Moonah
Statistical Area - sa2

Moonah has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Moonah's population is 5,712 as of November 2025. This figure reflects a decrease from the 2021 Census total of 5,737 people, indicating a drop of 25 individuals (0.4%). The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 5,657 in June 2024 and an additional 52 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,047 persons per square kilometer, exceeding national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2022 using a 2021 base year are adopted with adjustments made via weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the median of national statistical areas by 2041, with an expected growth of 385 persons and a total increase of 5.2% over the 17-year period based on the latest population numbers.

The level of residential development activity in Moonah is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Moonah has granted approximately 12 residential properties approval annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, a total of 61 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26. The average construction cost value for new properties is $306,000.

This financial year has seen $11.3 million in commercial development approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial activity. Compared to Greater Hobart, Moonah has significantly less development activity, at 53.0% below the regional average per person. The constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Recent construction comprises 55.0% detached dwellings and 45.0% medium and high-density housing, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments. This is a significant shift from the current housing pattern, which is predominantly houses at 84.0%. The location has approximately 1813 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

Population forecasts suggest Moonah will gain 299 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 13 potential impact projects. Key ones are Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor (NSTC), Hobart City High School redevelopment, Moonah Arts Centre, and TasWater Infrastructure Upgrades. Relevant details follow.

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 drivers in Moonah are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Moonah's workforce is well-educated with a notable presence in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.6% as of June 2025.

In that month, 3103 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was higher by 1.4% compared to Greater Hobart's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation stood at 65.9%, slightly above Greater Hobart's 61.6%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, accommodation & food services, and retail trade. Notably, the area has a high concentration in accommodation & food services with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 7.0% compared to the regional average of 8.7%. The area hosts more jobs than residents, with a ratio of 1.1 workers per resident as recorded in the Census. This indicates Moonah functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 1.6% alongside a 1.5% employment decline, resulting in a fall of unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. These trends mirror those seen in Greater Hobart where employment fell by 1.5%, labour force contracted by 1.6%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points. Looking ahead, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Moonah. The projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Moonah's employment mix suggests local growth could approximate 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Moonah's median income among taxpayers was $48,992 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $54,254 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Hobart's median and average incomes of $51,272 and $63,777 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 13.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Moonah would be approximately $55,768 (median) and $61,757 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Moonah rank modestly, between the 30th and 35th percentiles. The largest segment comprises 33.7% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,924 residents), similar to regional levels where 32.2% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Moonah, with only 83.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 29th percentile.

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

Moonah's housing structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.5% houses and 15.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Hobart metro's 83.1% houses and 17.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Moonah was at 28.2%, with the rest being mortgaged (31.5%) or rented (40.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,387, higher than Hobart metro's average of $1,300. Median weekly rent in Moonah was $330, compared to Hobart metro's $320. Nationally, Moonah's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were below the national figure of $375.

Moonah features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 60.9% of all households, including 23.2% couples with children, 23.1% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 39.1%, with lone person households at 33.3% and group households comprising 5.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, aligning with the Greater Hobart average.

Moonah shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

In Moonah, a significant proportion of residents aged 15 and above have attained university qualifications, with 36.1% surpassing the broader benchmarks of 23.3% in the SA3 area and 25.5% in Tasmania. The most common qualification is bachelor degrees at 20.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.8% and graduate diplomas at 3.2%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.5% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (8.5%) and certificates (19.0%). Educational participation is high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 8.7% in primary, 5.7% in secondary, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

Two schools serve the area: St Therese's Catholic School and Bowen Road Primary School, with a total of 418 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA score: 988), offering balanced educational opportunities. Both schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. There are 7.3 school places per 100 residents, lower than the regional average of 14.6, suggesting some students may attend schools outside Moonah.

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

Moonah has 46 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 70 individual routes. Together, they facilitate 4,769 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of these services is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 171 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 681 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 103 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Moonah are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Moonah's health indicators show below-average results, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is very low, at approximately 47% of the total population (~2,696 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 10.7 and 8.7% of residents respectively. 68.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.7% across Greater Hobart. Moonah has 15.7% of residents aged 65 and over (897 people), lower than the 18.7% in Greater Hobart. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Moonah was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Moonah's population showed high cultural diversity, with 28.8% born overseas and 26.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 35.6%. Hinduism was notably higher in Moonah at 8.9%, compared to Greater Hobart's 5.8%.

The top ancestry groups were English (27.1%), Australian (23.4%), and Other (14.3%). Some ethnic groups had notable differences: Polish (1.3% vs regional 0.8%), Vietnamese (1.0% vs 0.5%), and Indian (2.9% vs 1.9%).

Moonah's population is younger than the national pattern

Moonah's median age is 35, which is younger than Greater Hobart's figure of 39 years and slightly below Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 22.4% of Moonah's population, higher than Greater Hobart but lower than the national average of 14.5%. The 75-84 age cohort is less prevalent in Moonah at 4.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 13.9% to 16.2%, while the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 11.2% to 9.2%, and the 25 to 34 group has decreased from 23.8% to 22.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Moonah's age structure. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 55% (341 people), reaching 966 from 624. Meanwhile, both the 55 to 64 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to decrease in number.