Sheffield - Railton
Statistical Area - sa2

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 was approximately 6,943 as of Aug 2025. This figure shows an increase of 324 people from the 2021 Census total of 6,619. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates of 6,905 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since then. This results in a population density of 6.0 persons per square kilometer. Sheffield-Railton's growth rate of 4.9% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the SA4 region (4.5%) and state averages, indicating it as a region of significant growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.0% of overall population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 growth estimation by age group, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made using a weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on projected demographic shifts, non-metropolitan areas nationally are expected to have lower quartile growth. Sheffield-Railton is projected to grow by 84 persons to 2041, representing a total gain of 0.7% over the 17-year period.

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. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, showing 147 homes approved between FY-21 and FY-25, with no approvals yet recorded in FY-26. On average, 2.9 new residents have been gained per dwelling built over the past five financial years. The average construction cost value of new homes is $458,000.

This year has seen $19.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Rest of Tas., Sheffield - Railton has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and falls within the 50th percentile nationally when measured against other areas assessed. All new construction consists of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes.

The estimated population count is 340 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 46 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Sheffield - Railton has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Eleven projects identified by AreaSearch are likely to impact the area, significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure. Notable 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 expected to be most relevant.

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

Sheffield - Railton has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Sheffield-Railton has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, strongly represented by manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.7% and it saw an estimated employment growth of 2.2% in the year ending June 2025.

During this period, 3,277 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is 0.2% lower than Rest of Tas.'s rate. The workforce participation was 53.1%, slightly below Rest of Tas.'s 55.7%. Key industries employing residents are health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and accommodation & food. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly specialized, 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%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.2% while the labour force grew by 2.3%, with unemployment remaining stable. In contrast, Rest of Tas. saw employment decline by 0.5% and labour force decline by 0.6%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Tasmania's employment grew by 0.77%, adding 1,170 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5% and a national employment growth average of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sheffield-Railton's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Sheffield - Railton is lower than average nationally. The median income is $43,798 and the average income stands at $50,331. This contrasts with Rest of Tas., where the median income is $47,358 and the average income is $57,384. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.94% since financial year 2022, estimates as of March 2025 would be approximately $49,027 (median) and $56,341 (average). Census data reveals that household, family, and personal incomes in Sheffield - Railton all fall between the 12th and 14th percentiles nationally. The data shows that 28.7% of the population (1,992 individuals) falls within the $800 - 1,499 income range, differing from metropolitan regions where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 28.5%. While housing costs are modest with 88.5% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.4% houses and 3.6% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Tas.'s dwelling structures comprised 90.3% houses and 9.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sheffield - Railton stood at 49.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.8% and rented ones at 12.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,253, lower than Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,300. The median weekly rent figure in Sheffield - Railton was recorded at $230, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s $250. Nationally, Sheffield - Railton's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 72.2% of all households, with couples having children making up 26.6%, those without children at 36.6%, and single parents accounting for 8.5%. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.8%, consisting of lone person households at 25.1% and group households at 2.5%. The median household size is 2.4 people, higher 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 the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are 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 such qualifications - advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (32.2%).

Educational participation is high at 26.0%, including 10.3% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 2.4% pursuing tertiary education. Schools serving the area include Sheffield School and Wilmot Primary School, with a total of 407 students. The educational mix includes one primary school and one K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited at 5.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.1, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, covering about 3,207 people, compared to 48.3% in Rest of Tas. and the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.7%) and mental health issues (9%), while 62.7% report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Rest of Tas.'s 61.1%. The area has a high proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 24.8%, with 1,718 people in this age group.

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 was found to have a below average cultural diversity, with 88.5% of its population being citizens born in Australia who speak English only at home. The predominant religion is Christianity, comprising 39.8% of the population. While Judaism is equally represented compared to the rest of Tasmania at 0.1%, it is notable that Dutch ancestry is overrepresented at 1.7%.

Australian Aboriginal ancestry is also higher than regional averages at 4.4%, and Hungarian ancestry is notably present at 0.3%.

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

Sheffield - Railton's median age at 49 years exceeds the Rest of Tas. average of 45 and is considerably older than Australia's median age of 38. The 55-64 cohort is over-represented locally at 18.0%, compared to the Rest of Tas. average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.4%. This concentration in the 55-64 age bracket is higher than the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group grew from 6.5% to 8.3% of the population, while the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 14.1% to 12.2%, and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 11.1% to 10.1%. By 2041, Sheffield - Railton's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 75 to 84 age group will grow by 40%, reaching 813 people from the current 579. Those aged 65 and above will comprise 56% of projected population growth. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to decrease in number.