hobart. In terms of ancestry, Australian heritage dominated with 35.3%, significantly higher than the regional average of 28.0%. English heritage followed at 33.8%, while Australian Aboriginal heritage stood at 12.0%, notably higher than the regional average of 3.0%.

Bridgewater - Gagebrook hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Bridgewater-Gagebrook has a median age of 31, which is notably younger than Greater Hobart's figure of 39 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Hobart, Bridgewater-Gagebrook has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (16.9%) but fewer people aged 75-84 (4.1%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 25-34 has increased from 14.6% to 15.9%, while the 75-84 age group has risen from 3.1% to 4.1%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 11.0% to 9.6%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 18.0% to 16.9%. By 2041, population forecasts suggest significant demographic shifts in Bridgewater-Gagebrook. The 35-44 cohort is projected to grow strongly by 33%, adding 349 residents to reach a total of 1,408. Meanwhile, the 55-64 age group is expected to decrease by 8 residents.