Sheffield - Railton

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

Sheffield - Railton's population is approximately 6,950 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 331 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,619. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,905 in June 2024 and an additional 83 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6.0 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Sheffield - Railton has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.9%, outperforming the SA4 region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 96.0% 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 by this data and to estimate growth by age group post-2032, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth of non-metropolitan areas nationally is anticipated. The area is expected to grow by 84 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 0.6% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Sheffield - Railton when compared nationally

Sheffield - Railton has seen approximately 29 new homes approved each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 147 homes were approved. In the current financial year, FY-26, 5 homes have been approved so far.

On average, about 2.9 people move to the area each year for every new home constructed over these five years, indicating strong demand which supports property values. The average construction cost of these new homes is $248,000. This financial year has seen $19.2 million in commercial approvals, showing moderate levels of commercial development.

Compared to the rest of Tasmania, Sheffield - Railton has about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 50th percentile nationally for this metric. All new construction consists of detached dwellings, preserving the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. The location has approximately 340 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Population forecasts suggest that Sheffield - Railton will gain 39 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth to exceed current forecasts.

Sheffield - Railton has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 10thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Don Irrigation Scheme, North West Hospitals Masterplan - Mersey Community Hospital, Bass Highway Cool Storage Development, and Latrobe Flood Levees Project. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Sheffield - Railton has been broadly consistent with national averages

Sheffield - Railton has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are strongly represented. The unemployment rate is 3.4%.

Over the past year, employment grew by an estimated 6.5%. As of September 2025, 3,372 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.4% lower than Rest of Tas.'s 3.8%. Workforce participation matches Rest of Tas.'s 58.6%. Census data shows that only 11.6% of residents work from home.

Key industries include health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and accommodation & food. The area specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 13.0% compared to Rest of Tas.'s 16.5%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 6.5%, labour force grew by 5.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Tas. had employment growth of 0.7% and a 0.2 percentage point decrease in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sheffield - Railton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.1% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Sheffield - Railton SA2 had median assessed income of $45,949 and average income of $52,711 in financial year 2023. Rest of Tas.'s figures were median income of $49,689 and average income of $59,358. By September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $50,360 (median) and $57,771 (average), accounting for 9.6% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Sheffield - Railton fall between the 12th and 13th percentiles nationally. Incomes of $800 - 1499 comprise 28.7% (1994 individuals) of the population, differing from metropolitan regions where the $1500 - 2999 category predominates at 28.5%. Housing costs are modest with 88.5% income retained, placing total disposable income at the 19th percentile nationally.

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

Sheffield - Railton's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.4% houses and 3.6% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This is compared to Non-Metro Tas., which had 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Sheffield - Railton was 49.3%, with mortgaged properties at 37.8% and rented ones at 12.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,253, lower than Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,274. The median weekly rent figure stood at $230, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s $250. Nationally, Sheffield - Railton's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Sheffield - Railton has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.2% of all households, including 26.6% couples with children, 36.6% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.8%, with lone person households at 25.1% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of Tas. average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 15.5%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (32.2%). Educational participation is high at 26.0%, comprising primary education (10.3%), secondary education (7.7%), and tertiary education (2.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 2.4% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Sheffield - Railton faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and prevalence of chronic conditions are notable across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is extremely low, at approximately 46% of the total population (around 3,217 people), compared to 49.1% in the Rest of Tasmania and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 11.7% and 9.0% of residents respectively. However, 62.7% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments, compared to 62.0% in the Rest of Tasmania. The working-age population faces particularly notable health challenges, with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a high proportion of older residents, with 25.3% aged 65 and over (1,761 people). National rankings for certain health indicators are even higher than those of the general population.

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

Sheffield-Railton had a cultural diversity index below average, with 88.5% of its population being citizens and 86.9% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 95.7%. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 39.8% of residents.

Judaism, however, was slightly overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to Rest of Tas' 0.1%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (33.6%), Australian (33.5%), and Scottish (7.7%). Notably, Dutch (1.7%) and Hungarian (0.3%) were overrepresented in Sheffield-Railton compared to regional averages.

Sheffield - Railton hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Sheffield-Railton's median age is 49 years, significantly higher than the Rest of Tasmania average of 45 and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of Tasmania average, the 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented at 17.8% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.4%. This concentration of the 55-64 age group is well above the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.5% to 8.7%, and the 35 to 44 cohort has increased from 10.6% to 11.7%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.1% to 11.9%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 18.8% to 17.8%. By 2041, Sheffield-Railton is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 28%, reaching 1,059 from 824. The aging population trend is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 52% of the projected growth. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.