Bruny Island - Kettering

Population growth drivers in Bruny Island - Kettering are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Bruny Island - Kettering's population is around 3,633 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 186 people (5.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,447 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,607 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 99 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 8.2 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Bruny Island - Kettering's 5.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state (5.3%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 68.7% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth by age group in the years post-2032, the Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year, are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is expected, with the area expected to increase by 440 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 11.4% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Bruny Island - Kettering when compared nationally

Bruny Island - Kettering has seen around 22 new homes approved annually, totalling 113 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 13 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 2.6 new residents per year gained for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), suggesting solid demand that supports property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $287,000. There have also been $154,000 in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating minimal commercial development activity.

Compared to the Rest of Tas., Bruny Island - Kettering has 12.0% less new development (per person) while it places among the 77th percentile of areas assessed nationally. Meanwhile, new construction has been completely comprised of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. At around 166 people per approval, Bruny Island - Kettering reflects a low density area.

Population forecasts indicate Bruny Island - Kettering will gain 414 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Bruny Island - Kettering has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 0 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Hobart City Deal, Greater Hobart Urban Growth Boundary Extension, Tasmanian Irrigation Schemes: Tranche 3, and the Cethana Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

The labour market in Bruny Island - Kettering shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Bruny Island - Kettering has a well-educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of just 2.2%, and 4.8% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 1,560 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.6% below Regional Tas.'s rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation lags significantly (51.5% compared to Regional Tas.'s 58.9%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 18.8% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. In contrast, retail trade employs just 6.2% of local workers, below Regional Tas.'s 10.1%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.8% while the labour force increased by 4.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Tas. experienced employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 1.5%, with a 0.3 percentage point drop. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Bruny Island - Kettering. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Bruny Island - Kettering's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.0% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Bruny Island - Kettering SA2's income level is lower than average on a national basis according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Bruny Island - Kettering SA2's median income among taxpayers is $46,229 and the average income stands at $60,874, which compares to figures for Regional Tas.'s of $49,689 and $59,358 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.6% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $50,667 (median) and $66,718 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Bruny Island - Kettering all fall between the 18th and 19th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 29.2% of the community (1,060 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 28.5% in the same category. While housing costs are modest with 89.3% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 27th percentile nationally and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Bruny Island - Kettering is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Bruny Island - Kettering, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 96.9% houses and 3.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional Tas.'s 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Bruny Island - Kettering was well beyond that of Regional Tas., at 57.4%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (32.2%) or rented (10.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Regional Tas. average at $1,450, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300, compared to Regional Tas.'s $1,274 and $250. Nationally, Bruny Island - Kettering's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bruny Island - Kettering has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 72.1% of all households, comprising 22.0% couples with children, 42.5% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.9%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households comprising 1.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.2 people is smaller than the Regional Tas. average of 2.3.

The educational profile of Bruny Island - Kettering exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Bruny Island - Kettering significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 33.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 19.3% in Rest of Tas. and 21.0% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 21.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 36.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (23.8%).

A substantial 24.5% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 7.0% 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 reveals 29 active transport stops operating within Bruny Island - Kettering, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 83 individual routes, collectively providing 6,351 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 6,351 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 89%, with 6% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 18.8% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 907 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 219 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Bruny Island - Kettering is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Bruny Island - Kettering demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts see a low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~1,787 people). The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.2 and 8.8% of residents, respectively, while 63.7% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 62.0% across Regional Tas.. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 33.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,207 people), which is higher than the 24.9% in Regional Tas.. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Bruny Island - Kettering ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bruny Island - Kettering was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 79.3% of its population born in Australia, 89.1% being citizens, and 94.9% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Bruny Island - Kettering is Christianity, which makes up 33.3% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.1% of the population, compared to 0.1% across Regional Tas..

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Bruny Island - Kettering are English, comprising 34.9% of the population, Australian, comprising 26.1% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 32.6%, and Scottish, comprising 10.2% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Dutch is notably overrepresented at 1.9% of Bruny Island - Kettering (vs 1.7% regionally), French at 0.8% (vs 0.3%) and Welsh at 0.7% (vs 0.4%).

Bruny Island - Kettering ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

At 53 years, Bruny Island - Kettering's median age is considerably higher than the Regional Tas. average of 45 and is considerably older than the national norm of 38. The age profile shows 65 - 74 year-olds are particularly prominent (18.7%), while the 25 - 34 group is comparatively smaller (5.6%) than in Regional Tas.. This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. In the period since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.5% to 11.9% of the population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 18.3% to 15.9% and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 20.4% to 18.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Bruny Island - Kettering's age structure. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to increase solidly, expanding by 207 people (45%) from 460 to 668. On the other hand, the 0 to 4 and 65 to 74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.