Longford
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Longford's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 4757 people. This figure represents an increase of 329 individuals from the 2021 Census count of 4428 people, indicating a growth rate of 7.4%. The change can be attributed to an estimated resident population of 4647 in June 2024 and an additional 130 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 21 persons per square kilometer. Longford's growth rate exceeded both the state average (4.5%) and its SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 53% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs 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 estimates by age group, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021, adjusted via weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth for Australia's regional areas. Based on the latest population numbers, Longford is projected to grow by 224 persons to reach 5981 people by 2041, reflecting a total increase of approximately 2.3% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Longford among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Longford has recorded approximately 38 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, showing 191 homes over the past five financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, with 6 approvals so far in FY-26. An average of 1.9 people moved to the area per dwelling built over the past five financial years, suggesting a balanced supply and demand until recently, when it moderated to 1.2 people per dwelling over the past two financial years. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $385,000. This year, $7.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's residential character.

Compared to the Rest of Tas., Longford shows moderately higher development activity, with 17.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. All new construction has been standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers, with around 128 people per approval. Looking ahead, Longford is expected to grow by 110 residents through to 2041, with current development patterns suggesting that new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Looking ahead, Longford is expected to grow by 110 residents through to 2041. 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.

Longford has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects likely influencing the area. Major initiatives include Longford Child and Family Learning Centre, Longford Ambulance Station, Longford Expansion Strategy & Longford Racecourse precinct master plan, and West Perth Stormwater Upgrades (Stages 1-3). The following list details those most relevant.

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

While Longford retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.2%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Longford has a balanced workforce with both white and blue-collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, and the unemployment rate is 3.2%.

As of June 2025, 2191 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.7% lower than Rest of Tas.'s 3.9%, and workforce participation similar at 55.7%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing employs 1.4 times the regional level but education & training is lower at 6.3%. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data.

From June 2024 to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.4% and employment fell by 1.6%, causing unemployment to rise slightly. In contrast, Rest of Tas. saw a marginal fall in unemployment despite a contraction in employment. State-level data from Sep-25 shows TAS employment grew by 0.77% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections vary by industry sector. Applying these projections to Longford's mix suggests potential growth of approximately 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Longford's median income among taxpayers was $48,792 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $56,573 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of Tas.'s median and average incomes of $47,358 and $57,384 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.94% from financial year 2022 to March 2025, current estimates for Longford's median income would be approximately $54,618 and the average income would be around $63,328. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Longford all fall between the 15th and 22nd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 29.4% of residents (1,398 people), aligning with the regional trend where this cohort represents 28.5%. After housing costs, 86.1% of income remains, ranking Longford at the 17th percentile nationally for disposable income.

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

Longford's dwelling structure, as assessed at the latest Census, consisted of 86.2% houses and 13.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s 92.6% houses and 7.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Longford stood at 40.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.9% and rented dwellings at 25.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, exceeding Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,198. The median weekly rent figure in Longford was $260, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s $230. Nationally, Longford's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Longford has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 67.4% of all households, including 23.1% couples with children, 31.8% couples without children, and 11.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.6%, with lone person households at 29.7% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.3 people, aligning with the Rest of Tas. average.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 15.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 11.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 37.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (28.6%).

A substantial 24.9% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 10.6% in primary, 6.1% in secondary, and 2.4% in tertiary education. Longford Primary School serves the local area with an enrollment of 242 students. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. There are 5.1 school places per 100 residents, lower than the regional average of 9.6, indicating some students may attend schools outside Longford.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Longford is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows significant challenges in Longford with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 48% (~2,283 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (11.9%) and mental health issues (9.2%). Around 60.3% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to the Rest of Tas figure at 60.6%. Longford has 27.4% (1,305 people) aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Longford's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.1% of its population being citizens, 89.6% born in Australia, and 96.9% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Longford was Christianity, comprising 47.9% of people, compared to 45.1% across Rest of Tas. The top three ancestry groups were English (37.4%), Australian (34.3%), and Irish (7.3%).

Notably, Dutch representation was higher at 1.8% in Longford versus 1.5% regionally, while Australian Aboriginal was lower at 2.6% compared to 3.0%, and Serbian stood at 0.2% versus 0.1%.

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

Longford's median age is 47, which exceeds the Rest of Tas. figure of 45 and is higher than Australia's median age of 38. Comparing Longford with the Rest of Tas., the 75-84 cohort is notably over-represented at 10.1%, while the 45-54 age group is under-represented at 10.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 8.3% to 10.1%, and the 35 to 44 cohort has risen from 9.5% to 10.7%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.3% to 10.6%, and the 65 to 74 group has dropped from 14.8% to 13.8%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Longford's age structure. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow by 142 people (30%), increasing from 481 to 624. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 57% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups.