Dodges Ferry - Lewisham

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Dodges Ferry - Lewisham's population is around 9,120 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 599 people (7.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,521 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,032 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 69 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 28 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Dodges Ferry - Lewisham's 7.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (4.9%) and Greater Hobart, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 46.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and overseas migration, 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. Considering the projected demographic shifts, an above-median population growth of statistical areas across the nation is projected, with the area expected to increase by 1,599 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 16.6% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Dodges Ferry - Lewisham among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Dodges Ferry - Lewisham has recorded around 58 residential properties granted approval per year, totalling 294 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 11 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 2.9 new residents per year gained for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), indicating healthy demand that should support property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $274,000. Additionally, $3.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature.

Compared to Greater Hobart, Dodges Ferry - Lewisham records about 67% of the building activity per person while it places among the 69th percentile of areas assessed nationally. Meanwhile, recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 195 people per dwelling approval, Dodges Ferry - Lewisham shows characteristics of a growth area.

Looking ahead, Dodges Ferry - Lewisham is expected to grow by 1,511 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Dodges Ferry - Lewisham has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 3rdth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 2 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Sorell School Redevelopment, Tasman Highway Duplication Project, Greater Hobart Urban Growth Boundary Extension, and Tasmanian Irrigation Schemes: Tranche 3, 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.

Employment performance in Dodges Ferry - Lewisham has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Dodges Ferry - Lewisham has a skilled workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of 4.6%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 4,507 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 0.5% above Greater Hobart's rate of 4.0%, and workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Hobart's 64.0%. Based on Census responses, a low 10.5% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are construction, health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in construction, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 13.9% versus the regional average of 17.3%. 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, during the year to December 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.1% combined with employment decreasing by 0.2%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. By comparison, Greater Hobart recorded employment growth of 0.1%, a labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment falling 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Dodges Ferry - Lewisham. 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 Dodges Ferry - Lewisham's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Dodges Ferry - Lewisham SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $51,963 with the average level standing at $58,569. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $54,577 and $65,190 across Greater Hobart respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.6% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $56,951 (median) and $64,192 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Dodges Ferry - Lewisham, between the 25th and 32nd percentiles. Distribution data shows 32.8% of the population (2,991 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 32.2% similarly occupy this range. After housing, 86.5% of income remains, though this ranks at only the 29th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure within Dodges Ferry - Lewisham, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 99.4% houses and 0.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Hobart metro's 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Dodges Ferry - Lewisham was well beyond that of Hobart metro, at 39.4%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (46.3%) or rented (14.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Hobart metro average at $1,300, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $330, compared to Hobart metro's $1,517 and $350. Nationally, Dodges Ferry - Lewisham's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Dodges Ferry - Lewisham has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 69.6% of all households, comprising 26.0% couples with children, 31.3% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.4%, with lone person households at 27.8% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people matches the Greater Hobart average.

Educational outcomes in Dodges Ferry - Lewisham fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (19.1%) substantially below the SA4 region average of 32.8%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 13.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 43.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (33.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Dodges Ferry - Lewisham's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Dodges Ferry - Lewisham's health metrics sit close to national benchmarks, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a standard level of common health conditions across both young and old age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~4,414 people). This compares to 51.7% across Greater Hobart. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 11.0% and 10.5% of residents, respectively, while 63.4% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 65.5% across Greater Hobart. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 22.3% of residents aged 65 and over (2,037 people), which is higher than the 19.9% in Greater Hobart. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Dodges Ferry - Lewisham was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 90.5% of its population being citizens, 90.0% born in Australia, and 97.3% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Dodges Ferry - Lewisham is Christianity, which makes up 38.4% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.1% of the population, compared to 0.1% across Greater Hobart.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Dodges Ferry - Lewisham are English, comprising 34.9% of the population, Australian, comprising 32.6% of the population, and Irish, comprising 8.4% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal is notably overrepresented at 3.6% of Dodges Ferry - Lewisham (vs 3.0% regionally), Dutch at 1.3% (vs 1.5%) and Scottish at 7.6% (vs 7.0%).

Dodges Ferry - Lewisham's median age exceeds the national pattern

The 43-year median age in Dodges Ferry - Lewisham is significantly above Greater Hobart's average of 39 and similarly considerably older than Australia's 38 years. Relative to Greater Hobart, Dodges Ferry - Lewisham has a higher concentration of 65 - 74 residents (14.6%) but fewer 25 - 34 year-olds (10.3%). This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. Following the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.5% to 6.3% of the population, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 13.2% to 14.6%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 17.1% to 15.0% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 12.0% to 10.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Dodges Ferry - Lewisham's age structure. Leading the demographic shift, the 45 to 54 group will grow by 46% (504 people), reaching 1,601 from 1,096. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 50% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 35 to 44 group will contract by 198 residents.