Cambridge
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Cambridge's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, stood at 8,939 by August 2025. This figure signifies a rise of 366 individuals, marking a 4.3% increase since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,573. The inference is based on the estimated resident population of 8,855 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 296 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 87 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space per person and potential room for further development. Cambridge's growth rate of 4.3% since the 2021 census outperformed both the SA4 region (4.2%) and the metropolitan area, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 54.0% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For SA2 areas not covered by this data and to estimate post-2032 growth by age group, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, having been released in 2022 using 2021 as the base year, with adjustments made via a weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, Cambridge is expected to experience population growth slightly below the national median. By 2041, based on the latest population numbers, the area is projected to expand by 1,127 persons, reflecting an increase of 11.7% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Cambridge when compared nationally

Cambridge averaged approximately 33 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 167 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, and 4 so far in FY26. On average, 4.2 people moved to the area per dwelling built over those five years. This supply lagging demand has led to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, with new properties constructed at an average value of $573,000, moderately above regional levels.

Commercial approvals totaled $40.2 million in FY26, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Hobart, Cambridge shows approximately 63% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 38th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing properties. Recent building activity consists entirely of standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

The estimated population count is 487 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Future projections show Cambridge adding 1,041 residents by 2041, with construction maintaining a reasonable pace but potential growing competition as the population increases.

Cambridge has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 6thth percentile nationally

Area performance is significantly influenced by local infrastructure changes, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 16 such projects likely to impact the area, including key projects like the Tasman Highway Duplication Project, Cambridge-Clarence Recycled Water Interconnector, Lauderdale Primary School, and Cambridge Primary School Redevelopment. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Cambridge demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Cambridge has an educated workforce with essential services well represented. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 1.5%.

In Cambridge, 4896 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.7% lower than Greater Hobart's 4.1%, and workforce participation is higher at 67.4% compared to Greater Hobart's 61.6%. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and public administration & safety. Construction has notable concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Accommodation & food services have limited presence at 5.0% compared to 8.0% regionally.

The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.6%, with employment decreasing by 1.7%, and unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In comparison, Greater Hobart recorded an employment decline of 1.5% and a labour force decline of 1.6%, with unemployment falling by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows TAS employment grew by 0.77% year-on-year (adding 1170 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, with the state's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Cambridge's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.6% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Cambridge is $58,607 and average income is $72,088. In Greater Hobart, median income is $51,272 and average income is $63,777. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.94% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes are approximately $65,605 (median) and $80,695 (average) as of March 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, Cambridge's household, family and personal incomes rank between the 77th and 77th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate 33.7% of residents (3,012 people) earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, consistent with metropolitan region trends at 32.2%. Higher earners comprise 32.3%, suggesting strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 89.2% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and SEIFA income ranking places Cambridge in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Cambridge, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 96.5% houses and 3.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Hobart metro had 93.4% houses and 6.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cambridge was 42.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.8% and rented dwellings at 7.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cambridge was $1,800, compared to Hobart metro's average of $1,538. The median weekly rent figure in Cambridge was $400, higher than Hobart metro's $350. Nationally, Cambridge's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Cambridge features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 81.1% of all households, including 39.6% couples with children, 32.0% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for 18.9%, with lone person households at 17.4% and group households making up 1.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Hobart average of 2.4.

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

University qualification levels in Cambridge are at 28.9%, slightly below the SA4 region average of 32.8%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 37.5% of residents aged 15+, including advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (25.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing tertiary education. Lauderdale Primary School and Cambridge Primary School serve a total of 1,033 students. Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available nearby. The ICSEA score for Cambridge is 1045, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities.

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

Transport analysis in Cambridge shows 109 active transport stops, consisting of bus services. These are covered by 97 unique routes, offering a total of 8,605 weekly passenger trips. Accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents on average located 478 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 1,229 trips per day across all routes, translating to about 78 weekly trips per individual stop.

Cambridge's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows relatively positive outcomes for Cambridge residents. Prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (~4,943 people), compared to 51.4% across Greater Hobart. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.9 and 7.6% of residents respectively. 68.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.2% across Greater Hobart. The area has 22.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,980 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Cambridge, surveyed in 2016, had a cultural diversity index below the national average. Its population was predominantly Australian-born (88.6%), citizens (94.2%), and English-speaking at home (96.4%). Christianity was the leading religion, with 46.1% of residents identifying with it, compared to 42.6% in Greater Hobart.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (36.5%), Australian (30.4%), and Irish (8.8%). Notably, Dutch (1.5%) and Welsh (0.6%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.3% and 0.5%, respectively. Polish representation was similar at both local (0.7%) and regional levels (0.7%).

Cambridge hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Cambridge is 43 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Hobart's average of 39 years, and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Hobart, Cambridge has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (14.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.7%). According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 increased from 5.3% to 7.3%, while those aged 65-74 increased from 11.8% to 13.3%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 decreased from 9.9% to 7.7%, and those aged 55-64 dropped from 15.7% to 14.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Cambridge's age structure. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 45%, reaching 1,727 people from 1,195. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 57% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0-4 and 25-34 age groups are projected to have reduced numbers.