Norwood (Tas.)
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Norwood reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Norwood, Tasmania's population is approximately 3,931 as of August 2025. This figure represents a decrease of 100 people from the 4,031 recorded during the 2021 Census, indicating a 2.5% drop since then. The change can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,931 in June 2024 and an additional 4 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 985 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively consistent with averages observed across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of Norwood's population growth 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 by this data and to estimate post-2032 growth by age group, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on projected demographic shifts, non-metropolitan areas nationally are expected to experience lower quartile growth. Norwood is projected to grow by 15 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 0.4% over the 17-year period.

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

Norwood has seen approximately eight new home approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY20 to FY25, Norwood had 41 homes approved, with no approvals recorded so far in FY26. Despite population decline in recent years, new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good choice for buyers.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $1,200,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. This financial year, Norwood has registered $50,000 in commercial approvals, predominantly residential. Compared to the Rest of Tas., Norwood has significantly less development activity, 81.0% below the regional average per person. Limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. This activity is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

Recent development has been entirely detached dwellings, preserving Norwood's suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 3960 people per dwelling approval, Norwood reflects a highly mature market. Population forecasts indicate Norwood will gain 15 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Norwood has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 19thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. Seven projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to influence this region. Major initiatives include Peacehaven Aged Care Redevelopment, Kings Meadows Land Release, Kings Meadows Land Release, and Kings Meadows Heavy Vehicle Driver Rest Area. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 2.5%, Norwood has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Norwood, Tasmania, has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.5% as of June 2025.

At this time, 1,838 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.5% lower than Rest of Tas.'s rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Norwood was broadly similar to Rest of Tas.'s 55.7%. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Norwood has a particular specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.6% of Norwood's workforce compared to 8.4% in Rest of Tas.. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Analysis of SALM and ABS data shows that from June 2024 to June 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.5%, accompanied by a 1.9% decrease in employment, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Tas. saw an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.6%, with a marginal fall in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Tasmania's employment grew by 0.77% year-on-year, adding 1,170 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, with Tasmania's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Norwood's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 indicates that Norwood has lower income compared to national averages. The median income is $48,561 while the average stands at $61,074. In contrast, Rest of Tas.'s figures show a median income of $47,358 and an average income of $57,384. Using Wage Price Index growth of 11.94% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Norwood would be approximately $54,359 (median) and $68,366 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals that household, family, and personal incomes in Norwood rank modestly, between the 28th and 34th percentiles. In Norwood, 32.0% of the population (1,257 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the metropolitan region where 28.5% occupy this range. Housing costs are manageable with 88.2% retained, but disposable income is below average at the 39th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Norwood's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Tas. had 82.1% houses and 17.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Norwood was at 45.6%, with mortgaged properties making up 35.8% and rented dwellings accounting for 18.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Norwood was $1,372, exceeding Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,300. Weekly rent figures showed a median of $320 in Norwood, higher than Non-Metro Tas.'s $280. Nationally, Norwood's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,372 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $320 against the national figure of $375.

Norwood features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 67.7% of all households, including 25.7% couples with children, 30.4% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.3%, with lone person households at 29.9% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which matches the average for the Rest of Tas.

Educational outcomes in Norwood fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 25.8% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of Tas. average of 19.3%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 17.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 31.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 21.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education. The area offers educational provision through Norwood Primary School and Queechy High School, serving a total of 1,105 students. Norwood demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 968) with balanced educational opportunities. Educational provision is split between one primary and one secondary institution. The area functions as an education hub, offering 28.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 18.4, attracting students from nearby communities.

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

The transport analysis indicates 25 operational stops in Norwood, offering a variety of bus services. These stops are served by 73 different routes, facilitating 5,690 weekly passenger trips in total. The accessibility of public transport is rated highly, with residents generally situated 195 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 812 daily trips across all routes, equating to around 227 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Norwood faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Approximately half (50%) of Norwood's total population (~1,965 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.1% of residents) and mental health issues (8.5%). A majority (61.2%) report having no medical ailments, compared to 63.9% in Rest of Tas.. Norwood has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 29.2% (~1,147 people) than Rest of Tas., which stands at 19.9%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Norwood, as per the findings, had a cultural diversity below average levels. The population was predominantly born in Australia, with 87.2%, and held citizenship at 92.3%. English was spoken by 93.9% of residents at home.

Christianity was the prevalent religion, accounting for 51.7% of Norwood's inhabitants. However, Judaism showed an overrepresentation, comprising 0.3% compared to the regional average of 0.1%. Regarding ancestry, Australian heritage dominated at 34.3%, followed by English at 33.7% and Scottish at 7.7%. Notable differences were observed in Dutch (1.9% vs regional 2.0%), Polish (0.7% vs regional 0.5%), and Australian Aboriginal (1.9% vs regional 2.7%) representations.

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

Norwood's median age is 47, which is slightly higher than the Rest of Tasmania's figure of 45 and significantly above Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Tasmania's average, Norwood has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 85 and over (5.9%) while those aged 25-34 are under-represented (8.6%). Between 2021 and present, the population share of those aged 75 to 84 has increased from 10.8% to 11.6%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 65 to 74 has decreased from 13.6% to 11.6%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Norwood's age structure. The number of residents aged 85 and over is projected to increase by 184 people (79%), rising from 232 to 417. Residents aged 65 and over will contribute significantly to population growth, accounting for 68% of the increase and highlighting demographic aging trends. In contrast, population declines are projected for those aged 0-4 and 15-24 years.