George Town
Statistical Area - sa2

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

As of August 2025, George Town's population is approximately 7849, showing a 10.3% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 7118 people. This growth can be inferred from ABS data indicating an estimated resident population of 7429 in June 2024 and an additional 268 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is about 10.5 persons per square kilometer. George Town's growth rate exceeded the state average of 4.5%, making it a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 67.3% to recent population gains in the area. 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 by age group, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are adopted, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Future demographic trends suggest an overall population decline of 30 persons by 2041, but specific age cohorts like the 75 to 84 group are projected to grow by 390 people.

Recent residential development output has been above average within George Town when compared nationally

George Town has seen approximately 67 new homes approved annually. Development approval data from the ABS is on a financial year basis, totalling 338 approvals across the past five financial years (between FY21 and FY25). As of FY26, there have been 8 recorded so far. On average, each dwelling constructed over the past five financial years has led to one new resident per year.

This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially enabling population growth beyond current expectations. The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $391,000. In FY26, there have been $2.5 million in commercial development approvals recorded, indicating the area's residential character.

Compared to the Rest of Tas., George Town has seen somewhat elevated construction activity, with a 26.0% increase per person over the past five years. This balances buyer choice while supporting current property values, although building activity has slowed in recent years. Recent construction comprises 96.0% detached houses and 4.0% attached dwellings, preserving George Town's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With approximately 139 people per approval, George Town reflects a developing area. Given stable or declining population forecasts, George Town may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

George Town has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 13thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects likely to influence the region. Notable initiatives include Bell Bay Powerfuels Project, H2TAS Renewable Hydrogen and Ammonia Facility, George Town 4-Townhouse Development, and South George Town Primary School Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in George Town face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

George Town has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 6.4%.

As of June 2025, 2932 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.5% higher than Rest of Tas.'s rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in George Town is lower at 46.9%, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 55.7%. Major employment sectors include manufacturing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Manufacturing is particularly specialized with an employment share 2.4 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has a lower representation at 5.4% versus the regional average of 8.4%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.4%, employment decreased by 0.8%, leading to a 0.6 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of Tas. had an employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.6%. As of Sep-25, TAS employment grew by 0.77% year-on-year, adding 1170 jobs, with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%, outperforming the national average of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to George Town's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.2% over five years and 11.9% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

George Town's median taxpayer income was $44,878 and average income was $55,268 in financial year 2022, according to latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than national averages, contrasting with Rest of Tas.'s median income of $47,358 and average income of $57,384. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.94% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $50,236 (median) and $61,867 (average). Census 2021 income data shows George Town's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 3rd and 5th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment in George Town comprises 29.9% earning $400 - $799 weekly (2,346 residents), differing from patterns across regional levels where $1,500 - $2,999 dominates with 28.5%. With 40.4% earning under $800 per week, George Town faces considerable income constraints affecting local spending patterns. While housing costs are modest with 86.7% of income retained, total disposable income ranks at just the 6th percentile nationally.

George Town is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In George Town, as recorded in the latest Census, dwelling structures consisted of 89.6% houses and 10.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Tas., which had 92.6% houses and 7.4% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in George Town was 43.1%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (28.6%) or rented (28.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,083, below Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,198. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $220, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s $230. Nationally, George Town's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

George Town features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 66.4% of all households, consisting of 20.2% couples with children, 33.1% couples without children, and 12.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 33.6%, with lone person households at 31.4% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Tas. average of 2.3.

George Town faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 12.4%, substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 8.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 2.2% and graduate diplomas at 1.3%. Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 39.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 8.1% and certificates at 31.2%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.4% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 2.0% pursuing tertiary education. George Town's four schools have a combined enrollment reaching 797 students while George Town demonstrates varied educational conditions across the area. The educational mix includes one primary school, one secondary school, and two K-12 schools. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments please refer to parent campus.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

George Town faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 48% of the total population (~3736 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (13.6%) and mental health issues (10.7%), while 56.1% report no medical ailments, compared to 60.6% in Rest of Tas. The area has 27.2% residents aged 65 and over (2138 people). Health outcomes among seniors are challenging but better than the general population's health metrics.

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

George Town was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 87.6% of its population born in Australia, 90.7% being citizens, and 97.4% speaking English only at home. The main religion in George Town is Christianity, making up 43.3% of the population. However, Hinduism is overrepresented, comprising 0.5% compared to 0.3% across Rest of Tas..

The top three ancestry groups are English (35.7%), Australian (33.9%), and Scottish (7.7%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal (3.3%) is overrepresented compared to the regional average of 3.0%, Dutch (1.3%) is underrepresented compared to 1.5%, and Samoan (0.1%) is present but not significantly represented regionally.

George Town hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

George Town has a median age of 48, which is higher than the Rest of Tasmania's figure of 45 and also above the national average of 38. The 65-74 age group makes up 15.6% of George Town's population, compared to the Rest of Tasmania's figure and well above the national average of 9.4%. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group is less prevalent at 9.9%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 7.5% to 8.9% of George Town's population, while the 45 to 54 age group has declined from 12.3% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that George Town's age profile will change significantly. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow by 333 people (48%), from 699 to 1,033. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 100% of total population growth, reflecting George Town's aging demographic profile. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 45 to 54 and 65 to 74 age cohorts.